Fool: A Novel

Overview

"This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity, as well as nontraditional grammar, split infinitives, and the odd wank . . . If that's the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened upon the perfect story!"

Verily speaks Christopher Moore, much beloved scrivener and peerless literary jester, who hath writteneth much that is of grand wit and belly-busting mirth, including such laurelled bestsellers of the Times of Olde Newe Yorke as Lamb, A Dirty Job, and You Suck (no offense). Now he takes on no less than the legendary Bard himself (with the utmost humility and respect) in a twisted and insanely funny tale of a moronic monarch and his deceitful daughters--a rousing story of plots, subplots, counterplots, betrayals, war, revenge, bared bosoms, unbridled lust . . . and a ghost (there's always a bloody ghost), as seen through the eyes of a man wearing a codpiece and bells on his head.

Fool

A man of infinite jest, Pocket has been Lear's cherished fool for years, from the time the king's grown daughters--selfish, scheming Goneril, sadistic (but erotic-fantasy-grade-hot) Regan, and sweet, loyal Cordelia--were mere girls. So naturally Pocket is at his brainless, elderly liege's side when Lear--at the insidious urging of Edmund, the bastard (in every way imaginable) son of the Earl of Gloucester--demands that his kids swear their undying love and devotion before a collection of assembled guests. Of course Goneril and Regan are only too happy to brownnose Dad. But Cordelia believes that her father's request is kind of . . . well . . . stupid, and her blunt honesty ends up costing her her rightful share of the kingdom and earns her a banishment to boot.

Well, now the bangers and mash have really hit the fan. The whole damn country's about to go to hell in a handbasket because of a stubborn old fart's wounded pride. And the only person who can possibly make things right . . . is Pocket, a small and slight clown with a biting sense of humor. He's already managed to sidestep catastrophe (and the vengeful blades of many an offended nobleman) on numerous occasions, using his razor-sharp mind, rapier wit . . . and the equally well-honed daggers he keeps conveniently hidden behind his back. Now he's going to have to do some very fancy maneuvering--cast some spells, incite a few assassinations, start a war or two (the usual stuff)--to get Cordelia back into Daddy Lear's good graces, to derail the fiendish power plays of Cordelia's twisted sisters, to rescue his gigantic, gigantically dim, and always randy friend and apprentice fool, Drool, from repeated beatings . . . and to shag every lusciously shaggable wench who's amenable to shagging along the way.

Pocket may be a fool . . . but he's definitely not an idiot.

Editorial Reviews

Starred Review. Here's the Cliff Notes you wished you'd had for King Lear--the mad royal, his devious daughters, rhyming ghosts and a castle full of hot intrigue--in a cheeky and ribald romp that both channels and chides the Bard and all Fate's bastards. It's 1288, and the king's fool, Pocket, and his dimwit apprentice, Drool, set out to clean up the mess Lear has made of his kingdom, his family and his fortune--only to discover the truth about their own heritage. There's more murder, mayhem, mistaken identities and scene changes than you can remember, but bestselling Moore (You Suck) turns things on their head with an edgy 21st-century perspective that makes the story line as sharp, surly and slick as a game of Grand Theft Auto. Moore confesses he borrows from at least a dozen of the Bard's plays for this buffet of tragedy, comedy and medieval porn action. It's a manic, masterly mix--winning, wild and something today's groundlings will applaud. (Feb.)
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Author Information

Bio of Christopher Moore

Christopher Moore is the author of eight previous novels: The Stupidest Angel, Fluke, Lamb, The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, Island of the Sequined Love Nun, Bloodsucking Fiends, Coyote Blue, and Practical Demonkeeping. He divides his time between San Francisco and Hawaii. He invites readers to e-mail him at BSFiends@aol.com.

Customer Reviews

• One Day

  Posted February 12, 2009 by Steve, San Diego

  If you're a Chris Moore fan, you will love this book. I got it the day it was released and read it before I see Chris tomorrow evening at his first book signing for Fool in San Diego. Buy it. Read it. Enjoy it. Two years is too long, writer-guy.
  Steve

• Bloody brilliant!

  Posted February 14, 2009 by Lee, Columbus, OH

  The preface/warning says it all... this is a bit raunchier than Moore's other books, but it is also far funnier (and I didn't think that was possible). I'd strongly recommend this book to anyone about to undergo painful surgery, standardized testing, litigation, or an audit... it'll take the edge off your worries. :)

• Heinous...Tomfoolery?

  Posted February 19, 2009 by Jade, Wyoming

  Excellent-as usual. I enjoy all his books and this one is no different. The fool who turns out to be the illegitimate son of...someone important. Things go wonky, witches can't decide if they are making a stew or not, and of course there is always a snarky ghost.

• Brilliant!!!!

  Posted February 26, 2009 by Rob, Columbus, GA

  In my very Humble opinion, This book is better than Don Quixote.

• Very funny

  Posted June 30, 2009 by Tim, Falmouth, MA

  Just don't expect it to be "King Lear"

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Additional Info

Imprint

William Morrow &Company

Filesize

1.18 MB

Number of Pages

336

eBook ISBN

9780061770326