Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The Intern's Handbook - Shane Kuhn

They're everywhere. You just might not see them - or overlook them as your gaze sweeps around your workplace. They're somewhat invisible. They're.....interns.

From the opening pages of Shane Kuhn's novel The Intern's Handbook.

"You can tell executives your name a hundred times and they will never remember it because they have no respect for someone living at the bottom of the barrel, working for free. The irony is that they will heap important duties on you with total abandon. The more of these duties you voluntarily accept, the more you will get, simultaneously acquiring TRUST AND ACCESS. Ultimately, your target will trust you with his life and that is when you will take it."

Uh huh - paid assassins from a little company known as Human Resources Inc. John Lago is one of the senior ops - he's almost twenty five and won't be able to pass himself off as an intern for much longer. The Intern's Handbook is words of wisdom for those coming behind him - and a detailed description of his last job. One that doesn't go to plan. At all.

I thought The Intern's Handbook was a fun read - yes it's about hired killers - but it's darkly humourous. The dialogue is razor sharp and witty. Yes, some of the scenes and actions are over the top, but it makes for one heck of an action packed read. As I was reading, I started thinking this would make a great action film. Well, Kuhn himself is a screenwriter - and it shows. He absolutely knows how to write a fast moving thriller. And The Intern's Handbook is indeed going to be a movie (starring James Franco - good choice!) For those who might be thinking this is a male oriented book? I don't think I mentioned Alice - the FBI agent who puts a wrinkle or two into John's last job.

Read an excerpt of The Intern's Handbook. You can keep up with Shane Kuhn on his website and on Twitter. Keep your eye out for the next John Lago (and Alice!) book - Hostile Takeover - due out in July of 015. Readers who enjoyed Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell would enjoy this book. Fair warning - gentle readers may be offended by some situations and language.

2 comments:

bermudaonion said...

That does sound fun!

Tessa~ Here there be musing said...

thank you!

I really need a book suggestion. because I seem to be in a slump. one of those times, when you can't remember the last book, which held your attention. -sigh-

gentle hugs, Tessa~