A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

A Dirty Job, Christopher Moore. Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009. e-book, 330 pps.

One of Sir Terry Pratchett Discworld novels had a Death character who even had a granddaughter! I love all of his books. The notion of becoming Death is one that tickles my imagination. Christopher Moore has a novel called A Dirty Job which I have just finished reading yesterday.

     "I have been chosen, so don't fuck with me."
                                                             ~Charlie Asher, page 93

Charlie Asher had a run-in as his wife died but his newborn daughter lived. This set of events introduced him to single parenting. He and his daughter live upstairs in the apartment building in San Francisco. The storefront on the first floor is his shop.

San Francisco is a wonderful place. It was the perfect setting for A Dirty Job. I appreciated that very much. Visiting places in literature where I've been in actual life is pretty cool. 

Charlie Asher wasn't planning to become a death merchant, but like any dirty job, someone has to do it.

sapphoq reviews says: Christopher Moore has a delicious sense of humor that I have enjoyed in the other books of his that I've read. Once again, I found myself laughing out loud as I read this one. A Dirty Job has so much going for it in terms of excellence. This one left me guffawing. Highly recommended.

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0, Christopher Moore. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009. eBook, 194 pps.


     I was on a week-long death vigil for my dad when I thumbed through my e-reader and decided to read a Christmas-y novel written by the great Christopher Moore. I was glad that this one-- featuring the angel Raziel-- was the one I settled on.

     Some characters featured in other Christopher Moore books are also in The Stupidest Angel. Raziel screwed up the last search for El Nino royally because the kid was found at age ten instead of at level zero or below [about to be birthed or not quite ready to be birthed]. A bunch of other folks in The Stupidest Angel also screw things up.

     The most endearing character in this one was Roberto, the talking fruit bat. He is awesome and clever, personable and non-ass-kissing. Definitely my kind of guy. The least endearing-- perhaps-- was the ex hubby Dale Pearson with whom a certain Sally Army bell-ringer has a run-in with. Let us just say that the one man police force is a bit incompetent, his wife is a bit nuts, the Lonesome Christmas party is something I wish there was in my community although perhaps without the dead spooks arguing about Christmas songs and who's getting it on with who on whose grave. Uh, yeah. You get the picture. Throw in some zombies and a cool earthy sort of little boy.

sapphoq reviews says: Hey, I love Christopher Moore stuff [but not Michael Moore stuff-- just saying] and this one ought to be on the reading list of any adult with a sense of humor. Highly recommended.

You Suck by Christopher Moore

You Suck: A Love Story, Christopher Moore. New York: HarperCollins e-books, 2007.  235 pps.

You Suck starts out with a newly turned vampire and his girlfriend. There is a very heavy cat who was shaved and given a sweater, a few bronzed "statues," and a group of co-workers on the night shift at a supermarket. And some bad guys of course. 

sapphoq reviews says: I was guffawing in the living room. Housemate knew I was once again reading a Christopher Moore book. You Suck is a light-hearted look at a few young vampires. Have you ever considered what happens to the bathroom habits of the undead? I mean, they usually don't eat. So... 
     If you are a fan of Christopher Moore or of vampires of a different sort, you must read this book. You Suck certainly does not suck. Highly recommended.

Fluke by Christopher Moore

Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings, Christopher Moore. New York: HarperCollins e-books, 2002.  340 pps., including excerpt from another book.

     Fluke is set in Hawaii. It starts off as a story about researchers studying whale song. There are the good guys-- which include a hot chick and a howlie who wants to be an Hawaiian Rastafarian-- and the bad guys and some neutral folks all studying whales for their own purposes.

     Something happens when you don't expect it. Fluke suddenly becomes a tale involving an underwater dystopia, weapons-testing, and captivity. People who were given up as dead grace the pages. And there is a genetically engineered race of a human-whale hybrid.  Plus a nice twist at the end.

sapphoq reviews says: Christopher Moore did quite a bit of research in order to make Fluke feel realistic before the reader is swallowed up into the belly of a whale. After that, the reader has to adjust to a changing fictional reality. My favorite character is Kona, the pot-smoking young man. And yes, there is something appealing about the tail of a whale that reads "Bite me." (That's on the cover of the book).  The reason given for the singing of the whales felt contrived and almost spoiled Fluke for me. But I stuck through it and thought it was a worthy investment of my time. Recommended to those who like the ocean, whales, and dystopian fiction.

Lamb by Christopher Moore

Lamb:  The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore.  New York:  HarperCollins Publishers, 2009.
e-book, 420 pps.

Christopher Moore on Twitter is @TheAuthorGuy.  His official website is found at: http://www.chrismoore.com/ .


I picked up Lamb, knowing only that it was a humorous take on the life of Christ.  I was wrong.  Christopher Moore penned a hysterical take on Jesus, his best friend Biff [a.k.a. Levi], the girl they both wanted, disciples and apostles, the missing years, and everything. 

Jesus was sort of an innocent in this book.  His too-honest ways got him into trouble more often than not.  Biff was there to drag him out of tight spots during their childhoods and afterwards.  Of women and fornication, Jesus was curious.  Biff had to satisfy this curiosity by-- well, by hiring sex workers of the feminine persuasion-- engaging in this particular sin within earshot of the Christ.

The two traveled about looking for the three wise men that were present after the birth of Jesus in the stable.  What they found was far more mysterious and entertaining.  There is a yeti-- charming and charmed by the presence of Jesus at the same time.  There are gentle pokes at the Buddha Nature as the two trekked all over the known world so Jesus could learn how to be the Messiah.  We know from the official gospels that it ends badly for Jesus.  The crucifixion was present in Lamb also, with a twist.

sapphoq reviews says:  I adored Lamb:  The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal.  Christopher Moore's masterpiece left me catching my breath from laughing too hard and snorting my tea out of my nostrils.  An excellent read, not to be missed.  Highly recommended.