Wednesday, September 06, 2006

The Stupidest Angel

Christopher Moore
Fiction

Ah, Christmas. A time for festive cheer, for lights and eggnog and snow and cheerful Santas bringing toys to grateful children around the world.

None of which you will find in this book.

Instead, Moore returns to Pine Cove (first introduced in Practical Demonkeeping) for a tale of hilarious terror featuring screaming exes, a sword-wielding madwoman barbarian princess, zombies with an inexplicable love for IKEA, and, oh yes, an angel who was not so much behind the door when the brains were passed out but more as though the few he has were stirred with a stick. Who, for the first time in two thousand years, has been granted the power of the Christmas Miracle. Which kind of makes you wonder about the smarts of the guy in charge.

To top it all off, this California coastal town will have to deal with El NiƱo, the weather phenomenon that brings, in this instance, a horrendous storm just when things are getting interesting. And Pince Cove's coveted Monterey Pines - the perfect Christmas trees - are about to come crashing down...

This is not a novel for those fond of Miracle On 34th Street and Precious Moments figurines. This is more for those people who have worn out their tape of Nightmare Before Christmas, and play copies of Night of the Living Dead and Army of Darkness as an antidote to saccharine Christmas cheer. Because Santa's coming back from the dead. And this time, he's got a gun.

*****/*****

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