Stank Delicious by Steven Campbell

Stank Delicious by Steven Campbell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hard Luck Hank #5. If you haven't read Hard Luck Hank #1-4 it is possible I may say something that will be a spoiler. Alternately a person can't review a Hard Luck Hank book without spoiling something. Maybe the milk in your refrigerator, or and earlier or later Hard Luck Hank novel.

In this book, "Stank Delicious" I initially thought Steven Campbell, who should win the Nobel Prize for literature, might be slipping a little, but then he fine tuned his marshmallow mallet and whacked me right on the humor point of my funny bone. I was read-listening along and suddenly could not stop laughing. It went on so long I had to stop the audiobook and go back 3 pages to where I started laughing, Lucille Ball should be the person handing Steven the Hugo award for science fiction's greatest advancement in intergalactic humor.

If I were able I would nominate this book, and Steven Campbell, of course, for the Edger Award --because it is a mystery beyond imagination that he didn't win the Nebula award for his previous 4 books.


If the Hard Luck Hank books don't "hook you" at the mention of the protagonist name I can only assume you take the ACLU seriously, or were born with a birth defect that omits each humans most essential organ... the funny bone.

I recommend everyone should read every Hard Luck Hank book because laughing increases your serotonin levels which cures many of the causes of depression. You can also read them for preventative health measures as well. Nip that self loathing in the bud and get plugged into the Hard Luck Hank universe.

We all need Hard Luck Hank. He seems to succeed better than Forrest Gump and only uses his characteristic bad luck. Also he may be the only quasi-super hero to save the entire galaxy multiple times.

Knowing your need for specifics I will offer one spoiler for Stank Hank Delicious. If you think that the Galactic Civil War was mind boggling (previous HLH novel) -- wait until you hear who wins a Glocken game! The Auk intergalactic bankers have the impossibility of this team winning a game factored into all their financial indicators and predictors. If the Reskin Sleepers win just ONE game it may cause an intergalactic recession. If they win two games in one season you better double check the second law of thermodynamics and cross check it with Maxwell's equations. Winning 3 games then can only mean that "THE BEGINNING AND THE END" may be involved. That's right The Ancient Alien every race has creation myths about Thad Elon!

Unknown to Hank, who manages to save and guide the universe through even the most impossible situations.... must now overcome Thad Elon? And Hank has it on no less authority than the Auk and the Boranjame Zeti that Hank has even dealt with Thad Elon in the past. Trillions died and the Colmarian Federation was entirely destroyed but Hank saved the universe... mostly.

I remember the first time I trusted a Russian... it was Issac Asimov. One third of the way through his book "Federation" I was ready to throw the book away. Asimov had painted his protagonists into a corner and there was no possible escape. There was no point in reading the last two thirds of the book. When Asimov worked some literature mojo and saved the day to my utter surprise I became a lifetime fan of Asimov. Well folks Steve Campbell's protagonist Hank, pulls such literary miracles off just because it is Tuesday and only skips 5 heartbeats in the process!

Don't miss this Glocken filled sports and science fiction comedy of errors. For heaven's sake, think of your poor serotonin levels!


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