What I'm reading

Fluke: Or, I know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore

Christopher Moore is best known for the book Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal. I haven’t read that yet, so I don’t have much to say about it (I think I’m reading that after my next book) other than this: the topic doesn’t strike me as a stretch for this author, and I’m betting it’s pretty good.

Fluke follows the adventures of a whale scientist and his crew as they try to discover why whales sing. There’s a parallel to a biblical story, and a fair amount of magic, which made it easier to get through the science (and faux-science).

The exploration of the “beta male” is an ongoing theme in Moore’s work. (A Dirty Job has a great definition of the beta male.) His male characters are typically brave, kind, and eventually heroic, but they all begin the books obsessed with their own inadequacies. Moore is skillful at making these strange neurotic heroes compelling. Also, Moore has a knack for describing (or inventing) subcultures that are engaging and entertaining.

I probably shouldn’t try to write another one of these at 7 in the morning.

Other favorites by this author: Bloodsucking Fiends

What I’m reading next: You Suck: A Love Story by Christopher Moore