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Clovenhoof #1
Clovenhoof
Charged with gross incompetence, Satan is fired from his job as Prince of Hell and exiled to that most terrible of places: English suburbia. Forced to live as a human under the name of Jeremy Clovenhoof, the dark lord not only has to contend with the fact that no one recognises him or gives him the credit he deserves but also has to put up with the bookish wargamer next door and the voracious man-eater upstairs.
Heaven, Hell and the city of Birmingham collide in a story that features murder, heavy metal, cannibalism, armed robbers, devious old ladies, Satanists who live with their mums, gentlemen of limited stature, dead vicars, petty archangels, flamethrowers, sex dolls, a blood-soaked school assembly and way too much alcohol.
Clovenhoof is outrageous and irreverent (and laugh out loud funny!) but it is also filled with huge warmth and humanity. Written by first-time collaborators Heide Goody and Iain Grant, Clovenhoof will have you rooting for the bad guy like never before.
F Paul Wilson: Clovenhoof is a delight. A funny, often hilarious romp with a dethroned Satan as he tries to adjust to modern suburbia. The breezy, ironic prose sets a perfect tone. If you need some laughs, here's the remedy.
Heaven, Hell and the city of Birmingham collide in a story that features murder, heavy metal, cannibalism, armed robbers, devious old ladies, Satanists who live with their mums, gentlemen of limited stature, dead vicars, petty archangels, flamethrowers, sex dolls, a blood-soaked school assembly and way too much alcohol.
Clovenhoof is outrageous and irreverent (and laugh out loud funny!) but it is also filled with huge warmth and humanity. Written by first-time collaborators Heide Goody and Iain Grant, Clovenhoof will have you rooting for the bad guy like never before.
F Paul Wilson: Clovenhoof is a delight. A funny, often hilarious romp with a dethroned Satan as he tries to adjust to modern suburbia. The breezy, ironic prose sets a perfect tone. If you need some laughs, here's the remedy.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2012
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3087 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 487 reviews
March 15, 2021
What a brilliant concept, Satan gets kicked out of hell and ends up in Birmingham, UK. Fabulous story line and I really had fun seeing Satan adjust to UK living in the Midlands.
I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series.
At time of posting this series is available on Kindle Unlimited.
I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series.
At time of posting this series is available on Kindle Unlimited.
January 17, 2015
Firstly this book should come with a warning not to read in public because snorting aloud is apparently unladylike. I read a lot of books and tend to favour dark psychological thrillers featuring murderers and serial killers and never have I actually "rooted" for the bad guy...until I met Jeremy! This deliciously funny book about the devil being kicked out of hell and sent to Birmingham is full of laughs and wonderful characters... it did slightly drag in the middle but quickly picked up it's pace again... I will definitely be reading more from this dynamic duo!
July 16, 2015
The idea for this novel is excellent. Satan, through ineptitude, is thrown out of hell by a kind of celestial board of managers. He’s condemned to act as a human, having had a glamour thrown over him so people don’t notice the horns and hooves. It doesn’t work with the local barman, though. The flat-dwellers he lives alongside are all social misfits of one kind and another and ‘not a people person’ doesn’t begin to describe Satan himself, aka Jeremy Clovenhoof. His interpersonal skills are non-existent and, bizarrely, the little social lies we tell to oil the wheels are beyond him. He, the Father of Lies, is brutally honest so his friendships are rocky.
I loved the idea here but I felt the story was a little disjointed and over-long. An editor would have tightened it up as well as sorting out the occasional writing anomaly. That apart, the characters, especially those of the heavenly management group, St Peter, Michael, Joan of Arc – a very bossy teenager – and others, carried the show for me. A great, funny take on one of literature's generally more scary characters. Satan like you’ve never seen him before. A great romp.
I loved the idea here but I felt the story was a little disjointed and over-long. An editor would have tightened it up as well as sorting out the occasional writing anomaly. That apart, the characters, especially those of the heavenly management group, St Peter, Michael, Joan of Arc – a very bossy teenager – and others, carried the show for me. A great, funny take on one of literature's generally more scary characters. Satan like you’ve never seen him before. A great romp.
January 28, 2015
The idea of Devil being forced to live on earth and deal with modern life is an intriguing one. It has been done before in one form or another (not necessary dealing with devil) so it's not completly original.
But somehow it just doesn't work. Whole book feels like an early rough draft for TV series with each chapter being separate episode. Chapters themselves are largely self contained and what happens in one has little to no impact on next one. There are some running themes, like his frequent encounters with archangel Michael, but otherwise things happen and are forgotten.
Book also manages to raise a topic which has potential and then jsut drops it. For example devil has horns, double jointed legs and hoofs. And while people see them they jsut ignore them, unless situation demands it (like Devil visiting beautician or bartender commenting he sees a lot).
There are some golden nuggets in form of funny scenes in there but they are few and far in between. Otherwise supposedly funny scenes feel forced and would probably look much better acted out as part of 25 minute sitcom episode.
But somehow it just doesn't work. Whole book feels like an early rough draft for TV series with each chapter being separate episode. Chapters themselves are largely self contained and what happens in one has little to no impact on next one. There are some running themes, like his frequent encounters with archangel Michael, but otherwise things happen and are forgotten.
Book also manages to raise a topic which has potential and then jsut drops it. For example devil has horns, double jointed legs and hoofs. And while people see them they jsut ignore them, unless situation demands it (like Devil visiting beautician or bartender commenting he sees a lot).
There are some golden nuggets in form of funny scenes in there but they are few and far in between. Otherwise supposedly funny scenes feel forced and would probably look much better acted out as part of 25 minute sitcom episode.
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December 11, 2024Don’t any of you worms know who I am? What I am?” Ben took in the man’s life-worn face, his neatly trimmed beard, his slight paunch, his precise but profane English and his general lack of care regarding his own nakedness. “Are you Swedish?"
Sometimes I think books are like food! they come in all kinds and colours, shapes and savours! But let's stick with those considered the fundamental types:
Essential: You don't even think twice because it keeps your body alive and functioning. You pack it in.
Nourishing: Keeps your body alive, and functioning and adds happiness and different levels of pleasure to eating. You delightfully savour it.
Superfluous: Fills the belly; suppresses hunger but just adds weight to your stomach and gives you nothing at all besides flatulence.
Absurd: Kills your body faster, saturating it with useless fats and heavens knew what else.
In French gastronomy, particularly in Normandie, they have what they call "The Normandie Hole" (Trou Normand). It consists of a spoon of apple ice cream dipped in Calvados (a strong alcoholic beverage). One must eat one of these during a heavy meal, (like a marriage dinner...) between the several courses. The alcohol combined with the cold of the ice cream, is supposed to distend the lining of the stomach (thus increasing its volume) so that one feels a deceptive relief after consuming it. This allows you to take down the cake without flinching...!
And what is the purpose of the feeding and culinary explanations?
I think that, like food, books also can be classified roughly (very....) in the same way:
1. Some books are Essential for our brain, giving it the basic sustenance to function properly.
2. Others are truly Nourishing and beyond the basic necessities they really made us feel happy and somewhat fulfilled, in the end.
3. Then you have the Superfluous ones: They are like the "Normandie Hole". They add nothing, to your brain, but a sensation of relief and well-being.
4. We should not even talk about the Absurd ones; they burn the cells in your brain. It's enough to say that we read them and survived.
Clovenhoof falls in group 3.
Intelligent, fun with this sarcastic kind of humour and cleverly built. It's an honest book; it promises nothing but amusement.
If you are not any kind of nutty religious fundamentalist it's an excellent book to pick up as a break between those serious stuff that demands all your concentration and power of reasoning (too weak in my case, someone would say...😜).
Perfect for the beach, the subway or the WC ...
Sometimes I think books are like food! they come in all kinds and colours, shapes and savours! But let's stick with those considered the fundamental types:
Essential: You don't even think twice because it keeps your body alive and functioning. You pack it in.
Nourishing: Keeps your body alive, and functioning and adds happiness and different levels of pleasure to eating. You delightfully savour it.
Superfluous: Fills the belly; suppresses hunger but just adds weight to your stomach and gives you nothing at all besides flatulence.
Absurd: Kills your body faster, saturating it with useless fats and heavens knew what else.
In French gastronomy, particularly in Normandie, they have what they call "The Normandie Hole" (Trou Normand). It consists of a spoon of apple ice cream dipped in Calvados (a strong alcoholic beverage). One must eat one of these during a heavy meal, (like a marriage dinner...) between the several courses. The alcohol combined with the cold of the ice cream, is supposed to distend the lining of the stomach (thus increasing its volume) so that one feels a deceptive relief after consuming it. This allows you to take down the cake without flinching...!
And what is the purpose of the feeding and culinary explanations?
I think that, like food, books also can be classified roughly (very....) in the same way:
1. Some books are Essential for our brain, giving it the basic sustenance to function properly.
2. Others are truly Nourishing and beyond the basic necessities they really made us feel happy and somewhat fulfilled, in the end.
3. Then you have the Superfluous ones: They are like the "Normandie Hole". They add nothing, to your brain, but a sensation of relief and well-being.
4. We should not even talk about the Absurd ones; they burn the cells in your brain. It's enough to say that we read them and survived.
Clovenhoof falls in group 3.
Intelligent, fun with this sarcastic kind of humour and cleverly built. It's an honest book; it promises nothing but amusement.
If you are not any kind of nutty religious fundamentalist it's an excellent book to pick up as a break between those serious stuff that demands all your concentration and power of reasoning (too weak in my case, someone would say...😜).
Perfect for the beach, the subway or the WC ...
March 6, 2015
You know you're in for a treat when just the chapter titles of a book are laugh out loud funny...
What an absolutely terrific book; beginning as what feels like a smart, satirical and funny series of misadventures it develops into a fantastically plotted page turner. All those disparate misadventures actually reveal themselves to be carefully constructed threads that pay off in an utterly brilliant climax.
Never thought I'd find myself saying this but, Go Satan!
- John Bowen is the author of 'Where the Dead Walk' and 'Vessel'. You can find him here on GoodReads, and his published work at Amazon.
What an absolutely terrific book; beginning as what feels like a smart, satirical and funny series of misadventures it develops into a fantastically plotted page turner. All those disparate misadventures actually reveal themselves to be carefully constructed threads that pay off in an utterly brilliant climax.
Never thought I'd find myself saying this but, Go Satan!
- John Bowen is the author of 'Where the Dead Walk' and 'Vessel'. You can find him here on GoodReads, and his published work at Amazon.
April 21, 2016
Is there anything better than the dryness of British humor? I doubt it. This book's humor was Sahara-desert dry. And I loved it. I literally laughed out loud in public, and people thought I was crazy, I'm sure, but I didn't even care. It's that funny.
Jeremy Clovenhoof (a.k.a. Satan, a.k.a. The Great Dragon, a.k.a. Lucifer, a.k.a. ad nauseum) goes through numerous misadventures after he's laid off from his position as Lord of Hell and banished to a flat in Birmingham. At first, this book reads like nothing so much as a collection of essays that (though hilarious) may or may not resemble a cohesive plot. Later on, though, you'll discover there is a plot - and what a plot it is! Exciting in its own way in addition to the utter hilarity of internet shopping with the devil.
The authors managed to make the protagonist sympathetic and likeable, even if he is Old Scratch. I rooted for the Devil through this whole book. I thought the angels were, to borrow the book's native vernacular, spectacular gits. Does this mean I'm going to hell? Maybe, maybe not. The book is well worth your time, though. And - it gets better - there are sequels. Yeah, not kidding.
TL;DR: You'll never think about Satan the same again. And you'll laugh at him. A lot. Definitely recommended.
****************************************
4 hilarious stars for this little ditty. Full review to come.
Jeremy Clovenhoof (a.k.a. Satan, a.k.a. The Great Dragon, a.k.a. Lucifer, a.k.a. ad nauseum) goes through numerous misadventures after he's laid off from his position as Lord of Hell and banished to a flat in Birmingham. At first, this book reads like nothing so much as a collection of essays that (though hilarious) may or may not resemble a cohesive plot. Later on, though, you'll discover there is a plot - and what a plot it is! Exciting in its own way in addition to the utter hilarity of internet shopping with the devil.
The authors managed to make the protagonist sympathetic and likeable, even if he is Old Scratch. I rooted for the Devil through this whole book. I thought the angels were, to borrow the book's native vernacular, spectacular gits. Does this mean I'm going to hell? Maybe, maybe not. The book is well worth your time, though. And - it gets better - there are sequels. Yeah, not kidding.
TL;DR: You'll never think about Satan the same again. And you'll laugh at him. A lot. Definitely recommended.
****************************************
4 hilarious stars for this little ditty. Full review to come.
March 23, 2016
Sustained quality humourous stories are, in my experience rare - that makes this book rare too! Satan has been sacked from Hell and put on Earth (in Sutton Coldfield...). His adjustment to life is very funny indeed and had me chuckling out loud. In a sense I got this book hoping for that. What was far less expected was the fact that the authors managed to sustain both the humour and a pretty good overall story. The characters were well fleshed out - I am smiling as I write that and the concept of "habeas corpus" will never be the same for me. It pokes fun at many both gently and quite aggressively.
If you like the weird and the wacky, fantasy and comedy give this one a try. Maybe not like Jasper fforde, maybe not like Christopher Moore but if you've read either of those authors I'd be fairly sure this would appeal to you. I loved it and will be looking to read the next book for sure.
If you like the weird and the wacky, fantasy and comedy give this one a try. Maybe not like Jasper fforde, maybe not like Christopher Moore but if you've read either of those authors I'd be fairly sure this would appeal to you. I loved it and will be looking to read the next book for sure.
June 4, 2015
For mismanagement of Hell, Satan gets kicked out of the Afterlife by a group of Heaven's do-gooders led by the angel Michael (also including St. Peter and Joan of Arc) and ends up banished to Earth, namely to a quaint suburb in England. Taking the name Jeremy Clovenhoof he then tries to learn what it means to be human while bugging the you-know-what out of his flatmates Ben & Nerys.
I wasn't even through the first chapter before echoes of Pratchett/Gaiman's Good Omens popped to mind. While Goody & Grant may not be the powerhouse pairing of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, I'd like to think that any fan of GO would get a kick out of Clovenhoof.
I wasn't even through the first chapter before echoes of Pratchett/Gaiman's Good Omens popped to mind. While Goody & Grant may not be the powerhouse pairing of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, I'd like to think that any fan of GO would get a kick out of Clovenhoof.
March 12, 2013
I loved this book!! Satan has failed his performance review, and so gets made redundant, and has to live as a human down on earth under the name of Jeremy Clovenhoof. He chose the name Jeremy as Nicholas was a bit too obvious. Michael is pottering about to help pull him out of awkward situations...or is he?!?
There was lots of humour in this book, and made me laugh out loud on several occasions, especially when he got involved with his neighbour's miniature soldiers. And when Joan of Arc and three others were running through Heaven. Oh, and Betty and Doris. And his attempt at holding a dinner party almost made me cry!!
Yes, some of the jokes were obvious, some of them were old (but good), but the writing was excellent - light-hearted and well crafted - and I really would like to read more of Jeremy's adventures...especially once he meets his new neighbour!!
There was lots of humour in this book, and made me laugh out loud on several occasions, especially when he got involved with his neighbour's miniature soldiers. And when Joan of Arc and three others were running through Heaven. Oh, and Betty and Doris. And his attempt at holding a dinner party almost made me cry!!
Yes, some of the jokes were obvious, some of them were old (but good), but the writing was excellent - light-hearted and well crafted - and I really would like to read more of Jeremy's adventures...especially once he meets his new neighbour!!
October 17, 2020
The 'Review and Judgement' has arrived - will it be Heaven or Hell?
So, after a poor performance management appraisal report Lucifer is ousted from Hell by the powers that be, charged with gross incompetence, slack efficiency and poor leadership qualities. For these misdemeanours, he is banished from the 'Afterworld' forever, to reside on Earth and to live life in human form with the rest of the mere mortal population in regular old downtown Birmingham, England.
Boom!- twirl, spin, spin, twirl...stop! "Welcome, Mr Jeremy Clovenhoof - you have arrived at your final destination. Go forth and prosper!"
Well, just how will Jeremy adapt to his new lifestyle and how will Earth possibly cope with the introduction of this new, different and strange inhabitant to everyday life on the rock? Yes, that's right, it's only the 'Prince of Darkness' himself! Read on...
I found this darkly comical story to be a real mixed bag, but which happily contained lots more Earthly delights rather than nasty torments. A strong storyline, great sub-plots, plenty of interesting characters and non-stop action, which really came alive for me in the second half of the story - witty, creative and imaginative...even delivering its own 'Black Mass' human resurrection!
The humour was often clever and very funny, but I did find that too often it relied on a 'ridiculous and farcical' style which just isn't my cup of tea, so when already amusing events were elevated and treated to a touch of the truly absurd then this seemed to detract from its 'believability' and also from my own personal pleasure and enjoyment.
For readers searching for a funny, intelligently constructed and uniquely different story, well, this 'Afterlife' adventure certainly goes and ticks those boxes - and for fans of pure farce, perhaps even disciples of the 'Monty Python' type sketch then this crazy journey is bound to be a sure fire hit!
If this appeals, then go ahead, be a devil and enjoy your read - it is sure to make Jeremy so proud!
Rating: 3.7 celestial stars.
So, after a poor performance management appraisal report Lucifer is ousted from Hell by the powers that be, charged with gross incompetence, slack efficiency and poor leadership qualities. For these misdemeanours, he is banished from the 'Afterworld' forever, to reside on Earth and to live life in human form with the rest of the mere mortal population in regular old downtown Birmingham, England.
Boom!- twirl, spin, spin, twirl...stop! "Welcome, Mr Jeremy Clovenhoof - you have arrived at your final destination. Go forth and prosper!"
Well, just how will Jeremy adapt to his new lifestyle and how will Earth possibly cope with the introduction of this new, different and strange inhabitant to everyday life on the rock? Yes, that's right, it's only the 'Prince of Darkness' himself! Read on...
I found this darkly comical story to be a real mixed bag, but which happily contained lots more Earthly delights rather than nasty torments. A strong storyline, great sub-plots, plenty of interesting characters and non-stop action, which really came alive for me in the second half of the story - witty, creative and imaginative...even delivering its own 'Black Mass' human resurrection!
The humour was often clever and very funny, but I did find that too often it relied on a 'ridiculous and farcical' style which just isn't my cup of tea, so when already amusing events were elevated and treated to a touch of the truly absurd then this seemed to detract from its 'believability' and also from my own personal pleasure and enjoyment.
For readers searching for a funny, intelligently constructed and uniquely different story, well, this 'Afterlife' adventure certainly goes and ticks those boxes - and for fans of pure farce, perhaps even disciples of the 'Monty Python' type sketch then this crazy journey is bound to be a sure fire hit!
If this appeals, then go ahead, be a devil and enjoy your read - it is sure to make Jeremy so proud!
Rating: 3.7 celestial stars.
October 18, 2020
Summary:
What happens when Satan is pushed out of Hell to live among humans on earth?
Jeremy Clovenhoof, A.K.A. the devil, is about to find out. Facing common problem for the first time, Jeremy keeps finding himself in less than ideal outcomes. He soon discovers that being a normal person is much more complicated than he imagined.
Personal Opinion:
This book had a really cool concept and the potential for some pretty good adult humor.
However… It took me a while to get used to the writing style and I found it hard to stay interested for the first half. The over the top situations, the slightly underdeveloped characters and the mostly unrealistic outcomes were the main cause for my original 2 and a half star rating.
By the second half, the characters and story did pick up and I ended up liking the ending.
Although I rounded up to 3 stars, I won't be continuing on with this series. It may be better suited for fans of silly humor.
What happens when Satan is pushed out of Hell to live among humans on earth?
Jeremy Clovenhoof, A.K.A. the devil, is about to find out. Facing common problem for the first time, Jeremy keeps finding himself in less than ideal outcomes. He soon discovers that being a normal person is much more complicated than he imagined.
Personal Opinion:
This book had a really cool concept and the potential for some pretty good adult humor.
However… It took me a while to get used to the writing style and I found it hard to stay interested for the first half. The over the top situations, the slightly underdeveloped characters and the mostly unrealistic outcomes were the main cause for my original 2 and a half star rating.
By the second half, the characters and story did pick up and I ended up liking the ending.
Although I rounded up to 3 stars, I won't be continuing on with this series. It may be better suited for fans of silly humor.
February 29, 2016
I read this book on a long train journey and maybe that was a mistake, because I have the distinct impression, it was neither written nor meant to be read in one piece. The storytelling feels episodic and it feels like there is no overarching plot that binds the book together. There were several points where I felt the story just stalled, almost always followed by interesting ideas that ultimately went nowhere. As a direct result cohesion and continuity are a mess. Small items, events and behaviours don't fit together, especially the main character that switches characterization and skills as the episode demands it. Those are almost always small problems, that are noticed and forgotten quickly until the authors themselves have a policeman list all the strange plots, that happened and that he was part of. Because at that point I realised not only what strange and ridiculous things had happened, never been mentioned again (and wouldn't from there on on) but also that I had forgotten most of them.
All that became less of a problem once the actual plot was introduced, but another problem turned up: Nothing in the book is subtle.
The big reveal is lampshaded in a way that is obvious from the second time it happens and is then paraded around every time the plot is advanced. The one character with a secret makes this so painfully clear in the text I was actually surprised there really was nothing else to it. Several plot twists are only achieved by keeping information from the reader and yet I had almost everything figured out before the secrets should have been revealed. The one big exception was the big twist but that since happened by subverting the established canon I am not sure how to grade that.
The finale has to be mentioned individually because to me it represented everything the book could have been and ultimately wasn't. It was nicely paced, entertainingly written and the ultimate resolution of the plot was in concept nicely done. But it appeared out of nowhere, had no connection to the rest of the book and ended in a mess. By which I mean, I do not know what ultimately happened and what resulted of it and I read the ending twice to see if I missed anything. Still I remain baffled.
I liked the book mostly while reading it, but in the end it was a hollow liking and the more I thought about it the worse it got. I doubt I will read this one again and I definitely won't be reading the sequel.
All that became less of a problem once the actual plot was introduced, but another problem turned up: Nothing in the book is subtle.
The big reveal is lampshaded in a way that is obvious from the second time it happens and is then paraded around every time the plot is advanced. The one character with a secret makes this so painfully clear in the text I was actually surprised there really was nothing else to it. Several plot twists are only achieved by keeping information from the reader and yet I had almost everything figured out before the secrets should have been revealed. The one big exception was the big twist but that since happened by subverting the established canon I am not sure how to grade that.
The finale has to be mentioned individually because to me it represented everything the book could have been and ultimately wasn't. It was nicely paced, entertainingly written and the ultimate resolution of the plot was in concept nicely done. But it appeared out of nowhere, had no connection to the rest of the book and ended in a mess. By which I mean, I do not know what ultimately happened and what resulted of it and I read the ending twice to see if I missed anything. Still I remain baffled.
I liked the book mostly while reading it, but in the end it was a hollow liking and the more I thought about it the worse it got. I doubt I will read this one again and I definitely won't be reading the sequel.
May 5, 2024
I will admit that this book surprised me - very much in the vain of Tom Sharp what you have here a satire of biblical proportions in every sense of the word.
I find these types of books interesting as there are several challenges which I think are often over looked. First you have the humour - this type of humour has to treat a very thin line. Where one way it becomes irritating while the other it demeans the characters you want to read about and few people want to read about people who they either do not want to or are unable to invest in.
Then there is the whole topic- its not the first series to find that the Devil leave his post although not often by committee. That said rather the righting him off a a lost cause (I guess that would make for a short book) you quickly realise there are some redeeming features and that (at least for me) along with the quick fire humour is a great place to start off with as honestly I had no idea where it was going,
I find these types of books interesting as there are several challenges which I think are often over looked. First you have the humour - this type of humour has to treat a very thin line. Where one way it becomes irritating while the other it demeans the characters you want to read about and few people want to read about people who they either do not want to or are unable to invest in.
Then there is the whole topic- its not the first series to find that the Devil leave his post although not often by committee. That said rather the righting him off a a lost cause (I guess that would make for a short book) you quickly realise there are some redeeming features and that (at least for me) along with the quick fire humour is a great place to start off with as honestly I had no idea where it was going,
January 14, 2015
This was such a great read! I had so much fun with this book. The style of writing was right up my alley, and the characterization was spectacular.I want to keep talking about the book but I don't want to give up any spoilers...I cannot wait to continue the series!
May 24, 2013
I couldn't finish this book. I got maybe 25% and it just kept getting worse, of course that's my opinion
January 17, 2023
This one was a surprise. I picked this one up because of the cover for Alpacalypse. Within the first few pages I thought I'd made a mistake but there will be no DNFs this year, so on I went. It took a while to get used to it. Ben was a fool in love, Jeremy wasn't likeable and Nerys felt like a user. It felt like another devil stranded on earth and lets face it, Jeremy is no Tom Ellis.
Once the story got going, Jeremy and his rag tag group become almost endearing. Ben just wants to play with toy soldiers and Nerys wants the perfect man. Then you've got Michael, who felt like a two faced guardian angel almost and the recording angels. Once St Peter is introduced, the devil isn't the biggest a-hole in the book.
Some of it is bizarre but the Ben with the love doll was a great laugh, as was the bank conclusion. Betty and Doris were probably the most entertaining. Not sure what to think of Spartacus getting his own version of Thing.
There were dips in interest here and there, mainly Nerys' parts. Apart from that it was well rounded. Was originally going to rate this one three stars, except I stayed up until half one finishing it. Whether that was down to the coffee right before bed, the book was good or I just wanted to get it over with, I'll never know. Either way it gets an extra star.
Once the story got going, Jeremy and his rag tag group become almost endearing. Ben just wants to play with toy soldiers and Nerys wants the perfect man. Then you've got Michael, who felt like a two faced guardian angel almost and the recording angels. Once St Peter is introduced, the devil isn't the biggest a-hole in the book.
Some of it is bizarre but the Ben with the love doll was a great laugh, as was the bank conclusion. Betty and Doris were probably the most entertaining. Not sure what to think of Spartacus getting his own version of Thing.
There were dips in interest here and there, mainly Nerys' parts. Apart from that it was well rounded. Was originally going to rate this one three stars, except I stayed up until half one finishing it. Whether that was down to the coffee right before bed, the book was good or I just wanted to get it over with, I'll never know. Either way it gets an extra star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2022
I have mixed reactions to this novel. On the one hand, the main storyline about Satan exiled to earth never quite caught my interest. It moved slowly and I just didn’t care. On the other hand, there’s a story simultaneously taking place in heaven which I eagerly awaited each installment of as I trudged through the main storyline chapters. In heaven, the board of directors (people like Michael the Archangel, St. Peter, Francis of Assisi, Mother Theresa, and Joan of Arc) try to deal with the consequences of earth’s population boom greatly increasing the numbers of people dying and going to heaven (and hell). This was often humorous before its disturbing and totally predictable end.
So it’s a mixed bag. I never cared about Clovenhoof but I was interested to uncover the plot that had ended up getting him exiled to earth. Also the mystery surrounding the Throne of God was quite clever (if predictable). All in all, there was a lot of good fun.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
So it’s a mixed bag. I never cared about Clovenhoof but I was interested to uncover the plot that had ended up getting him exiled to earth. Also the mystery surrounding the Throne of God was quite clever (if predictable). All in all, there was a lot of good fun.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
March 23, 2023
Clovenhoof is a brilliant, funny, sarcastic, witty, thoughtful and sweet book. Not for the kiddies mind you, it touches on adult themes like faith, sex dolls, cannibalism and murder. And not for the easily offended. If you liked the movies Dogma and Constantine, and books like Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy you will like this book. Otherwise I'd say you may want to give it a pass; as that it deals with some theology and religion in a rather funny way.
First imagine Heaven and Hell are giant corporations and run with Mission Statements, Vision Statements, quarterly reviews and personal performance assessments. If an employee doesn't live up to their goals they will be made redundant; which in some cases can be quiet painful. Meanwhile at the weekly meeting in Heaven; St. Peter, Archangel Michael, St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Theresa (recording secretary) are making plans for the future and complaining about unscheduled visitations to earth, the shanty town springing up around Limbo for the unprocessed and cracking down on sinners Old Testament style.
So when Satan (Lucifer, the Light Bringer, Old Scratch, the Devil) is made redundant his punishment is the greatest of all - he is made human and sent to Birmingham, UK. He appears on a village High Street naked and angry and is quickly arrested; then bailed out by an human form of Archangel Michael. His new identity is Jeremy Clovenhoof and he's a 60 ish man often described as looking like an aging rock star. He moves into a flat and creates various levels of havoc at every turn. You'll get no social niceties from Mr. Clovenhoof, he is rude, crude and socially unacceptable. He quickly latches on to two other loners in his building; takes up drinking sweet sparkling wine and forms a heavy metal band. He and his pals get into other wacky adventures while Jeremy tries his hardest to get back to hell.
One of my absolutely favorite scenes is a dinner party where Archangel Michael forced to listen to new age spiritual theories while firmly stating there is one God, etc. while the other guests laugh at his fundamentalism.
I absolutely loved it.
First imagine Heaven and Hell are giant corporations and run with Mission Statements, Vision Statements, quarterly reviews and personal performance assessments. If an employee doesn't live up to their goals they will be made redundant; which in some cases can be quiet painful. Meanwhile at the weekly meeting in Heaven; St. Peter, Archangel Michael, St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Theresa (recording secretary) are making plans for the future and complaining about unscheduled visitations to earth, the shanty town springing up around Limbo for the unprocessed and cracking down on sinners Old Testament style.
So when Satan (Lucifer, the Light Bringer, Old Scratch, the Devil) is made redundant his punishment is the greatest of all - he is made human and sent to Birmingham, UK. He appears on a village High Street naked and angry and is quickly arrested; then bailed out by an human form of Archangel Michael. His new identity is Jeremy Clovenhoof and he's a 60 ish man often described as looking like an aging rock star. He moves into a flat and creates various levels of havoc at every turn. You'll get no social niceties from Mr. Clovenhoof, he is rude, crude and socially unacceptable. He quickly latches on to two other loners in his building; takes up drinking sweet sparkling wine and forms a heavy metal band. He and his pals get into other wacky adventures while Jeremy tries his hardest to get back to hell.
One of my absolutely favorite scenes is a dinner party where Archangel Michael forced to listen to new age spiritual theories while firmly stating there is one God, etc. while the other guests laugh at his fundamentalism.
I absolutely loved it.
October 23, 2013
Jeremy Clovenhoof has got a problem. He’s been fired from his job, the one and only job he’s ever had, and the only thing he knows how to do properly. Besides, he’s been evicted from his house and obliged to move into an unknown city. Though this wouldn’t be a desirable situation for anyone, it is a real tragedy for our main character, because Jeremy Clovenhoof is only one of his many pseudonyms, others being Old Nick, the Adversary, Old Scratch, The Angel of Bottomless Pit, The Fallen One… Yes, Jeremy Clovenhoof is Satan himself, who’s been expelled from Hell because of his poor job performance and finds himself now exiled in the earth, in the city of Birmingham, England. Homesick and awestruck, Satan aka Jeremy tries to understand how and why he has come to this undesirable position. In his journey to adapt himself to his new situation, he makes some friends, almost finds love and even discovers a conspiracy to remove God from his Throne.
I find this book hilarious. The plot is full of absurd situations which are really funny. The secondary characters, Ben and Nerys, round up, together with Jeremy, a perfect team of social misfits struggling to get along in a society which feels alien. There is a sharp criticism underlying some of the funniest scenes in the book (for example, when Jeremy finds out how credit cards work). Jeremy’s point of view always hides a clever sarcasm. The conclusions this completely immoral character draws from our society are surprising. It is at least alarming the fact that, in the end, it is not that difficult for him to find himself at home and comfy settled down amongst humans.
In conclusion, I have really enjoyed this story. Readable and funny, it also makes you think some things over. The only drawback I could point out in the book is the pace, which slows down a little towards the middle of the story, to gain rhythm again in the last chapters. In spite of this little flaw, the book is highly recommendable.
I find this book hilarious. The plot is full of absurd situations which are really funny. The secondary characters, Ben and Nerys, round up, together with Jeremy, a perfect team of social misfits struggling to get along in a society which feels alien. There is a sharp criticism underlying some of the funniest scenes in the book (for example, when Jeremy finds out how credit cards work). Jeremy’s point of view always hides a clever sarcasm. The conclusions this completely immoral character draws from our society are surprising. It is at least alarming the fact that, in the end, it is not that difficult for him to find himself at home and comfy settled down amongst humans.
In conclusion, I have really enjoyed this story. Readable and funny, it also makes you think some things over. The only drawback I could point out in the book is the pace, which slows down a little towards the middle of the story, to gain rhythm again in the last chapters. In spite of this little flaw, the book is highly recommendable.
January 16, 2014
This may be my favorite book from the last 5 years. Just hysterical, and really well written.
Poor Satan has screwed up his production quotas and is relegated to a flat in England, to live as a mortal. The outcome is delicious. He's the kind of neighbor I would love to have (except for the part where he steals your credit card or leaves skulls in your dishwasher). He's incorrigible. He's funny. He's strangely innocent.
Heaven is pretty much what you'd expect, in comparison, and that's where the real villains come from. If you're a church lady who's easily offended by irreverence, keep walking. (There was a surprising number of Amazon reviews by people throwing bible verses around and declaring this blasphemy. I note most of them did finish the book anyway.)
Pretty much each chapter is a new misadventure, which would lend it to being turned into a TV series. (Please, if you do this, make sure it's done by BBC and not allowed to be ruined by making or remaking it in the US!) This is original, well executed, and the oddball characters are all lovable. If I could go higher than 5 stars, I would.
Poor Satan has screwed up his production quotas and is relegated to a flat in England, to live as a mortal. The outcome is delicious. He's the kind of neighbor I would love to have (except for the part where he steals your credit card or leaves skulls in your dishwasher). He's incorrigible. He's funny. He's strangely innocent.
Heaven is pretty much what you'd expect, in comparison, and that's where the real villains come from. If you're a church lady who's easily offended by irreverence, keep walking. (There was a surprising number of Amazon reviews by people throwing bible verses around and declaring this blasphemy. I note most of them did finish the book anyway.)
Pretty much each chapter is a new misadventure, which would lend it to being turned into a TV series. (Please, if you do this, make sure it's done by BBC and not allowed to be ruined by making or remaking it in the US!) This is original, well executed, and the oddball characters are all lovable. If I could go higher than 5 stars, I would.
July 19, 2015
Due to a corporate restructuring of the Afterlife, the Devil, Satan, the Adversary (or whatever you want to call him) finds himself banished to the nearest thing to Purgatory on Earth, ie the Birmingham suburbs. Rejecting 'Nicholas Clovenhoof' as a bit obvious, he settles for Jeremy Clovenhoof. Without anything in his background to help him make his way in the human world, he does his best, from learning to wear shoes on his hooves, adopting a pet mould, serving inappropriate dishes at a dinner party and making friends with his oddball neighbours. Rich with eclectic references (particularly concerning the horrors of corporate culture, the names of all the pagan gods who found themselves transmogrified into demons with the coming of Christianity, history, hagiography and literature) Clovenhoof is a well-written, clever joy. This unusual and unclassifiable book made me laugh out loud on the Tube. I particularly enjoyed the problem of including Leviathan in a planning meeting, as he is three miles long and wouldn't fit around the boardroom table.
July 22, 2019
Decent enough
Jeremy Clovenhoof doesn't grab me as a character in the same way that other humorous characterisations of Satan but nonetheless I did enjoy this book and look forward to making my way through the rest of the series.
I don't know if I'll finish all of them because there's a...tone?...to the first one which caused me mild annoyance pretty much all the way through but I did enjoy it and will be continuing with the others for the time being at least.
Jeremy Clovenhoof doesn't grab me as a character in the same way that other humorous characterisations of Satan but nonetheless I did enjoy this book and look forward to making my way through the rest of the series.
I don't know if I'll finish all of them because there's a...tone?...to the first one which caused me mild annoyance pretty much all the way through but I did enjoy it and will be continuing with the others for the time being at least.
December 24, 2019
Satan (Clovenhoof) is fired and forced to live with humans in Birmingham. As with all Heide Goody and Iain Grant books, this takes a mad idea, turns it into something funny, sad and totally random and makes a good listen. Full of characters from the religon, history and humans living their lives it is an adventure not to be missed. I loved the characters even the "bad" ones, they were all totally different but came together to make the story. An enjoyable listen.
July 3, 2022
Clovenhoof was funny and I really liked Matthew Lloyd Davies on the audiobook. This didn't cement itself to a 4 star until the end where I was surprised by some decent theology. I don't know enough about the history of the story but it does seem like it was written as a serial. That did slow it down a bit for me. I will continue the series but I doubt I will binge it. The book is better than my review makes it seem.
March 1, 2016
a good funny read, wouldn't say a laugh a minute, but we'll worth a giggle. Well written, excellent plot, and great characters
February 15, 2023
A very British comedy of errors that's considerably less funny and more tiresome than I thought it would be.
When I began this, I couldn't help but view it through the lens of The Good Place, a TV show I adore and am currently re-watching for the 4th time (or so – I might be losing count of rewatches). I found myself imagining the Judge firing Shawn from his job in the Bad Place and exiling him to Earth to get along among the humans the best he can without his demonic powers. Instead of Shawn, we have Jeremy, and instead of, “Farts!” he's prone to yelling, “Dung beetles!”
Why was Shawn/Jeremy fired? The Bad Place is failing its performance reviews because it's badly overcrowded and doesn't have the capacity or staffing to handle all the damned souls heading its way. It has some classic Bad Place imagery like the damned souls queuing for ages just to get in and be processed, and the lake of fire so full of souls being burned for eternity that the new ones on top are barely getting singed. The damned aren't getting the precisely calibrated levels of torture they each personally deserve, and someone has to take the blame. Of course, passing the buck is a time-honored tradition in hell, and it got passed all the way up to the top.
At first I really enjoyed the image of Shawn/Jeremy hating it on Earth among all these wretched humans and their dumb floppy bits, promptly attempting to kill his human body as a means of escaping back to the Bad Place, and discovering they already thought of that. But the comic pacing seemed way off at every point – gags that I thought we would get entire chapters of mileage out of, like the misunderstanding between Ben and Nerys in Chapter 1, just fizzled very quickly. Meanwhile, jokes that I thought would have been better as a fairly quick snapshot had long, ponderous scenes devoted to them, like Jeremy mistaking the name on a sign and getting in a dispute with a noted holiday figure.
I really don't think this is just a case of my American sensibilities failing to appreciate British humor – I've managed to appreciate Wodehouse, Pratchett, Gaiman, Monty Python. I absolutely adored Fleabag and I'm a huge Taskmaster fan. So it's not like I just don't “get” British humor. But I don't “get” this. Clearly some readers do, and those are the ones giving it 4 and 5 stars. It just wasn't for me. I'm gonna go watch The Good Place some more – a much more American, and IMO much funnier, comedy about heaven and hell... or something a little like it.
When I began this, I couldn't help but view it through the lens of The Good Place, a TV show I adore and am currently re-watching for the 4th time (or so – I might be losing count of rewatches). I found myself imagining the Judge firing Shawn from his job in the Bad Place and exiling him to Earth to get along among the humans the best he can without his demonic powers. Instead of Shawn, we have Jeremy, and instead of, “Farts!” he's prone to yelling, “Dung beetles!”
Why was Shawn/Jeremy fired? The Bad Place is failing its performance reviews because it's badly overcrowded and doesn't have the capacity or staffing to handle all the damned souls heading its way. It has some classic Bad Place imagery like the damned souls queuing for ages just to get in and be processed, and the lake of fire so full of souls being burned for eternity that the new ones on top are barely getting singed. The damned aren't getting the precisely calibrated levels of torture they each personally deserve, and someone has to take the blame. Of course, passing the buck is a time-honored tradition in hell, and it got passed all the way up to the top.
At first I really enjoyed the image of Shawn/Jeremy hating it on Earth among all these wretched humans and their dumb floppy bits, promptly attempting to kill his human body as a means of escaping back to the Bad Place, and discovering they already thought of that. But the comic pacing seemed way off at every point – gags that I thought we would get entire chapters of mileage out of, like the misunderstanding between Ben and Nerys in Chapter 1, just fizzled very quickly. Meanwhile, jokes that I thought would have been better as a fairly quick snapshot had long, ponderous scenes devoted to them, like Jeremy mistaking the name on a sign and getting in a dispute with a noted holiday figure.
I really don't think this is just a case of my American sensibilities failing to appreciate British humor – I've managed to appreciate Wodehouse, Pratchett, Gaiman, Monty Python. I absolutely adored Fleabag and I'm a huge Taskmaster fan. So it's not like I just don't “get” British humor. But I don't “get” this. Clearly some readers do, and those are the ones giving it 4 and 5 stars. It just wasn't for me. I'm gonna go watch The Good Place some more – a much more American, and IMO much funnier, comedy about heaven and hell... or something a little like it.
November 22, 2020
I love Heide Goody's and Ian Grant's Odd Jobs series, so I thought I might give their other series a try. And I wasn't disappointed. I won't go into detail about the plot and premise here because the blurb pretty much tells you everything you need to know. Satan got fired and now lives in exile in Birmingham under the name of Jeremy Clovenhoof.
And this exile makes for some hilarious shenanigans and a lot of dirty jokes. Because what could possibly go wrong when a guy with the moral compass of...well...Satan tries to adjust to a regular life on earth? Well, let me tell you, it's a lot and that is just AWESOME. I also love that Clovenhoof, aside from being a menace and an utter pain in the ass to everyone who meets him, has something decidedly human about him and in his own satanic way tries to fix his mistakes. Of course that goes wrong most of the time, too. But he IS trying.
As I said, I won't go into detail about the plot. So I'll keep it short and just say that I loved the book, loved the characters and loved the humour, which can be placed somewhere in the direction of Terry Pratchett's and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, but maybe a bit dirtier and with an emphasis on Birmingham. If you've already read Oddjobs and liked it, don't even think about it, just read Clovenhoof.
And this exile makes for some hilarious shenanigans and a lot of dirty jokes. Because what could possibly go wrong when a guy with the moral compass of...well...Satan tries to adjust to a regular life on earth? Well, let me tell you, it's a lot and that is just AWESOME. I also love that Clovenhoof, aside from being a menace and an utter pain in the ass to everyone who meets him, has something decidedly human about him and in his own satanic way tries to fix his mistakes. Of course that goes wrong most of the time, too. But he IS trying.
As I said, I won't go into detail about the plot. So I'll keep it short and just say that I loved the book, loved the characters and loved the humour, which can be placed somewhere in the direction of Terry Pratchett's and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, but maybe a bit dirtier and with an emphasis on Birmingham. If you've already read Oddjobs and liked it, don't even think about it, just read Clovenhoof.
April 29, 2023
4.5*
Clovenhoof reads like the novelisation of a sit-com. It has several 'episodes' and at one point I even considered whether the authors had craftily got me reading short stories (I'm not a fan) just by bundling them together into alleged chapters. To be honest I don't really care as I very much enjoyed this book.
Satan, under the guise of Jeremy Clovenhoof, his new neighbours Ben and Nerys, his friend and worshipper Pitspawn and his nemesis The Archangel Michael are brilliantly characterised. Clovenhoof has next to no idea how to live in modern Britain and some of what ensues is hilarious. I particularly enjoyed a bookshop scene involving misunderstandings over the works of Terry Pratchett.
BBB2 or Channel 4 should option this book!
Clovenhoof reads like the novelisation of a sit-com. It has several 'episodes' and at one point I even considered whether the authors had craftily got me reading short stories (I'm not a fan) just by bundling them together into alleged chapters. To be honest I don't really care as I very much enjoyed this book.
Satan, under the guise of Jeremy Clovenhoof, his new neighbours Ben and Nerys, his friend and worshipper Pitspawn and his nemesis The Archangel Michael are brilliantly characterised. Clovenhoof has next to no idea how to live in modern Britain and some of what ensues is hilarious. I particularly enjoyed a bookshop scene involving misunderstandings over the works of Terry Pratchett.
BBB2 or Channel 4 should option this book!
July 1, 2020
I’ve had this book on my kindle for so long now that I’d almost forgotten it was there until a friend mentioned she was reading it too. And I’m so glad she did!
The idea of Satan being fired from hell and sent earth to live as a human leads to alsorts of hilarious moments as he tries to navigate the world. I love the humour and the other characters that he meets are also great too.
A great read and I’m straight onto the next in the series (there are eight in all)
The idea of Satan being fired from hell and sent earth to live as a human leads to alsorts of hilarious moments as he tries to navigate the world. I love the humour and the other characters that he meets are also great too.
A great read and I’m straight onto the next in the series (there are eight in all)
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