A Dirty Job: A Novel by Christopher Moore Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.99 You Save: $14.96 (60%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.37 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of A Dirty Job: A Novel
Book Review: Fisher Stevens as narrator
Summary: 4 Stars
Fisher Stevens is such a great choice for the reader of this book. Just the right voice for the dry,dark humor of the novel.Book Review: Dirty Job, Great Read
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw the in-store promotions for Christopher Moore's novel, You Suck, so many times, that I decided that I would read one of his earlier works to gauge my interest in him.
The novel I chose, A Dirty Job, wasn't one that I would normally pick up, as it is, I suppose, a "horror" novel. But not like one that I have ever read. The book opens with the death of the main characters wife, shortly after she gives birth to their daughter, Sophie. But as the woman expires, Charlie Asher, the main character, sees a tall man, in a green suit, standing by her. The strange thing is that no one else saw the man, not the nurses, the security cameras, no one but Charlie. Soon, Charlie finds out that he is a Death Merchant. And since he saw him, Charlie is now a Death Merchant (and he gets a book: "The Great Big Book Of Death" to teach him the finer points). Death Merchants, and there are several in the San Francisco area, collect items from the recently departed. These items contain the souls of these people, which Charlie then sells, from his secondhand shop. But the people that buy them, only pick a specific item and only one. Thus, the soul of the departed gets transferred to a new, soulless person. But Sophie isn't exactly a normal little girl either. Every pet that Charlie purchases for her ends up dead. Very strange. And to this little macabre family, Moore adds some very nasty creatures of the Underworld, ones who will stop at nothing to rule the Earth.
This was an excellent novel. The writing had me laughing out loud. The way that Charlie handles his new daughter, his place as a Death Merchant, and the realization that he is the only thing standing between the Underworld and humanity had me in stitches. Also, Sophie's baby-sitters are great characters, one a Russian, the other Chinese. They add some real sparkle to the novel, and provide Sophie with some great catch phrases (you know, those impressionable children). The dialogue and the characters pulled me through the book. It is one of those books that I found hard to put down. If you have never read Christopher Moore, this is an excellent introduction. Now, I have another author that I have to follow. :-)
Book Review: It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my first Christopher Moore book and I loved it. A friend of mine from work was reading "You Suck" and I thought I'd check him out. I was soon hooked and am looking forward to reading more of his books.
The story:
Beta male Charlie runs a secondhand shop and he's just lost his wife just after she gave birth to thier daughter. Charlies swears there was a man in a mint green suit there in her recovery room, but no one else sees him. Charlie soon finds out he's got a new job and it is collecting souls before the Dark forces get them as well as protect his daughter and friends.
I really did enjoy this book.
Book Review: It sucks the life outta you . . . In a good way!
Summary: 5 Stars
A Dirty Job is the second Christopher Moore book I have read--Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff... being the first-- & once again I was not disappointed. I absolutely love Moore's off the beaten path view of the world, society, and the people that make it go 'round. His writing in A Dirty Job is all things witty, smart, humorous, dark, and personable. By the end of the book I felt a great attatchment to many of the characters & to me that is one of the most rewarding and successful qualities of a great story. Kudos to Christopher Moore's___A Dirty Job! Book Review: A Dirty Job is Minty Fresh
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a huge fan of Christopher Moore, and in particular, this book. It is in my top ten all time favorites. A Dirty Job is the type of book you will read more than once just to see what you missed. I read this one first and felt the need to possess more of his novels. I actually own two copies because I keep on passing them on to more people.
Charley is a grim reaper who believes he is the ultimate Death. The descrptions and prose are laugh-out-loud funny, to the point where I had tears running down my cheeks. That rarely ever happens. The suppporting cast of characters are such that they should get their own books. It is well written with a type of sarcasm that is impossible to write let alone pull off.
I have and will keep on recommending this book to anyone with an interest in(first and foremost) great writing, quarky characters and a great sense of comic timing.