There is nothing wrong at all with a work of fiction that requires suspension of disbelief. If, for instance, you can watch a film in which a Norse god and a radioactive green-skinned giant can open a can of whomp on thousands of hostiles who are invading Manhattan from a hole in the sky, and do so without blinking, then you can handle HOSTILE TAKEOVER, which requires, if not a suspension of disbelief, the tapping of the brakes once or twice. Shane Kuhn’s second thriller features the return of John Lago, the shining star of Human Resources, Inc., an agency that, when it recruited and trained John, did its job too well for its own good.

For the uninitiated, Human Resources, Inc. trains young assassins as interns --- the screening process is just one of the draws to this very addicting series --- who then infiltrate corporations and permanently remove high-ranking CEOs. Charming, right? The retirement age for an assassin/intern usually tops out at 25, but John has a skill set that doesn’t really include retirement as a viable alternative.

"HOSTILE TAKEOVER is full of action and violence, which buoys a plot that threatens to veer off the road from time to time without actually doing so. Fortunately, Kuhn is a remarkable literary talent."

HOSTILE TAKEOVER picks up where THE INTERN’S HANDBOOK left off, beginning with a very banged-up John in the custody of the FBI at its headquarters in Quantico. John is in the process of cutting a deal with Assistant Director Winton Fletcher, which involves revealing the whereabouts of his archenemy, Alice, in return for getting to see her one last time. What follows is a long flashback, interrupted on occasion by vignettes involving John and Fletcher, and flashbacks from the flashback, which reveals much and sets up the book’s ending.

Hang on to the edge of your seat. Kuhn’s style is neo-gonzo, one that rarely stops to take a breath as John finds new ways to maim, dismember and/or kill anyone who gets in his way, all the while doing it now and describing it later in style. What we learn early on (as if anyone over the age of 12 doesn’t know it already) is that there is a thin line between love and hate; the line is quite thin indeed between John and Alice, who, instead of exchanging thrusts, bullets, volleys and blows, exchange...wedding vows. Passion rules the night, and Alice is every bit a match for John in the bedroom as she is in whatever field of combat they may have been in.

Is it a marriage too good to last? Of course it is. John gets double-crossed, from a couple of different directions, and soon finds himself on the run and down and out. He doesn’t stay that way for long, of course, revenge being a prime motivator. Determined to find out who set him up, he is sure that there is a man behind the curtain at Human Resources who is controlling things and is after him. And he’s right. The answer, which comes near the end of the book, is a surprising one, as is the fiery climax that sets up the possibility of more to come.

HOSTILE TAKEOVER is full of action and violence, which buoys a plot that threatens to veer off the road from time to time without actually doing so. Fortunately, Kuhn is a remarkable literary talent. His prose is full of wonderful similes, metaphors and turns of phrase that are amusing and even hilarious. The book may not be for everyone, but those who white-knuckle their way through it will find their perseverance more than rewarded.