by Christopher Moore
Razor sharp observations and acid
commentary on modern life surround this frenzied,
hilarious vampire adventure.
Reviewed by: A.J. Kohn
About A.J. Kohn
This is not your father's vampire story. Forget Anne
Rice and Lestat. Don't look for a fine rendering of
the history and mythology of vampires and gorgeous
descriptions of frilly Brad Pitt costumes in the
Bayou. Instead, think Jerry Seinfeld meets the Gap
meets Dracula. Bottom line, Christopher Moore's
'Bloodsucking Fiends' is hilarious. Full of biting
wit it rolls along in a frenzy of action and comedy
sure to make anyone laugh.
C. Thomas (Tommy) Flood comes from Incontinence,
Indiana to live in San Francisco and write great
novels. He's escaping a stereotypical mid-America
lifestyle where dad began to talk to him about
retirement planning when he turned eighteen. Tommy's
Volvo dies in Chinatown and he shacks up with the Five
Wongs, who wind up trying to marry him to gain
permanent residence in the US. Tommy works at the
Safeway and hangs out with a motley crew of coworkers
dubbed the Animals and partakes in bowling
competitions with frozen poultry.
Jody on the other hand is attacked and turned into a
vampire. She will be the same weight for eternity and
laments that she won't be able to take off those five
extra pounds . ever. Practical woman that she is, she
knows she'll need some help, an assistant, to help her
get things done during the day. And as fate and any
good plot would have it, Jody and Tommy meet and hit
it off. Together they deal with Jody's distinctive
condition, her urge to drink blood, dodge cops and run
from a creepy elder vampire.
The furious pace and crackling dialog don't allow you
to think long and hard about the plot. This is a good
thing since the plot isn't the point. The razor sharp
observations and acid commentary on modern life make
this book undeniably readable. If you're offended
easily or are a staunch proponent of political
correctness, then I suggest you look for other reading
material. Everyone is fair game for Moore's critical
eye. One of my favorite lines is his description of
Gap employees as 'an evil khaki wave.'
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: Bloodsucking Fiends
Copyright © by A.J. Kohn, 2003
Reviewed by A.J. Kohn:
-- Motherless Brooklyn - by Jonathan Lethem
-- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - by Douglas Adams
-- Stranger Passing - by Joel Sternfeld
-- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - by Michael Chabon
-- Bloodsucking Fiends - by Christopher Moore
-- The Long Rain - by Peter Gadol
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