Rating: 
Summary: Occult Fun
Review: I found a few Moore novels in a youth hostel, and promptly switched them out with some books that I had finished reading. I have yet to relinquish them. I love the man's work. The best way to describe it is Tom Robbin's writing style meets the X-Files on a quirky episode.Practical Demonkeeping was the first novel I read, and it remains my favorite from among his work. It made me squirm with laughter like I was an itchy bearcub. Many of the elements in this novel also appear in "The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove," which I also highly recommend. This book is great fluff for the esoterically-inclined with a sense of humor.
Rating: 
Summary: a convoluted tale
Review: "Practical Demonkeeping" is a story of a man, his demon, and the small California town they stumble upon one afternoon. The story is certainly interesting, but it is unnecessarily convoluted. I couldn't help but think, while reading this novel, that there are enough interesting characters and subplots to make at least a second book. With some judicious editing, this would be a much better story. As it stands now, it is readable but not engrossing. As it was Moore's debut novel, I hope that his writing style is tighter in subsequent novels. This didn't put me off of reading more of Moore's novels, but it doesn't have me rushing out to buy them either.
Rating:
Summary: No Bloodsucking Fiends, but...
Review: still a lot of fun. The demon is a riot. Christopher Moore has an incredible flair for comedy; his writing is concise and witty, delivering its punch without being heavy-handed. I highly recommend any of Moore's books, though Island of the Sequined Love Nun is definitely the strangest of the lot.
Rating:
Summary: great Title but...
Review: This is the second Christopher Moore book I've read. I have to admit I was expecting something funnier than I got. Travis O'Hearn is a reluctant demon keeper and his "last hope" of getting rid of the demon is in the little seaside town on Pine Cove. You are presented with a range of eccentric local characters in the town, whose main industry is to fleece tourists. However, desipte the potentially interesting people they lack a spark to bring the story to life. At the end I found this book a little "flat" for a better word to describe it. It was ok to read, but it hasn't left any lasting positive impression.
Rating:
Summary: Ok but no lust lizard
Review: Maybe this is my fault. I read lust lizard and then this one. I didn't like this one nearly as much as lust lizard. The characters were good. The story was interesting. But, something was missing. It just didn't keep me wanting more or wishing the story had continued. Instead I was kind of happy when it was over so that I could move on. Please don't get me wrong. It is good. But, after reading lust lizard I think I was expecting too much. During the reading of lust lizard I would openly laugh, but practical demonkeeping tried to be funny but never quiet hit it.
Rating:
Summary: Not as much fun as I'd hoped...
Review: Having read "Bloodsucking Fiends" by Moore, I figured this book would be just as hilarious with a great story and interesting, memorable characters. OOPS--not so with this book. Travis is a very old man who looks about 25 thanks to his constantly hungry companion, a demon named Catch. Through a very complex and amazing line of circumstances, the pair find themselves in the oddball town of Pine Cove, California. It's here in Pine Cove that the town witch, an elderly couple, a bait store owner, a waitress, a drunk husband, and a cafe owner with a remarkable resemblance to H.P. Lovecraft all meet up in one situation that could mean the preservation or loss of many lives. Sounds interesting, right? As mentioned in the Kirkus Review featured at the opening screen, Moore has too many characters jumping through too many mystical hoops unnecessarily. Every single character in the book is of major importance to the overall outcome, right down to Mavis, the long-suffering barmaid from the Head of the Slug. There are no true minor characters (not even The Breeze, who vanishes almost as soon as the story begins), and this makes for a big headache. And as much as these characters interact and overlap one another, you won't be able to really feel much about any of them. I enjoy characters that make me miss them at the end of the book, and that didn't happen with this novel. I've since learned that this was Moore's first book, but the complexity of the plot and the details don't demonstrate an author's first effort. The ending will leave you flat and asking "HUH?", but there are some truly funny moments in the book that aren't to be missed. I especially enjoyed Jenny's preparation for her date with Travis, and Robert's assessment of The Breeze's trailer. Moore's description of Mavis and Rachel are vivid and highly visual, and the story of how Travis became bound to Catch is very well-constructed. It's worth reading, but consider checking it out from the library and save your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Stupendous, best book I've Ever read
Review: I'm not a real big reader, but my father gave this book to me insisting that I'd love it, so I decided to give it a shot. I started reading the book that afternoon and two days later I finished it. This book takes you on a trip and Is an interesting adventure. The book has an odd underwire humor, but the only real obvious humor was slap-your knee, buckle over comedy, and was fairly rare. It isn't so much action-oriented 'till the end, when it get kind of confusing. For the first ten or so chapters introduces a new character each chapter, but It doesn't really give you enough time to get used to them, especially towards the end. This book is great overall, and I suggest it for anyone who would like a quick, fun read. (great for an airplane or bus trips)
Rating:
Summary: Powerless to stop....
Review: Practical Demonkeeping came to me as a reccomendation. Inside the first ten pages I was transfixed. The style is fresh and captivating and I found myself laughing out loud as I read it. As I closed the book, I called the kids and we were off to Border's Book & Music, where I promptly purchased Chrisopher Moore's other four novels (they were superb as well). Buy it and plan on an amusing, unconventional great read. DP
Rating:
Summary: And the Catch is...
Review: And with that overused pun on a name I begin a quick review of the novel Practical Demonkeeping. Now it is true that this book did not dramatically change my life, or solve world hunger (as luckily there are no actual recipes for how to prepare the druggie beatniks, which apparently Catch really didn't really need), or bring world peace, and if you look for it you will not actually find a little place in the desert of Nevada called King's Lake where you may visit Brine's Bait, Tackle, and Fine Women (I took up nearly a fortnight looking up that one, even pouring over the satellite images of Area 51). A more wonderful, whimsical waste of time I will never know than reading this book and I loved every minute of it. And of course there is also the potential for wackiness to ensue if you are reading the book on a bus and you tell people Practical Demonkeeping is a how-to book. How Christopher Moore took all of the telling of different religions and combined them not only with each other but also with his own witty inventions (unless either Mr. Moore is onto a possible religious movement or perhaps Dante missed the demon Arrrg, whose job it is "leeching the styrofoam taste into take-out coffee") I will never know and ever respect. Sure, other reviewers are probably correct: you won't come to any great philosophical revelations. You won't have your entire world shaken (unless, needless to say and needlessly added, you are reading during an earthquake), and it is surely doubtful that the book could ever help Florida through an election (no biggie, as it now appears nothing will). I would however suggest this book for reading. I would hope that it would be as wacky, uncertain, and ultimately loveable a tale for you as I have found it. Or, lo, the raccoons will swipe the stereo from your car.
Rating:
Summary: Gut-bustingly funny
Review: This is Moore's first novel, and it's probably best to start here as Pine Cove seems to be his Castle Rock. Moore's plots aren't the most brilliant, but he's clearly much more interested in character. Besides, his humor more than makes up for any familiarity in the plot. I wish I could tell you some of the jokes, I really do. But they'd take some of the fun out of the book, and I can't make myself do it. Suffice to say this book had me on the floor almost the entire time I was reading it. Buy this (or any other of Moore's books) for laughs, you won't be disappointed.
| 
