# The Author Guy \[recommend an author like Christopher Moore\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597 "2011-08-30T06:11:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Doughnut\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Doughnut\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Doughnut_Thief)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/1 "2011-08-30T06:11:36Z")
I have recently started to enjoy sitting down with a good book. I am trying to find other author’s similar to Christopher Moore. Do you know of any? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/2 "2011-08-30T13:56:10Z")
I haven’t found anyone quite like Moore (If you’ve read all his books, you might try his website, by the way – there’s some unpublished stuff there), but one tome when I was looking up his books on Amazon, the following book was listed among recommendations, apparently for some similarity. Certainly the title suggests a kinship. But I haven’t read this book, so take your chances: **Help! A Bear is Eating Me!** by Mykle Hansen > **[Amazon.com: HELP! A Bear is Eating Me!: 9781933929699: Hansen, Mykle: Books](https://www.amazon.com/HELP-Bear-Eating-Mykle-Hansen/dp/1933929693)** > > Amazon.com: HELP! A Bear is Eating Me!: 9781933929699: Hansen, Mykle: Books > [@](#): > > Trapped in a remote Alaskan forest, pinned under his own SUV, gnawed upon by nature’s finest predators, Marv Pushkin – Corporate Warrior, Positive Thinker, Esquire subscriber – waits impatiently for an ambulance and explains in detail the many reasons why this unfolding tragedy is everyone’s fault but his own. > > … > … > … > > Marv Pushkin is a jerk. He is a greedy, drug-addicted, nature-hating, member of middle-management who cheats on his wife. He is also pinned beneath his SUV, loaded up with pain-killers, while a bear is eating him alive. So begins Mykle Hansen’s comedic bizarro novel, “Help! A Bear is Eating Me!” > > The ambitious premise of the book is that it takes place totally in the mind of Marv Pushkin while he is being eaten. There is very little action that takes place during the story but the character of Marv makes the book completely absorbing. Marv may be a jerk, but he is a charming, talented story-teller. This is a difficult literary trick to pull off, but Hansen succeeds with impressive ease. And here’s the review by Christopher Moore himself: > [@](#): > > “Mykle Hansen’s book is the Scarlet Letter, the Age of Innocence, the Wuthering Heights of books narrated by a guy being eaten by a bear – The Last of the Motherfuckin’ Mohican’s of ursine mastication. Just sayin’.” -CHRISTOPHER MOORE, author of Fool and A Dirty Job ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/3 "2011-08-30T14:02:00Z")
Just had to add this. One of his other books is entitled \*\*Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit Atmosphere: Three Novels \*\* Compelling title. Or not > **[Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit...](https://www.amazon.com/Rampaging-Fuckers-Everything-Shitting-Atmosphere/dp/1933929782)** > > Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit Atmosphere: Three Novels \[Hansen, Mykle\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit... ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/4 "2011-08-30T14:51:26Z")
Moore always seems to draw comparisons to Carl Hiaasen, but I haven’t read any Hiaasen, so I don’t know how apt those comparisons may be. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/5 "2011-08-30T15:25:55Z")
I read and enjoy both Moore and Hiassen, but I don’t see a comparison. Tim Dorsey and Dave Barry’s novels are closer to Hiassen’s work. I recently started reading A. Lee Martinez. I started with [Monster](http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Lee-Martinez/dp/0316049913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314717537&sr=8-1) and while not as good as most of Moore’s work\*, it was a fun read and much closer in tone to Moore’s work. You might also try Robert Rankin. Both authors are heavier into science fiction/fantasy than Moore, but not so much that you think you are reading a sci-fi or fantasy novel. \*Moore’s vampire series, especially the two stories with Abbie, are horrible. Here’s hoping he travels back to Pine Cove soon. Monster was easily better than those books, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/6 "2011-08-30T15:36:20Z")
I don’t know any other author that combines fantasy, farce, horror, comedy, and dicklit as well as Moore does, but these are some authors with very good dicklit styles – Mark Barrowcliffe Nick Hornby Mike Gayle Mil Millington Michael Chabon ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/7 "2011-08-30T15:36:53Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **The Doughnut Thief**. We ask that people use thread titles that reflect the subject. I’ve changed your thread title for you. Hope you find some good recommendations! **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/8 "2011-08-30T15:42:18Z")
Hehe. Well, I like both Moore and Hiassen. I recently searched on my kindle for any Christopher Moore I hadn’t read. Somehow I found one!! So I bought the book. I began reading and realized there was something wrong. It was a great book, but not a single funny thing was going on!!:eek: Turns out I had purchased a book by [Christopher G. Moore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_G._Moore), a different author all-together. I have since bought/read 5 more of this Christopher Moore’s works. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/9 "2011-08-30T15:44:59Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Welcome to the SDMB, **The Doughnut Thief**. We ask that people use thread titles that reflect the subject. I’ve changed your thread title for you. > > Hope you find some good recommendations! > > **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator I knew exactly what the subject was when I saw the thread title, as would many Christopher Moore fans. His Facebook name is “The Author Guy”. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/10 "2011-08-30T15:53:44Z")
I’ve read all of Moore’s novels and I had no idea what it meant. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/11 "2011-08-30T16:00:42Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > I recently started reading A. Lee Martinez. I started with [Monster](http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Lee-Martinez/dp/0316049913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314717537&sr=8-1) and while not as good as most of Moore’s work\*, it was a fun read and much closer in tone to Moore’s work. I agree about Martinez. I just finished **Divine Misfortune** and it was quite similar to Moore, both very funny and very dark at the same time. **Monster** was excellent, and I also loved **Gil’s All-Fright Diner, In the Company of Ogres** , and **A Nameless Witch**. Only **The Automatic Detective** didn’t work for me. I also tend to think about Jasper fforde, whose Thursday Next novels are similar in tone to Moore’s, though far more fantasy oriented. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/12 "2011-08-30T16:39:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I agree about Martinez. I just finished **Divine Misfortune** and it was quite similar to Moore, both very funny and very dark at the same time. **Monster** was excellent, and I also loved **Gil’s All-Fright Diner, In the Company of Ogres** , and **A Nameless Witch**. Only **The Automatic Detective** didn’t work for me. > > I also tend to think about Jasper fforde, whose Thursday Next novels are similar in tone to Moore’s, though far more fantasy oriented. Jasper Fforde didn’t appeal to me. I only read his first, and didn’t feel compelled to continue. I did like The Automatic Detective. Divine Misfortune is on my short list of books to read (somewhere in the next 5). > [@Ascenray](#): > > I’ve read all of Moore’s novels and I had no idea what it meant. I did say many fans, not every fan. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/13 "2011-09-11T15:49:32Z")
Since my earlier post I have read a couple of Hiaasen’s books. Though Hiaasen is doing crime stuff while Moore tends toward the supernatural, I do see some vague similarities. They have the same sort of wry satirical wit. Moore’s humor is just a little more broad, at least from what I’ve seen so far. Just read Moore’s graphic novel, _The Griff_. I love all the guy’s novels, but I gotta say [The Griff](http://www.amazon.com/Griff-Graphic-Novel-Christopher-Moore/dp/0061977527) is a disjointed mess. What a disappointment. Oh well. Looking forward to [Sacre Bleu](http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1314711391l/7743117.jpg). **D\_Odds** , I couldn’t disagree with you more about Abbie Normal. Funniest character around. (And a great satire of a certain sort of goth chick.) But I do agree that the Pine Cove novels are a hoot, and I would like to see more of them. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/14 "2011-09-11T16:28:41Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > **D\_Odds** , I couldn’t disagree with you more about Abbie Normal. Funniest character around. (And a great satire of a certain sort of goth chick.) But I do agree that the Pine Cove novels are a hoot, and I would like to see more of them. To each his own (but of course, I’m right 🆒 ) I’m reading the third vampire novel now, and her sections make me want to slap the taste out of her mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/15 "2011-09-11T17:06:10Z")
I haven’t read Moore, but based on the Martinez recommendations, you might enjoy Martin Millar, such as _The Good Fairies of New York_ or _Lonely Werewolf Girl_. Another possibility might be Simon R. Green. I also would have expected some recommendations of _Good Omens_ by Gaiman/Pratchett, though I’m not a particular fan of the book myself. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/16 "2011-09-12T11:50:03Z")
You could take a look at [Bill Fitzhugh](http://billfitzhugh.com/books); maybe _Pest Control_ or _The Ogan Grinders_… The comedy’s a bit darker than Moore’s I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/17 "2011-09-12T17:23:22Z")
When people ask what to read after they’ve finished all of Terry Pratchett’s books, a common recommendation is Christopher Moore…so it might work the other way also. I would recommend Sir Terry to ANYONE, so I’m not someone you would want to trust in this regard. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/18 "2011-09-12T18:05:33Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > You could take a look at [Bill Fitzhugh](http://billfitzhugh.com/books); maybe _Pest Control_ or _The Ogan Grinders_… The comedy’s a bit darker than Moore’s I’d say. Pest Control was a good read, as was Radio Activity. No fantastic elements in Fitzhugh’s writing, but a fun ride with some unique characters. Along the same line, you might also consider [Brian Wiprud](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=brian+wiprud&x=0&y=0&sprefix=brian+wipr). I’ve read Crooked, Tailed, and Sleep with the Fishes and enjoyed all three. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/19 "2011-09-13T12:05:13Z")
Not read those ones by Wiprud, but I enjoyed _Pipsqueak_, featuring freelance taxidermists! ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597/20 "2011-09-14T00:38:24Z")
What about Tom Holt? Expecting Someone Taller and Flying Dutch are pretty funny and twisted. It helps if you know your Norse mythology (or at least the Ring Cycle) when you read Taller. He’s written a lot of interesting books, including one where the world is run by frogs. Or is it? I can’t look this stuff up right now (crash-prone computer at work) but he must be on Amazon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-author-guy-recommend-an-author-like-christopher-moore/594597.md?page=2)