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Monday, January 6, 2014

Hard Luck Hank Screw the Galaxy by Steven Campbell Book Review

This book is a lighthearted action adventure novel about mutant mobsters in space.  The main character Hank is not quite the thug that he makes himself out to be, but his sense of right and wrong are a bit skewed to say the least.  Despite this he is a very likable character who will often do the right thing even when he knows its stupid and would advise anyone else to run.  I found myself enjoying the book just to see Hank's take on the crazy situations around him.

This book is not really a "makes you think" kind of story, but more of the "escape my mundane world" sort.  If you are looking for deep philosophical meaning from a story this one may disappoint, but if a story about a nearly indestructible mobster with a heart of gold defeating all foes who threaten his home turf sounds interesting to you this should be a fun read.

Hard Luck Hank Makes his living as a gang negotiator on a space station so far from anywhere else it is the favorite hideout of mobsters on the run. His mutation makes him literally bulletproof, and lets him heal at an advanced rate. His healing is not Wolverine fast but if you cut off his finger it would grow back in about a month without a scar.  Unfortunately this is accomplished in part by making him very dense, and his muscles are completely normal so he is very slow.  He likes to say that hes not the smartest, or wisest negotiator but he is the best because if they shoot him in the face he will just keep talking.  Since his ageing is healed just like any other injury everybody knows Hank because he has been there for 150 years, and everyone trusts him because he has negotiated a deal for them at some point, and they know he plays fair.  This is why when the station comes under threat from outside invaders or non-corrupt government officials Hank is one of the first people to get called.  If anyone can get a station full of gangsters to pull together its Hank, and if he cant? Well he's bulletproof.  One thing I like about this book is that even though he is almost indestructible he can get hurt, and at a couple of points in the book when his negotiations get lively he does end up in the hospital.  After beating the opposition down of course.  So where does the screw the galaxy part come in?  Well lets just say by the end of the book you realize that 150 years of negotiating deals between gangs is good experience when facing down galactic empires.

This book will appeal to anyone who likes science fiction and doesn't mind flawed dark heros.  Hank is not really a good guy but he sure is fun to read about, and he has a way of taking things as they are that is quite refreshing.

This book can be purchased at www.amazon.com as an e-book or in print.

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