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Hard Luck Hank #4
Suck My Cosmos
Life is tough on the space station Belvaille. Not for the aristocratic nobles that call it home, but for the poor slobs like Hank.
Hank is considered a "celebrated cutthroat" and the oldest living person in the city. His occupation is to be hired muscle for those people who don't want to get their hands dirty but still want dirty things done. He possesses a mutation that allows him to be bulletproof and weigh thousands of pounds, two helpful traits in his line of work.
When the wife a City Councilman approaches him about spying on her husband, Hank worries he's flying too close to the flames for safety. When the husband is assassinated, he's sure of it.
Hank has to keep himself from getting framed for the murder while he finds himself increasingly manipulated by increasingly powerful people as the machinations of the City Council start to spill into his daily life.
NOTE: Sequel to Hard Luck Hank - Screw the Galaxy, Hard Luck Hank - Basketful of Crap, and Hard Luck Hank - Prince of Suck
Hank is considered a "celebrated cutthroat" and the oldest living person in the city. His occupation is to be hired muscle for those people who don't want to get their hands dirty but still want dirty things done. He possesses a mutation that allows him to be bulletproof and weigh thousands of pounds, two helpful traits in his line of work.
When the wife a City Councilman approaches him about spying on her husband, Hank worries he's flying too close to the flames for safety. When the husband is assassinated, he's sure of it.
Hank has to keep himself from getting framed for the murder while he finds himself increasingly manipulated by increasingly powerful people as the machinations of the City Council start to spill into his daily life.
NOTE: Sequel to Hard Luck Hank - Screw the Galaxy, Hard Luck Hank - Basketful of Crap, and Hard Luck Hank - Prince of Suck
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2015
75 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
June 20, 2017
HARD LUCK HANK: SUCK MY COSMOS is the fourth novel in the Hard Luck Hank series. The series changes every volume with the station of Belvaille going through a variety of social and economic changes. In this volume, Hank's efforts in the previous books have paid huge dividends and it's gone from being Mos Eisley to a combination of Manhattan, Vegas, and Dubai. Hank can barely afford to to live on the station now and only manages to do so by doing the odd favor for the city's upper class.
In this volume, Hank takes on a contract for a beautiful femme fatale (who ISN'T Garm) who hires him to investigate her husband for adultery. Hank fails this mission in a spectacular fashion when, an hour later, he witnesses her husband getting blown up by two men who look exactly like him. Hank is soon hired to find the killer, except for the fact the wife is the most obvious suspect, but discovers he's paid by the hour with the city council not really all that concerned if he ever does solve it. So, summarizing Hank's character in a single act, Hank decides to milk it for as much money as possible by doing nothing.
This is a real return to form for the series as while I didn't much care for the previous volume, I felt this was hilarious. Hank dealing with the super rich and famous is a new area for the series to go. I also love how it's a non-mystery as no one cares about the crime, not even Hank. There's great moments spread throughout the story ranging from Hank accidentally ticking off a group of female ninjas who can't hurt him, Hank's horror at the realization he's dating the granddaughter of one of his old flames, and the final action-filled climax.
I have to say the best part of the book, though, is the addition of Hank's robot butler Cliston. Hank is such a delightfully thuggish persona that the addition of a C-3PO-like character (except infinitely more capable) plays off of him well. The fact Cliston is a Dredel Led, Hank's archnemesis race, also helps matters because Hank is too lazy to care about his origins. Cliston will make a gentleman's gentleman out of Hank if it kills him (Hank that is) or at least his bank account.
I actually had a lot of fun with the mystery itself as the stakes are significantly lower for "Suck my Cosmos" than previous books. This is just about the murder of someone no one cares about and how the case just won't die (due to Garm insisting on solving it as a matter of professional pride). There's a military coup in the works but the fact no one actually cares about the aristocracy also makes it delightfully off-beat. It's a "non-mystery" and that is perfect for a deconstructionalist take on sci-fi like the series excels at.
The Hard Luck Hank series is full of action, humor, and great characters. While I don't think Hank, Garm, and Delova are enough to sustain the series by themselves--Cliston is an excellent addition to the cast and helps balance them out. If they can add some more permanent characters to the cast then this book series could last forever. The switch to high-class rather than low-class is something which doesn't fit "Hank" but works well as a one-off.
In conclusion, this is another book which is worth reading if you're a fan of the series. You could actually pick up any of the Hard Luck Hank books and they'd be as entertaining as hell but this works best if you've read the previous volumes.
9/10
In this volume, Hank takes on a contract for a beautiful femme fatale (who ISN'T Garm) who hires him to investigate her husband for adultery. Hank fails this mission in a spectacular fashion when, an hour later, he witnesses her husband getting blown up by two men who look exactly like him. Hank is soon hired to find the killer, except for the fact the wife is the most obvious suspect, but discovers he's paid by the hour with the city council not really all that concerned if he ever does solve it. So, summarizing Hank's character in a single act, Hank decides to milk it for as much money as possible by doing nothing.
This is a real return to form for the series as while I didn't much care for the previous volume, I felt this was hilarious. Hank dealing with the super rich and famous is a new area for the series to go. I also love how it's a non-mystery as no one cares about the crime, not even Hank. There's great moments spread throughout the story ranging from Hank accidentally ticking off a group of female ninjas who can't hurt him, Hank's horror at the realization he's dating the granddaughter of one of his old flames, and the final action-filled climax.
I have to say the best part of the book, though, is the addition of Hank's robot butler Cliston. Hank is such a delightfully thuggish persona that the addition of a C-3PO-like character (except infinitely more capable) plays off of him well. The fact Cliston is a Dredel Led, Hank's archnemesis race, also helps matters because Hank is too lazy to care about his origins. Cliston will make a gentleman's gentleman out of Hank if it kills him (Hank that is) or at least his bank account.
I actually had a lot of fun with the mystery itself as the stakes are significantly lower for "Suck my Cosmos" than previous books. This is just about the murder of someone no one cares about and how the case just won't die (due to Garm insisting on solving it as a matter of professional pride). There's a military coup in the works but the fact no one actually cares about the aristocracy also makes it delightfully off-beat. It's a "non-mystery" and that is perfect for a deconstructionalist take on sci-fi like the series excels at.
The Hard Luck Hank series is full of action, humor, and great characters. While I don't think Hank, Garm, and Delova are enough to sustain the series by themselves--Cliston is an excellent addition to the cast and helps balance them out. If they can add some more permanent characters to the cast then this book series could last forever. The switch to high-class rather than low-class is something which doesn't fit "Hank" but works well as a one-off.
In conclusion, this is another book which is worth reading if you're a fan of the series. You could actually pick up any of the Hard Luck Hank books and they'd be as entertaining as hell but this works best if you've read the previous volumes.
9/10
April 21, 2018
4 1/2
I'm bumping it up because I laughed a lot. This was really fun and the characters, his butler, Delovo, Garme, Hank, they were just great. Still the ending left a bit to be desired as there was no answer. It wasn't a cliffhanger just that there was no answer. There didn't really need to be and maybe by default we understand who it was. It was very fun.
I'm bumping it up because I laughed a lot. This was really fun and the characters, his butler, Delovo, Garme, Hank, they were just great. Still the ending left a bit to be desired as there was no answer. It wasn't a cliffhanger just that there was no answer. There didn't really need to be and maybe by default we understand who it was. It was very fun.
August 15, 2016
Liked this better than 3. I listen to these books whenever I'm working on the house so they are a great way to keep me entertained while painting.
June 12, 2017
Hank continues to make me laugh.
The HLH stories have always been sort of a guilty pleasure for me when I want a light and funny read. Although I usually give them 5 stars, I have this one 4 only because I didn't laugh hard enough to wake my wife up from sleep. lol Anyway, looking forward to reading the next installment. Keep up the good work.
The HLH stories have always been sort of a guilty pleasure for me when I want a light and funny read. Although I usually give them 5 stars, I have this one 4 only because I didn't laugh hard enough to wake my wife up from sleep. lol Anyway, looking forward to reading the next installment. Keep up the good work.
September 1, 2015
This is the 4th book in the hard luck Hank series. I didn't think there would be another one after the third so I was pleasantly surprised to see this pop up in my amazon list. I've generally enjoyed all of these books. However I feel this one wasn't the strongest of the series. Hanks is still Hank and his cast of characters are all there and they progress and develop but the story wasn't as strong. Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed it but I found myself not nearly as engrossed as I was before. If you're a fan of this series pick it up, if you haven't read any of these books before you can still enjoy it but I would start with the first book and if you like read the second and third and possibly skip this one.
December 22, 2016
Having lots of fun with this series!
February 3, 2022
Hank feels less and less like the MC of a story than someone being swept along... the ridiculousness of it all keeps me coming back, for now...
May 28, 2019
The Hank books are always fun. Some of the best interactions in the book take place between Hank and Delovoa and they usually make me laugh which gets me weird looks at work.
I've read all of these books and they've never let me down.
The one gripe I have about them, if I just have to have one is that Hank never advances. I get that the bumbling, incompetent nature of the protagonist is part of his charm but he can remain incompetent while still developing and evolving. Protip: You can make your character better and still have him in over his head by giving him more difficult circumstances/obstacles.
I've read all of these books and they've never let me down.
The one gripe I have about them, if I just have to have one is that Hank never advances. I get that the bumbling, incompetent nature of the protagonist is part of his charm but he can remain incompetent while still developing and evolving. Protip: You can make your character better and still have him in over his head by giving him more difficult circumstances/obstacles.
February 16, 2019
A centuries-old bullet-proof mutant, Hank is a celebrated figure on the Bellvaille space station where he's spent most of his life. He's seen many changes come to Bellvaille, and in the latest incarnation the space station has turned into a center of civilization after a galaxy-wide civil war. In place of gang kingpins, the rulers of Bellvaille are now aristocrats who flocked to Bellvaille. Hank has to walk a fine line between the aristocrats and the large criminal population who still remain. It's unclear which group will turn out to be more deadly.
May 11, 2020
After being a little iffy on Hank #3, I was delighted to find that Hank #4 really sucked me in and held me captive. Things have changed again on the space station and Hank is now a working man in a world of rich and richer. He finds himself trying to be an investigator when it seems that everyone around him would rather he didn't. There are beautiful women, strange thugs, explosions, and lots of weird story-corners that make more sense than not. It's a lot of fun and leads directly into book 5. More or less.
January 18, 2018
They aren't high literature, but I enjoy them. The stories ramble around quite a bit, but I like Hank and the people he deals with.
March 8, 2018
Weakest of the series for sure, no real direction.
May 19, 2018
Hank is always funny. Bellvail changed so he had to change too. Surprise ending. Actually a couple big surprises. Cliston is just what Hank has been missing. Can't wait to read the next one!
September 3, 2019
Great read.
Another fun fast paced addition to an entertaining series. Twists and turns aplenty. Kept me constantly wondering what the neck was going on. Very entertaining read.
Another fun fast paced addition to an entertaining series. Twists and turns aplenty. Kept me constantly wondering what the neck was going on. Very entertaining read.
December 21, 2019
Best one yet
It's a great series. It's not wordy or fancy, but interesting and fun. I love reading about what's happening to Belvaille too.
It's a great series. It's not wordy or fancy, but interesting and fun. I love reading about what's happening to Belvaille too.
May 1, 2020
Funny and original!
February 11, 2021
Start on book one and just read them all. Among my favorite and most easily recommended books for those who like comedy and space/futuristic settings.
June 27, 2023
Love how effortless reading these books are, before I knew it I was nearly done
Fantastic time
Fantastic time
June 29, 2024
Hank is my new hero
What a fun read Hank and all his "associates" make for an enjoyable reading experience.
I look forward to continuing the series.
What a fun read Hank and all his "associates" make for an enjoyable reading experience.
I look forward to continuing the series.
October 30, 2025
good
An interesting story. I like that every book in this series is similar but different in how the world works.
An interesting story. I like that every book in this series is similar but different in how the world works.
May 26, 2017
Five things I've learned from reading Suck my Cosmos:
1) A space station full of gangs and murderous thieves it's way safer than one full of power hungry nobles and nouveau riche.
2) When the protagonist is like a bull in a china shop full of bulls, even the most tense situation gloriously conflagrate in a mess, violence and hilarity.
3) Replacing internal organs is a messy business.
4) Hank it's not a mutant, he's a poorly nourished kick ass alien!
5) Campbell has earned my trust for at least ten more books.
1) A space station full of gangs and murderous thieves it's way safer than one full of power hungry nobles and nouveau riche.
2) When the protagonist is like a bull in a china shop full of bulls, even the most tense situation gloriously conflagrate in a mess, violence and hilarity.
3) Replacing internal organs is a messy business.
4) Hank it's not a mutant, he's a poorly nourished kick ass alien!
5) Campbell has earned my trust for at least ten more books.
December 6, 2018
5 stars. Recommend to Sci Fi Humor fans. I believe everyone would enjoy Steven Campbell’s wonderful creation “Hank” and the wonderful sense of humor that comes from Hank’s point of view. 5 stars is “Amazing” on Goodreads, and this is not “Amazing”, but I love it and am not going to give 4 stars when other-where(s) it would easily rate “I love it” 5 star status.
Folks who make honest attempts to review a “later” book in a series of books and does not want to include spoilers is stuck with saying little more than, “Wow, this is another good Hank book.” There’s little to say that won’t spoil it for other Hank fans. It’s pretty much “more of the same” but different, like Steven Campbell has proven he can do expertly.
Besides Hank, another constant is Belvaille, the space station where Hank lives. After book one, “Screw the Galaxy”, super fans like myself devour everything available in Hank’s world, which at that time, for me, led to some short stores on Delovoa and “Early Hank”. For the most part, in the primary novels of Hard Luck Hank, Delovoa seems a boarish and sometimes uninteresting character. Reading the short stories on Delovoa fill in the blanks so that any later mention of Delovoa is going to have you suddenly grabbing your seat anxious with whatever unexpected thing is about to happen.
In this outing Bellvaille is once again unbelievably changed. Many of Steven’s most wonderful characters return. Garm, and Delovoa are still hanging on... Even Wallow the Therezian makes an appearance. After that a reviewer has to think.... this is book 4... and you know there’s a book 5... and almost certainly more in the future. What can you say that is not a spoiler?
I’ll try...
Hank has a new “assistant”, Cliston? At one point in the book I was mentally threatening Mr. Campbell if a sudden absence of “Cliston” remained permanent. To me, Cliston almost instantly reached the same level of “precious character” as Garm, Wallow, Delovoa, and even “Hank”.
Mr. Campbell does have the creative prowess to throw in some real jaw dropping “What?’s” in each new book. Also each book I’ve read after “Screw the Galaxy” I’ve been, “What?” at the beginning, as Belvaille is not the Belvaille of old.
It is somewhat like Star Trek’s Enterprise in that each outing you’re beamed down to somewhere new. It’s still Belvaille, but since the last novel there has been some changes. At first, having loved the earlier Belvaille, one is a bit disappointed. But before long, you’re back in love with (the new) Belvaille.
The perfect audience are Sci Fi Humor Fans. I think anyone who likes humor with a slapstick tint will love it. I listened as well as read, if you'd like to hear a sample of the audiobook, just click on Hank below:
Read the review on my blog
January 4, 2017
Another Hard Luck Hank book, a super-strong bulletproof mutant living hundreds of years on a space station in the middle of nowhere. Time has passed and the station is a super-expensive place to live, and only the supremely wealthy live there. Hank does odd jobs and is asked by a woman to watch her extremely wealthy husband for evidence of infidelity. Thus starts a story involving assassinations, gun battles, explosions and more, a typical Hank book.
Lots of humor, a treat to read, my favorite Hank book yet. Look forward to the next one.
Lots of humor, a treat to read, my favorite Hank book yet. Look forward to the next one.
March 16, 2016
I really hate to give this review because HLH is such a great character with so much potential. Unfortunately, after the first of the series (Screw the Galaxy) the series went downhill, and it is all due to the writing. I am sincere when I say it pains me to say (write) that but I just don't see it improving (if any more HLHs are coming). Specifically, the writing/plot problems are characters and situations are introduced and then never mentioned again. I don't like reading reviews that have, so I will refrain from being specific but if you have read HLH 2 and 3, then you know what I am talking about; just know it gets worse in this one.
Personally, I am glad HLH is a success and wish nothing but the best for any author and his "labor of love", but I think Mr Campbell's works would benefit greatly from an editor's insights on the plot aspects of the books. I completely understand that HLH is selling so why should an author change what is working? All I can say is I no longer enjoy listening to HLH. The randomness of what in the plot gets explored and what gets forgotten is just too glaring a deficiency. For what its worth, the audio narration is still top notch and the only reason I was able to finish the book.
Personally, I am glad HLH is a success and wish nothing but the best for any author and his "labor of love", but I think Mr Campbell's works would benefit greatly from an editor's insights on the plot aspects of the books. I completely understand that HLH is selling so why should an author change what is working? All I can say is I no longer enjoy listening to HLH. The randomness of what in the plot gets explored and what gets forgotten is just too glaring a deficiency. For what its worth, the audio narration is still top notch and the only reason I was able to finish the book.
March 8, 2017
Back to fighting trim 50 years later, Hank still has bad luck and noir humor while attempting to deal with aristocrats and immigrants. It's a mess, but that's pretty much his sort of job.
July 8, 2015
"Hard Luck Hank: Suck My Cosmos" delivers some fun summertime reading!
If you liked the first three novels you really want to check this one out.
Hank is back again giving as good as he gets, mostly.
All your favorite supporting characters return as well Garm, MTB, Delovoa.
Whats great is that Campbell has mixed things up again in this novel!
Everyones role has changed and the space station is completely different from the last time we saw it in "Prince of Suck".
This is one of the strengths of the Hard Luck Hank series as a whole.
Campbell keeps things fresh and interesting.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. The story kept me interested enough to keep turning the pages.
It had enough funny moments that I laughed out loud several times.
Best of all the pace was fast, and there was plenty of action.
If you liked the first three novels you really want to check this one out.
Hank is back again giving as good as he gets, mostly.
All your favorite supporting characters return as well Garm, MTB, Delovoa.
Whats great is that Campbell has mixed things up again in this novel!
Everyones role has changed and the space station is completely different from the last time we saw it in "Prince of Suck".
This is one of the strengths of the Hard Luck Hank series as a whole.
Campbell keeps things fresh and interesting.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. The story kept me interested enough to keep turning the pages.
It had enough funny moments that I laughed out loud several times.
Best of all the pace was fast, and there was plenty of action.
October 15, 2015
Words fail me.
Anytime I find myself with an uninterrupted stretch of time, free of the responsibilities of a regular day, I like to explore a new book. I started reading the Hard Luck Hank series in one of thee times and despite middle school level writing, slapstick humor and general low browedness (yep it's a word. I just invented it) I find myself totally unable to disengage from these books and time and again look over, after what can only be described as one of the most enjoyable literary train wrecks I have ever had the good fortune to stumble across, to see that it is indeed, once again, midnight...and yes I have work tomorrow.
Anytime I find myself with an uninterrupted stretch of time, free of the responsibilities of a regular day, I like to explore a new book. I started reading the Hard Luck Hank series in one of thee times and despite middle school level writing, slapstick humor and general low browedness (yep it's a word. I just invented it) I find myself totally unable to disengage from these books and time and again look over, after what can only be described as one of the most enjoyable literary train wrecks I have ever had the good fortune to stumble across, to see that it is indeed, once again, midnight...and yes I have work tomorrow.
January 22, 2017
Probably the most mixed book of the series. There's a lot to like about it, including the usual great character moments and interactions and also some of the new characters. Unfortunately it suffers from a really weak ending with way too many unanswered questions and dangling plot threads and a not all that great climax.
None of this makes it not worth buying and reading and at least the flaws work as lead ins to the next book. And it's a nice change from the depressing (though still good) third book. If you've enjoyed the series so far you'll like this one too.
None of this makes it not worth buying and reading and at least the flaws work as lead ins to the next book. And it's a nice change from the depressing (though still good) third book. If you've enjoyed the series so far you'll like this one too.
July 3, 2015
Hank only gets better with age
I've been a big fan of the Hard Luck Hank series since being introduced to it as an audiobook. Since then I've voraciously devoured the ebooks. This latest one is as funny as the previous entries but leaves a few loose ends which I presume will be tied up in the next book. Nevertheless it's worth mentioning as it's really the first time that a HLH book doesn't resolve the major story by the end. Nevertheless a fun and very funny read.
I've been a big fan of the Hard Luck Hank series since being introduced to it as an audiobook. Since then I've voraciously devoured the ebooks. This latest one is as funny as the previous entries but leaves a few loose ends which I presume will be tied up in the next book. Nevertheless it's worth mentioning as it's really the first time that a HLH book doesn't resolve the major story by the end. Nevertheless a fun and very funny read.
July 30, 2015
Hank is like a friend
I don't think that the writing is outstanding but Mr Campbell's creation of Hank is compelling. I am writing this review because I found myself wishing for another book about Hank.
Hank is a likable guy that has become a sort of friend that I wish to visit. Granted he's a violent murdering thug but still I like hearing from him.
Anyways if a book makes me want more I have to say that the book, actually the entire series, is a success.
I don't think that the writing is outstanding but Mr Campbell's creation of Hank is compelling. I am writing this review because I found myself wishing for another book about Hank.
Hank is a likable guy that has become a sort of friend that I wish to visit. Granted he's a violent murdering thug but still I like hearing from him.
Anyways if a book makes me want more I have to say that the book, actually the entire series, is a success.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews