Hench

This novel caught my eye for one simple reason—the protagonist attempts to destroy her society with a spreadsheet. Although a fantasy in which the modern world (even office life) is divided between heroes and villains, this novel lands on some brutal truths—like the difference between good and evil is mostly marketing and that some people will do anything for the right job. 

It’s a hilarious book that pokes fun at the most absurd bosses, the things we do for work, and the real harm a toxic workplace or system causes everyone. The supervillain/hero context provides food for thought without slowing… show more.

This book haunted me for days after I read it, and I mean that in the best possible way. The story of a henchwoman's rise to power, it's a searing indictment of superheroes that also manages to be an incredibly gripping read. Anna is both deeply sympathetic and full of highly understandable rage, and her struggle against the local "heroes" is more exciting than any superhero movie I've seen in years. I stayed awake until 3 a.m. reading it the first time, even though I had work in the morning, and I'm still itching for Walschots to write a sequel.… show more.

The second I read about Hench, I knew it was the book of my dreams. Hench is about Anna, a floating temp doing back-office admin work for criminals and, eventually, supervillains. I mean, come on: ‘nuff said. But this book delivers far beyond its (absolutely delicious) premise and ends up being a meditation on the power of data, and its analysis and manipulation, in shaping our views about good vs. evil, and the radicalization of bored millennials. It’s also really funny. It’s great.