Books: Razzmatazz By Christopher Moore (2022)

“San Francisco, 1947. Bartender Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie's Coffee Irregulars--a ragtag bunch of working mugs last seen in Noir--are on the hustle: they're trying to open a driving school; shanghai an abusive Swedish stevedore; get Mable, the local madam, and her girls to a Christmas party at the State Hospital without alerting the overzealous head of the S.F.P.D. vice squad; all while Sammy's girlfriend, Stilton (a.k.a. the Cheese), and her "Wendy the Welder" gal pals are using their wartime shipbuilding skills on a secret project that might be attracting the attention of some government Men in Black. And, oh yeah, someone is murdering the city's drag kings and club owner Jimmy Vasco is sure she's next on the list and wants Sammy to find the killer. Meanwhile, Eddie "Moo Shoes" Shu has been summoned by his Uncle Ho to help save his opium den from Squid Kid Tang, a vicious gangster who is determined to retrieve a priceless relic: an ancient statue of the powerful Rain Dragon that Ho stole from one of the fighting tongs forty years earlier. And if Eddie blows it, he just might call down the wrath of that powerful magical creature on all of Fog City.”

As with most of Moore’s work, Razzmatazz is a bit out there, plot wise. It’s also a continuation of his 2018 novel, Noir. As a long-time reader of Moore, his talent to balance farce with a serious subject (he goes fairly in-depth on the history of America when the Chinese immigrants who came here in the middle of the 19^th Century were not seen as human beings) matter is always impressive. What makes most of his work great is ability to show empathy towards those in modern society (then and today) try to destroy, as he deals with lesbians and the drag kings on that era. Though I sense that here, Moore employees a more 21^St Century man that is Sammy. So while the story had two intertwined plots that seemed unrelated -which is a classic noir story device- the tale does take liberties with the more repressed era that was born out of post-WWII.

While this book does not have as many laugh out loud moments of his earlier work, the silliness and sometimes weirdly disturbed mind he has makes Razzmatazz a worthy read. Also, the prose, the witty remarks and foul language used in creative ways continues to make me smile, knowing some people hate him for not only his ally-ship but his creative use of the F word (the eponymous “razzmatazz” of the title is the books euphemism for sexual relations, by the way).

Finally, don't skip the author's note at the end. It's very much worth reading.

Books: Noir By Christopher Moore (2018)

“It’s not every afternoon that an enigmatic, comely blonde named Stilton (like the cheese) walks into the scruffy gin joint where Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin tends bar. It’s love at first sight, but before Sammy can make his move, an Air Force general named Remy arrives with some urgent business. ’Cause when you need something done, Sammy is the guy to go to; he’s got the connections on the street. Meanwhile, a suspicious flying object has been spotted up the Pacific coast in Washington State near Mount Rainer, followed by a mysterious plane crash in a distant patch of desert in New Mexico that goes by the name Roswell. But the real weirdness is happening on the streets of the City by the Bay. When one of Sammy’s schemes goes south and the Cheese mysteriously vanishes, Sammy is forced to contend with his own dark secrets—and more than a few strange goings on—if he wants to find his girl.”

While Christopher Moore continues to be a reliable funny writer of human quirks, his latest novel, Noir, suffers from a somewhat muddled plot that seems to a while to kick in. The book starts off great, with the writer’s patent zingers and one-liners bouncing around and hitting their targets to make me smile. Not laugh out loud, as he used to do, but enough for me to enjoy at least half the book.

While satirizing a genre that is noir, he is able to bring the atmosphere of San Francisco of 1947 alive. Its heavy fog, its cold summers and reliable weirdness come off the pages and wrap its tendrils around you. But that’s as close as it comes to the classic genre. And while it has a lot of Moore’s trademark wit, it really does not feel like Moore books of the past (something I’ve felt for a while). Which is good for new readers, but makes me wonder where the writer of Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal diverged. He still has well researched books, appealing characters, and the sparkling jokes, but I don’t think he’s talking a risk anymore. Then again, when he started publishing novels back in 1992, not many people were doing what he did –books about men and women’s relationships, mixing the supernatural and satire to create some funny novels. Those early books, Practical Demonkeeping, Coyote Blue, Island of the Sequined Love Nun, The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove and Lamb seemed to more original and even risky. Now, well, we see a lot out there.

Still, even his weakest books are still good, and I’ll still recommend it.