Poor Carmichael is possessed by a legion of demons who torment him to astounding creative heights--Carmichael is the world-famous author of a science fiction tetralogy. An ensuing struggle for Carmichael's soul is a hilarious sendup of the ancient combat of good versus evil and a fascinating excursion into the mysteries of artistic creation.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Carmichael, a crabby science fiction writer, is possessed by hundreds of demons who occupy his mind and body, goading him to acts of envy, pride, lust and anger. His forgiving wife Nicole doesn't suspect that her philandering husband is infested with fiends. Nor does Carmichael himself, although he owes his intolerant fits and inspired novels to the beings cavorting within him. Only his perceptive dog, Furfante, whom Nicole bought as a temporary replacement for their college-bound son Davy, realizes that Carmichael is possessed. When the dog proves himself a talented quadruped exorcist, the demons conspire to plant murderous impulses in Carmichael so that he'll kill Furfante. Narrated by Odvart, clownish demon of sloth, this ribald fantasy is a disarming allegory on the modern egocentric personality. Its convoluted, oblique humor will certainly not appeal to every taste, but Koster (author of the Tinieblas Trilogy) sprinkles this clever romp with literary allusions and wicked commentary on family politics, the redeeming powers of love and art, the self-pity of middle age and the waywardness of a damned human race.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
Rich but chaotic novel from the author of ``The Tinieblas Trilogy'': The Prince, The Dissertation, and Mandragon. Koster offers one of those stories about a novelist writing a novel. Here, it's the science-fiction writer Carmichael, author of the internationally famous Vama, which has been travestied in movie form and is one of the sources of Carmichael's discontent. Carmichael is also famous as a curmudgeon who loses himself in the wild fantasies of his stories and, if interrupted, is likely to bite even his loyal wife Nicole. Meanwhile, he's openly unfaithful with a wide variety of women--one of the many demons that possesses him, certainly the one most in evidence, is lust--but will become tender and downright sweet when in pursuit of a new love; no woman can resist him. Then, however, Carmichael tosses one and all aside and returns to his sprawling, all but impenetrable novel, another science-fiction tale where the characters, demons also, take over the narration at times and comment on hapless Carmichael. They have names like Orcis, Hifni, Agla, or Odvart. Then there's the puppy Nicole acquires; Carmichael hates all dogs, but this one is unique, confounding the curmudgeon with its love. Koster is funny, and when he settles down can create characters in a few lines. But he offers almost no story: just wordplay and lust and observations on how hard it is to write a novel. This one in particular, perhaps. A sort of cross between J. P. Donleavy and William Burroughs: good in small doses, but likely to leave most readers in the dust. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Furfante forever!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Carmichael's Dog (Hardcover)
An excellent novel. A whole lot going on all at once -- an altered-reality United States, a novelist grappling with that life, the improbable love inspired by dogs, demonic possesion, the seven deadly sins -- all narrated by an inocuous demon occupying the well-possessed central character! It sounds big and confusing, but in fact it's a hilarious story, easy to follow as you get sucked into it bit by bit, as a tiny cute lapdog goes to work as a professional exorcist, ready to turn Carmichael back into a decent human being. I can't imagine why this book went out of print.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I can't believe this book has only one review,
By Actually read the book (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Carmichael's Dog (Hardcover)
For God's sake, please ignore the pathetic Kirkus review of this outstanding novel--obviously they skimmed (for that matter, avoid Kirkus as a matter of policy, like avoiding sex with machinery). Carmichael's Dog is one of the finest novels I have ever read--bawdy, witty, profoundly wise in matters of creativity and human nature, and actually gripping. There is, I assure you, a real story here, every bit as compelling as the dimestore potboilers Mr. or Ms. Kirkus seems to prefer slobbering over.
It may be difficult to find a copy, but do it. Buy several; give them to friends. Koster deserves to be more widely read than any ten mega-authors combined.
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