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List Price: $15.00 | | Publisher: Washington Square Press
Salesrank: 3329
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| Our Price: $5.75 |
| Used Price: $4.75 |
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| Media: Paperback |
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Editorial Review:
Hugh Laurie concocts an uproarious cocktail of comic zingers and over-the-top action in this "ripping spoof of the spy genre" (Vanity Fair) -- the irresistible tale of a former Scots Guard-turned-hired gun, a freelance soldier of fortune who also happens to be one heck of a nice guy.
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 femmes 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.
Description of The Gun Seller:
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.
The Gun Seller Reviews:
Good Comic Crime/Spy Caper 
2008-10-14 - I actually had no idea this was the same Hugh Laurie as the actor who plays House M.D. when I picked up this book. I'm a huge fan of the comic crime caper type of book which is why I bought this 1996 published story. It was only when researching what other stuff this author has written that I discovered this book is actually written by the same guy, and not just an author who shares his name. Incidentally in case you're interested there is one other fiction book by this author - Paper Soldiers (which at the time of this review is not on Amazon). Laurie also has four non fiction books (all co written with Stephen Fry) out there, all written before The Gun Seller, which are - 1990's A Bit of Fry and Laurie, 1991's A Bit More Fry and Lorry (doesn't seem to be on Amazon), 1992's Three Bits of Fry and Laurie and 1995's Fry and Laurie Bit No. 4.
It's a shame in some ways Hugh Laurie went on to become such a huge success in the acting field, which has obviously taken away the time needed to write more novels as The Gun Seller, is very, very good!
So anyway this is a very good comic crime turns into comic spy novel. Sort of reminded a lot of Donald E Westlake's The Spy in the Ointment. Laurie certainly knows how to twist the plot and throw out surprises. Plus his main character Thomas Lang, is a very likeable character whose commentary of what's happening certainly adds to the enjoyment of the book.
Basic plot is Thomas Lang is approached by a man to murder the American Alexander Woolf, owner of a plastic's industry company, living in the UK. Although prepared to break the law, Lang has some morals and leaves the offerer in pain, and with no doubt, he's not into that type of thing. Lang decides he will warn Woolf so visits his house only to find himself in a struggle with his arm about to be broken by a large thug (which is where the novel begins). Once that problem is over his next is Woolf's beautiful daughter who demands on knowing what he's doing in the house. Soon intelligence agencies wants to know what his interest in Woolf is as well, plus he seems to be being framed for a crime he did not commit. Lang's world turns upside down when he actually meets Woolf and his confusing ride will not end until the final page of this sensational humorous plot, involving business men, terrorists, the CIA and all kinds of fun people. A great read, check it out!
Fantastic
2008-09-19 - As a huge fan of House (not to mention my fascination for stars that try to break into other creative mediums), it was only a matter of time before I picked this book up. I won't lie; my expectations were not high, partially because I'm not familiar with Hugh Laurie's body of work outside of House and mostly because I am prepared to be disappointed by crossover work by people I admire.
My fears were completely misplaced.
I can honestly say that this is my favorite book in a long time. The style of writing is humorous and interesting, the characters are likable in their own quirky ways, and the plot twists unpredictably. This is a book I'd put right next to Fight Club on the list of "Books That Revitalize My Desire To Read."
I read one review that gave this one star because of the salty language. I can honestly say only a fool would let language ruin this book for them.
Apparently this guy is multi-talented 
2008-08-22 - I don't watch House, but I've seen Hugh Laurie in other work, and apparently he's very talented. Not only can he pull off a genuine American accent, he can write a heck of a crime novel.
The Gun Seller works as a thriller and a comedic novel. It is expertly written, very smart (well researched, with sundry technical details about motorcycles, weaponry and international espionage), and hilarious. A lot of full-time crime writers would do well to read this work.
The protagonist is in many ways a typical crime novel hero -- full of faults, doesn't quite fit in with mainstream culture, has a taste for liquor and the occasional woman, falls for a femme fatale and has at his center an admirable moral code -- but Laurie also gives Thomas Lang a hilariously scabrous interior monologue that will keep you laughing throughout. Also, as is typical in crime novels, Thomas Lang, for all his tongue-in-cheek dialogue, takes doing the right thing very seriously. At times, he is alone in a world filled with corruption, cowardice and greed.
This novel isn't just good because it's surprising that an actor could pull it off. It's excellent work on its own. It's no wonder that Laurie has become such a big success: He's got the chops.
Highly recommended for fans of crime novels, espionage thrillers and irreverent humor.
Brilliant!
2008-07-25 - This book is amazing, I've been a fan of the genre since I was about 8 and raided my grandfather's book collection, I read Eye of the Needle, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The Key to Rebecca among others, and Hugh Laurie's narrative in this book has impressed me deeply, he uses language as an expert and for the first time in my life I loved descriptions and narrative in books which was something I normally don't have much interest in as opposed to dialogue, which is also wonderfully done in the Gun Seller. I really hope he has some spare time to finish the sequel.
Although I am one of the ones that discovered his works through House M.D., I say unfortunately because I'm deeply, deeply ashamed of that fact. Simply because my life would have been far better by seeing his other works earlier, Blackadder, Jeeves and Wooster, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, etc, not because I don't like the show, which I do.
So I feel that this book should be judged by its own merit, Hugh Laurie even said he wanted to publish it under a pseudonym so that his career wouldn't influence on how the book would be received and I have to say that he should not worry about it, the book is wonderful and excellent and everyone who likes this genre will love this book, he deserves all the merit he can get as a very accomplished writer.
Brilliant
2008-07-24 - I had to stop reading "The Gun Seller" around 1am, halfway through it, and believe me, the ONLY thing stopping me from reading to the end was an unfortunate dearth of eyelids propper-uppers, a la "A Clockwork Orange."
It is LITERALLY laugh-out-loud funny. Adam (spousal unit) couldn't concentrate on his computer war game, so often did I punctuate the living room's usual silence with raucous laughter and stifled snorts.
But it is ALSO one helluva spy tale. He wrote it in 1996 and I can't for the life of me figure out why he hasn't written more -- except for maybe that little sideline of his in the thespian arena. Apparently it was immediately optioned as a screenplay; that never went anywhere, but I bet you dollars to doughnuts (WHAT does that phrase MEAN???) he could not only get it made today, but nab the leading role to boot (and what does THAT phrase mean?).
