Darren is a manager at Starbucks when he meets Rhett, CEO of an ambitious new startup. Rhett sees something special in Darren and invites him to join the sales team. Christened as Buck due to his Starbucks affiliation, Darren becomes a ruthless salesman dedicated to getting ahead at any cost. And he succeeds - until he finds himself forced to reinvent yet again.
Why I loved it:
On-point satire
Good satire is funny but rooted in truth to show the reader the absurdity of reality. The author does a great job skewering startup culture and its discriminatory nature - the world presented here was true to what I’ve read in books like #UncannyValley, #Disrupted, #SuperPumped, and #BillionDollarLoser.
Engaging structure
Black Buck is written as a guide to becoming a salesperson, with Darren narrating. I loved Darren’s asides to the reader.
Excellent cast of characters
In addition to Darren, we have CEO Rhett, sales head Clyde (you’ll love to hate him!), best friend Jason, and girlfriend Soraya. Each character was well drawn and supported Darren’s story.
Plot, plot, plot
Like the startup world, this story moves fast - buckle up for a bumpy ride! I read this book in one sitting because I had to know where Darren would end up.
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Why I loved it:
On-point satire
Good satire is funny but rooted in truth to show the reader the absurdity of reality. The author does a great job skewering startup culture and its discriminatory nature - the world presented here was true to what I’ve read in books like #UncannyValley, #Disrupted, #SuperPumped, and #BillionDollarLoser.
Engaging structure
Black Buck is written as a guide to becoming a salesperson, with Darren narrating. I loved Darren’s asides to the reader.
Excellent cast of characters
In addition to Darren, we have CEO Rhett, sales head Clyde (you’ll love to hate him!), best friend Jason, and girlfriend Soraya. Each character was well drawn and supported Darren’s story.
Plot, plot, plot
Like the startup world, this story moves fast - buckle up for a bumpy ride! I read this book in one sitting because I had to know where Darren would end up.
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.