Book Rec

[ivyblossom]

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore.

This book is freaking hilarious. Now, I always love a book with religious themes, including Gore Vidal's Live from Golgotha, and Julian Barnes' History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters, and of course Our Lady of the Lost and Found, by Diane Schoemperlen, so I really couldn't say no to this one. The gist is that the childhood friend of Jesus, Levi, aka Biff, is called back to the world 2000 years after he died to write out his testament. So he writes down his life with the Messiah while the angel who's set to guarding him watches soap operas and wrestling. It turns out that Jesus was actually called Joshua, of course, and he was a funny little kid. Biff invented sarcasm, and I think it's because he had to. This book is so incredibly funny, I can't even begin to tell you. I got stared at on the bus because I was laughing so much.

But you know, the reason I really, really love it is because the characters are actually real. I mean, a lot of parodies and humour stories let their characters be wooden and fake, but this book does actually have real people in it. I totally adore Biff. He's a jackass but such a total sweetheart, I want to snuggle him. I weep for them, I do. There's nothing I love more than really feeling a character's love for someone else, you know? Particularly when there are no flowery speeches or anything like that. Just...

Okay, so I'm not actually finished it yet and as far as I know this is not a slashy book. Well, I think it is, but I'm biased. But I have to write Biff/Josh slash, no matter how it ends. Sorry all. It has to be done, it's asking to be done. Read it. You'll see what I mean.

And when I do write sweet, sweet Biff/Josh love, I'll be doing it for joyouschild. <333

Comments

[dancingrain.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me, how is your godfic coming? I miss it.

[ivyblossom.livejournal.com]

Aww, that's very sweet of you to ask. I'm kind of ignoring it at the moment. Too much else going on. School and work and so forth. I will get back to it eventually...I'm trying to finish this freaking edit, I can't seem to do two things at once on that score.

So nice of you to remember it, though.

<33333333

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

*grin* Always good to see folks pimping Christopher Moore. He's one of my very favorite authors. I especially liked Island of the Sequined Love Nun, but Lamb was great, too. I have his new one, Fluke, sitting on the shelf waiting for me to finish my current book. He rocks.

[twitchycat.livejournal.com]

:D! I love it when other people read "Lamb," as it's my all-time favorite Christopher Moore book. The man is all kinds of brilliant.

If you write Biff/Josh slash, I will love you forever. There needs to be Biff and Josh slash in the world.

[cacklebang.livejournal.com]

Christopher Moore... Oh! I was trying to think of where I heard the name! He wrote Coyote Blue (Which I adore. Minty Fresh!) And now I must find this book!
Thanks for the rec!

[andi-sunrider.livejournal.com]

Have youo by any chance ever heard "Jesus' Brother Bob," by the Arrogant Worms? i think you might find it amusing, although not quite as intellectually stimulating as an entire novel. It makes me laugh.

[saucy-wench.livejournal.com]

It's all about the GodCock, Ivy.

All about the GodCock.

[vixkitten.livejournal.com]

Yay! It's always good to welcome a new Moore fan to the fold. Lamb is one of my favorite books. You should read Bloodsucking Fiends too. It's so funny and sexy, I want to tattoo the whole book on my back...in tiny, tiny print of course.

You should e mail Chris. He's really cool and sweet and he promised me that I could play Maggie or Jody (from BS Fiends) when his books get the whole movie treatment. I lurve him.

[mayhap]

Oooh, I've been meaning to read that forever now.

[debellatrix.livejournal.com]

So how acquainted with Judaism/Christianity does one have to be in order to get the jokes? I can't even name all 12 dudes.

[all-ahoo.livejournal.com]

Oh, I looooooooved this book. I thought it was slashy too :-)

I promise you my firstborn child, or something of equal value, if you write Josh/Biff slash!

[fortunova.livejournal.com]

Ah! You commented on my friends list before I did, [Unknown site tag]! Curses!

Ahem, but yes, hysterically funny book. I thought it would make a fabulous addition to my Religion in American Fiction class, but alas, I read it after we evaluated the class. I was going to mention my favorite part, but I realized I can't choose just one.

And if you write Josh/Biff slash, you will probably become my favorite person ever :-)

[joyouschild.livejournal.com]

Oh I can't wait! Really, it's silly how excited I am.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

If you liked Lamb try Parke Godwin's Waiting for the Galactic Bus and The Snake-Oil Wars.

Those are absolutely hilarious. Brothers Barion and Coyul are stranded by their drunken party buddies on a planet where the highest form of life is a dead-ending ape. And wackiness ensues when they boost its intelligence.

[mousapelli.livejournal.com]

i read that book over the summer, and it had me in hysterics at some points. i told my parents' bible class they should read it, but they didn't take me too seriously *shrugs*

"don't ever let anybody tell you the Prince of Peace never smote anybody."

[kobelladonna.livejournal.com]

Ah, the things we do for joyouschild. They are many and done with great and t00by love, even when they are evil. <3

[wintercreek]

Have not yet read Lamb, but two friends have recced it to me. My real reason for posting is to say Hi! and that I've friended you (see this post), if that's ok.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Have you read Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman? It's about an angel and a demon who try and stop armageddon. It's very funny, and very slashy too, which is always a bonus.