The Gun Seller

Perhaps not the best spy novel you'll ever read but a solid one, and certainly one of the funniest. Funny, darkly funny and sometimes just plain dark, this novel is a delightful diversion that makes one think just enough to have something to hang on to.

I will say if you choose the audiobook route, be forewarned that the Minnesota accent attempted the by the narrator is truly the worst ever. One would be forgiven for not recognizing it as a Minnesota accent, even having been told the character is from Minnesota.

Wow! What a fun read. I laughed out loud numerous times, the story was exciting, and I couldn't put it down, only when life got in the way. I will read every word of any other books written by Hugh Laurie. He's great.

Hugh Laurie’s first novel is action packed. Famous for his roles on House and Jeeves and Wooster, Laurie’s wry humour is evident throughout this book. Thomas Lang, an Ex-Scots Guard, gets involved in international terrorism, high-tech equipment and arms-dealing in a race to separate the good guys from the bad.

This was a disappointing book. It seemed sluggish and the change in style for the second half didn’t work for me.

Thomas Lang is a great character and in fact I really liked all the characters, from the military to the government and especially Ronnie, she was the perfect sidekick. The execution of the first half was good and the humor was great, just as you would expect from this author but the story as a whole was a letdown.

I was braced for ths to be a book sold on the merits of its author's popularity as an actor, but he did a genuinely good job AND it reflects his charm.

Suprisingly, this is quite a good geo-political intrigue novel. Laurie injects some wry and dry British humour into the proceedings, which brings some freshness to what could have been a tired old tale of an ex-soldier caught up in the international weapons trade. There is also some wag the dog elements here that add to the complexity of the plot. This is a quick moving, engaging book that is a fun read. It also proves that Laurie is a multi-talented guy that has a literary career if he ever tires of acting.

I'm not a fan of spy thrillers, but Hugh Laurie's dry wit makes this one quite palatable.