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74 of 78 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rawr is totally a thing..., January 22, 2010
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In my rave review of Moore's last novel, Fool, I implied that his novels inspired by Shakespeare and the Bible are more substantive than his fluffier San Francisco/Pine Cove novels. This latest novel, Bite Me, has me rethinking that statement. Funny, it is. Fluffy, it is not. Bite Me is the third (and final?) novel in the Bloodsucking Fiends series. The first novel in a great series is always special because it's our introduction to a new world. That said, this latest installment just might be the best. What I can tell you is this: I found it to be darker, scarier, more suspenseful, and at least as funny as the previous novels. And in addition to all of the above, it's genuinely moving. These characters have been my friends for more than a decade now. I've grown to care about them.
The novel opens pretty much in the immediate wake of You Suck. The opening chapter is the first of many that are narrated by the unforgettable Abby Normal, self-proclaimed "emergency back-up mistress of the greater Bay Area night." Abby begins by providing a dizzying (and helpful) recap of the first two novels, but I'd strongly suggest you read Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story and You Suck: A Love Story before tackling this one. She and Foo Dog still inhabit the "love lair." Jody and Tommy are still encased in bronze. Chet, the huge shaved vampire cat is on the prowl. And all of our favorite San Franciscans are back: the Emperor, Bummer, and Lazarus; the Animals; cops Rivera and Cavuto; the folks from Asher's Secondhand Store; and others. And Moore fans, a beloved past character who's never shown up in San Francisco before makes an unexpected appearance in a supporting role. Be careful what you read about this novel. It would be a shame to ruin the surprise!
I don't want to summarize the plot. It's too crazy, it lurches in all sorts of unexpected directions, and why should I ruin your fun? What I can tell you is that I was completely surprised by the novel's ending. Earlier I said this novel is darker, scarier, and more suspenseful. (At this point I should admit that I'm a total wuss who's afraid of horror movies and rollercoasters.) Still, characters are placed in real jeopardy. Not all will survive. And I was definitely on the edge of my seat for large stretches of the novel. That Moore can maintain this level of tension while being spit-milk-out-your-nose funny is astonishing. I didn't actually spit any milk out of my nose. I read this novel while laid up with the flu. Every time I laughed out loud it started a coughing jag. I nearly coughed up a lung, but I just couldn't put it down! If that's not a recommendation, what is?
Despite aphorisms about old dogs and new tricks, I have to say it: I think Chris Moore is getting better. I've been a hardcore fan for years, and that is saying quite a bit.
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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Abby-Dabba-Do!, January 30, 2010
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Who, but Christopher Moore, can give you a book with both tender moments, and fart jokes? Nobody I can think of, and that's one of the things that makes him so brilliant.
In Bite Me, we return to the streets of San Francisco, (as much a character in the book as the humans ... and the various assorted other creatures), picking up where You Suck: A Love Story left off. Much of the book is told from the perspective of Abby Normal, and OMFG I LOVE HER!
I found this book to be slightly more sophisticated than the previous two. A novel you can really (ready?) sink your teeth into. And I'm not just saying that because the pun works. With all the vampire fiction out there these days, vampire lore can get really tired. There were some unique aspects in this book which really put a fresh spin on things, and frankly some fun kind of sciencey stuff that gave it some of that aforementioned substance.
Never to be taken for granted, and always worthy of mention is Moore's humor. The book started funny, it stayed funny, it ended funny. So many "comic" novels have laugh out loud starts, which sort of dwindle away as the story progresses. Not so with Bite Me. Many, many, laugh out loud moments.
Do you have to have read Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story and You Suck to read this one? Probably not, there's enough background information given, but why wouldn't you?
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Toothy New Addition To Moore's Slacker Vampire Trilogy, February 20, 2010
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He's back! Christopher Moore returns to the city by the bay with his latest chapter of love, absurdity and vampirism in his uniquely original take on the underbelly of San Francisco. Moore's demented vision of the city he loves is a common denominator in many of his novels and several of its wacky environs wander into and out of unrelated books. But "Bite Me" reassembles all the players of his previous success stories "Bloodsucking Fiends" and "You Suck" and continues all the drama (OK, not so much), the romance (sort of) and the farce (definitely) that only Moore can deliver.
If you've read the prior books in the trilogy--you pretty much know what to expect from this lightweight comedic romp. If you haven't, however, this is NOT the place to start! Go back and sample "Bloodsucking Fiends" and proceed from there. "Fiends" set the standard for modern slacker vampire love stories and fans of that book and its sequel will surely be eager to devour (nifty pun, huh?) "Bite Me." Countess Jody, Dark Lord Tommy Flood, Goth minion Abby Normal, and all the other eccentric characters are back to do battle with a new calamity threatening San Fran. Chet, an enormous shaved vampire cat, is creating an army of hungry vampire kitties that are stalking the most vulnerable of the city's inhabitants. They've got to be stopped to keep the supernatural underworld from going public. I was going to say "in the dark" but let's not overuse those delightful puns. Adding to the problem, some previous foes also show up to keep things quiet in a most foul-intentioned way. Will our love starved heroes prevail? Will they even survive?
"Bite Me" is action packed and filled with laughs. It is ridiculous and delightful--the conception of Chet alone is worth the price of admission. "Bite Me" will breeze by as a quick and amusing read. And that's great! If you love these characters, check it out. But as I referenced earlier, this is not a starting point to new initiates of the Moore oeuvre. To enjoy all of its charms, you should start from the beginning. More comedic style than actual substance, however, "Bite Me" falls a little short of recent Christopher Moore titles. Coming off the highly ambitious "Fool" (one of my favorites of last year) and the strangely heartfelt "A Dirty Job," which shares some of the "Bite Me" characters, this is more of a throw-back to an earlier, simpler times. But that's OK--I live in a world where any Moore is good Moore!
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