Collection
Publication
Washington Square Press (1998), Edition: Reprint, 339 pages
Description
Fiction. Thriller. "Fast, topical, wry, suspenseful, hilarious, witty, surprising, ridiculous and pretty wonderful. And you don't need a permit to buy it.". "A first-rate thriller . . . an awesome entertainment machine.". "[A] ripping spoof of the spy genre.". HTML: Cold-blooded murder just isn't Thomas Lang's cup of tea. Offered a bundle to assassinate an American industrialist, he opts to warn the intended victim instead�??a good deed that soon takes a bad turn. Quicker than he can down a shot of his favorite whiskey, Lang is bashing heads with a Buddha statue, matching wits with evil billionaires, and putting his life (among other things) in the hands of a bevy of femme fatales. Up against rogue CIA agents, wannabe terrorists, and an arms dealer looking to make a high-tech killing, Lang's out to save the leggy lady he has come to love . . . and prevent an international bloodbath to boot.… (more)
Media reviews
It's the highest compliment to say: Why on earth didn't anyone think of doing this before? What a great idea. . . This is a genuinely witty and sophisticated entertainment.
User reviews
LibraryThing member JustAGirl
Hugh Laurie is a great comedian and actor, can sing and apparently play any instrument he takes a fancy to and is a naturally gifted sportsman. And this, his only book, is a wonderfully funny comic spy thriller. Hugh Laurie is a git.
LibraryThing member ireed110
Thomas Lang, a man whose real occupation was either not revealed or I can not remember, gets caught up in a multi-national marketing scheme led by arms dealers and corrupt governments.
The book suffers for a lack of introduction and back-story on many of the characters. I had trouble keeping all of
It's a lot of fun to read a book written by "Dr Gregory House." Though written before the introduction of the popular tv series, you can see bits of Hugh Laurie that come through in each -- his love of motorcycles, the Brit who pulls off a mean American accent, and the acerbic wit. It's a very good first novel with plenty of action, intelligence, and laughs. I would love to read further adventures of Thomas Lang, or anything else that Mr Laurie writes.
The book suffers for a lack of introduction and back-story on many of the characters. I had trouble keeping all of
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the players straight, and even as the book drew to a close I found myself rifling back to figure out who was who and what they were up to. I never really understood who Solomon, a major player who apparently shares some history with Lang, really was, who he worked for, and what he was doing there.It's a lot of fun to read a book written by "Dr Gregory House." Though written before the introduction of the popular tv series, you can see bits of Hugh Laurie that come through in each -- his love of motorcycles, the Brit who pulls off a mean American accent, and the acerbic wit. It's a very good first novel with plenty of action, intelligence, and laughs. I would love to read further adventures of Thomas Lang, or anything else that Mr Laurie writes.
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LibraryThing member Anome
Another brilliant debut. The brilliant thing about it is the way it avoids deriving humour from unrealistic situations, but instead manages to derive it entirely from the central character's wit.
There has been rumour of a film for some time now, but it seems to be stuck in development hell. A pity.
There has been rumour of a film for some time now, but it seems to be stuck in development hell. A pity.
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Here's hoping that Hugh can find time between seasons of House to write his next novel which has been promised for almost as long. Show Less
LibraryThing member miss_read
Hugh Laurie is wonderful. This book, sadly, is anything but.
It's a sort of spy action suspense thriller espionage thing, but not a very good one. Laurie is so intent on making the book comic, that any glimmer of plot or character development has been left by the wayside.
Yes, it is funnyish:
We were
But the fun is non-stop, the humour forced. Every sentence reads like the passage above. At first it was mildly amusing, after 30 pages slightly annoying, and by page 300 I was ready to scream, "Enough!" By not even halfway through the book, I'd lost all track of the storyline. More and more characters were being introduced, with no background or personalities whatsoever. It was impossible for me to follow. I very nearly gave up and put the book down, which is something I've only done once or twice in a lifetime of reading.
I love you Mr. Laurie, but please don't give up your day job.
It's a sort of spy action suspense thriller espionage thing, but not a very good one. Laurie is so intent on making the book comic, that any glimmer of plot or character development has been left by the wayside.
Yes, it is funnyish:
We were
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heading south down Park Lane in a light blue Licoln-Diplomat, chosen from the thirty identical ones in the embassy car park. It seemed to me a trifle obvious for diplomats to use a car called a Diplomat, but maybe Americans like those sort of signpots. For all I know, the average American insurance salesman drives around in something called a Chevrolet Insurance Salesman.But the fun is non-stop, the humour forced. Every sentence reads like the passage above. At first it was mildly amusing, after 30 pages slightly annoying, and by page 300 I was ready to scream, "Enough!" By not even halfway through the book, I'd lost all track of the storyline. More and more characters were being introduced, with no background or personalities whatsoever. It was impossible for me to follow. I very nearly gave up and put the book down, which is something I've only done once or twice in a lifetime of reading.
I love you Mr. Laurie, but please don't give up your day job.
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LibraryThing member .Monkey.
This book was amazing. I mean, okay, the writing was not award-winning prose, but it's not trying to be! I couldn't begin to count the number of times I laughed out loud or a huge grin spread itself over my face. It was just a riot. And it was a riot on top of a gripping suspense-thriller. I have
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to give this 5 stars. I maybe shouldn't, because the book itself is technically not that stunning, but I had such a fun time reading this, and I thought it started out fabulously and the end was perfect, so I just have to give it full stars! Show Less
LibraryThing member armysparkey
I was plesantly suprised by this book it has a well paced storyline although the end was i felt slightly off
LibraryThing member poetontheone
I first became acquainted with Laurie through his titular role on the medical drama House MD. I found out he had written a novel, and though detective/spy fiction isn't usually my thing I just had to read it. It has all the action, twists, and hairy predicaments you'd expect to find, but it is
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drenched in a tone dry humor that makes you feel like your best pals with the main character. An entertaining page turner that is more than just your average spy novel. Would love to see more writing put out by Laurie. Show Less
LibraryThing member lmichet
Okay, Laurie is funny. Yes. But he tries too hard to be too serious and ends up shooting himself in the foot.
The narrative swings wildly between extreme silliness and extreme seriousness, and the serious bits are often so awkwardly done or unrealistic that they actually bored me. Laurie starts out
Not really worth wasting your time one, particularly if you only like Laurie because of House. This has little to no relationship to anything I've ever appreciated Laurie for-- his Jeeves and Wooster show with Fry, as well as A Bit of Fry And Laurie, were both kindhearted and highly entertaining. House, too, is very good. This book is, however, not very well-done, and is a letdown on practically every account. Don't hunt it down.
The narrative swings wildly between extreme silliness and extreme seriousness, and the serious bits are often so awkwardly done or unrealistic that they actually bored me. Laurie starts out
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with an oddly Wodehousian attitude-- Wodehouse doing a spy novel, imagine-- and then veers off harshly into a poorly-realized political thriller which, besides making little to no sense, is so intensely political that it becomes almost sour to read. Add to that the fact that this book was written pre-9-11 and features a strangely (though certainly not wholly) sympathetic look at a pack of terrorists, and the whole setup becomes even more dissonant. He spends the entire book talking about the differences between 'real life' and a spy novel-- his point being that the character, Thomas Lang, is experiencing REAL LIFE, and that his spy-novel expectations are being shattered by the cruel American military-industrial complex-- and then ends the book on a totally outrageous action-hero note involving rocket launchers and Bond-style hero-antics. He's not terribly consistent with his message in that regard, so he comes across as insincere.Not really worth wasting your time one, particularly if you only like Laurie because of House. This has little to no relationship to anything I've ever appreciated Laurie for-- his Jeeves and Wooster show with Fry, as well as A Bit of Fry And Laurie, were both kindhearted and highly entertaining. House, too, is very good. This book is, however, not very well-done, and is a letdown on practically every account. Don't hunt it down.
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LibraryThing member snat
The only reason I read this book? You guessed it, Hugh Laurie. Anything to which his name is attached is worth a looksee. I'm not typically a fan of spy novels, so I must admit that some of the spoofing was probably lost on me. However, Laurie obviously enjoys the English language and bends and
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twists it to wit-laced results. As a narrator, Thomas Lang is sarcastic and self-deprecating, but also a genuinely nice guy. He's likable, someone you'd like to go have a drink with just to hear his running commentary on the people and places with which he comes into contact. Some of my favorites included his observation that hiding behind the warehouse walls was not a good idea "since the walls were no more than an inch of Gyproc plaster board, and probably couldn't have stopped a cherry-stone squeezed from the fingers of a tired three-year-old." Also, his philosophical thoughts on the use of the term bird strike: "This, rather unfairly in my view, made it sound as if it was the bird's fault; as if the little feathered chap had deliberately tried to head-butt twenty tons of metal travelling in the opposite direction at just under the speed of sound, out of spite." Amusing and sometimes laugh out loud funny, it's worth the read and will probably most appreciated by people familiar with the spy genre Show Less
LibraryThing member Prop2gether
This novel was easier for me to "read" by hearing it than it was when I attempted to read it. Perhaps it's the style of story which belongs more entertaining, but this is a spy spoof in the tradition of some great spy spoofs (Graham Greene comes to mind), and is highly enjoyable. There have been
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reports since its original publication of a sequel, but these seem to be exaggerations since Laurie has not written one. I'd enjoy another episode. Show Less
LibraryThing member SusanGrigsby
Sometimes it seems that a few people are inordinately blessed with an abundance of talent while the rest of us just muddle along trying to fake it. Hugh Laurie is one of those so blessed.
Born in Oxford, he went, of course, to Cambridge, joining Selwyn College, the same college his father attended.
While at Cambridge, he joined the Footlights Club where he met Emma Thompson who introduced him to Stephen Fry. (Can you just imagine the rehearsals these three put together?) Laurie and Fry co-wrote an annual review, "The Cellar Tapes" which the three performed in Edinburgh's Fringe Festival, winning the first Perrier Comedy Award. It was picked up for a run in London's West End theater district as well as a television show.
Laurie did not graduate Cambridge, but moved to London and pursued a career in television, stage and film with his writing partner Stephen Fry. Some of their best known work includes "Blackadder", "A Bit of Fry and Laurie," and "Jeeves and Wooster," based on the P.G. Wodehouse work. They also did work on the concert stage and Laurie has appeared in films, including a brief role in Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility." In 2004, he began his role as Dr. Gregory House in Fox's "House" television series.
Musically, he has mastered the piano, saxophone, drums, guitar, and harmonica. He is also a vocalist and keyboard player, has performed at jazz festivals worldwide and released his album, Let Them Talk in 2011.
And he can write.
There are those who don't consider The Gun Seller as much a mystery as a parody of a mystery. Myself, I thought of it as P.G. Wodehouse meets Robert Ludlum. Which is not a surprise since Laurie admits the powerful influence that Wodehouse has had on his writing. The plot is as complex as any that Ludlum dreamed up. Christopher Buckley, in the New York Times describes it as:
"the most engaging literary melange des genres since George Macdonald Fraser's Flashman arrived on the scene. Or as they'd say in a Hollywood pitch meeting: ''Bertie Wooster meets James Bond.''"
Thomas Lang lives in London, picking up the occasional job as bodyguard or mercenary that uses the skills he acquired as a member of the Scots Guard. The Gun Seller opens with Lang considering how to properly break someone's arm:
"Imagine that you have to break someone’s arm.
Right or left, doesn’t matter. The point is that you have to break it, because if you don’t ... well, that doesn’t matter either. Let’s just say bad things will happen if you don’t.
Now, my question goes like this: do you break the arm quickly - snap, whoops, sorry, here let me help you with that improvised splint - or do you drag the whole business out for a good eight minutes, every now and then increasing the pressure in the tiniest of increments, until the pain becomes pink and green and hot and cold and altogether howlingly unbearable?"
He carries on for more paragraphs, debating the right answer and exceptions to the right answer. His description of the arm to arm combat he is engaged in includes gems like this one:
"I backed away from him, dancing on my toes like a very old St Bernard, and looked around for a weapon."
The novel continues in this conversational tone, narrator to reader, as Thomas is drawn into a conspiracy involving terrorists, the CIA, the Ministry of Defense and international arms dealers. And just like a Ludlum novel, it is difficult to describe the plot without giving away too much of the action. Locations include of course, the Swiss Alps, London, Amsterdam and Casablanca. The bad guys are very, very bad and beautiful women are either very good or very bad or both.
Mostly, the book is simply fun. And according to the Buckley review,
"There's enough neat gadgetry here to satisfy the hard-core techno-weenie, while at the same time amusing the techno-wimp. Mr. Laurie has done his homework, but knows just where to stop, as in this description of the British missile that shoots down helicopters: 'The system is made up of two handy units, the first being a sealed launch canister, containing the missile, and the second being the semi-automatic-line-of-sight-guidance system, which has a lot of very small, very clever, very expensive electronic stuff inside it.''"
Written in 1996 some of the politics do appear a little dated today, but also strangely prescient. While today's terrorist are no longer European as they were in the past, the international gun trade and its ties to the military of the US and the UK are today far more believable to most British and American citizens than they were 17 years ago. There was talk of a Hollywood adaption, and a sequel that was unfortunately never written. That makes me sad.
Born in Oxford, he went, of course, to Cambridge, joining Selwyn College, the same college his father attended.
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(This was after he attended Eton, that very private public school) His father represented Britain in the 1948 London Olympic Games and won a gold medal in the coxless (pairs) rowing. Hugh naturally took up rowing at Cambridge, did very well in it, winning multiple ribbons and awards. He still belongs to the Leander Club, one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. (As an aside, shortly after writing this paragraph I picked up a mystery revolving around the death of a rower at the Leander Club. Quite a coincidence, except that as any mystery reader knows, there are no coincidences. And now, back to Hugh.)While at Cambridge, he joined the Footlights Club where he met Emma Thompson who introduced him to Stephen Fry. (Can you just imagine the rehearsals these three put together?) Laurie and Fry co-wrote an annual review, "The Cellar Tapes" which the three performed in Edinburgh's Fringe Festival, winning the first Perrier Comedy Award. It was picked up for a run in London's West End theater district as well as a television show.
Laurie did not graduate Cambridge, but moved to London and pursued a career in television, stage and film with his writing partner Stephen Fry. Some of their best known work includes "Blackadder", "A Bit of Fry and Laurie," and "Jeeves and Wooster," based on the P.G. Wodehouse work. They also did work on the concert stage and Laurie has appeared in films, including a brief role in Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility." In 2004, he began his role as Dr. Gregory House in Fox's "House" television series.
Musically, he has mastered the piano, saxophone, drums, guitar, and harmonica. He is also a vocalist and keyboard player, has performed at jazz festivals worldwide and released his album, Let Them Talk in 2011.
And he can write.
There are those who don't consider The Gun Seller as much a mystery as a parody of a mystery. Myself, I thought of it as P.G. Wodehouse meets Robert Ludlum. Which is not a surprise since Laurie admits the powerful influence that Wodehouse has had on his writing. The plot is as complex as any that Ludlum dreamed up. Christopher Buckley, in the New York Times describes it as:
"the most engaging literary melange des genres since George Macdonald Fraser's Flashman arrived on the scene. Or as they'd say in a Hollywood pitch meeting: ''Bertie Wooster meets James Bond.''"
Thomas Lang lives in London, picking up the occasional job as bodyguard or mercenary that uses the skills he acquired as a member of the Scots Guard. The Gun Seller opens with Lang considering how to properly break someone's arm:
"Imagine that you have to break someone’s arm.
Right or left, doesn’t matter. The point is that you have to break it, because if you don’t ... well, that doesn’t matter either. Let’s just say bad things will happen if you don’t.
Now, my question goes like this: do you break the arm quickly - snap, whoops, sorry, here let me help you with that improvised splint - or do you drag the whole business out for a good eight minutes, every now and then increasing the pressure in the tiniest of increments, until the pain becomes pink and green and hot and cold and altogether howlingly unbearable?"
He carries on for more paragraphs, debating the right answer and exceptions to the right answer. His description of the arm to arm combat he is engaged in includes gems like this one:
"I backed away from him, dancing on my toes like a very old St Bernard, and looked around for a weapon."
The novel continues in this conversational tone, narrator to reader, as Thomas is drawn into a conspiracy involving terrorists, the CIA, the Ministry of Defense and international arms dealers. And just like a Ludlum novel, it is difficult to describe the plot without giving away too much of the action. Locations include of course, the Swiss Alps, London, Amsterdam and Casablanca. The bad guys are very, very bad and beautiful women are either very good or very bad or both.
Mostly, the book is simply fun. And according to the Buckley review,
"There's enough neat gadgetry here to satisfy the hard-core techno-weenie, while at the same time amusing the techno-wimp. Mr. Laurie has done his homework, but knows just where to stop, as in this description of the British missile that shoots down helicopters: 'The system is made up of two handy units, the first being a sealed launch canister, containing the missile, and the second being the semi-automatic-line-of-sight-guidance system, which has a lot of very small, very clever, very expensive electronic stuff inside it.''"
Written in 1996 some of the politics do appear a little dated today, but also strangely prescient. While today's terrorist are no longer European as they were in the past, the international gun trade and its ties to the military of the US and the UK are today far more believable to most British and American citizens than they were 17 years ago. There was talk of a Hollywood adaption, and a sequel that was unfortunately never written. That makes me sad.
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LibraryThing member sa54d
Hilarious and well written. The main character speaks with the voice of characters who Laurie has portrayed before: the head of MI6 from the British series "MI5" and House from "House MD." Some of the characters speak with the same "voice" as others, and the American characters use "British-isms"
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which no actual American would ever say. Aside from that, it's a very enjoyable read, and may yet turn up in movie form. When Laurie wrote it he was the age of the main character, so I imagined him in his 30s as I read. If you like "House MD" you'll love this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member AHS-Wolfy
Thomas Lang had been asked to kill a man. It's not something he generally does do it came a a bit of a surprise and aroused his curiosity. Thinking that he could warn the intended victim, an American indrustrialist named Alexander Woolf, but decides on a bit of snooping first. His look around
I'm not totally sure the author knew what he wanted to accomplish with this book. It starts out almost spoof-like spy thriller but then changes to a more straight-laced espionage story about halfway through. The character development is not great but the dialogue is as fun as you would expect from Mr. Laurie. The plot is okay but now that the terror threat has moved on it has become a little dated. Not a terrible debut and so far only novel but it's probably a good job that his acting and musical efforts have been a tad more successful.
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Woolf's Belgravia house is interrupted by a large man whom Lang manages to disable but the struggle wakens Woolf's daughter Sarah. Lang manages to convice her he is not the one trying to kill her father so she backs him up when the police arrive to investigate the disturbance. For Lang there is an instant attrraction but does Sarah feel the same? The course of true love never runs smooth and from this point on it's a rollercoaster of events with a terrorism plot straight out of the pre 9/11 play book. Will Lang survive all that is thrown at him and if he does will he also get the girl at the end and which girl does he really want?I'm not totally sure the author knew what he wanted to accomplish with this book. It starts out almost spoof-like spy thriller but then changes to a more straight-laced espionage story about halfway through. The character development is not great but the dialogue is as fun as you would expect from Mr. Laurie. The plot is okay but now that the terror threat has moved on it has become a little dated. Not a terrible debut and so far only novel but it's probably a good job that his acting and musical efforts have been a tad more successful.
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LibraryThing member bragan
Americans are most likely to know Hugh Laurie as the star of House. Which, great as he is in that, is kind of a shame, because if that's the only place you know him from, you've missed out on his long, hilarious career as a comic actor. And it turns out he's just as funny as a novelist, too,
Rating: It's a little hard to decide how to rate this, but, hell, it's not Hugh Laurie's fault 9/11 happened, and even with some discomfort about that niggling in the back of my head, I still enjoyed it a lot. So I'm going to call it 4/5.
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because this crazy spy thriller is written with a droll, pitch-perfect wit that makes pretty much every page a delight to read. Mind you, the plot is completely ridiculous, being convoluted and contrived and based on an idea that's pure tin-hat conspiracy theory. Which wouldn't be a problem, really, except that it was written in 1996, and its flippant, dated depiction of terrorism reads a lot more uncomfortably now than it would have then. Rating: It's a little hard to decide how to rate this, but, hell, it's not Hugh Laurie's fault 9/11 happened, and even with some discomfort about that niggling in the back of my head, I still enjoyed it a lot. So I'm going to call it 4/5.
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LibraryThing member imnotsatan
First, a question: Why, oh why, is this book marked as a YA novel? Unless you know some very sketchy young adults, I don't get it.
Anyway. The best word to describe this book is "breakneck". The story whips around so quickly that it's hard to tell which end is up. Certain scenes stand out as
It's a must for the Hugh Laurie fan, because he writes prose exactly like he writes comedy- that articulate, verbose, Wodehousesque style that's completely charming. All in all, not a bad first effort, and I'm quite anxious for his second.
Anyway. The best word to describe this book is "breakneck". The story whips around so quickly that it's hard to tell which end is up. Certain scenes stand out as
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particularly brilliant- the assassination in particular- but it doesn't escape my notice that the most memorable scenes are the slowest. It's a must for the Hugh Laurie fan, because he writes prose exactly like he writes comedy- that articulate, verbose, Wodehousesque style that's completely charming. All in all, not a bad first effort, and I'm quite anxious for his second.
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LibraryThing member GiselleD
As with many of those who have posted reviews here, I pretty much only read this book because it was written by Hugh Laurie. That being said, I was entertained. Enough said.
LibraryThing member craso
Someone has tried to hire Thomas Lang to kill an American industrialist, but he is not a killer. He is however, newly retired from the Scots Guard and a freelance soldier of fortune. Lang decides to warn the potential victim and meets his daughter Sarah Wolfe. He can take care of himself in any
I heard in an interview that Hugh Laurie was trying to write a journal, but he thought his life was to boring so he decided to turn it into a spy thriller. I couldn't help but imagine Laurie as the main character. He added things to Lang's personality that he enjoys in his reality; like riding motorcycles. Lang starts off as awkward but becomes more self possessed and in control by the end of the story.
This book is a funny take on the spy novel. The characters are what you would expect in a thriller; the feme fatale that draws the hero into trouble, the dependable good girl (he really should be with) the rich foreign financier, and the gung-ho American military man. There are many plot twists, surprises and witty asides. I had a problem with one aspect of the ending (how did the hero get the villain to the roof?) but other than that it was a slam-bang finale.
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situation, except ones involving Sarah. Using her big gray eyes and Fleur de Fleurs perfume, she lures him into a convoluted scheme involving the CIA, the British Defense Ministry, a terrorist cell, and a highly advanced military helicopter.I heard in an interview that Hugh Laurie was trying to write a journal, but he thought his life was to boring so he decided to turn it into a spy thriller. I couldn't help but imagine Laurie as the main character. He added things to Lang's personality that he enjoys in his reality; like riding motorcycles. Lang starts off as awkward but becomes more self possessed and in control by the end of the story.
This book is a funny take on the spy novel. The characters are what you would expect in a thriller; the feme fatale that draws the hero into trouble, the dependable good girl (he really should be with) the rich foreign financier, and the gung-ho American military man. There are many plot twists, surprises and witty asides. I had a problem with one aspect of the ending (how did the hero get the villain to the roof?) but other than that it was a slam-bang finale.
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LibraryThing member Meggo
The story of a British ex-army man who gets involved with the wrong people (one of who is a gun seller, natch). Not a thriller or mystery per se, it is still a well-written, gripping story that became increasingly difficult to put down. Written with a dry (dare I say British?) wit, this was a
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pleasure to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member bluejulie
A perfect light read. The plot is decent enough and the characterization is good. The best thing of the novel is Mr. Laurie's ability to carry over his skill at humour from his acting work into writing. On several instances I laughed aloud at re-read several sections to marvel at his brilliant use
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of puns and jokes. Show Less
LibraryThing member Darcia
Dry humor, witty remarks, and a bit of sarcasm, written in first person by the man we all now know as House. For me, the actual plot - which is sort of a spy thriller; part serious, part satire - was secondary to the writing and the characters. I didn't particularly care what they were doing. I
In all fairness, however, I must admit that the plot was at times convoluted in such a way that it could be difficult to follow. I think, in Laurie’s effort to bring suspense to the story, he sometimes leaves the reader dangling in the wind. However, the entertainment value of his writing style carried me through any little rough spots in the plot.
When I turned the last page, I was sad to say goodbye to the characters. Thomas Lang, Laurie’s main character, wants to live on in my mind. And, for me, that’s the mark of a great story.
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just loved reading his words. His characters are vivid and unique. He has a true gift for writing dialogue and even his narrative sucked me in and held me in place.In all fairness, however, I must admit that the plot was at times convoluted in such a way that it could be difficult to follow. I think, in Laurie’s effort to bring suspense to the story, he sometimes leaves the reader dangling in the wind. However, the entertainment value of his writing style carried me through any little rough spots in the plot.
When I turned the last page, I was sad to say goodbye to the characters. Thomas Lang, Laurie’s main character, wants to live on in my mind. And, for me, that’s the mark of a great story.
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LibraryThing member bookappeal
I love Hugh Laurie (as Bertie Wooster and Dr. Gregory House) and this novel is full of witty one-liners and humorous internal dialogue. Thomas Lang is a hapless former soldier for the British who turns down an offer of significant money to kill a wealthy American in the gun-selling business. Lang
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feels obligated to warn the intended victim and instead finds himself attracted to the man's daughter and embroiled in a plot of international intrigue and deceit. The storyline is rather confusing and the humor wanes a bit toward the end as a serious resolution is worked out. Similar to Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell but not as gory nor as compelling. Show Less
LibraryThing member Neilsantos
Well this was a scream. It's a little strange because the story isn't a comedy, but the narration is hysterical pretty much from page one. It's amazing how funny Hugh can make terrorism. Also, I congratulate either Hugh or his researchers, every bit of information about small arms in this book is
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accurate, take that Joe Haldeman! Show Less
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
An enjoyable read - fast paced, interesting characters. A nice mystery/ detective story. Things I liked, Thomas Lang, is a bit of bumbler, he's a detective, but is basically a nice guy. When asked to assassinate an American, he declines, but decides that he should warn the assassination subject.
A nice mystery that doesn't take itself too seriously.
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This starts a series of adventures that leave Thomas Shot, beat up, and generally abused. It takes him from the streets of London, to the slopes of Switzerland, then to Morocco. A nice mystery that doesn't take itself too seriously.
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LibraryThing member hailelib
I read this more as a curiosity after enjoying the music album "Let Them Talk" (where Laurie sings and plays piano) than because I expected to like Laurie's writing but I really enjoyed the book. The first half, in particular, is quite humorous even though the basic story deals with a serious
Aside: My husband also enjoyed The Gun Seller and loved the humor.
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subject. It is something of a spoof of spy/thriller/terrorist novels and a fairly quick read. However, I do agree with those reviewers who say that Laurie's writing may not be for everyone.Aside: My husband also enjoyed The Gun Seller and loved the humor.
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LibraryThing member madamepince
It's started out like gang busters, but I have to admit I got confused as the plot rolled along. This could also have been because I was only jury duty and read it in between testimonies, conferences between the attorneys, etc. No doubt that Laurie has a way with language.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1996
Physical description
339 p.; 5.31 inches
ISBN
067102082X / 9780671020828
Similar in this library
Pages
339