Hard Luck Hank
Hard Luck Hank is a series of science fiction novels by author Steven Campbell;[1][2] there are currently seven books in the series. The titular character Hank is a humanoid alien living on a large and heavily populated space station at the edge of the galaxy. Hank's alien nature and mutated body make him very large and heavy, and all but invulnerable to weapons like guns and bombs; when shot or blown up he feels some discomfort but is usually not seriously injured. In that regard he is somewhat like a superhero, sharing some traits with Hulk.
The author stated that he tried to conventionally publish the book but the idea of science fiction comedy wasn't especially known or successful outside of some mega-hits like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.[3]
The series was started in late 2013 using a successful Kickstarter campaign that featured a short animated video.[4]
Plot[edit]
Hank is not very smart or subtle, and makes his living as a thug for hire, mediating between the government of the space station and the many violent organized crime gangs which inhabit it, and when necessary (which is often) fighting them. The stories, told in first person, revolve around Hank's efforts in these regards; he often encounters colorful and sometimes dangerous aliens, and other occupants of the space station. Hank always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, mostly lost and in over his head, but he bumbles through to do the right thing. The novels have a dryly humorous tone.
Elements[edit]
The novels utilize the detective or noir first person narrative style, often with dry world-view commentary. There is usually a mystery through-line in the novels upon which the plot loosely hangs, although with many disparate and unrelated substories circling around it, some of which turn out to be related to the mystery. The setting is futuristic sci-fi, but with many distinctly modern or even low-tech items such as firearms and knives and hand grenades. There is also a superhero element with numerous characters possessing "mutations" that allow them unusual abilities or even whole species with strange skills.
There is little cursing or sex in the books and the violence tends to be a shade more cartoony than graphic. Often Hank is the recipient of the violence.
Publication history[edit]
The titles of the novels are all "Hard Luck Hank", followed by an ironic subtitle:
- Hard Luck Hank: Screw The Galaxy (2013)
- Hard Luck Hank: Basketful Of Crap (2014)
- Hard Luck Hank: Prince Of Suck (2014)
- Hard Luck Hank: Suck My Cosmos (2015)
- Hard Luck Hank: Stank Delicious (2016)
- Hard Luck Hank: Early Years (2014, short stories)
- Hard Luck Hank: Delovoa (2014, short stories)
References[edit]
- ↑ Ii, Terry W. Ervin (19 August 2014). "Up Around the Corner: Interview with Author Steven Campbell".
- ↑ "Bio".
- ↑ "[Guest Interview] Steven Campbell (HARD LUCK HANK) on Writing Humorous Sci-Fi, Publishing, and More". SF Signal. 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- ↑ "Hard Luck Hank: Screw the Galaxy".
External links[edit]
This article "Hard Luck Hank" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
