Customer Reviews

Island of the Sequined Love Nun

5 star:		(109)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Christopher Moore is simply one of the most inventive and funny writers around. He doesn't take his books "seriously" a la the very funny Kurt Vonnegut. They are feel good novels, and they are WACKY!!! ISLAND OF THE SEQUINED LOVE NUN is one of his better ones, because the main characters are particularly loveably painted for us. Tucker Case, our main character, is a ne'er do well pilot for a Mary Kay kinda corporation, who ruins his career when he takes a girl on the company jet and causes a serious accident. He gets a chance to elude prosecution when he's hired by a mysterious missionary organization to fly their jet from an obscure Micronesian Island to Japan for "medical supplies" for the natives.

I'd really rather not try to summarize more of the plot, because virtually every chapter introduced a new twist or engaging character, and there are A LOT of chapters. The book flies by as Case and his supporting cast go from one dilemna to another.

And as often happens in Moore's books, there are relationships of either love or friendship that develop unexpectedly during the story, and suddenly, we find ourselves not only laughing outloud at the silly antics and outrageous plot turns, but we are caring about the main characters. This is rare in writing that is so flip and over-the-top.

Moore's books are fast-moving and you're sorry when they are over. LOVE NUN is particularly winning, and if you haven't tried Moore before, this is a good place to dive in. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (not for kids...lots of language and some naughty goings-on.)

Christopher Moore is emerging as one of the most original writers of the decade....easily! In "LOve Nun" he has managed to blend suspense and intrigue in an action-packed story that keeps you doubled over with laughter. Unlikely combination? I'll say, but to read it is to believe it. Moore is a writer whose sharp wit pierces the armor of reason, respectability, and righteousness with constant mirth and good spirits. I can't recommend the book highly enough. I've already given away a dozen "must read" copies to friends. If you haven't read any of Moore's books, fill your shopping cart right now with "Practical Demonkeeping", Coyote Blue, "Bloodsucking Fiends" and "Island of the Sequined Love Nun." You are in for a treat. Call in sick tomorrow and read, read, read and shout with laughter. No, I'm not Moore's father, brother or even brother-in-law. Never met the guy and might even be afraid to go near somebody so goofy, but I can't put his books down.

Okay. I like humor. Some people tell me, based on my looks, it's darn good I like humor, 'cause I sure need a sense of it. I like funny movies, funny stories, dirty jokes; what I don't see a whole lot of, are funny books. I mean, laugh-out-loud funny books.

ISLAND OF THE SEQUINED LOVE NUN is a witty exception. I had read Christopher Moore before ("Coyote Blue"), and while I enjoyed his work, his humor was just a tad too quirky (and for me, that's saying something). But with this book, I had a good time from the moment I started reading, right up until I finished the last page. Moore has a great gift of getting inside the heads of his characters, making them react to stuff they don't want to react to, and putting them in situations they don't want to be in. . .and he pulls it off with supreme comedic flair. I won't go into the plot (there are already hundreds of reviews here doing that), but suffice it to say Tucker Case is one likeable, funny bad boy. His adventures (or, more accurately, misadventures) make for a delightful read--a read augmented by the supernatural (a Moore staple), good and evil, and some compelling moments.

But I'm thinking too much (and once again, for me that's saying something); ISLAND OF THE SEQUINED LOVE NUN is a darn funny book. Not only that, it's a good book, a very good book, brilliantly written. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of this author's work.
--D. Mikels, Author, WALK-0N

Christopher Moore has to be one of the most brilliantly bizarre people on the planet. Either he was dropped on his head as a small child or he was touched by the literary gods (I'm betting both). Moore does it once again in ISLAND. He presents quirky characters, a zany plot and absolutely hilarious dialogue. I couldn't put this book down! I carried it with me everywhere until I finished it, and I often was the object of curious stares as I guffawed my way through the reading in public places.

Moore has a knack for creating the bizarre. Tucker Case, hero of ISLAND, finds himself in a "sticky" situation (you'll understand the pun once you read the novel) one evening while "entertaining" a young lady in the cockpit of his plane. From there on, the novel is nonstop hilarity as Case first runs away from the law and then has to run for his life. He finds himself on an island with natives fascinated by Americana, bored druggie pseudo-missionaries out to exploit the island, and a transvestite with a sunglass-wearing bat as a pet. Case just wants to save his hide but finds himself as the hero time and again.

It's difficult to place Moore into any particular genre. Part fantasy, part comedy, part sci fi, part horror, part drama....If you read nothing else this year, pick up any of Moore's novels. All of them are well worth your time.

Christopher Moore is a seriously demented writer! After reading "Lamb", and enjoying it tremendously, I just had to read more of his works, and I selected this one because of the wierd title, and it turned out to be a good choice. Where else can you read a plot about a disgraced pilot, a cross-dressing Filipino with a talking fruitbat, a ghostly airman who is considered a god, a cannibal, Japanese ninjas, cargo cult natives, and a pseudo-goddess. These are only some of the more unusual aspects of this writer's odd mind, and they combine into a very entertaining read. Not great literature, I grant you, but a terrific way to spend some hours chuckling to yourself, and often laughing out loud, to the consternation of those around you. Of course, with the rather ribald cover, you don't necessarily want to call attention to yourself in public, but a brown paper book cover will do nicely.

I got hooked on Christopher Moore novels about a year ago and have read all five of his books. By far "Love Nun" is his best. Moore's ability to write characters that jump from the page is amazing. From the fruit bat Roberto to the Ninja guards I found Moore's mind to capture all traits needed to earn a five star from me.

The story is a modern day Moses tale, with a somewhat loser Moses, set in Micronesia. A story that dives into religion, politcs, the mob, history and the make-up industry. The story keep me intrigued and the laughs kept on coming. All of Moore's books are good, but if you have to pick one to read on a island, with a bunch of cannibals in the jungle pick this one.

Christopher Moore ranks among the freshest, hippest, inventively comic literary voices around today. In this, his 4th novel, we follow the trvails of Tucker Chase, reprobate pilot whose penchant for strong drink and exotic women leads him into involuntary employment in Micronesia for a doctor whose "practice" involves the harvesting of human organs from umwitting "donars". Tucker's road to ruin, realization and redemption is an entertaining whirlwind involving Moore's usual cast of memorable, zany characters. This book is somewhat less reliant on the supernatural as a mainstay of the plot mechanism (though this might seem an untenable statement to those not familiar with Moore's books as this story includes the presence of a talking fruitbat and the ghost of a WWII bomber pilot as central characters)while providing a broader cast of significan't, meaty characters to enjoy getting to know. On the whole I'd rate this effort just behind "Bloodsucking Fiends" but solidly ahead of his other two books. This represents the perfect vacation and/or beach read so long as you don't mind people looking at you while you laugh out loud while reading!

This is my second Christopher Moore novel, and I am almost afraid to read any of his other books for fear that this one cannot be matched even by Moore himself. I have never encountered so many sacred cows being so mercilessly tickled to death--all American heroes (fly boy variety); not-entirely-innocent and often far-less-than noble "savages"; the medical profession; religious leaders (including a Priestess who observes that nothing screws up a good religion like the appearance of a real god); and the "build your income and your self esteem simultaneously" home sales cosmetics companies--just to name a few. This book begs to be made into a movie starring Kurt Russell in his "Big Trouble in Little China" mode. Hysterical! Don't miss this one.

After reading Moore's Lamb, I was struck by his ability to be hilarious and completely irreverant while at the same time providing something of depth (Lamb had some interesting insights into similarity of major religions).

This is the story of an alcoholic pilot recruited by the love nun and her doctor cohort. He discovers that they are contolling an entire island population for their own nefarious designs and comes to the rescue of the backward islanders.

The Love Nun has hilarity and off-beat humor but not much else. The plot in and of itself was so goofy as to aid the unfortunately shallow humor. This book is good for laughs, but not much else.

If I were forced to pick my favorite Christopher Moore novels lest I suffer the pain of death, I would have to pick Island of the Sequined Love Nun as being very near the top (Lamb being my favorite one).

Always witty, never dull, Moore has delivered a hit here in Island. Tucker Case, a "geek trapped in a cool guy's body" is forced to accept employment as a pilot (for otherwise failing to perfrom satsifactorily at his prior job) under somewhat dubious circumstances on a desolate Pacific island. Along the way, we are introduced to Kimi, the cross-dressing navigator, Roberto, the talking fruit bat, scores of Ninjas, reformed Cannibals (mostly), and a love goddess and her husband. Based upon this description, how can you fail to see the humor that ensues??

In any event, don't waste time reading this review, go out and get this book and prepare to laugh!