As a Christopher Moore fan, I was a little let-down by this. Moore is known for crazy, unexpected twists that take stories in bizarre directions. I keAs a Christopher Moore fan, I was a little let-down by this. Moore is known for crazy, unexpected twists that take stories in bizarre directions. I kept expecting one to pop up, and it never did. That's a totally unfair criticism to make, and that said, the book is a charming and often funny story about an alcoholic pilot being conned into a desperate job hauling "secret" cargo to and from a small tropical island. The twist that comes is expected and the book does little interesting with its setting. Overall, I got a very lukewarm feeling from the book. Enjoyable, but forgettable....more
The less you know about this book, the better. Insanely hilarious, very off-beat, and highly recommended. If you're a fan of Christopher Moore, you owThe less you know about this book, the better. Insanely hilarious, very off-beat, and highly recommended. If you're a fan of Christopher Moore, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. If you're not a fan of Christopher Moore, this is the right place to start....more
About as joyful and humorous look on death as you're going to find. This is one of Christopher Moore's most cohesive books with some of his strongest About as joyful and humorous look on death as you're going to find. This is one of Christopher Moore's most cohesive books with some of his strongest writing. Following the story of a dead man pegged to become a grim reaper, retrieving the lost souls of those recently departed, it's as quirky and fun as most anything else of Moore's I've read. Some of the plot points feel a little week, such as Moore's idea of how the after life works. Your soul leaves your body then goes into the nearest object in the room to later be gathered by some guy? It's not the best "grim reaper" idea I've ever seen (Showtime's canceled show Dead Like Me did it a bit better), and he tries to hit a few too many ideas in one package, never delivering anything substantial on any of them. It's a bit of a skattershot of a story, but Moore has lined up some great and well-written villains, his knack for clever prose, and he never keeps the reader bored....more
I know that calling a Kurt Vonnegut book "weird" is like saying a Dr. Seuss book is probably for kids, but Slapstick is freakin' weird. It's one of hiI know that calling a Kurt Vonnegut book "weird" is like saying a Dr. Seuss book is probably for kids, but Slapstick is freakin' weird. It's one of his most "out-there" books from what I've read, but it's also his most personal. The story meanders, sometimes feeling rather sloppy, following a very bizarre story of two deformed twin siblings from their upper-class controlling up-bringing into the future after World War III has destroyed the Earth and torn America into rival factions. What made the book enjoyable for me was how light-hearted and loving it was, the core relationship taken from Vonnegut's own relationship with his sister.
The story never seems to go anywhere, but that doesn't seem to be the point. While not an example of Vonnegut's best writing, it's a must-read for any fan of his work....more
This is one of the lesser-known Vonnegut books, one I only picked up because a friend forced me to. I'm glad I did. This is unlike anything Vonnegut eThis is one of the lesser-known Vonnegut books, one I only picked up because a friend forced me to. I'm glad I did. This is unlike anything Vonnegut ever wrote and is both a complete departure from his comfort zone and yet purely his own. It's actually more a traditional story than most of his work, with nothing remotely "science-fiction" popping up. On top of that, the main character is truly a wonderful, good person, which is rare to find in most of his books. And what happens to him is one of the saddest yet most gripping stories I have ever read. A true classic and a great place to start for beginners to Vonnegut's work....more
Cat's Cradle is weird, weird even for Vonnegut. When I was finished, I put it down and stared at the cover for ten minutes trying to figure out if I lCat's Cradle is weird, weird even for Vonnegut. When I was finished, I put it down and stared at the cover for ten minutes trying to figure out if I liked it or not.
There is a lot to appreciate about it. Vonnegut's tongue-and-cheek tone of voice is present all over the book. Part of what makes the book weird to me is its structure. The book begins with a narrator trying to do research on his father. I was getting ready for a pseudo-fictional biography. But half-way through the book, the narrator becomes the main character, flying across the world to a warped tropical country where one of the greatest and coolest science fiction devices comes into full play (the use of the word "coolest" is an intended pun... boo-ya).
Thing is, I could never become emotionally invested in the narrator, as I spent half the book with him as just a narrator. I recommend it to anyone who is into Vonnegut, but it definitely should not be someone's first entry into his work. Try Slaughter House Five for that, then make your move to Cat's Cradle....more
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