No wonder if this book has been so well rated ...

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	• The Gun Seller Hugh Laurie Washington Square Press, 1998 - 368 pages average customer review:based on 105 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Humorous thriller

This is a very enjoyable first novel by the great Hugh Laurie, of "Blackadder", "Jeeves and Wooster", and "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" fame. (He's also doing some American TV these days...House or something.) I don't know why so many people keep calling this a spy-novel "spoof", like a literary "Johnny English". Perhaps they should look up the definition of the word "spoof". This is a pretty straightforward novel of international intrigue, terrorism and adventure. What sets it apart from your ordinary thriller is the wonderfully effervescent literary voice of Hugh Laurie. I only know P.G. Wodehouse's works by reputation, but his name comes to mind with this book. Laurie's writing is witty and funny, in a very British way, and the man has a knack for strikingly original turns-of-phrase. Unfortunately, the plot was a little confusing in parts, and his characterization skills need polishing, but the writing saves it.

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House wrote a Book?!?!?!

WOW I was so shocked to discover that Hugh Laurie, House from TV, wrote a book. Because I love the actor's style and humor, I read the blurbs and the first two pages of the book here on Amazon, and knew I had to read the whole thing! So I bought it, and it was far from dissappointing. It was funny and timely. It is a love story/Terrorist/Spy Novel, an odd combination, but really great. I found it hilarious and thought provoking. It was a great read. I think it only took me a few days in my busy college schedule.

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fun

I will try to prevent my adoration of the brilliant Hugh Laurie affect my review of his first (and, to date, only) published novel, but I will admit that it was the only reason I was initially interested in reading The Gun Seller. While the book itself might not be expressly profound or lasting, it's great for some light reading (or airplane reading, as it was for me).

Overall, this spy-genre spoof is great fun. If you are familiar with Laurie's days before the successful show House, MD then you are aware that he knows a thing or two about comedy (that dry, weird Brit comedy). This book is dripping with humor of that sort. Know him as Dr. Greg House? There's a bit of that scathing sarcasm in The Gun Seller, too. You can't help but picture Laurie himself as Thomas Lang, the protagonist of the story. I think that only makes the book more enjoyable.

The plot itself is a little over-the-top with conspiracies, terrorists, arms dealers, a damsel in distress and, of course, motorcycles (again, if you know anything about Laurie). But then again, what spy/action plot isn't a bit far-fetched and fantastic (i.e., James Bond). Like the Bond character, I can envision the character of Tom Lang being serialized and continuing in a series past this book. We learn enough about the character's history and personality (and that of his quirky Jeeves-like colleague, Solomon), to make him a lasting character.

I can't say I'm an expert on spy novels (or their spoofs), but I do think this offering from Laurie is worthy of a read for fans of the genre, or for those appreciative of intelligent, dry humor.

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No wonder if this book has been so well rated ...

I read the book during a flight from Naples to Milan, and couldn't wait to reach the very unexpected end. Mr. Laurie wrote one of the most exciting and funny novel I ever read, and even if the book has some Jimmy Bond scent, you can easily see that the writer has his unique and very thoughtful style. You will love this book and feel that it's been a good thing to meet mr T. Lang after all.

James Bond with tons more laughs

This campy spy thriller delivers frequent laughs with decent action. Its an amusing plot involving an ex-Scotts guard turned bodyguard-for-hire (main character Thomas Lang), the CIA, terrorists, arms dealers, the Ministry of Defense and the military-industrial complex. Lang matches wits with all the above to try and prevent a terrorist attack that may or may not be a planned 'fake' by a government defense contractor looking to make a killing (in both senses of the word) with a super-advanced attack helicpoter he's marketting. In addition to a plot that will keep you guessing, 'who's really the villain,?' the book boasts some great one-liners that litetrally had me lauing out loud on the train: On the differences between the sexes with it comes to sex: "the problem with sex, for most men, is being stuck between a rock and a soft, limp, apologetic place"; or, on some peoples' tendency towards ostentacious interior decorating: "He threw up on the oriental rug, improving its color greatly." Hugh Laurie skewers Americans and his native Britons alike. Even the character names are great: a baddie named "Murdah," a wise man named Solomon, a host of faceless "Carls," etc. The book is hilarious and highly entertaining. Definitely recommended.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, page 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

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