I will bow to you elders and your wisdom...

*** OLD BOOK SPOILERS... WARNING ***


I have (sadly) finished the last of the AG's current works, or Gospels if you prefer, and I kind think the vibe has changed over the years in his books.

Some of the earlier ones, Love Nun and Lust Lizard being what I have particularly in mind as just finished them, seem kind of "darker" than say You Suck or TSA.

Not in a bad sense, by any means, and they still have all the fun things in them (lovely play on Hamlet in Love Nun for instance), but they seem heavier in a way. The whole organ harvesting/stealing thing is a really good example. The heroes have to go up against bigger things. I know Charlie has to fight minions of Death in ADJ and there are zombies in TSA, but they're light-hearted enemies IMO.

Am I nuts, just about this topic and not in general please, what do you all think?
_________________
"Jesus... is NOT a zombie... I shouldn't have to tell you that."

- "Bones"

I think he was still in the process of finding his muse/voice in those earlier novels.

Chris now seems very comfortable in his writing style, and his humor seems to have found a perfect balance.

(suck up time)...

But I LOVE them all, and keep buying every copy I can get my hands on for all of my friends. When I run out of friends, I'll start buying them for all the local libraries.

Maybe until Lamb I sort of thought of myself as a horror story writer who could write funny stuff. No idea. Catch is the bad guy in my first book and I had an agent turn the book down early on because he was too likable.

chris wrote:

Maybe until Lamb I sort of thought of myself as a horror story writer who could write funny stuff. No idea. Catch is the bad guy in my first book and I had an agent turn the book down early on because he was too likable.

I can understand that, the likable thing not it being turned down. I was so happy that Steve didn't die at the end of Lust Lizard because he was one of my favorite characters in the book. I also like how all your characters, even you bad guys, get happy endings. The doc and the Sky Priestess getting eaten in Love Nun, or Charlie getting to come back as a squirrel person

Don't get me wrong, AG, there's some scary shit in your books but you don't beat us over the head with it. I mean, I like Stephen King, but sometimes less is more and your books are better because of that, IMO.
When I tell people about your books, I describe you as the child that King and Dave Barry would have had if that sort of thing were possible, but that you aren't so deep in the horror end of the pool to chase off peeps who aren't big fans of that genre. The zombie attack scene, the Catch attack in Lamb and when he eats Breeze in PDK, and the execution scene in Fluke are really good examples of the scary but not horrific balance that you've got going.
I just think your voice (I don't know if that's what I mean for sure but...) got lighter as you went along, and I can see where Lamb may have been the point where that started. I meant it as a really good thing too, by the way, not as a criticism like "Oh, he betrayed his muse" or some such; 'cause, let's be honest, if you compiled and published your weekly grocery lists, I (and many of us here) would happily camp out in the bookstore to get one of the first copies.
_________________
"Jesus... is NOT a zombie... I shouldn't have to tell you that."

- "Bones"

I think she's saying you're getting soft...

Last edited by urhangovergirl on Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:27 am; edited 1 time in total

urhangovergirl wrote:

I think he's saying you're getting soft...

No way... just saying I was feeling analytical this afternoon, postpartum blues from finishing the last book. It's over now, 'cause I can begin to re-read them

BTW - I'm Jenn
_________________
"Jesus... is NOT a zombie... I shouldn't have to tell you that."

- "Bones"

leprrkan wrote:

I was so happy that Steve didn't die at the end of Lust Lizard . . .

Me too, because it meant I'd have missed reading the other books.

Oh, wait . . . perhaps that's not what you meant.

leprrkan wrote:

[...] BTW - I'm Jenn

Wait a minute! I'M Jenn!


_________________
"If you allow yourself to be offended, then you're a bit of [a] nitwit."
(Christopher Moore)

Then who am I & what am I doing out of bed?

zendao42 wrote:

Then who am I & what am I doing out of bed?

You are your own worst enemy.

Or something like that.


_________________
"If you allow yourself to be offended, then you're a bit of [a] nitwit."
(Christopher Moore)

mllefifi wrote:

leprrkan wrote: [...] BTW - I'm Jenn Wait a minute! I'M Jenn!

Yes, it's true... my deep dark secret is out, my other ID on the board is... a giant squirrel
_________________
"Jesus... is NOT a zombie... I shouldn't have to tell you that."

- "Bones"

Is it just me...but I thought Steve DID die at the end...I mean if he always killed his mates after copulation-and the book ended with him finding a female...

There would be no Happy Ending for Charlie Asher.

and hi Jenn!

zevon wrote:

There would be no Happy Ending for Charlie Asher.

Well played

Quote:

Is it just me...but I thought Steve DID die at the end...I mean if he always killed his mates after copulation-and the book ended with him finding a female...

Buuuut... he changed from being with Molly, he didn't kill her because he started to learn emotions and stuff. It'd be fun if he would go North and meet the Emporer and the Men

Quote:

and hi Jenn!

Hi
_________________
"Jesus... is NOT a zombie... I shouldn't have to tell you that."

- "Bones"