Hench: A Novel by Natalie Zina Walschots (English) Paperback Book

Description: Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots "This book is fast, furious, compelling, and angry as hell." -- Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author A smart, imaginative, and evocative novel of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption, told with razor-sharp wit and affection, in which a young woman discovers the greatest superpower--for good or ill--is a properly executed spreadsheet. Anna does boring things for terrible people because even criminals need office help and she needs a job. Working for a monster lurking beneath the surface of the world isnt glamorous. But is it really worse than working for an oil conglomerate or an insurance company? In this economy? As a temp, shes just a cog in the machine. But when she finally gets a promising assignment, everything goes very wrong, and an encounter with the so-called "hero" leaves her badly injured. And, to her horror, compared to the other bodies strewn about, shes the lucky one. So, of course, then she gets laid off. With no money and no mobility, with only her anger and internet research acumen, she discovers her suffering at the hands of a hero is far from unique. When people start listening to the story that her data tells, she realizes she might not be as powerless as she thinks. Because the key to everything is data: knowing how to collate it, how to manipulate it, and how to weaponize it. By tallying up the human cost these caped forces of nature wreak upon the world, she discovers that the line between good and evil is mostly marketing. And with social media and viral videos, she can control that appearance. Its not too long before shes employed once more, this time by one of the worst villains on earth. As she becomes an increasingly valuable lieutenant, she might just save the world. A sharp, witty, modern debut, Hench explores the individual cost of justice through a fascinating mix of Millennial office politics, heroism measured through data science, body horror, and a profound misunderstanding of quantum mechanics. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Author Biography Natalie Zina Walschots is a freelance writer, community manager and bailed academic based in Toronto. She writes everything from reviews of science fiction novels and interviews with heavy metal musicians to to in-depth feminist games criticism and pieces of long-form journalism. She is the author of two books of poetry. Review "Walschots delivers a book thats dark and honest, sharp and raw, full of visceral tenderness and breathtaking insight. Hench belongs in a lineage of superhero prose fiction that includes Robert Mayers Superfolks (which it surpasses) and Samit Basus Turbulence (which it equals), and is one of the best books I read in 2020. I rarely hope for sequels to books that function beautifully as standalones, but am actively longing for one here." --Amal El-Mohtar, Hugo Award-winning writer and coauthor of This Is How You Lose the Time WarWitty and wry, the scenes flash by, evocative of comic books, with tight prose and punchy dialogue, moving the plot toward the inevitable battle between good and evil. But in Hench, which side to root for is decidedly complicated.--Shelf Awareness (starred review)Hench is an engrossing take on the superheroic. Its smart and imaginative; an exemplary rise-of-darkness story, one I wont soon forget...I honestly cant wait to see what Natalie Zina Walschots does next with the genre.--NPR BooksA clever, witty, vigorous, and well-crafted adventure [...] by turns hilarious and tragic, alternately rudely juvenile or sophisticated.--Locus MagazineWitty and inventive . . . the pleasure of the novel is the slow rollout of the rules. Creating a universe involves inventing lots of little problems, and the solutions here dont disappoint.--New York TimesA fiendishly clever novel that fizzes with moxie and malice. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)In this refreshing, subversive, and darkly humorous debut novel, poet and journalist Walscholts slowly reveals the nuances of her superpower-filled world, keeping readers guessing. Hench reads like a comic without the illustrations and is packed with subplots and rapid-fire wit. With a diverse and inclusive cast of characters, Walschots original tale performs a brilliant and exciting variation on the superhero trope and is not to be missed. --Booklist (starred review)Smart, witty, and at times bloody, this book will please comic book fans who wish to take a jab at the superhero tropes, as well as readers who enjoy dark humor with a bit of satire tossed into the mix.--Library Journal (starred review)Walschots playfully pokes at both office politics and comic book absurdity while offering gripping action and gut-wrenching body horror. The inventive premise, accessible heroine, and biting wit will have readers eager for more from this talented author.--Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Get ready to root for the bad guys."--Jennifer Estep, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Crown of Shards series "This Anti(super)hero tale is jam-packed with action and fueled by Annas breathless, dizzying, exhilarating rage. Anna faces off with the supernatural, but she feels so very real as she rockets along on her furious and furiously-paced trajectory. Hench is a ride--I loved it."--Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Never Have I Ever "Sharp, unexpected, and hilarious--HENCH takes the classic superhero story and cleverly turns it on its head. Get ready for a delightfully twisted adventure that will make you want to root for the bad guys." --Peng Shepherd, author of The Book of M "This book is fast, furious, compelling, and angry as hell. Its a beautiful deconstruction of the superhero genre, and Im only a little annoyed that I didnt think of it first."--Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author Review Quote "This book is fast, furious, compelling, and angry as hell. Its a beautiful deconstruction of the superhero genre, and Im only a little annoyed that I didnt think of it first." Details ISBN0063040387 Author Natalie Zina Walschots Short Title Hench Pages 416 Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Language English Year 2020 ISBN-10 0063040387 ISBN-13 9780063040380 Format Paperback Publication Date 2020-10-07 Subtitle A Novel Audience General/Trade DEWEY 813.6 Country of Publication United States US Release Date 2020-09-22 UK Release Date 2020-09-22 Imprint HarperCollins Place of Publication New York, NY Alternative 9780062978592 AU Release Date 2020-10-06 NZ Release Date 2020-10-27 Imprint US William Morrow Publisher US HarperCollins We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:129997617;

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