The Gun Seller

Rating:
Summary: Allow me one little gripe...
Review: As GWB would say, make no mistake: this is a very enjoyable read. The plot is suspenseful, the characters interesting, and the humorous asides are just that. Unlike other reviewers, I was not struck with the image of Bertie Wooster afoot in the world of international arms-dealing and espionage, but that's neither here nor there. I do feel compelled to speak out about one detail that appears to be central to the plot. The presence of coaxial, counter-rotating rotors will never render an aircraft immune to the laws of Newtonian physics, specifically momentum. That is, the time required for a body to reverse direction is dependent on the body's momentum and the magnitude of the accelerating force applied in the opposite direction.

All that aside, this book makes an ideal low-stress, high-enjoyment read for vacation, etc.

Rating:
Summary: What a ride!
Review: Extremely readable, funny, clever, this page turner combines numerous plot twists, international conspiracies, nefarious evildoers, and more belly laughs than you can shake a stick at. The story begins in high gear, and doesn't let up for a moment. Laurie's delightfully twisted sense of humour is on constant display in clever diologue and a relentless use of irony. My only problem with the book was my complete inabiltity to put it down. A superbly written book, and an all around great read for anyone capable of reading a cereal box. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. A suggestion for "Fry and Laurie" fans: this book is best when injected intravenously, with a very large syringe

Rating:
Summary: Summary and Review for SF
Review: Hugh Laurie sets his novel, "The Gun Seller," as a spy genre in contemporary England. The main character is Thomas Lang, a somewhat anti-hero gun for hire nice guy. The writer immediately introduces Mr. Lang who is already in trouble with his arm about to be broken and a quick decision to be made on how to break away from a dangerous situation. Also, in the beginning of the story, Mr. Lang meets and is somewhat attracted to Sara Woolf, and he has to use his wits and quick thinking to explain a combination of circumstances to prevent her from calling the police. Sara Woolf is the daughter of Alexander Woolf, and to make matters more complicated, Mr. Woolf happens to be the person who gets Mr. Lang into all kinds of trouble in the first place. As the book continues, we see that Mr. Lang gets involved in a lot more than just being a hit man even though he is a gun for hire. Each time Mr. Lang attends meetings in coffee shops and a bar about the job Mr. Woolf wants him to perform, he becomes just as confused and reluctant as the previous time. In addition, the explanations behind the characters' backgrounds and the people whom Mr. Lang knows, seem to make his adventure all the more dangerous. The nature of his work is made that much worse by being a story about arms dealing with a top-secret helicopter. Along the way, Mr. Lang encounters some more people like Murdah and others who don't make the situation any better by forcing him to do the wrong thing and threatening to kill him and Sara Woolf if he doesn't comply with them. Finally, Mr. Lang meets up with Ricky and Francisco, and they all end up in a sticky situation together while trying to prevent a lot of fatalities. "Lang's out to save the leggy lady he has come to love...and prevent an international bloodbath to boot".
"The Gun Seller" is Hugh Laurie's first novel, and I would recommend reading it. Although Laurie's book is generally good, it does have a couple of flaws. The author could have shortened his book from 339 pages and limited his lengthy number of characters. The main characters include Thomas Lang, Sara Wolf, Mr. Woolf, Benjamin, Francisco, Murdah, Ricky, and a couple of others. There are too many characters to follow in the way this book is written because the characters seem to interact at least two at a time with Mr. Lang which adds to some confusion as the plot thickens. However, the book is definitely good; it's a refreshing new take on the spy genre because it doesn't take itself too seriously even in times of danger. Laurie's sense of humor is observational, similar to what one finds on "Seinfeld," and the reader finds this right from the get-go. "His name was Rayner. First name unknown. By me, at any rate, and therefore, by you too." Laurie's humor reveals itself, "I have good, warm, non-arm-breaking relationships with plenty of people who are ten years older than me." This almost comic book style spy novel takes place in England, and "The Gun Seller" seems to be written during the present war/terrorist time although Laurie wrote the book in 1996, prior to 9/11. The novel provides some perception into what it would be like if the U.S. were the supposed terrorist, the bad guys. Even though Laurie could have limited his book from 339 pages, it is still original enough because of his writing style, and he makes it entertaining so you won't have a hard time reading it. The writing is narrative and comes from an everyman type of style. "In fact I took several deep breathes, because what I now wanted to do to Russell Barns might result in me not breathing again for quite a while." Laurie continues, "He was still watching me, testing me for some reaction, some weakness." The main character, Thomas Lang, is an anti-hero because he is a gun for hire or hit man but if he didn't say what he did, the reader would think that he was a teacher. Lang might not be the best teacher, but he would be a decent one because of his reasoning skills.
This novel jumps out of the gates in the thick of a dangerous situation for Mr. Lang, "Imagine that you have to break someone's arm. Right or left it doesn't matter." This grabs the reader from the beginning, and it encourages one to continue reading. Even though "The Gun Seller" starts off great for this first time novelist, Laurie kind of drags it on too long around the middle of the story, so it gets slightly boring as the characters spend a lot of time sitting around and talking to each other. Things pick up again when Mr. Lang crashes his motorcycle. Finally, the action picks up when Mr. Lang, Francisco and Rick try to prevent casualties in a very dangerous scene. With action, comedy, arms dealing, some rogue CIA agents and wannabe terrorists, this book isn't a must read but it definitely wouldn't hurt.

Rating:
Summary: Summary and Review for SF
Review: Hugh Laurie sets his novel, "The Gun Seller," as a spy genre in contemporary England. The main character is Thomas Lang, a somewhat anti-hero gun for hire nice guy. The writer immediately introduces Mr. Lang who is already in trouble with his arm about to be broken and a quick decision to be made on how to break away from a dangerous situation. Also, in the beginning of the story, Mr. Lang meets and is somewhat attracted to Sara Woolf, and he has to use his wits and quick thinking to explain a combination of circumstances to prevent her from calling the police. Sara Woolf is the daughter of Alexander Woolf, and to make matters more complicated, Mr. Woolf happens to be the person who gets Mr. Lang into all kinds of trouble in the first place. As the book continues, we see that Mr. Lang gets involved in a lot more than just being a hit man even though he is a gun for hire. Each time Mr. Lang attends meetings in coffee shops and a bar about the job Mr. Woolf wants him to perform, he becomes just as confused and reluctant as the previous time. In addition, the explanations behind the characters' backgrounds and the people whom Mr. Lang knows, seem to make his adventure all the more dangerous. The nature of his work is made that much worse by being a story about arms dealing with a top-secret helicopter. Along the way, Mr. Lang encounters some more people like Murdah and others who don't make the situation any better by forcing him to do the wrong thing and threatening to kill him and Sara Woolf if he doesn't comply with them. Finally, Mr. Lang meets up with Ricky and Francisco, and they all end up in a sticky situation together while trying to prevent a lot of fatalities. "Lang's out to save the leggy lady he has come to love...and prevent an international bloodbath to boot".
"The Gun Seller" is Hugh Laurie's first novel, and I would recommend reading it. Although Laurie's book is generally good, it does have a couple of flaws. The author could have shortened his book from 339 pages and limited his lengthy number of characters. The main characters include Thomas Lang, Sara Wolf, Mr. Woolf, Benjamin, Francisco, Murdah, Ricky, and a couple of others. There are too many characters to follow in the way this book is written because the characters seem to interact at least two at a time with Mr. Lang which adds to some confusion as the plot thickens. However, the book is definitely good; it's a refreshing new take on the spy genre because it doesn't take itself too seriously even in times of danger. Laurie's sense of humor is observational, similar to what one finds on "Seinfeld," and the reader finds this right from the get-go. "His name was Rayner. First name unknown. By me, at any rate, and therefore, by you too." Laurie's humor reveals itself, "I have good, warm, non-arm-breaking relationships with plenty of people who are ten years older than me." This almost comic book style spy novel takes place in England, and "The Gun Seller" seems to be written during the present war/terrorist time although Laurie wrote the book in 1996, prior to 9/11. The novel provides some perception into what it would be like if the U.S. were the supposed terrorist, the bad guys. Even though Laurie could have limited his book from 339 pages, it is still original enough because of his writing style, and he makes it entertaining so you won't have a hard time reading it. The writing is narrative and comes from an everyman type of style. "In fact I took several deep breathes, because what I now wanted to do to Russell Barns might result in me not breathing again for quite a while." Laurie continues, "He was still watching me, testing me for some reaction, some weakness." The main character, Thomas Lang, is an anti-hero because he is a gun for hire or hit man but if he didn't say what he did, the reader would think that he was a teacher. Lang might not be the best teacher, but he would be a decent one because of his reasoning skills.
This novel jumps out of the gates in the thick of a dangerous situation for Mr. Lang, "Imagine that you have to break someone's arm. Right or left it doesn't matter." This grabs the reader from the beginning, and it encourages one to continue reading. Even though "The Gun Seller" starts off great for this first time novelist, Laurie kind of drags it on too long around the middle of the story, so it gets slightly boring as the characters spend a lot of time sitting around and talking to each other. Things pick up again when Mr. Lang crashes his motorcycle. Finally, the action picks up when Mr. Lang, Francisco and Rick try to prevent casualties in a very dangerous scene. With action, comedy, arms dealing, some rogue CIA agents and wannabe terrorists, this book isn't a must read but it definitely wouldn't hurt.

Rating:
Summary: Hate to Say It, but Stick to Acting, Hugh!
Review: I admire Hugh Laurie's acting talent very much. He is at his best as George in "Blackadder" and as Bertie in "Jeeves and Wooster," but he is not at his best trying to produce a trashy best-selling thriller.

Mr Laurie undoubtedly has a way with words, and his wit is above average, even in "The Gun Seller," but his choice of subject is too unfortunate. The main hero lacks credibility; the plot is disjointed and not at all thrilling; and the political stances professed by the author are just too transparent and amateurish. As a matter of fact, I am *sorry* that a great favourite of mine has messed up in the literary field with his first effort--somehow he does not quite reach the quality of Stephen Fry's work.

I suggest that Hugh pick a peace-time topic and realise his great potential beyond simple boyhood fantasies.

Rating:
Summary: Heartily recommended!
Review: I initially picked up this book only out of curiosity after noting that Hugh Laurie was listed as the author. I've read a number of novels written by other performers whose stage/screen/musical work I greatly enjoy, only to find that my literary tastes don't match with theirs. Imagine my surprise when I opened up _Seller_ and fell completely for it from the first paragraph on! The plot is sharp, the characters engaging; the twists keep you guessing, and Thomas Lang's witty and refreshing narrative (hardly any sentences in the novel could be labeled "pedestrian") invites you to continue turning pages. It's one thing to create a solid story; it's quite another thing to creatively deliver that story: Laurie accomplishes both here.

Rating:
Summary: It is a great time to read this book
Review: I was trying to be pithy when I said to Jill that the difference between English and American comedians is that the English ones write their own material, for books by comedians are becoming quite common on both sides of the Atlantic. Their is a difference, however, and it is in the "type" of books that the two nationalities differ in: American comedians write up their monologues in a collected set of essays (Jerry Seinfield's Seinlanguage, Bill Cosby's books, Rita Rudner's I'm Naked Under My Clothes, Paul Reisner's book), whereas English comedians write novels (Python's Terry Jones and his books for children, Stephen Fry, and the case in point). I attribute the difference to education. Your typical American comedian skipped university to work through the comedy club circuit, hoping for that gig on the Tonight Show to make a break, get their own HBO special, then maybe movies or TV. British comedians typically begin in the comedy glee club of their universities (I believe it's the Cambridge "Footlights", or is that Oxford? As an American, I can't keep them straight, which is to Americans like saying I can't tell the difference between a Yankee and a Southerner), spend years as bit actors in off-West End productions, until finally they get picked up for a movie or a starring spot in their own West End revue. The British, thus, tend to be grounded in the literature of humor, rather than just the anecdotal type so favored by the Americans. Of course, I'm making this up out of whole cloth without bothering to do a spec of research, so I wouldn't base a thesis on it.

Hugh Laurie should be recognizable to you from his role as Bertie Wooster in "Wooster and Jeeves" (shown in American on Masterpiece Theater), as well as his supporting roles in the British comedy series "Blackadder" (a personal favorite), the Kenneth Branagh movie "Peter's Friends," the Ang Lee/Emma Thompsom collaboration of Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," and the recent dreadful live-action remake of Disney's "101 Dalmatians." The Gun Seller is his first novel, and after the Disney movie, I think he should chuck the acting business and go into writing full time, because he shows extreme promise as an author. Imagine Wodehouse deciding that he wanted to write a James Bond novel, and you've got some idea of what The Gun Seller is like.

The plot, which is actually more important here than it is in most modern comic novels, concerns Thomas Lang, ex-officer of the Scots Guard, who finds himself approached in Holland and asked to murder a man for an obscene amount of money. His sense of honor not only has him turn down the offer, but when he returns to England, he sets off to warn the man that someone is offering money for his death. In the best tradition, complications ensue, including the British Secret Service, the young daughter of a wealthy American businessman, an art gallery, the military-industrial complex, a terrorist organization called "The Sword of Justice," and a "kick-ass" helicopter.

Laurie is extremely witty, and chuckling at the language in this book should be expected. Take, for example, the typical description of the attractive woman--every spy and detective book seems to have one, right?--and how Laurie makes it unique:

"She came towards me and stopped. She was shorter than she'd looked on the other side of the room. I smiled again, and she took a cigarette from the packet, but didn't light it. She just played with it slowly, and then pointed a pair of green eyes at me.

I say a pair. I mean her pair. She didn't get a pair of someone else's eyes out from a drawer and point them at me. She pointed her own pair of huge, pale, grey, pale, huge eyes at me. The sort of eyes that can make a grown man talk gibberish to himself. Get a grip, for Christ's sake."

I like the way he is able to be self-referential without breaking the flow of the paragraph.

This book also has one of the best last lines I've read in a long time, making an ironic point that is quite amusing and yet also draws up the story in a conclusion. I liked this book a lot, and hope to read more by Laurie in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant style, gasp-out-loud funny.
Review: I'm not a big fan of the action novel or the spy genre, generally, and it's all too rare that a comedic novel actually thrills. This jaunty (yes, jaunty) read clears all these hurdles in a single bound of fantastic storytelling. Laurie's expert comedic timing and brilliant phrase-turning are so exhilarating that the plot hardly matters: from the opening sentence you can't wait to read more. As it happens he's pretty good at plot, too, stringing together scenes like so many ridiculously shaped beads that, once finished, make a really quite festive sort of garland.
It's too bad this book got no visible publicity here in the States; it could have done really well, and then he might have gotten an advance to write the next one. I'll buy two copies, whenever it's published.

Rating:
Summary: A Real Treat for Hugh Laurie Fans!
Review: If you were a fan of the BBC's 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie,' with it's madcap Monty Python-esque humor, then Laurie's first novel will keep you howling with laughter. Laurie's dry British wit is to be found in abundance in this slightly off center thriller. Thomas Lang, a cynical ex-soldier, is approached by a man who wants to know if he would consider comitting a murder- the man's own. What follows is Lang's frantic, (and hilarious,) search to find out just who can be trusted. From dim-witted hit men to crabby police officers, to world arms dealers, 'Gun Seller' runs the gambit from heart stopping tension to laugh-out-loud humor. As the story progresses the humor does tend to take a backseat which is unfortunate. The plot is good but the book's strength relies on Laurie's irony, sarcasim, and ability to use the English language in print as well as he does in performance. More than worth a look if you're a fan of Laurie or if you enjoy well written comedy.

Rating:
Summary: Bertie Wooster, Author Extraordinaire!
Review: If you're a Jeeves & Wooster fanatic, as I am, then you can't help but love this book! It's really a comedy--a farce that clearly is meant to be respectful of the Wodehouse tradition--that keeps a spy thriller-type plot afloat while the main character pokes ironic fun at himself and at those who take themselves too seriously.

Hugh Laurie is so talented! As an actor, his delivery and sense of comic pacing are second to none--and here's a book that displays the same talents that Laurie has brought to television, movies, and the stage. You can easily see Bertie Wooster as the title character Thomas Lang, and his writing is sophisticated, full of variety, and funny as can be! Once you've discovered Hugh Laurie, you'll find his successes in other media and buy yourself years of prolonged life from so much laughter.