phi_cai's review against another edition
5.0
Now let me start off by saying that I’m not normally a fan of the comedy genre. That ranges from movies to TV to books, and I have always found things to be more funny when that ISN’T the main intention. Books like the Hitchhiker’s Guide series and Good Omens were rather letdowns to me, which I thought Lamb would be too at first. I had almost considered giving up before the 100 page mark, but got captivated as soon as the duo met the second wise man. That was my favorite segment of the book by far, although the next two did not disappoint at all. I would normally rate the book as a four star one as an average between the first two 3 star parts, pulled up by the five star third, fourth and fifth, but I have to give it a five star review for just how good the latter 2/3rds are. Christopher Moore really got me to love both Joshua and Biff (and I normally despise comedically dumb characters) and I found myself staying up late at night to keep reading so many times, as I couldn’t put down the book between sections. I just can’t believe I could have missed out on such a great book if I had let my genre prejudices blind me.
judstin5882's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
rlse's review against another edition
5.0
Completely hilarious! The audiobook added an extra level of entertainment. The one element of the book that was over-used (Biff really gets around and let's us know about it) could, just maybe, be due to an unreliable narrator. I laughed out loud at the irreverent quips and sarcasm (invented by Biff approximately 13 A.D., for the record, and then "abused by amateurs" for 2000 years and counting) even as I rolled my eyes at some plot points. I particularly liked Joshua's personality development as the climax approached--really, who wouldn't enjoy teaching a previously maimed girl to use her miraculously healed hand to flip off the Sanhedrin?
Centurion Justus will hold a special place in my heart: "...under the authority of Emperor Tiberius and the Roman Empire, You are all commanded all to Go Home, and perpetrate No Weird Shit, until I have gotten well drunk, and had several days to sleep it off!"
I was also affected by the reason we've never before heard of 'Levi, who is called Biff.' Moore was right; I didn't know how this story ended.
Centurion Justus will hold a special place in my heart: "...under the authority of Emperor Tiberius and the Roman Empire, You are all commanded all to Go Home, and perpetrate No Weird Shit, until I have gotten well drunk, and had several days to sleep it off!"
I was also affected by the reason we've never before heard of 'Levi, who is called Biff.' Moore was right; I didn't know how this story ended.
toomanyfingees's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best comedy books I've ever read. period.
flindberg's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Finally got around to reading this one. It was good even without an extensive knowledge of the Bible. Biff’s ideas were hilarious, but I still didn’t fall in love with it.
zombiecupcake29's review against another edition
5.0
My husband introduced me to this book because Christopher Moore is one of his favorite authors. I’ll admit I was skeptical going in because I’m more of a thriller, romance, and fantasy girl, but this book is amazing. I was hooked from the first page. Moore’s writing is hilarious and never fails to have me giggling through the entire book. His books are my go to when I need a pick me up or I’m feeling down because they always make me laugh.
marykimball14's review against another edition
4.0
Lamb is a book I’ve been wanting to read for a long time now, and I’m so glad that I finally did. As an (often skeptical) Christian with a sense of humor, the whole premise of Christopher Moore’s novel was really appealing. I’ve often asked myself, what was the man who came to save the world really like? And, of course, what really went down in the 30 years between the baby-in-the-manger scene and the whole savior-of-the-world gig? These are questions that Lamb attempts to answer, and who better to tell the real story of Jesus than by Biff, his childhood best friend.
Resurrected in the modern world, Levi who is called Biff spends weeks locked in a hotel room with a TV-loving angel to tell the gospel of his best bud, Joshua, who just happens to be the Son of God. The story begins in Nazareth, when little Biff stumbles upon equally-little Joshua, playing a fun little game of raising lizards from the dead. And so begins the lifelong friendship of naive, holier-than-all-of-us Joshua and sarcastic, ride-or-die-to-the-very-ends-of-the-world Biff.
Through Biff's gospel, we learn that Joshua (a.k.a. Jesus H. Christ) didn't really have a grasp on being the Messiah, or being human, for that matter. Luckily for him, Biff is there to help him on both fronts. In his quest to learn to be the Messiah, Joshua takes the eager Biff on a 17 year journey into the East, with the intention of finding the three wise men, becoming their students, and soaking up all their wise-men wisdom. Biff, dedicated best friend that he is, also takes on the burden of having sex with as many harlots as possible so that Josh can understand sin. What a selfless guy, huh?
Of course, in addition to encounters with a harem of Chinese women in the middle of the desert, a yeti, kung-fu-practicing Buddhist monks, untouchables, and a yogi with a skill for multiplying rice, Biff's gospel also covers an area of Joshua's life that we're more familiar with: his ministry. Although, I have to say, reading about the many works and miracles of Jesus through Biff's eyes certainly gave me a fresh perspective. Did you know that he wanted to talk about the dumbfucks in the Sermon on the Mount?
One thing I hoped for when I picked up this book was to laugh, and I wasn't disappointed in that area. What I wasn't expecting, though, was all the philosophy and dissection of religion and spirituality. There were several times that I had to stop and really consider what I was reading. As Joshua learned from the wise men, I felt like I was learning and growing too, which was neat.
The ending was pretty brutal, and if I'm being real, I was somewhat disappointed. It did feel a little rushed too. But all-in-all, this is a really incredible book and I highly recommend!
Resurrected in the modern world, Levi who is called Biff spends weeks locked in a hotel room with a TV-loving angel to tell the gospel of his best bud, Joshua, who just happens to be the Son of God. The story begins in Nazareth, when little Biff stumbles upon equally-little Joshua, playing a fun little game of raising lizards from the dead. And so begins the lifelong friendship of naive, holier-than-all-of-us Joshua and sarcastic, ride-or-die-to-the-very-ends-of-the-world Biff.
Through Biff's gospel, we learn that Joshua (a.k.a. Jesus H. Christ) didn't really have a grasp on being the Messiah, or being human, for that matter. Luckily for him, Biff is there to help him on both fronts. In his quest to learn to be the Messiah, Joshua takes the eager Biff on a 17 year journey into the East, with the intention of finding the three wise men, becoming their students, and soaking up all their wise-men wisdom. Biff, dedicated best friend that he is, also takes on the burden of having sex with as many harlots as possible so that Josh can understand sin. What a selfless guy, huh?
Of course, in addition to encounters with a harem of Chinese women in the middle of the desert, a yeti, kung-fu-practicing Buddhist monks, untouchables, and a yogi with a skill for multiplying rice, Biff's gospel also covers an area of Joshua's life that we're more familiar with: his ministry. Although, I have to say, reading about the many works and miracles of Jesus through Biff's eyes certainly gave me a fresh perspective. Did you know that he wanted to talk about the dumbfucks in the Sermon on the Mount?
One thing I hoped for when I picked up this book was to laugh, and I wasn't disappointed in that area. What I wasn't expecting, though, was all the philosophy and dissection of religion and spirituality. There were several times that I had to stop and really consider what I was reading. As Joshua learned from the wise men, I felt like I was learning and growing too, which was neat.
The ending was pretty brutal, and if I'm being real, I was somewhat disappointed. It did feel a little rushed too. But all-in-all, this is a really incredible book and I highly recommend!
kinsa's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0