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59th out of 118 books
—
80 voters
Chasing the Moon
Diana's life was in a rut - she hated her job, she was perpetually single, and she needed a place to live. But then the perfect apartment came along. It seemed too good to be true - because it was.
As it turns out, the apartment was already inhabited - by monsters. Vom the Hungering was the first to greet Diana and to warn her that his sole purpose in life was to eat everyt...more
As it turns out, the apartment was already inhabited - by monsters. Vom the Hungering was the first to greet Diana and to warn her that his sole purpose in life was to eat everyt...more
Hardcover, 310 pages
Published
May 25th 2011
by Orbit
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May 27, 2011
Chris King Elfland's 2nd Cousin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of Tom Holt, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, HP Lovecraft, John Scalzi
NOTE: This was originally posted at The King of Elfland's 2nd Cousin on 5/24/2011. Check out the blog for more reviews like this!
A. Lee Martinez’ books are characterized by their serious plots, sympathetic characters, and an infectious humor that bubbles out of the cracks in his characters’ fictional lives. His latest novel, Chasing the Moon is a solid, enjoyable book that continues to showcase Martinez’ facility with genre tropes.
Chasing the Moon follows Diana, a vaguely-down-on-her-luck coat...more
A. Lee Martinez’ books are characterized by their serious plots, sympathetic characters, and an infectious humor that bubbles out of the cracks in his characters’ fictional lives. His latest novel, Chasing the Moon is a solid, enjoyable book that continues to showcase Martinez’ facility with genre tropes.
Chasing the Moon follows Diana, a vaguely-down-on-her-luck coat...more
As usual, Martinez delivers a creative universe, fun characters, witty banter, and general hilarity. Of course, missing from that list is plot, which is not atypical for a Martinez book, but it's so much fun to read that you really don't miss it much. One of these days, he'll stop pretending to give a plot, and just run us through a few days in the life of his characters/worlds, which would maybe even be an improvement (because the pretense of a plot is so transparent as it is). Impressively, th...more
Diana had a predictable life, a boring job, no boyfriend, and worse, no apartment. When she was offered a great apartment at an affordable rent, she jumped at it. There was just one teeny tiny flaw.
The monsters in the closet were real. I can't begin to relate the bizarre adventures of Diana and her otherworldly roommates, but I can say that author A. Lee Martinez has clearly been channeling an entity beyond the borders of Weird. Let's just say that this tale is a little more than half a bubble o...more
The monsters in the closet were real. I can't begin to relate the bizarre adventures of Diana and her otherworldly roommates, but I can say that author A. Lee Martinez has clearly been channeling an entity beyond the borders of Weird. Let's just say that this tale is a little more than half a bubble o...more
I like Martinez, a lot. His books are all very unique. Chasing the Moon is no different. It is funny as hell, but what I am left thinking about after the final page is what really was the plot. In his other books he has been very good about setting up "what the goal is." His characters have these things they are trying to accomplish. This is the first time his protagonist has just been trying to exist; that is, unless I am misinterpreting the whole point of it. She starts off a stranger in a str...more
3.5 stars. I've read a few of His books lately and I think the one thing that they have in common is that they all seem to be character studies. He seems to be thinking, "What would happen if I put this gal/guy with these particular qualities into these quirky situations?" So we end up with an Emperor Mollusk trying to solve a sinister puzzle before the Earth is destroyed, an Automated Detective trying to rescue his kidnapped neighbors (my favorite by far, a really great book), middle-aged vampi...more
I liked this book overall, it's a fun story and there are some very interesting, surprisingly philosophical points brought up but there are also what I felt to be some rather big problems.
I was confused as to what was going on for about the first third of the book. Individual scenes would be interesting but, honestly, the only reason I stuck with it is that I know I've enjoyed the majority of this author's work that I've read before. I think that first time readers might not stick with it long e...more
I was confused as to what was going on for about the first third of the book. Individual scenes would be interesting but, honestly, the only reason I stuck with it is that I know I've enjoyed the majority of this author's work that I've read before. I think that first time readers might not stick with it long e...more
It's so hard to write anything about Martinez' work, because it's just so weird. And I mean that in a good way. Comic, but rarely laugh-out-loud; SF/Fantasy/Supernatural-ish, but approachable for those who prefer to stay away from that; books that feel like they're the start (or middle of) a series, but are all stand-alones. One thing that connects them all is the humanity of the characters--particularly the protagonists, but not entirely reserved for them. Whether we're dealing with supernatura...more
Originally Reviewed on The Book Smugglers
Diana hasn't exactly been living the good life for the past few years. She's fairly intelligent, decently attractive, amiable enough, and has just enough work ethic and responsibility to get by at her admittedly dead end job (being in department store coat sales is just about as glamorous as it sounds). She's also out of an apartment - so when she comes across a nice, newly vacated spot with affordable rent (and paid utilities), she jumps on the opportuni...more
Diana hasn't exactly been living the good life for the past few years. She's fairly intelligent, decently attractive, amiable enough, and has just enough work ethic and responsibility to get by at her admittedly dead end job (being in department store coat sales is just about as glamorous as it sounds). She's also out of an apartment - so when she comes across a nice, newly vacated spot with affordable rent (and paid utilities), she jumps on the opportuni...more
So with this novel A. Lee Martinez returns to his odd mixture of pseudo-reality, a cross between fantasy and some SF elements. It peels back the wallpaper and exposes the horrors that hide just out of site... a world where Vom the Hungering waits in your closet to eat you and the puppy that lives in the apartment across the hall is a hell hound in disguise... and where Fenris seeks to Chase the Moon and destroy us all.... with a side of saturday morning cartoons and a porcupine that constantly c...more
Found on my blog - bibliophilemania
This in my opinion was wierder than Christopher Moores books. It was random with a capitol R. It did make for a nice and exciting read though. It is refreshing to see a book that does not take itself so seriously and that you can have fun with. I am glad that I randomly picked this book up off the shelf at the library and decided to go with it as I now want to pick up other books from the same author.
It is a very peculiar comedic book that unlike Christopher M...more
This in my opinion was wierder than Christopher Moores books. It was random with a capitol R. It did make for a nice and exciting read though. It is refreshing to see a book that does not take itself so seriously and that you can have fun with. I am glad that I randomly picked this book up off the shelf at the library and decided to go with it as I now want to pick up other books from the same author.
It is a very peculiar comedic book that unlike Christopher M...more
All of the books that I've read by Mr. Martinez have been entertaining, quick, pulpy, sort of mindless reads. This one isn't really any different. It certainly wasn't bad, but it was very similar to Divine Misfortune or Monster. Wacky world, initially hapless human protagonist who grows into their role with the help of their non-human side kick(s), dramatic peak wherein the not-quite-evil antagonist finally reveals their plan, protagonist and plucky companions foil said plan, short wrap up, the...more
From my blog: http://serialdistractions.com
I’ve been a fan of Martinez’s work since his first novel, Gil’s All Fright Diner, back in ought-six. All of his books are smart, funny, and have an underlying layer of heart that really draws the reader in and makes them want to stay with the characters. The books are comic–but the plots are far more than a series of gags. He deals with “big picture” issues but just from a slightly skewed point of view. But first and foremost, his books are fun to read....more
I’ve been a fan of Martinez’s work since his first novel, Gil’s All Fright Diner, back in ought-six. All of his books are smart, funny, and have an underlying layer of heart that really draws the reader in and makes them want to stay with the characters. The books are comic–but the plots are far more than a series of gags. He deals with “big picture” issues but just from a slightly skewed point of view. But first and foremost, his books are fun to read....more
The storyline is fairly straight-forward as far as the Lovecraftverse goes. There’s a place where the lines between dimensions and reality fade and threaten mere humans with madness. The monsters that Diana meets within her own apartment are fairly creative. The foes–the cult of the moon god–are not so creative. They’re your typical moon-loving shapeshifters, and the moon god even has three forms just like a certain other god of a religion we’re all familiar with. Compared to the creativity of t...more
Once the weird starts, it just keeps going. There was a bit of fantasizing for me while reading this. I remember saying out loud, I would give anything to be put in the protagonist's position.
Diana's monster friends were awesome! Awesome and hysterical...and loyal, even if one of them kind of wants to eat her.
I think the thing that I picked up and agreed with most vehemently in this book, is how stupid and useless are the majority of humanity. Sorry folks, but man's place in the universe is a...more
Diana's monster friends were awesome! Awesome and hysterical...and loyal, even if one of them kind of wants to eat her.
I think the thing that I picked up and agreed with most vehemently in this book, is how stupid and useless are the majority of humanity. Sorry folks, but man's place in the universe is a...more
Before getting my hands on the book, I read some of A Lee Martinez's description of the book and worried that this book really would be depressing and full of horror.
But despite being about the end of the world (literally) and the insignificance of all things, the book is still full of Martinez's signature hope and beauty. Sure, it's a vast universe full of terrible things we cannot fathom and on the grand scale of things, none of us matter a pinch!
But that doesn't mean that on the immediate, sm...more
But despite being about the end of the world (literally) and the insignificance of all things, the book is still full of Martinez's signature hope and beauty. Sure, it's a vast universe full of terrible things we cannot fathom and on the grand scale of things, none of us matter a pinch!
But that doesn't mean that on the immediate, sm...more
Diana's had a tough time of it lately, but finally a stroke of luck comes along: after a long search, she finds the perfect apartment. It's affordable. It's furnished exactly the way she likes. There's even a jukebox with all her favorite songs. Maybe she should have been more suspicious about how perfect it was, because once she's moved in, she discovers that the apartment has an extra inhabitant: a monster who goes by the name Vom the Hungering and who tries to eat everything in his path. Befo...more
I'm increasingly of the opinion that A Lee Martinez is just a nom-de-plume for Spider Robinson. Please note that this is not a slight on either writer, but is rather a measure of my appreciation of both of them.
Why you might ask? Well...It's just that with every Martinez book I read, I increasingly am struck by the Humanity expressed by his characters for each other. Even when there is a conflict, it is resolved in a manner that makes me feel happy, warm and jovial.
The plot? The end of the worl...more
Why you might ask? Well...It's just that with every Martinez book I read, I increasingly am struck by the Humanity expressed by his characters for each other. Even when there is a conflict, it is resolved in a manner that makes me feel happy, warm and jovial.
The plot? The end of the worl...more
We can all relate to Lovecraftian themes of human powerlessness in an indifferent, possibly malevolent universe -- where we fight to keep even a feeble grip on our sanity in the face of unutterable cosmic horrors. In 'Chasing the Moon,' Martinez's eighth book, we're not alone in this. Humans may be a "clueless race of cosmic microbes," but the eldritch horrors are no less lost and confused. It is empathy that helps us all survive and even thrive in a world beyond our understanding.
Diana Malone g...more
Diana Malone g...more
OK, this author is a master of mixing comedy with heart-rending emotion. Reading this you'll be laughing and crying in equal measure. The story starts of with a lot of Lovecraftian stage dressing and then resolves itself into a buddy movie. A buddy movie with all of creation hanging in the balance.
This book is a wonderful work of fiction and a touching examination of what it means to belong and what real friendship is all about. It also deals with perception and reality and what makes a monster
...more
After a few days reading on and off...and I can honestly say that this book will leave just about anyone in a complete daze of giggles and deep metaphysical thought. It's the oddest mix I've ever seen, but so far, I take my hat off to the man from Fort Worth.
Mr. Martinez, you are a genius.
From whacking monsters with a rolled up magazine and training them like dogs to keeping a radioactive future at bay by fixing the boiler in her apartment building, Diana leads a much more interesting life than...more
Mr. Martinez, you are a genius.
From whacking monsters with a rolled up magazine and training them like dogs to keeping a radioactive future at bay by fixing the boiler in her apartment building, Diana leads a much more interesting life than...more
It had been a couple of years since I read Monster by A. Lee Martinez; I don't read science fiction but the inside cover of Chasing the Moon reminded me of Monster and how much I enjoyed that book.
Meet our heroine: Diana. She's wandering aimlessly in life, hates her job, hates being single and just needed an apartment. She ends up getting more than she bargains for; her new apartment, though seemingly perfect on the outside, has some serious monsters living on the inside. These aren't ordinary m...more
Meet our heroine: Diana. She's wandering aimlessly in life, hates her job, hates being single and just needed an apartment. She ends up getting more than she bargains for; her new apartment, though seemingly perfect on the outside, has some serious monsters living on the inside. These aren't ordinary m...more
Diana stumbles upon a perfect apartment......but, there's a catch. Isn't there always. She has to be caretaker of Von the Hungering, an ancient entity that want to eat everything in its path, including her. That's pretty much the sanest and most normal part of this entire story so if that doesn't turn you off, read on!
This story takes quite a while to get started and seems to be mostly galactic rambling with a healthy, but dark, dose of humor thrown in. Think of a cross between Christopher Moore...more
This story takes quite a while to get started and seems to be mostly galactic rambling with a healthy, but dark, dose of humor thrown in. Think of a cross between Christopher Moore...more
Single sentence summary: Vom the Hungering had been living in the closet for centuries but when Diana movies into the apartment where he lives, Vom may get the chance to live without eating everything in sight and winding back up in the closet.
This was a fun and completely wacky book. Filled with unusual characters that you can't help but love even though you wonder why (I mean, what is loveable about a monster that eats EVERYTHING?). Vom was fun but what really made this book for me was Diana....more
This was a fun and completely wacky book. Filled with unusual characters that you can't help but love even though you wonder why (I mean, what is loveable about a monster that eats EVERYTHING?). Vom was fun but what really made this book for me was Diana....more
Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:
Fans of campy 50's sci-fi will love Chasing the Moon, an amusingly bizarre mix of 'Mork and Mindy' meets the 'Hooneymooners' with a 'Twilight Zone' twist. Fun, creative and out of this world, Martinez definitely lets his imagination soar in this fun frolic through dimensionally challenged monsters and outlandish werewolf cults!
The world building, as bizarre as it may be, was quite entertaining as reality gets put on its ear. Great descriptions and intricat...more
Fans of campy 50's sci-fi will love Chasing the Moon, an amusingly bizarre mix of 'Mork and Mindy' meets the 'Hooneymooners' with a 'Twilight Zone' twist. Fun, creative and out of this world, Martinez definitely lets his imagination soar in this fun frolic through dimensionally challenged monsters and outlandish werewolf cults!
The world building, as bizarre as it may be, was quite entertaining as reality gets put on its ear. Great descriptions and intricat...more
Another great book by A. Lee Martinez. I had trouble putting this one down and I am pretty sure I annoyed everyone around me by constantly reading passages from the book to them because I thought they were so funny. If you have never read a Martinez book the story, characters, and plot will seem strange, disjointed and probably down right weird - and they are. But Martinez's writing style is amazing and innovative and, as usual, kept me completely entertained.
This book is what Lovecraft might have written if he had a sense of humor! I'm a big fan of A. Lee Martinez. His work always takes a common theme and comes at it from an different direction. In this case, what if the knowledge of Eldritch Horrors doesn't drive you insane but makes you sympathize with their plight?
So, read this and tell me what you think...
So, read this and tell me what you think...
Calvin is an ageless god, or the intelligent part of one at any rate, who’s stuck on Earth while his partner, Fenris, chases the moon god through the sky. No one other than Calvin and Sharon, and a small cult smarmy Greg founded, thinks Fenris will ever catch the moon. In fact, mortals don’t even realize the moon is being chased by anything. http://popcornreads.com/?p=733
Martinez has yet to write a book I don't like. This one is - on the surface - about an unsuspecting woman who gets trapped in a rent-controlled apartment inhabited by Vom the Hungering (a multi-dimensional monster who eats. Everything.) Underneath, it's about the nature of reality and human resilience. Brilliant as per usual.
Any author as prolific as Martinez will miss the mark occasionally. This book continues his exploration of the nature of reality with another strong female character but doesn't quite make as interesting a read as A Nameless Witch. Still, it's worth reading because even his misses are better than some writers' works.
Not my favourite of A. Lee Martinez's books. In fact, for the most part I had an annoying sense of déjà vu even though this wasn't set in any of the other universes Martinez has created in the past. It wasn't until the last few chapters that I found the originality that usually draws me to his books.
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A. Lee Martinez was born in El Paso, Texas. At the age of eighteen, for no apparent reason, he started writing novels. Thirteen short years (and a little over a dozen manuscripts) later, his first novel, Gil's All Fright Diner, was published. His hobbies include juggling, games of all sorts, and astral projecting. Also, he likes to sing along with the radio when he's in the car by himself.
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“She stopped shrieking after a moment. It wasn't the crazy looks she drew from the other pedestrians that made her stop. And her damaged sanity hadn't managed to repair itself. She'd left something behind in that apartment. Something she'd always taken for granted. Faith in a rational world. It was like a tiny cog had been removed from her brain, and all the gears were still working, but a slight wobble was slowly and inevitably stripping the teeth until one day, without warning the Rube Goldberg device that was her mind would fall apart with a loud SPROING.”
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2 people liked it
“The revelation that there was nothing "special" about humanity didn't shock her. Not specifically. She'd always been cynical about that sort of thing. The idea that reality was all too big to even quantify in any meaningful way didn't disturb her much either. Except, deep down, she'd assumed there was some inherent logic at work. Like ricocheting molecules congealing into planets and stars, dogs and cats. At least the made sense, even if it wasn't very comforting. At least it put things in neat little boxes with neat little labels that she didn't always understand but could rely on in terms of familiarity.”
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