Sweet Jesus! Review of “Anointed: The Passion of Timmy Christ, CEO”
First of all, a BIG thank you to Russ Marshalek for sending me an ARC of “Anointed”. He heard from the twitterverse that I was was a fan of Christopher Moore, and thought I might be interested in Zach Steele’s story of the man who would be Christ (or the corporate equivalent thereof). I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I must admit, I’m a hard sell for “comedy” books, and I hardly ever read fantasy; while I love Christopher Moore and Douglas Adams, sometimes I go into “funny” books, especially religious funny books, with one eyebrow safely raised. I tend to reserve judgement for a good forty or fifty pages, but Timmy Webb totally won me over. A classic anti-hero in the beginning, I soon found out that Timmy is the kind of Christ I’d follow around (if I did that sort of thing.)
“Anointed” was a romp, fast paced and witty, full of characters who you’ll enjoy getting to know. Better, they are characters that you feel you might already know. I’m an office-dweller by day, and without giving away too much (you’ll know it when you read it), Steele’s group of wacky apostles could fit right in at any of the cube-cities dotting the corporate landscape. The entire Christ Corporation crew in fact, bears an eerie resemblance to some of the companies I’ve worked for in the past.
Steele brings a lighthearted sense of fun to the story, and manages to make even his oft-maligned Ms. Morningstar endearing and essential. God is equally delightful, with a carefree voice that at times reminded me of the ultra-quirky King of All Cosmos from Katamari Damashi (I’m equally proud and ashamed that I can make such a nerdy comparison). These characters brought a great sense of whimsy to the read. I often found myself sitting in cold bathwater, giggling to myself, forgetting to get out of the tub. That’s a great sign, as there is no greater enemy to me that cold bath-water (just ask Ed)!
What I didn’t expect out of the book was some really gorgeous writing. Steele has all these razor-sharp witty retorts and observances, and then hits you with a description of a view or a sentiment that really showcases his writing talent. One line in particular, which I won’t spoil for you, just completely got me. I forgot for a moment that I was reading one of those “funny” books.
So, file my name under “Steele fan-girl”, put me on the email list for the next book, and go get yourself a copy of “Anointed”. You’ll love it.
