Books by author: Christopher Moore

Bloodsucking Fiends is significantly better than Practical Demonkeeping, and I'm starting to really like Christopher Moore's fantasy/horror/humor mashups. Good stuff.

In this very funny novel, Christopher Moore reconstructs the "missing" years in Jesus of Nazareth's life. Here, through the eyes of his good friend Levi known as Biff, we see Joshua (Jesus) at age six, entertaining his younger brother by killing a lizard and bringing it back to life, and we follow him as he learns what it will take to be the Messiah. We see the well-known miracles from a new angle, and we see the apostles in a wholly different light.

Moore is very respectful of the core values that underlie Christianity, but he isn't afraid to make Jesus human, and he certainly isn't afraid to give the rest of the cast of characters some big — and funny — flaws.

I'm sure this book would offend lots of people, but if you long for a Christianity that doesn't take itself so seriously, you might enjoy it. I did.

I first read this novel in college, and I enjoyed it but didn't become a fan of Christopher Moore. Since then, I've watched his fan base expand, and I've read many positive reviews of his novels, but until now, I didn't revisit his work.

I'm glad I did. Practical Demonkeeping is darkly comic fantasy, and it is funnier than I remember it. I'm interested enough to request a couple more of Moore's books from the library.

Not as good as Bloodsucking Fiends, but still a lot of fun. I think my Christopher Moore immersion is done, but I definitely plan to get back to him eventually.