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    Practical Demonkeeping
    Practical Demonkeeping
    Practical Demonkeeping
    Audiobook7 hours

    Practical Demonkeeping

    Written by Christopher Moore

    Narrated by Oliver Wyman

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    In Christopher Moore's ingenious debut novel, we meet one of the most memorably mismatched pairs in the annals of literature. The good-looking one is one-hundred-year-old ex-seminarian and ""roads"" scholar Travis O'Hearn. The green one is Catch, a demon with a nasty habit of eating most of the people he meets. Behind the fake Tudor facade of Pine Cove, California, Catch sees a four-star buffet. Travis, on the other hand, thinks he sees a way of ridding himself of his toothy traveling companion. The winos, neo-pagans, and deadbeat Lotharios of Pine Cove, meanwhile, have other ideas. And none of them is quite prepared when all hell breaks loose.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateAug 4, 2009
    ISBN9780061902680
    Author

    Christopher Moore

    Christopher Moore is the author of seventeen previous novels, including Shakespeare for Squirrels, Noir, Secondhand Souls, Sacré Bleu, Fool, and Lamb. He lives in San Francisco, California.

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    Reviews for Practical Demonkeeping

    3.5/5

    1,349 ratings67 reviews

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    • 2/5
      This review is only about the narrator.

      I'm only about 30 seconds into the first chapter but I had to stop to post this review, because if this narrator continues to butcher Spanish place names/words [and there are LOTS of them in California, where this book is set!], I won't be able to listen much further, and will be forced to either find a different audio version, or just read the print version.

      The narrator just pronounced San Junipero as "San June-eh-PERO," making me cringe and want to hurl my phone across the room.

      Anyone who lived in California for 4th grade (when all CA school children spend LOTS of time learning about California's history, and the founding of all its missions by Father Junipero Serra, or anyone with a basic knowledge of Spanish grammar & pronunciation, knows that you do NOT pronounce Junipero as the narrator did.

      It is pronounced "Who-NIP-er-o."

      You would think that someone getting paid to read a book based in a state with LOTS of Spanish names would've at least TRIED to find out the correct pronunciation of one of the major figures in the state's founding history, instead of just winging it...or that, at the VERY least, an editor would've caught this mistake, PRIOR to the release of the audio version!
    • 4/5
      It's obvious that this was his first book -- it's a little rougher around the edges than some of his later works, the humor a bit more hit-and-miss, but still definitely good. What was up with that last page though? Pretty out-there.
    • 4/5
      A delightful romp through a quick-paced story. Each of the characters are uniquely flawed, and have their own reasons for being just a bit twisted. The writing is crisp, so you don't have swamps of adjectives to wade through, and each section is named for the character that is it's main focus – so if you forgot who someone was it is very easy to go back and re-read their introduction. (And the part about the whole town being in a bad mood one day because all the dogs in the town were barking all night... I can sooo relate!)
    • 2/5
      Ah, there is hope yet that the NaNoWriMo script you so carelessly tossed in the corner can be published.

      Practical Demonkeeping is a great title for a book, but the story wasn't quite as good as I was hoping. It's a quick and dirty read. In the end, I just wish the demon had eaten everyone in the beginning. It would have saved me so much time.
    • 3/5
      Travis has been a demonkeeper for seventy years and when he and his demon, Catch, arrive in Pine Cove the Djinn who has been hunting Catch is waiting for them. This is Moore's first book and definitely an enjoyable read but not as good as his later work. The characters are a lot of fun though not as well developed as in his other books. A recommended read but if you are new to Christopher Moore start with something else so you can read him at his best.
    • 3/5
      Uuumm, yeah, just uummm. This book was a soap opera on steroids. 14 chapters in and finally starting to see some hint of a plot. Numerous characters introduced with an occasional cross over into each others introduction/part. Good character development, decent storyline, and an occassional humorous interaction. I won't be reading book #2.
    • 3/5
      A light and fun read. Not as good as good as some of his more recent work but worth the read if you are a fan.
    • 4/5
      Christopher Moore, is always good for an interesting story. He is very imaginative & manages to incorporate human weaknesses in his stories and how we, as a species, manage our best to deal with situations that are outside our usual daily lives. In this book, the town is visited by a Djinn who is searching for a Demon who escaped imprisonment and has been reeking havoc across the U.S. for almost 100 years. The Djinn enlists the help of a local resident, and the hunt for the crafty Demon is on. Moore gives the reader/listerner plenty of characters to make the chase an interesting experience. This is one of Christopher Moore's earlier novels & his books become even more complex and enjoyable as he develops his writing style.

      What I particularly enjoyed in this book, is the various characters' reactions to learning of the presence of the Djinn, (whom they could see), and that of the Demon, Catch,(whom they couldn't see, at least for the moment). In particular, Gus, whom the Djinn appointed as the primary person responsible for returning Catch to his dimension, had to operate primarily on his belief that the Djinn was truthful. Others, had other belief systems or were doubtful until Catch appeared in his 'eating' form. Rachel's naivety was frustrating given the obvious clues that Catch wasn't a nice Demon so certainly no Earth Spirit. But she represents those human beings who follow their leader, blindly believing they are good, until it's revealed that the leader is actually a monster. You must read or even better listen to the novel as the narrator brings these characters alive. His characterization of Catch is n on & the listener can easily visualize the creature just based on the narration, same for that of the Djinn. A well narrated plus a very good novel is a home run for the listener. It's just so much fun.
    • 4/5
      Christopher Moore may have a new devotee.
      I happened to pick this book up only because I was intrigued by the title and the illustration on the cover. I'm glad I did too, because Demon Keeping is one of the funniest books that I've read in a long time.
      The book is set along coastal southern California (an area I'm very familiar with, which just made the book even better for me) in a little town called Pine Cove. It starts with a man named Travis, who has a demon familiar who keeps eating people that Travis encounters. Travis is in search of a person he might have met years ago, and thinks this person may be in Pine Cove. He goes there with Catch (his demon) to find him, and instead finds a woman that he falls in love with.
      Meanwhile a resident of Pine Cove, an older gentleman by the name of Augustus Brine, is approached by the King of the Djinn, who has a special mission for him: catch Catch and send him back to where he came from. This all sounds really far out, but the setting and the people are really what make this book so realistic and so endearing.
      The characterization of the Pine Cove residents made this book the pleasure that it was to read. From Mavis, the eavesdropping bar owner, to Rivera, the police detective with aspirations of failure, to 'Roxanne', the male night auditor at a motel who moonlights as a seductive temptress online, the people of Pine Cove are the driving force behind this "Comedy of Horrors."
      Perhaps the funniest of all was Catch himself, who likes to read Cookie Monster comics and has a love for Magic Fingers. Catch cannot be seen by anyone except Travis except for when he is in his eating form. Then he is a lizard-like giant with a deadly sense of humor. Some of his lines had me rolling. And I'm notoriously hard to please when it comes to sarcastic humor in books, having had my literary teeth cut on the likes of Nelson DeMille.
      All in all, I give this book four stars out of five. Only four because of a few plot holes I spotted, which do not detract from the book at all unless you're as anal as I am about plot holes. It was an excellent book for an author's first efforts.
      Now I'm off to find the rest of Moore's writing.
    • 2/5
      I should stop paying attention to how a book is labelled on Goodreads or elsewhere.

      Is it entertaining? Yes, it is. There are parts that will make you laugh out loud. If you laughed when Monty Python white bunny appeared in Monty Python and the Holy Grail then there is something for you here. Unfortunately, scenes like that are pretty rare. Other things got more attention. It is worth reading the book if only for those moments.

      What I didn't like the most is the resolution. Not everyone got what they deserved. If I wrote anything else about that that particular issue, it would be a spoiler. Let's just say that family reunions for some of the characters will be pretty awkward.
      It is still a fun story and I am not sorry for reading it.
    • 4/5
      This is the second of Moore's books I've read and I have the rest on my TBR pile. Amusingly written, I enjoyed it. It was great summertime reading.
    • 4/5
      I'm sure that this book is fun in any format, but the narrator they hired for the audiobook - Oliver Wyman - really made it for me. He came up with fantastic voices (I'm sure that Catch's fascination with Cookie Monster was part of the reason Wyman decided to give Catch a voice that was very similar to CM) and maintained a fantastic pace. Plus, the CDs have a nice feature that tells you when the CD ends. Fantastic all around.
    • 1/5
      I liked the premise of this book, but then the whole thing was just awful and gross and ehrg. I finished it, but that was mostly because I didnt have internet for a week and was cooped up in a little beach house with nothing to do.
    • 4/5
      Scholar Travis O’Hearn has spent many years traversing the highways and byways of the U.S. with his rider, Catch. Travis is an ex-seminarian. Catch is a demon whose favourite pastime is eating people.When they arrive in sleepy Pine Cove, California, Travis thinks he might finally be able to get rid of his passenger. Though Travis doesn’t look it, he felt 70 years was long enough to be saddled with this creature.What they find in Pine Cove is an assortment of winos, druggies, failures, dreamers, neo-pagans and Gian Hen Gian — King of the Djinn. Gian Hen Gian wants to correct history and capture Catch to return him to where he escaped from years ago.This is a crazy, whacked out tale. At times I shook my head, laughed and wondered about the intelligence of some of the characters. It is good escapist reading.
    • 4/5
      A young man thinks he may have finally found his way of getting rid of the demon he's been saddled with for years. The demon dates back to the time of King Solomn. Along the way we meet a djin who is from the same time period and may hold the secret to finally banish him. Has some laugh out loud moments but may not be Moore's bet.
    • 4/5
      Like all of Moore's books, this was hilarious and entertaining. I loved how this was set away from San Francisco, but there were still characters from his other books present in this setting, namely Detective Rivera. I enjoyed his great scene and character building, and I came to empathize with the main character. Moore is really good at making you feel pressed for time and that you have to make it to the next page to solve the problem. Love it!!!
    • 3/5
      A fun book whose world building is as interesting as its plot. A comic book that doesn’t have the comedic bite of Moore at his best. I describe it as light and enjoyable.
    • 2/5
      The description makes it sound really fun, right? Well it wasn't. It was frustrating and disappointing. I'm not sure why i finished it.
    • 3/5
      Initially, I started reading this book in paperback but I couldn't get into it. Then I had a friend tell me to give it another try because the series is hilarious. Sooo, I tried the audio version thinking I just wasn't getting it straight in my head. Maybe if someone else gave the characters individual voices I could follow it better. Not really. I tried to love it right up until the end. You can't win them all.
    • 3/5
      Uuumm, yeah, just uummm. This book was a soap opera on steroids. 14 chapters in and finally starting to see some hint of a plot. Numerous characters introduced with an occasional cross over into each others introduction/part. Good character development, decent storyline, and an occassional humorous interaction. I won't be reading book #2.
    • 3/5
      Was this funny? It was suppose to be.....I didn't laugh. I did read it less than 12 hours....it caught my attention.

      The book is: well written, contains "facts" (as much as there is about demons & djinns), was well researched, as well as creatively written. An engrossing and entertaining read.

      The quite seaside town of Pine Cove, CA is in for a nasty surprise. The town is about to be visited by Travis & Catch.

      Travis (now 90 years old) inadvertently became a Demonkeeper while suffering the abuse of a priest...

      Catch is a demon bound to earth by King Solomon and by invocation to Travis. Catch's nemesis ,Gian Hen Gian (freed Head King Djinn), is out to send Catch back to the depths of Hell.

      Agustus Brine, owner of the local General Store is the "chosen" one who can destroy Catch...

      Rachel (local Pagan/Witch) is convinced Catch is a friendly earth spirit and is about to invoke his allegiance to her...little does she know.

      Amanda, who helped Travis escape the abusive priest...married to Effrom )the soldier she was engaged to while helping Travis) is the holder of the candlesticks that unbeknown to her, hold the Seals of Solomon which can invoke or destroy Catch.

      Jenny is Amanda's granddaughter...she is separated from Robert (an alcoholic), has just taken Travis as her lover and is now is helping him to destroy Catch.

      Although it's not funny, it is a good read.....and unlike "Fluke" I was unable to put it down.
    • 5/5
      This is not a how-to manual. It is a how not to story!! You have a mostly invisible, large, reptilian demon and his master in his nineties but who doesn't age and looks like he is twenty something and a cast of characters of the quirky small town type. Oh, I should mention that the demon, Catch by name, eats people and that his master has somewhat limited control over him. Mr. Moore uses his twisted, entertaining sense of humor to combine this group into a great tale!! My only problem is that now I am compelled to toss all of Christopher Moore's books on to my to read pile.
    • 4/5
      This is a funny and fun book, but probably my least favorite of Moore's works (although I am behind on reading some of his newer books) as it feels at times as if it moves a little slow. That said, this is still a book Ive read more than once, that has made me laugh out loud, and that sets up some great scenes in future novels, too.I also enjoy how well Moore writes his characters. They are usually interesting and funny and this book is no exception to that. An enjoyable book from and enjoyable author.
    • 4/5
      I really like this guy. Very warped, very funny and a happy ending. What else can you want?
    • 5/5
      Christopher Moore's style of humor and story telling is akin to that of Douglad Adams. Like thie Hitchhiker to the Galaxy series Moore keeps his scenes short and he jumps from place to place rather than following one character.There's also the added bonus to anyone who knows California of his perfect description of the Big Sur tourist trap communities. The city that he's describing is probably actually Cambria (at least it fits the description in terms of local and personality), I couldn't help but also think of the real Pine Cove (also in California but south east of Riverside).As this book was published originally in 1992 there are pieces of the book that are clearly dated, namely the WWI vets still being somewhat plausible and two the pre internet chat rooms. In that regard, this book reminded me of the Sue Grafton mysteries (if Santa Teressa were being rampaged by a hungry demon).
    • 4/5
      Good fluffy read.
    • 4/5
      funny and light, i'm looking forward to reading more by Christopher Moore
    • 4/5
      A fun and light story. I didn't find it so funny, but FUN to read. Plotty in a good way, but with a big deus-ex-machina that kind of defeated the effort to keep all plot together in a satisfactory manner. Anyway, I'd read it again, since it was such a fun ride.
    • 2/5
      Moore's first book, I think. A breezy, occasionally humorous read. Not where I would start if you haven't read any Moore. Better to start with A Dirty Job, a superior work in every way.
    • 4/5
      DAng, Christopher Moore is funny -- and was funny his first time out the shoot, in this debut novel. It was fun to read this after so many other Moore novels, and run into the first appearances of people and places that populate later works of his. I did offer it to Javaczuk, but he wants me to find it on audio so we can listen to it on a future car trip. :)