Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story

It was OK. I laughed. Some really dumb (near offensive) plot ideas bring it down from a 3, but humor I was kinda looking for. I expected more try from Moore.

I have already read this book. Now I’m buying every book for my own collection. He's hilarious and always have you wanting MOORE.

Not for kids, not for adults that just want to be entertained without cussing, and graphic adult situations. I suggest Terry Prachett

Christopher Moore wanted to write horror books; he dreamed of being the next Stephen King. Unfortunately for him but fortunately for us, people laughed when they read what he wrote. Thus was born a humorist of the caliber of Dave Barry or Christopher Buckley and some have gone so far as to say he is the next Kurt Vonnegut. Now that we know a bit about our Author, what about the book? Bloodsucking Fiends is a glorious romp through the night. We have an office worker, Jodi, who has a 9-to-5 dead-end office job in San Francisco, and wakes up one morning under a dumpster and the sun burns her and she has super human strength. She has never watched vampire movies or read the books, so she doesn't know what to do or how to do it. She is on the hunt for the man/creature who turned her. This is where C. Thomas Flood comes in, a beatnik author from Indiana, who works midnights at the Safeway. He falls in love with Jodi immediately, and realizes that there is something strange about his love. Follow the humorous journey through the night, the underworld, the streets and alleys of San Francisco as Thomas tries to find a way to be with the woman he loves even if she is undead. And Jodi tries to find out what being undead is all about. Can this love survive? And if you've enjoyed this one, check out his other writings: Island of the Sequined Love Nun, or The Lusty Lizard of Melancholy Cove.

Quick personal note; My wife and I have twin 18 month old boys. I stay home with them during the day and work until 1:30 AM. Time is at a premium in my life right now. There's not much to spare and whatever spare time I can get a hold of would most likely be better spent sleeping. That being said, Christopher Moore's Blood Sucking Fiends hooked me the first night I opened the cover and kept me up until nearly 4AM.I am a long time fan of horror and it would take quite some book to unnerve me to the point of insomnia. It wasn't a late night case of the heeby-jeebies that kept me up. It was the laughter and engaging characters. Moore has a relaxed witty style that translates to a very fast read. All of the characters in Fiends are incredibly likeable (save one) and the story is humorous and engaging. This fresh take on the joys and advantages of being a vampire set in San Franscisco made me want to walk the city and see the sites. I longed to meet a vivacious red-headed blood sucker who would set me up in an apartment and treat me like a cross between Stoker's Renfield and one of Cher's boy toys. I wanted to take the emperor to lunch with his dogs and become engaged to seven Chinese brothers so they could get their green cards. I wanted to work late nights stocking shelves in a supermarket and go bowling with frozen turkeys. (Oh, wait a sec. I have worked in a supermarket overnight and Moore knows exactly what goes on there.)Christopher Moore weaves all of the above seamlessly and with great humor and affection to create one of the most enjoyable reads of recent memory. More Moore is on it's way to my house as we speak and I can't wait to read his advice on "Practical Demonkeeping" and see what happens in his world when a giant reptile is awakened by radioactive waste in "The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove". I may have a new favorite author.

The whole vampire-and-goth fad that has overtaken America is NOWHERE present in this book, which is exactly why I chose to try it. I've read Anne Rice and a host of other vampire-themed tales, but I've never read one like "Fiends." Jody is new to being a vampire, but she is quickly aware of some basic rules (the ones we all know: they must avoid sun, go to "sleep" when the sun comes up, and so on). She's being tailed and threatened by a stronger, much more experienced vampire, but she's not sure why. To help her figure it all out (and to handle those pesky business-hours-only chores), she finds Tommy, a would-be beat writer whose Indiana-small-town charm makes him one of the most well-drawn characters I've come across. Tommy becomes Jody's minion, and of course, they not only have to deal with the slings and arrows of a regular relationship, but they also have the problem of dealing with and hiding Jody's new afterlifestyle. Some truly funny moments in the book involve Tommy's self-study attempt at understanding this whole mess, and he tries everything from rubbing Jody with garlic to convincing her to get in a tub of ice cubes and water to see if she'll drown and/or still survive. The Animals (Tommy's crew at the Safeway) are wonderful supporting characters, and they actually do affect the plot rather than just taking up pages and filling scenery. I do agree with another reviewer who mentioned that the end was a little flat, but since the entire story is so outlandish, the ending follows along with this idea. You'll easily like Tommy's character, especially when he complains loudly to the dead body in the freezer about Jody's anger at his letting the Animals in the apartment, then getting drunk and high. This was my first Chris Moore book, and I can hardly wait to dive into my other ones. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING WHEN YOU NEED A LAUGH!

Probably the most "realistic" and hilarious vampire story I ever read. Other books just focus on flash and sex, but this one asks the serious question facing every neophyte vampire when they wake up to their new life. " If I can't go out in the sunlight, how can I pick up my check from work?" Often hilarious, sometimes profound, BloodSucking Fiends demystifies the vampire legend for a fresh, novel take on vampire life, women's magazines, and the nightshift at a supermarket. Just the scene alone where the beautiful vampire protagonist ends up in a "Vampires Anonymous Meeting" is well worth the price of the book.

Charmingly naive young man meets, falls in love with, and then finds it's not easy living with a gorgeous vampire. Improvisation is called for in the form of window shades, freeazer chest, and ... snapping turtles??? Angered and menacing vampire gent adds another level of challenge. Wow! This energetically hilarious story passed the ultimate test: my wife became suspicious when she heard me laughing out loud (something I do every 25,000 books or so). Then she read it and understood. Christopher Moore delivers fast-paced supernatual hijinks, with a peppering of pinpoint jabs at the inanity of modern urban living. The dialog must be among the wittiest of any American author today. It's one thing to chuckle over a funny quote; a real treat to laugh anew when deadpan rejoinders add a whole new twist to the humor. Add a host of imaginative complications, and the reader had better hang on for this wild jaunt. Like Moore's other novels (_Coyote Blue_ Practical Demonkeeping_) the satire is decidedly upbeat. He manages to let the redemptive qualities of his characters sneak through all the farcical shenanigans. As a result, you'll cheer for these night-shift kids as they stumble all over themselves (and a few bodies) to find true happiness. A book easily finished before sunrise!