In this space Christopher G. Moore will
post periodic newsletters about his books, travels and scheduled
talks. Also, he will post the most interesting weekly news items
taken from local newspapers and the wire services.
If you wish to subscribe to Moore's newsletters
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Readers of Moore's fiction are invited to to
send in reviews, criticisms, and opinions through the Readers
Reviews form.
Often readers look to other the opinion of other
readers before buying a book. It is called word of mouth. Now the
internet allows word of mouth to circulate worldwide. This is your
chance to provide your own views about the books written by Southeast
Asia's best known English language novelist.
Book Reviewed: A
Killing Smile
 It
was a little over ten years ago that I purchased "Spirit House"
and "A Killing Smile" at DK Books on Sukhumvit Rd and
I immediately fell in love with Christopher G. Moore's writing style.
I always hunt down and consume his latest books when I return to
my "second home" of Chiang Mai.
"A Killing Smile" is probably the
best fictional version of a bible or guidebook to the Thermae that
I have ever encountered and I highly recomend it to anyone who would
A.) love a wonderful story, B.) learn about the Thai/expat world
and C.) go to visit Thermae for the first time. The characters are
so much like the regular customers I've meet there since I first
visited the original Thermae in 1995.
If you haven't been to Thermae, Bangkok or Thailand
itself, I'd say this is more-than-likely the best motivation for
doing so. Moore's writing just grabs you and won't let you go until
you hit The End and desperately wish you had another of his books
to read. I went with a good British friend of mine down to Bangkok
in February specifically to purchase "Minor Wife", his
latest Calvino novel that I couldn't find in Chiang Mai, and found
it within minutes of us getting rooms at Asoke Place.
That little trip also included watching two
Russian prostitutes, street vendors killing a LARGE rat and my friend
and I visiting Soi Cowboy, Thermae and the Grace Hotel Coffee Shop.
During my hangover, I once again realized that Moore's books are
so much sanuk because all the odd-ball "normal events"
I'd gone through the night before are part of the "usual routine"
in his outlook on Bangkok and you feel right at home as you read
them.
If you haven't already read this, buy it and
read it and do likewise with his other novels. Christopher G. Moore
is truly an artist beyond belief and also a friendly, helpful man.
Sean Bunzick from Cape Cod, Massachusetts,
USA: 5-13-2002
Book Reviewed: Cold
Hit
 "Cold
Hit" is one of the best books in the Vincent Calvino series
and I guarantee that when you pick it up, it definitely WON'T be
easy to put down!
Vinnie is his usual lovable, cynical-but-caring
PI struggling to make a living in Bangkok and live in that unique
world where Thai and farang meet. The painful events that happened
to him in the first chapter when he's merely off to deliver a birthday
card to a bargirl are the best introduction to both the story and
Calvino himself.
As expected, the other characters, some based
on real expats in Bangkok, are just as believable and just as easy
to love or loathe or sometimes do both at the same time; this is
indeed a brilliant writing characteristic of Christopher G. Moore.
If this book proceeds for you the way it did
for me, you'll wipe it out within a day or two but if you're anywhere
in Thailand when you do, you might be in a bar, sipping a beer or
some Mekhong and feel as though you've transported yourself into
the heart of Moore's writing and that Vinnie will be joining you
soon for a whiskey himself. If you want fun, fantastic literary
work and the most enjoyable means to learn about Thailand, get this
book rao-rao. You'll love it!
Sean Bunzick from Cape Cod, Massachusetts,
USA: 5-13-2002
Book Reviewed: All
in the Calvino series
Simply stated, more Calvino! I have lived in BKK for awhile and
Calvino hits the nail on the head!
George Bowman at: 12-09-2000 20:23:41
Book Reviewed: Comfort
Zone in the Calvino series
 What
more can I say about the 'Comfort Zone' other than Brilliant. Being
an expat in Saigon for 5 odd years now, knowing Anh and David and
the Q-Bar plus plus plus...this was truly accurate in all aspects
of the book.
On opening and reading the first chapter, I
could not put the book down until I had finished it. Fast, to say
the least and a cunning twist to the tale. It personifies the Vietnamese
way of thinking, the culture and the dark side of this wonderful
town called Saigon. You hit all the right areas,
depending on the breakdown of the characters, the plot excellently
unfolds
as the pace quickens.
When will Calvino be in Saigon again and what
will he uncover this time? I
am waiting with bated breath!!
Richard
Turner at: 3-04-2000 11:48
Book Reviewed: A
Killing Smile
"As
English is not my mother-tongue I have to work pretty hard to get
really all the highly sophisticated details out of the words of
Mr. Moore into my little grey brain-cells. Therefore "A Killing
Smile" is keeping me busy since about 1 month now, and I enjoy
reading a lot of pages several times before proceeding to the next.
I would like to make a very personal remark on this, and I would
be very happy if you would be so kind to transfer the following
lines to Mr. Moore:
Coming out of a scientific background (2 years
airforce-metereologist, 5 years quantum physics and 5 years cancer
research) since about 18 years I am with my current company and
there I do have to read so much business stuff seven days a week,
that I did not succeed to stay the course with any belletristic
opus since 1982, when I was 30 years old. I always gave up after
about one third of the length. Among those I have tried without
success were the actual Nobel Price laureate, Guenther Grass (who
by the way writes in my native language), Heinrich Boell (German
as well), Graham Green and several more so-called world-class writers.
"A Killing Smile" I considered to
be the last attempt before sadly accepting that literature is not
made for me.
After having arrived at page 163, I know:
* I will not stop reading "A killing smile"
until I have read each and every sentence, which means a hell lot
for me, as in average I do have a 65-hours-working-week and when
I come home my brain feels like a vacuum.
* This book is about changing my life.
* This book is the only thing that really gets
ALL everyday-life problems out of my brain, and it even stops my
headaches (!!) which normally follow me after the hardest working
days.
* This book is touching me subcutaneously, -
far beyond my skin. Within the first 163 pages, the words have driven
tears in my eyes more than a dozen times,-but those were tears of
h a p p i n e s s !
And after I will have finished it, this book
most probably will have saved me from making one of the biggest
mistakes a man can make in his life: to ignore the chance of becoming
a happy human being.
I am extremely thankful to Mr. Moore for having
written this book.
I am sure that there are many other people who
are deeply affected in a long run by his lyrics, but maybe they
never have a chance to express how thankful they are.
Joey
at: 05-03-2000 23:46:30
Book Reviewed: God
of Darkness
Just wanted to let you know that I thoroughly
enjoyed your book God of Darkness. It was hard to put down....and
I found myself relating to many portions of it being a 53-year old
male who finds Thailand intriguing and pleasurable. It was a great
read for me. Although the whole book was neat, I keep thinking of
the part about the leather for the hand phones.
Woobie
at: 05-03-2000 23:45:04
Book Reviewed: Cold
Hit
Cold
Hit is the sixth book in the Calvino series. As always I don’t want
to give away the plot so will say little more than that it entertains
in much the same way as do the other Calvino books. All of Christopher’s
books are rich in local colour. Cold Hit is probably even more so.
Reading Cold Hit you quickly find that clever lyrical descriptions
gush from the pages, where as in his previous books they merely
poured from them.
For someone who has not read the earlier Calvino
books they may be a little puzzled as to why this senior Thai police
official ‘Pratt’ has such a close
relationship with Calvino, the scruffy, near down and out Private
Investigator from the USA. They may wonder also at the fierce loyalty
of Ratana, Calvino’s secretary. For those who have read the earlier
books, they will be grateful not to have it explained to them again.
The end of the Millenium is imminent. The world
revolves around internet and for some older males, Viagra. As another
sign of the times, inflation has taken it’s toll in Bangkok’s bars,
and a short time with a pooying has doubled in price (in local currency
terms) from a purple to a grey. Maybe the inflation is because Viagra
has increased the number of customers seeking these services. Calvino
himself is not far from moving into another phase in the aging process,
or as Christopher puts it Calvino was holding onto his forties like
a drunken chef holding onto the wrong end of a greasy spoon.
There is an informal internet group known as
the Cause. They are interested in self indulgence, mainly sex and
drugs. Bangkok is one of their favourite destinations. When several
members of the Cause die in Thailand, Calvino brings the matter
to Pratt’s attention.
Calvino is not persuaded to Pratt’s point of
view, but usually short of money, Calvino will do almost anything
legal to earn some. A couple of little jobs
come up to distract his attention from the serial killer. Of the
first of these jobs, his secretary Ratana says "That’s a lot
of money for delivering a card".
Christopher G. Moore is a master of observation
and has a unique gift for packaging those observations in such a
way, that you hardly notice what’s being laid in front of you. If
you ever need to get to the Hampton Inn (currently being renamed
to the Zenith Hotel) or one of the other establishments on Soi 3
Sukhumvit, you will probably appreciate the short cut that Calvino
uses. If you want to know how a long time bar girl manages to break
through the hard core exterior, of an American bachelor lawyer tough
nut, by answering a call of nature while drunk, you will have to
read Cold Hit.
Tony
Mortlock at: 01-03-2000 23:29:36
Book Reviewed: God
of Darkness
Christopher's
book 'God of Darkness' hit the streets in June 1998. It is claimed
to be the fourth in the 'Land of Smiles' series. Personally I think
it deserves a place on it's own or as part of a new series. Otherwise
it will force me to change my references to the 'trilogy' above
to 'qaudrology'.
On the surface this book is a kind of reverse
murder mystery. The difference is that you find out who the killer
is very early on and only find out who the victim is, in the very
last chapter. Characters are introduced and as their backgrounds
evolve, become in the readers mind, candidates for a hit. As this
is unfolding Thailand is modernising it's telecommunications systems
and massive Amounts of money are poured into property development.
Many of the characters work in those industries, both locals and
foreigners. Then the economic 'Crisis' of 1997/8 bites.
It would seem that the characters with power
get it from a combination of access to money and an unabashed willingness,
to send any opponent to the next life. One question is, can that
power be maintained once the money dries up?
Superstition dictates that the 'Crisis' has
been caused by 'Rahu' the 'God of Darkness'. Of course such gods
need to be appeased, even if, in typically Thai fashion they can
be identified as a modern day force.
Most of the characters in 'God of Darkness'
come from higher levels in the social strata than those portrayed
in the 'Land of smiles' trilogy. However a crisis can have some
equalising effect.
If I had to recommend just two of Christopher
G. Moore's books they would be 'A killing Smile' and 'God of Darkness'.
I would be amazed if after reading one or both of those, that the
others would not be at the top of any reader's acquisition list.
Tony
Mortlock at: 01-03-2000 23:25:40
Kindly note that this page should not be used to send any other
messages than comments on my books. Entries are subject to editing.
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