The Gun Seller
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
British actor and comedian Hugh Laurie's first book is a spot-on spy spoof about hapless ex-soldier Thomas Lang, who is drawn unwittingly and unwillingly into the center of a dangerous James Bond–like plot of international terrorists, arms dealing, high-tech weapons, and CIA spooks. You may recall having seen Laurie in the English television series Jeeves and Wooster; Laurie played Bertie Wooster, the clutzy hero of the P.G. Wodehouse comic novels that originated those characters. The lineage from Wodehouse's Wooster to Laurie's Lang is clear, and, if you like Wodehouse, you'll probably love The Gun Seller.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In his debut as a thriller writer, the longstanding partner of British comedian Stephen Fry treats the genre of John Buchan, Eric Ambler and Frederick Forsythe with as much reverence as Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy did science fiction. His blend of comedy and suspense has some truly hilarious moments. The hero, Thomas Lang, an ex-officer of the Scots Guards now aimlessly drifting between dead-end jobs, is such a decent bloke that he not only turns down a 50,000 hit job but also warns its intended victim, the CEO of an interior decorating firm, who turns out to be its originator. At the heart of a plot so twisted that it risks spraining itself is an arms-selling conspiracy beyond Ollie North's wildest schemes, involving renegade CIA agents and the U.S. military-industrial complex. Though this scenario flags once Lang has untangled it, culminating in a staged hostage crisis that shows off an anti-terrorist helicopter, Laurie's droll patter enlivens Lang's bemused narration throughout. Besides motorcycle chases, unarmed combat and sharpshooting, Lang wittily fetishizes weaponry and personal injury. As a good Brit, however, he is terribly, terribly reticent about sex ("When it comes to sex, it seems to me, men really are caught between a rock and a soft, limp, apologetic place."). Author tour; rights: Harold Ober; film rights to United Artists.
Customer Reviews
The Gun Seller
Humor. Action. Incredible descriptive writing. I've read The Gun Seller more than once and each time I find something new to love about it. The only thing that is missing is an audio version as read by the author. Now that would be perfection!
Fabulous!!
I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite novels of all time. Laurie is absolutely unmatched in creating both his fantastically personable characters, and unbeatable satire. A cross between 007 and House, this is an unbeatable book. You'll find yourself laughing aloud within the first chapter, I'm sure. Totally would recommend this to anyone, and oh, how wish this was a series!