Island of the Sequined Love Nun. Christopher Moore.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun.
Christopher Moore.

Avon: 1997.

Although I'm surprised that this 3rd printing had as many typos as it does, this is nonetheless a funny and enjoyable trip to the tropics with Moore.

The underlying plot is actually rather gruesome: a missionary doctor and his stripper/nurse/wife use religion to harvest organs from a primitive tribe on a remote tropical island. The organs, of course, are sold for enormous profit.

The spirit of the man (a WWII fighter pilot) who is worshipped as a savior on this island helps a luckless and gutless modern-day pilot to save the day. The characters are generally good, the plot bizarre but believable (unlike Fluke), the humor is great for the first half, but sort of peters out as the plot gets moving. Still, an enjoyable book, though it may not be a keeper.

Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Caged Whale Sings. Christopher Moore.

Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Caged Whale Sings Christopher Moore.
William Morrow: 2003

A big disappointment after Lamb, this is still a good book. Whale scientist Nate Quinn discovers the ultimate conspiracy: at first you think it's local scientists, then the government, then aliens, the . . . it's the original organism that evolved on Earth. This thing--Goo--can create and control life via DNA (or something like that. It kind of makes sense when you are reading it, but only kind of.)

Moor is off on his humor on this one. Yes, there are some funny parts, but nothing hilarious, and there are no consistently funny characters. Moore seems a bit too concerned about making the far-fetched storyline work than becoming engaged with any of his characters or developing any themes beyond a preachy save-the-whales moral. Still entertaining, but not up to his others.