Coyote Blue

Yowza! This book was fun, a major head trip, and a blast to read. And it's the best, most accurate representation of Coyote spirit I've ever seen in a book (and I know, because I'm a real-life shamanic practitioner, and Coyote spirit has been a very influential part of my life for more than a dozen years). Damn funny. And a religious experience at the same time. Sort of to Coyote what Passion of the Christ was to Jesus. In one part, Coyote turned himself into a hedgehog and sneak into a YWCA locker room soap dish in hopes that somebody taking a shower would think he was a loofa sponge. Like I said, just like in Passion of the Christ. And, if you can see through the humor, there's a real spiritual side to it as well. From a Coyote point of view, of course. To quote the dust jacket, "It is a cult novel for people too smart and too hip to be part of a cult." It's the story of how Coyote spirit comes into the life (in flesh-and-blood Technicolor) of a Crow Indian living in Santa Barbara. Hilarity ensues, of course. But it's a lot more than that. To quote the book, "During the night, something inside him had changed. Each time he thought things had reached a plateau of weirdness, something even weirder had happened. The result, he realized, was that he was now accepting anything that happened, no matter how weird, without resistance. Chaos was the new order in his life." And that acceptance is the road to redemption. A goofy type of redemption, but redemption nonetheless. My main problem with the book is that by the end, Coyote becomes more a stereotype of a silly Indian lost in time instead of a joyfully chaotic god. Actually, pretty much everybody becomes less realistic as a character by the end. But then, it's a book about Coyote spirit, so that didn't really bug me too much. Definitely a recommend read.

Christopher Moore's novels have an underlying theme to them. They are vehicles that poke fun at various "legends" of the paranormal-vampires (Bloodsucking Fiends), Godzilla (Lust Lizzard) and so on-while concomitantly poking fun at the "California Lifestyle" of type-a personalities espousing New Age psychobabble.In Coyote Blue the legendary figure being skewered is Trickster, an ancient Native American god know generally for bollixing up the works in whatever situation he inserts himself. The "works" targeted by Trickster here is the life of Sam Hunter, the Southern California makeover of the former reservation baby known as Samson Hunts Alone of the Crow reservation in Montana.The plot involves Sam's involvement/Tricksters interference with Calliope, a classic, comic version of the hippie child of hippie syndrome so common in LA, the setting for this farcical tale.The book continues in the vein of Moore's works in general--looping, fantastic flights of fancy, complex yet entertaining plots, and frequent wise guy humor that leaves the reader laughing out loud.This book differs from his other efforts only in that the story line is more controlled and more thoroughly constructed than is usual. It gives the book the feel of an actual, complete novel in the traditional sense. However, one does not read Moore to experience novelistic integrity-one reads Moore to laugh one's head off. This novel, like all his others, scores a bull's-eye on that score.If what you are looking for is a lot of laughs and a rollicking good time, Moore is your guy and this book will satisfy those cravings in droves.

Before I encountered this book, I thought I already knew all about Coyote, the trickster god of the Native Americans. He's the one who sticks out his foot and trips you once you've hit your stride. He's the one who turns up the heat in your comfort zone until he blasts you out. Moore puts a spin on him, however, that gave me a lot of fresh material to think about. There is something in this book that will appeal to everyone--satire, humor galore, love of all sorts, Las Vegas, bikers, a traveling miracle salesman, a Crow shaman who wonders himself if his visions are in fact now actually the D.T.'s--and last but not least, Sam Hunter (nee Samson Hunts Alone)who thought he'd already found himself until Coyote came along. In a rut? Read this book. You'll find yourself looking forward to having your world turned upside down.

Christopher Moore is my favorite author and this is probably his best work. "Coyote Blue" on the surface is an excellent suspense and love story. But as you peel back the layers upon layers, you find deeper meaning. The Trickster is alive and well and easily recognized in many people we know and Mr. Moore made this harsh reality visible and funny. How can you not love a book with magic, faith restored, life renewed, true love conquering all, and a coyote humping a white leather sofa. It has it all! The storytelling is done by the master and the humor is unrelenting as the trickster weaves his tale. A must read book! I really did laugh out loud through most of it and cried at least once. I just can't say enough about this book. Except, if you read it, you will thank me! I loved every carefully chosen word. Erma Arthur, Reading Forum Assistant, MS