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Garm trained her whole life as a member of the secretive Quadrad organization. Her planet is famous for its assassins and governmental manipulators. It’s whispered that behind every mysterious death lurks a Quadrad.
But when Garm enters the wide galaxy, she finds her prestigious training entirely insufficient. Most Quadrad are abysmal failures, unable to cope in an advanced technological empire. The Quadrad are nothing but a very clever marketing campaign that has been going on for 20,000 years.
But Garm is different. She is determined to be the most successful, most lethal, and richest “agent of change” in history.
To that end she assembles the best spaceship crew she can afford. Unfortunately, she is extremely poor. Her ship is a former pleasure cruise vessel, the Summer Dream Adventure. And her crew is made up of ancient relics, war criminals, incomprehensible aliens, nymphomaniacs, and creatures so dangerous just being near them can prove fatal.
To make matters worse, Garm is personally being hunted by the government, which seeks to forcibly put an end to the Quadrad myth forever.
But when Garm enters the wide galaxy, she finds her prestigious training entirely insufficient. Most Quadrad are abysmal failures, unable to cope in an advanced technological empire. The Quadrad are nothing but a very clever marketing campaign that has been going on for 20,000 years.
But Garm is different. She is determined to be the most successful, most lethal, and richest “agent of change” in history.
To that end she assembles the best spaceship crew she can afford. Unfortunately, she is extremely poor. Her ship is a former pleasure cruise vessel, the Summer Dream Adventure. And her crew is made up of ancient relics, war criminals, incomprehensible aliens, nymphomaniacs, and creatures so dangerous just being near them can prove fatal.
To make matters worse, Garm is personally being hunted by the government, which seeks to forcibly put an end to the Quadrad myth forever.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2021
75 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 29, 2021
A prequel detailing the origins of spy/assassin/political operator Garm and how she came to work for the Colmarian Confederation that is the worst government in the universe. Much of the book is about how Garm is hyper-competent and cannot figure out how to deal with the incredible Kafka-esque stupidity on display by people who may honestly be too stupid to help. The proletariat on a mining town, for instance, sabotages her plan to end a famine by cloning meat by eating all of the fish she caught to clone. Hunting Garm is a Beverage Department of the government that has the power to wipe out planets. It's a funny and entertaining book but I miss Hank a great deal.
July 11, 2021
This one snuck up on me. I wasn't sure what to expect with a Garm POV.
I enjoyed the story, but it wasn't a typical Hank book for sure. I laughed a few times, but the previous Hank books have provoked maniacal laughter. I think a lot of what makes the Hank series is the wonderfully over the top narrator and of course narrators were changed this time due to the female POV.
I enjoyed the story, but it wasn't a typical Hank book for sure. I laughed a few times, but the previous Hank books have provoked maniacal laughter. I think a lot of what makes the Hank series is the wonderfully over the top narrator and of course narrators were changed this time due to the female POV.
December 4, 2021
I love this series! It has definitely caused more LOL moments in inappropriate places. Garm is a favorite character and I was so excited to see her get her own story. It was good start and I hope to see this cast develop. Loved the narrator, Gabrielle de Cuir
November 14, 2021
Argh,
So just finished Dumber Than Dead, which was so funny that I had to stop reading to laugh. I don't think I laughed at all reading this. Although it is written under the HLH series, it really is a spin off of Garm and her back story. There is no Hank, and it doesn't even get up to the Belvaille space station timeline. Belvaille is fun because it is so dysfunctional that it functions. We didn't get that here though her crew is somewhat dysfunctional, it doesn't have the humor that hits my funny bone. It was a bit of an interesting story but I wouldn't read the next if I didn't know that Hank comes along soon.
So just finished Dumber Than Dead, which was so funny that I had to stop reading to laugh. I don't think I laughed at all reading this. Although it is written under the HLH series, it really is a spin off of Garm and her back story. There is no Hank, and it doesn't even get up to the Belvaille space station timeline. Belvaille is fun because it is so dysfunctional that it functions. We didn't get that here though her crew is somewhat dysfunctional, it doesn't have the humor that hits my funny bone. It was a bit of an interesting story but I wouldn't read the next if I didn't know that Hank comes along soon.
August 21, 2021
This story misses Hank's humor. I think a young Garm is more likeable but I liked the character less.
September 21, 2021
It's just not the same without Hank.
May 6, 2021
These books are just plain fun.
Now that the main story of Hank has reached a point where most of Garm's backstory can be fleshed out without spoiling anything, Campbell is giving her the same treatment that Hank and Delovoa got in their "Early Years" books, except that it appears Garm's backstory will have more than one installment.
Unlike the books focusing on Hank, Garm's story is written in the third person rather than the first. This allows her story to be written in a more complex and indirect manner with occasional changes in the focal character of each chapter and a shuffling of the chronological order in which the story is told. This fits Garm's more complex and manic character just as the more direct and linear style of Hank's first person narratives so perfectly fit his personality.
Campbell could easily wrap up Garm's story in another book, or he could spin it out into several more novels, and I can't wait to see where he takes it. The colorful cast of side characters introduced as Garm's crew, her hilariously impractical cruise ship, and the gulfs of time over which the Hard Luck Hank series stretches allow plenty of wiggle room in which he can work, and Campbell has proven to be an endlessly entertaining author.
Now that the main story of Hank has reached a point where most of Garm's backstory can be fleshed out without spoiling anything, Campbell is giving her the same treatment that Hank and Delovoa got in their "Early Years" books, except that it appears Garm's backstory will have more than one installment.
Unlike the books focusing on Hank, Garm's story is written in the third person rather than the first. This allows her story to be written in a more complex and indirect manner with occasional changes in the focal character of each chapter and a shuffling of the chronological order in which the story is told. This fits Garm's more complex and manic character just as the more direct and linear style of Hank's first person narratives so perfectly fit his personality.
Campbell could easily wrap up Garm's story in another book, or he could spin it out into several more novels, and I can't wait to see where he takes it. The colorful cast of side characters introduced as Garm's crew, her hilariously impractical cruise ship, and the gulfs of time over which the Hard Luck Hank series stretches allow plenty of wiggle room in which he can work, and Campbell has proven to be an endlessly entertaining author.
November 4, 2021
This series has been a LOT of fun. I like it for the most part, but I invested a lot in the audiobook narrator through the series up to this point, and it's been on and off, but this narrator is either really new or just generally terrible.
The gasping, weird spacing, and sporadic changes in tone in the narration is really hard to listen to. When I literally cringe listening to an audiobook, the narrator has a LONG way back - "YOU HAVE ONE JOB!"
Beyond this, the humor is pretty much gone here for me, but that's a very subjective issue. No matter what though, I'm almost ready to walk away mid book due to the narrator/humor combo.
I'm cool with this if it's an early work, but I'm not interested enough to check out this narrator's career. I'll wait a few years and try again, maybe.
The gasping, weird spacing, and sporadic changes in tone in the narration is really hard to listen to. When I literally cringe listening to an audiobook, the narrator has a LONG way back - "YOU HAVE ONE JOB!"
Beyond this, the humor is pretty much gone here for me, but that's a very subjective issue. No matter what though, I'm almost ready to walk away mid book due to the narrator/humor combo.
I'm cool with this if it's an early work, but I'm not interested enough to check out this narrator's career. I'll wait a few years and try again, maybe.
September 20, 2021
The same silly universe of Steven Campbell's other Hard Luck Hank series, the story has the same feel of a space pirate gunslinger meets Douglas Adams. I would rate this book higher than his other's because with a different lead character who is more intelligent it also makes the story easier to follow and cohesive. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes silly funny sci-fi and if they like this one, they could try one of the other's in the series.
July 27, 2021
Douglas Adam successor
I've been following Steven's books for a while and this latest installation focusses on Garm's backstory. With a fresh load of dysfunctional characters, set amongst the backdrop of a hopelessly bureaucracy galactic government, it was an amusing read. Well written, clever and a worthy addition to the collection. Could be read as a stand alone novel.
I've been following Steven's books for a while and this latest installation focusses on Garm's backstory. With a fresh load of dysfunctional characters, set amongst the backdrop of a hopelessly bureaucracy galactic government, it was an amusing read. Well written, clever and a worthy addition to the collection. Could be read as a stand alone novel.
January 3, 2024
Interesting Female Lead by Campbell
I'm frankly in awe at the profound depth Campbell brings to us in Garm. Touching, inspiring, human...she's like this everyman we all know lives in us. Hank? Hank's humor is here, but such a light vein that I took it for granted and just wanted more Garm. Yes please, may we have more Garm please Mr. Campbell? 😀
I'm frankly in awe at the profound depth Campbell brings to us in Garm. Touching, inspiring, human...she's like this everyman we all know lives in us. Hank? Hank's humor is here, but such a light vein that I took it for granted and just wanted more Garm. Yes please, may we have more Garm please Mr. Campbell? 😀
April 2, 2021
Praise be to Thad Elon for Steven Campbell
I have read all the Hank books and loved them all. These books are the perfect medicine to help recuperate from the covid 19 blues. They are ridiculously funny. Mr. Campbell , how about another book with Hank in it. I miss him.
I have read all the Hank books and loved them all. These books are the perfect medicine to help recuperate from the covid 19 blues. They are ridiculously funny. Mr. Campbell , how about another book with Hank in it. I miss him.
July 13, 2021
3.5 Found the book to be very enjoyable but felt like the ending came quickly. Like the story should have had more between rescuing the people from the planet and the end discussion. Ready for another book about Hank but this was nice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2021
I was a bit put off when I realized there would be no Hank in this Hard Luck Hank book, but I really enjoyed this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2021
Good Gram
Finally her backstory. Totally worth it. Makes me want to reread the series to see how it weaves into her interaction with Hank.
Finally her backstory. Totally worth it. Makes me want to reread the series to see how it weaves into her interaction with Hank.
February 6, 2022
Interesting to take a different POV in this world, it didn't hold my interest the same as Hank as a narrator.
June 10, 2022
No Hank Just Garm
Nice fill in on Garm's past and the Quadrad. Fun and entertaining. Glad Campbell added this to the Hank canon!
Nice fill in on Garm's past and the Quadrad. Fun and entertaining. Glad Campbell added this to the Hank canon!
October 26, 2023
Fantastic
July 21, 2022
I really enjoyed reading Garm's backstory. I'm not sure if everything in here totally meshes with the storyline that was built-up to the point of Book 7, but it was still a fun ride. I thought the slightly interwoven storyline from the Colmarian Confederation was a fun storytelling device as well.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews