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Title: Fluke : Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore, Irwin Bill ISBN: 0-06-055679-X Publisher: HarperAudio Pub. Date: 03 June, 2003 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.94 (36 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Moore and his book are funny --- there's no fluke about that
Comment: I would read Christopher Moore based on the titles of his works alone. He has written fantastically odd and fun books for years, including ISLAND OF THE SEQUINED LOVE NUN, THE LUST LIZARD OF MELANCHOLY COVE, and LAMB: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BIFF, CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD PAL (which, in my estimation, is his best, most bedazzlingly kooky book yet). Once I get past the title page of a Christopher Moore book, I'm never disappointed. He always delivers the goods (the goods being odd characters, odd settings, and odd happenings). The latest Moore delivery is FLUKE: OR I KNOW WHY THE WINGED WHALE SINGS, and he will not disappoint fans.
The odd characters include marine biologist Nathan Quinn, a lifelong researcher of the humpback whale and their song; Clay Demodocus, his associate; beautiful research assistant Amy Earhart; and Rastaman, Kona, a white boy from New Jersey. The settings, which are varied, include Maui, a giant whale ship and "Gootown." The odd happenings are too numerous to mention. There's some discussion of a whale calling a benefactor by telephone asking for a hot pastrami and Swiss on rye. There's an escape from an amorous Samoan. There's a situation involving a super-race of piscatorial mutants. And there's that one whale that had written on its tail "BITE ME."
Of course, the book is not too thick with such heavy topics as the meaning of life and love. There is, however, some discussion about Canadian hockey violence. Moore won't give you long theories about the nature of man or the political implications of the Middle East. He will, however, give us some interesting cetacean sex, which is always titillating. It's a breeze to read. The reader will sit in a hammock, a drink by their side (with an umbrella in it), and happily read along chuckling mightily (hopefully not spilling said umbrella-laden drink).
The one thing that Moore does well (on top of his writing antics) is the research he puts into his books. He knows about whales and cares about them (so much so, in fact, that at the end of the book he highlights ways in which the reader can help out with and address conservation issues). Just as in LAMB, where he studied mightily about the world in Jesus's time, Moore finds many interesting nuggets about whales, the ocean, and the like.
If you want Norman Mailer or Leon Uris, you've come to the wrong place. But if you're in the mood for a quick laugh (along the lines of Tom Robbins, Dave Barry and their ilk) and a fun book to read on a sunny weekend, FLUKE is the way to go. Both the book and Moore are funny --- and there's no fluke about that.
--- Reviewed by Jonathan Shipley
Rating: 4
Summary: Very enjoyable silly sci-fi send-up of researchers + whales
Comment: I just finished listening to this in the book-on-tape format. Very enjoyable. Oh, the plot is pretty silly, but it was hard to resist the spot-on funny dialogue, and the portrayal of the science nerd filled world of research. Between luscious Amy, spoon-of-correction weilding Claire, stoned Kona, loyal Clay, and science geek Nate, this book is filled with well drawn characters that move along to a brisk plot.
I really enjoyed Irwin Bill's reading and thought he did a nice job of finding the right voice for each character. His timing and intonation will make you laugh out loud, which may alarm your co-workers as you try to work and listen in stealth mode.
It looks like C. Moore has written a bunch of books, all enthusiastically reviewed on Amazon -- why haven't I heard of him before? I'll be looking for his other books!
Rating: 4
Summary: Not Moore's Best, But Still Laugh Out Loud At Times
Comment: Having been a recent Christopher Moore fan, I've pretty much devoured everything he's written (Coyote Blue, Island of the Sequinned Love Nun, etc.) and found his comedic style to be light, breezy and a sheer joy to read. Many have compared Mr. Moore to the late, great Douglas Adams (of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fame) and I think this is a fair comparison. If you like Adams' style, you're sure to enjoy Moore's.
Fluke is a departure for Mr. Moore from his previous novels. He's done research for the others, but that research was always used to further the laughs you were sure to enjoy in his books. But here, Mr. Moore tended to plug whale research (a worthy cause, no doubt!) and the scouring of our ocean environments, and the comedy . . . well . . . got lost a bit. Even in the afterword to the book, Mr. Moore tells us about the extensive research he did in putting this book together. Interesting, but it's not WHY readers have been drawn to his stories.
But let's get into the book. As stated above, this story focuses on whales. Particularly the Humpbacks around Hawaii. Nathan Quinn and a band of scientists (with the recent addition of a truly memorable pothead character named Kona) are trying to find out why the whales sing. And why it is ONLY the males that sing. What does the song mean? This is Mr. Quinn's life work.
. . . And Mr. Quinn and his fellow scientists are about to make a hilarious and startling discovery. They soon learn WHY the whales sing (I'm not going to tell you why. You've got to read it to find out). The interactions between the characters is what sets this story apart. That and the story about the giant whale penises mixing with a zodiac inflatable boat!
Is it possible that the ocean is a giant living . . . uh, thing? Or Goo? Is it possible that whales are more
intelligent 'internally' than we could have ever imagined? Is it possible to fall in love with a nonhuman sea creature? Whoa!
A good read. Not great. Not Moore's greatest by a looong shot. But still a lot better than some of the junk that's out there on the shelves. I'm glad I read it.
A solid 'B' rating.
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Title: Lamb : The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore ISBN: 0380813815 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 04 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore ISBN: 0380816547 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 July, 2000 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore ISBN: 0380816555 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 30 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore ISBN: 0380792745 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore ISBN: 0380725231 Publisher: Avon Pub. Date: 01 July, 1995 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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