A Dirty Job: A Novel

This book was given to me by my son-in-law. When I started reading it I did not understand why he would give me such a strange book? I could not get into it. But I did not want to disappoint him so I resolved to at least give it a try. Since I love audio books, I added audio to this book and voila, the book took a totally new meaning. I love the narrator Fisher Stevens and listening to him brought the book to live. The book is funny and sweet and strange and I loved Charlie Asher. The story takes place over number of years where newborn Sophie is growing up on top floor of Charlie’s second hand clothing store. She is being cared for by two immigrant ladies Chinese and Russian. The talent of Fisher Stevens is so great that all character voices and accents are tailored to the characters, recognizable and in case of babysitters very funny because they were so real sounding. Charlie Asher is identified as Beta male, which according to the book description is dependable, loyal, responsible and sensible individual. It sounds boring but Charlie is far from it – Charlie is a Death Merchant and Soul Collector. Since Charlies wife Rachel died right after Sophie was born, Charlie is raising her himself and she is the most important person in his life, but his job sometimes takes him away from Sophie under most unusual circumstances. The writing is very good. The dialogue between the different characters is so real and entertaining that it reminded me of my own family gatherings. All characters are worth mentioning – Lillie, the Goth girl; Ray, the retired disabled detective; Charlie’s sister Jane who can’t decide on her life partner and Charlie’s daughter Sophie, who just by saying word “kitty” makes people and animals disappear. And the ending did not disappoint. 5 stars for the story and 5 stars for the narrator Fisher Stevens

I have enjoyed every book by Christopher Moore that I have ever read, and "A Dirty Job" is no exception. Moore organizes deadpan and smart-alecky humor into crisp dialog and snappy prose passages that breathe real life into outlandish scenes of supernatural mayhem. His characters are so ridiculously quirky that they actually seem real--Moore just takes pedestrian personality foibles and develops them to their most hilarious ends, and I don't know of any writer who does this as well as Moore (except possibly Gore Vidal in "Live from Golgotha"). This is Moore's stock-in-trade, this is what makes his books so fun to read and so endearingly memorable: these little personality tics that the reader recognizes from real life, which the reader then gets to experience vicariously at their most ridiculous. Where Moore does fall short from time to time, though, is in his endings, which sometimes seem forced and clipped, as if he had run out of enthusiasm for a story and was already cultivating the next story in his mind, or as if his enthusiasm had allowed a story to run long and an editor was pushing him to wrap it up for publication. Regardless the reason, this is what happens in "A Dirty Job". Each of the characters develops well, as does the story itself, and Moore should be lauded for not recycling his earlier character profiles into his later novels. Charlie Asher, the central character in "A Dirt Job", is not just a reworked character from a previous book, but is a new character who brings his own voice to the story. But that story comes to a weak end, drawn across just a few pages, and this after several hundred pages of depth and good reading. This unsatisfying ending probably warrants the deduction of two stars, but most of the book was too enjoyable for that so I will just deduct one.

This book? Beyond fun and filled with a remarkable regard for humanity…..and comedy. If this becomes a movie, Robert Downey Jr. should be Charlie.

This is my first Christopher Moore novel, so I’ll write the review for other such readers. Two initial points: a) the genre is comic/horror with touches of magic realism and general weirdness. Some readers will embrace it; some will recoil in boredom; b) the book is a prequel. It has a rounded ending and is generally satisfying but if you have to fight your way to the end you will then learn that you must read the sequel for the further adventures of the protagonist and his daughter. The plot (in very brief form): Charlie Asher is a secondhand clothing dealer in San Francisco. His beloved wife Rachel dies after giving birth to their daughter Sophie. Charlie soon discovers that he has a new assignment in life: to shepherd the souls of the dead so that they may be implanted properly and not stolen by the evil powers from the underworld who seek to plunge the world into darkness, salving their wounds and taking their sustenance from stolen souls. In the course of his adventures Charlie meets other individuals with his occupation and also comes face to face with the evil Morrigan (three birdlike harpies who live in the city’s sewers) and their leader Orcus, a large bull-like creature. Charlie comes to believe that he will eventually conquer them because he believes that he is the Luminatus, a kind of King Death figure. Protecting his daughter are two ginormous hellhounds along with two nannies. Protecting Charlie is a SFPD officer, his lesbian sister Jane, her partner Cassandra, and several other soul capturers/protectors. The black comedy is engaging, sometimes Jewish and occasionally legslapping, laugh-out-loud funny. One of the ethnic nannies calls Sophie’s hellhounds the shiksas. I found the story to be a tad too weird but a third of the way through I was hooked because of my concern for the characters. The narrative is wildly inventive, very clever and perfect for readers who are ready ‘for something completely different’. I will be reading more of CM’s fiction in the future.

This one is tough for me. I enjoyed this book but I also stopped reading about two thirds of the way through which is not a good sign. I eventually picked it back up and finished it. I love the humor in the book, the way Charlie is so sarcastic, sardonic even, is great. Charlie, the main character, manages to take his bizarre new job as a Death Merchant in stride. One thing about this book is there is quite a bit of vulgarity, profanity and innuendo (almost explicit at times). It didn't bother me for the most part but now and again it did. That really is a personal preference I think, I don't necessarily care for expletives in what I read; however that being said, one of the funniest parts for me is when Charlie goes to the gym and the book mentions the [Censored] puppets. I just laughed and laughed at that bit. This book was pretty predictable which I don't think it was really trying not to be. It seems the author wanted to make a humorous enjoyable ride which this book delivered. In the end I would recommend this book. This book is on the Green Embers' Recommended List.

I've been reading Moore for years. He got better and better with each book, and until recently he seemed like one of those authors who could do no wrong. He put out, in my opinion, two straight underwhelming efforts, "Lamb" and "Fluke," before bouncing back with "The Stupidest Angel," which was as loose and funny as anything he's written. The odd thing about "A Dirty Job" is that it is, without question, a perfect storyline for Moore to work with. It has his two favorites things: a regular guy in extraordinary circumstances, and plenty of room for sarcastic humor. And while the beginning is absolutely hilarious, the book gets a bit bogged down in its middle, and the humor and the storytelling feels rather random. Also, the "secret" of the book is obvious -- even if you just glance at the cover art. There's a lot to like here. It's often quite funny. But the writing is just a tad lazy and directionless. Moore also gets sentimental and some scenes feel nakedly autobiographical. "A Dirty Job" has its moments and it's funny and weird and Moore at his worst is better than some at their best, but I think it could have been even better.

Christopher Moore seems to love putting the mystical, fantastical and improbable into his novels - while at the same time providing the detail and feeling of the real world to such and extent that the reader forgets the improbabilities and sinks into the story. I would highly recommend his books to all who love satirical tales which involve the supernatural. Charlie Asher finds himself dealing with death in a highly personal way as he tries to navigate life as a widower and father of a newborn daughter while accepting the fact that he's also been recruited to be a Death Merchant. This tale had me chuckling from the very beginning with poignant insight such as this from page 19: "Charlie hadn't really counted on killing a guy that morning. He had hoped to get some twenties for the register at the thrift store, check his balance, and maybe pick up some yellow mustard at the deli. (Charlie was not a brown mustard kind of guy. Brown mustard was the condiment equivalent of skydiving - it was okay for racecar drivers and serial killers, but for Charlie, a fine line of French's yellow was all the spice that life required)" [...] If this brief, yet masterful parable isn't enough to convince you of Moore's prowess with words and truth, here's another example - a description of a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. "The 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was the perfect show-off of death machines. It consisted of nearly three tons of steel stamped into a massively mawed, high-tailed beast lined with enough chrome to build a Terminator and still have parts left over - most of it in long, sharp strips that peeled off on impact and became lethal scythes to flay away pedestrian flesh. Under the four headlights it sported two chrome bumper bullets that looked like unexploded torpedoes or triple-G-cup Madonna death boobs. It had a noncollapsible steering column that would impale the driver upon any serious impact, electric windows that could pinch off a kid's head, no seat belts, and a 325 horsepower V8 with such appallingly bad fuel efficiency that you could hear it trying to slurp liquefied dinosaurs out of the ground when it passed. It had a top speed of a hundred and ten miles an hour, mushy, bargelike suspension that could in no way stabilize the car at that speed, and undersized power brakes that wouldn't stop it either. The fins jutting from the back were so high and sharp that the car was a lethal threat to pedestrians even when parked, and the whole package sat on tall, whitewall tires that looked, and generally handled, like oversized powdered doughnuts. Detroit couldn't have achieved more deadly finned ostentatia if they'd covered a killer whale in rhinestones. It was a masterpiece." A Dirty Job is a perfect gift for someone you know who drives a hearse and loves to read - I know because I do both.

Be it a pale-skinned goth girl or a skeletal reaper, the persona of Death has captured the imagination of countless writers over the years. Christopher Moore takes a shot with "A Dirty Job" -- and it may just be his best work yet. Charlie Asher is a beta male who runs a second-hand store in San Francisco. He finds his niche after the death of his wife and birth of his daughter. Rachel dies moments after delivering a beautiful daughter, Sophie, into Charlie's arms. But besides the normal hospital personnel one would expect to see at such a time, Charlie spies a tall, green-suited man who takes Rachel's favorite CD from the hospital room. The man is Minty Fresh, and he is a minion of Death. Charlie is, too, it turns out, because he saw Fresh when no one should. Certain objects in his presence begin casting a reddish glow, and people begin dying in unusual numbers around him. Unfortunately, Charlie's manual on how to handle his new abilities and responsibilities -- the collection and disbursement of souls, which are lodged in various treasured items -- is hijacked by his perpetually depressed employee, Lily, who really wishes she had nifty powers, too. But Charlie catches on eventually and begins to handle his task. However, dangerous forces are at work, and the darkness -- personified by the triple goddess Morrigan and a deadly flock of ravens -- is attempting to rise. Charlie's tiny realm in San Francisco may just be the weak link they've been seeking for centuries. Moore has a wicked sense of humor and a stylish, writerly way about him that makes his novels an irresistable read. All his powers come to the fore in "A Dirty Job," which proves him an author whose powers are still on the rise. Moore is America's answer to Douglas Adams, Tom Holt and Terry Pratchett, proof that a writer needn't be British to write consistently hilarious books. He is California's twisted genius, similar in style to Florida's Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey but deliciously soused in modern fantasy. "A Dirty Job" is surprisingly touching, for all that, and is a novel anyone with a dash of whimsy should enjoy.

Einer muss es ja machen! Aus nicht näher genannten Gründen ist der Tod zur Zeit nicht verfügbar, deshalb bleibt sein Job: die Seelen der Verstorbenen einzusammeln, vorübergehend an einigen Sterblichen hängen. Einer von ihnen ist Charlie Asher. Durch ein Buch und mehrere unübersehbare Vorkommnisse erfährt er, dass er von nun die Gefäße einzusammeln hat, in denen die Seelen von Verstorbenen nach deren Tod Einzug hielten. Das können ganz unterschiedliche Gegenstände sein: Turnschuhe, ein Pelzmantel, falsche Brüste...Was immer den lieben Verblichen besonders wichtig war. Diese Gegenstände wird er fortan in seinem Trödelgeschäft verkaufen, und zwar an zufällig hereinkommende Kunden, die (ohne dass es ihnen bewusst ist) gerade keine Seele haben und dringen eine brauchen. Leider gerät bald alles aus dem Gleichgewicht, einige Todesgöttinnen aus der Unterwelt (die Morrigan) und anderes lichtscheues Gesindel, wollen die Macht auf der Erde übernehmen, und mit seiner kleinen Tochter stimmt auch etwas nicht. Immer, wenn sie Kätzchen ("Kitty") sagt, fällt jemand tot um, was zumindest das plötzliche Ableben der Haustiere erklärt. Aber zum Glück gesellen sich ihr bald ein paar Höllenhunde als neue Haustiere zu. Und dann gibt es da noch die buddhistische Nonne, die mittels eines tibetischen Totenbuches gestohlene Seelen in Lebewesen überführt, die sie vorher aus tierischen Überresten zusammengenäht hat, welche sie meist in chinesischen Lebensmittelläden findet. Diese Wesen sind klein, können meist nicht sprechen und nicht allzu klar denken, aber haben niedliche Theaterkostüme an... Die Handlung des Buches ist spannend, witzig und temporeich, und das, obwohl sie sich über einen Zeitraum von ca. 6 - 7 Jahren erstreckt. Auch das Finale ist lesenswert (wird hier aber nicht verraten). Es ist ein typischer Christopher Moore. Wer schon einiges von ihm gelesen hat, weiß, was ich meine. Von "Dirty Job" gibt es noch eine Fortsetzung, die einige Jahre später herauskam: "Secondhand Souls". in ihr erfahren die Leser, wie Charlie Ashers Geschichte weiter geht;

Absolutely worst delivery by Cocoblu. Abysmal state of book delivered. Shameful.

Always love this author. His writing always makes me laugh!

…in Christopher Moore’s handle on the English language way. Laughed, guffaws, chortles, tittered, sniggered and coughed behind my hand all the way through this book, even through the eww… was that really necessary bits. Anyway… great story line, interesting lead characters, to be applauded supporting cast, the scenery was beautiful, location fabulous with well behaved weather. Brilliant, thank you Christopher Moore (-

I loved this book. It was inventive, clever, laugh-out-loud witty, and well told. The main trick to comic noir fantasy is to create a fully believable world that the reader can inhabit despite its oddities. Moore does an excellent job of this, placing the reader in the geography of San Francisco, the world of Charlie Asher and the `death merchants', and the underworld of the Morrigan. The contextualisation concerning beta-males and soul collecting is nicely woven into the narrative. The characterisation, in particular, was very nicely done with each character well-penned, distinct and fully fleshed out. The plot is well developed and engaging, tugging the reader relentlessly along, although the timing element was sometimes a little clunky in the transitions as the story jumped forward a year or more at a time. The mark of a really good book is that you're disappointed when it ends. I was quite miffed when I turned the last page of A Dirty Job - the story had come to its natural end, but I was definitely left wanting more. The book is already on its way to my nephew, who I know will love it, and Moore's other books are firmly on my radar.