A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

To me, the appeal of Douglas Adams was not so much the concepts of the universe he invented, but rather the way he described the universe he invented, like a ship hanging in the sky “in much the same way that a brick doesn’t.” P.G. Wodehouse, who served as inspiration to Adams and many other writers, was much the same way.

Christopher Moore does it now and again, and while his books are kind of silly with endings you can see coming a mile away, they are an enjoyable, addictive ride. A Dirty Job is another whimsical journey into the world of anthropomorphic Death. I say another, because it’s more or less been done similarly in Terry Pratchett’s Mort and other Death-themed DiscWorld novels. I’m sure there are others. Plot summary: Reluctant Pseudo-Death struggles to figure out How “It” All Works while trying not to Screw “It” Up.

While the subject matter may be well-trodden, it is still an enjoyable read. I wish I could find some of the choice turns-of-phrase, but they’re lost in the depths of the book. I really need to read with a pencil on hand to make notes in margins for these Book Logs.