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Mojo and the Pickle Jar
A DEMON IN A PICKLE JAR?
That's what Juanita claimed, but to Mojo the thing in the jar looked more like a diseased crab apple.
But that was before Grandmother called the Dark Lady of Guadalupe--and blue lightning struck and the Hounds of Hell came out and strange saints like the Black Lord of Chalma began popping up around Mojo like hothouse flowers.
Mojo will discover what's in the jar...and along the way he'll learn what the secret of hell really is, how to preach down an archdevil by belittling his genitalia...and why you must always have a statue of Elvis on the dashboard of your car...in Douglas Bell's Mojo and the Pickle Jar.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
That's what Juanita claimed, but to Mojo the thing in the jar looked more like a diseased crab apple.
But that was before Grandmother called the Dark Lady of Guadalupe--and blue lightning struck and the Hounds of Hell came out and strange saints like the Black Lord of Chalma began popping up around Mojo like hothouse flowers.
Mojo will discover what's in the jar...and along the way he'll learn what the secret of hell really is, how to preach down an archdevil by belittling his genitalia...and why you must always have a statue of Elvis on the dashboard of your car...in Douglas Bell's Mojo and the Pickle Jar.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 7, 2024
Like if American Gods had been written by Joe R. Lansdale, only published a decade earlier, and featuring strictly deities from Catholic lore instead of various beliefs from around the world. “But wait,” you might say, “Catholicism only has one god.” Well, as someone who was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school for eight years, I can tell you that the Virgin Mary is treated almost like a god, and is prayed to and worshiped nearly as much as the God/Jesus/Holy Spirit trinity, at least in my experience. Then you have all the various saints, who, since they seemingly have the power to hear and answer prayers, are like lesser gods or demigods. Plus Satan, who has godlike powers. Oh and the angels. So, while one can argue they’re not quite gods, they’re definitely more than human, and they make for good fodder for a comedic fantasy/horror roadtrip novel such as this.
It was a blast pretty much straight through, and the only reason I’m going with 4 stars instead of 5 is because, as ridiculously far fetched as the entire story is, it became a little too over the top for me toward the end. Still fun as hell, but I felt it lost a little something with the relentless silliness. The mystery and intrigue dissipated just a bit. But if you’re down for a humorous holy grail-esque, demon-haunted roadtrip/adventure through Texas and New Mexico (and possibly Hell as well), with the charismatic slacker Mojo; his hot newfound drug dealer friend Juanita; a gruff no-nonsense Texas Ranger; and an endearing old mystical Catholic lady for company, and featuring cameos from various saints and all manner of unholy beasties, you should have a good time. The constant action and supernatural intrusions, not to mention the many eccentric personalities they meet along the way, ensure that it’s never boring, and I can only hope that a sequel (or anything else at all from author Douglas Bell) turns up one day.
I normally don’t care for Christian-based mythology in my fiction (thank you Catholic school!), but this was an exception that I’m glad I took a chance on.
Thanks to Jordan for the rec!
It was a blast pretty much straight through, and the only reason I’m going with 4 stars instead of 5 is because, as ridiculously far fetched as the entire story is, it became a little too over the top for me toward the end. Still fun as hell, but I felt it lost a little something with the relentless silliness. The mystery and intrigue dissipated just a bit. But if you’re down for a humorous holy grail-esque, demon-haunted roadtrip/adventure through Texas and New Mexico (and possibly Hell as well), with the charismatic slacker Mojo; his hot newfound drug dealer friend Juanita; a gruff no-nonsense Texas Ranger; and an endearing old mystical Catholic lady for company, and featuring cameos from various saints and all manner of unholy beasties, you should have a good time. The constant action and supernatural intrusions, not to mention the many eccentric personalities they meet along the way, ensure that it’s never boring, and I can only hope that a sequel (or anything else at all from author Douglas Bell) turns up one day.
I normally don’t care for Christian-based mythology in my fiction (thank you Catholic school!), but this was an exception that I’m glad I took a chance on.
Thanks to Jordan for the rec!
September 23, 2017
I almost don't know what to say. This is a remarkable book. It is a remarkably intelligent book hiding in a book pretending to just be goofy. It is a remarkably fun and well paced novel. It is remarkably original without being even slightly pretentious. It is funny in a literate way, without looking down on the reader from the thin air of the neighborhoods of the literatie. It has great characters and a really fun story about grace and redemption. And it has a lot of cuss words. Worth the short time it took to read, and would have been worth more. Just wish I knew what happened to the author, because he doesn't appear to have ever written anything else.
September 20, 2021
I guess this book is not very popular but I actually found it very entertaining at a time when I needed that the most. The plot is very random and it is almost impossible to guess what is going to happen next. The story itself is fast moving and I liked that. Its also zany with some wild ideas and many crazy situations. I guess it would be called fantasy but it does have some elements of quantum mechanics as well i believe so parts of it could be considered science fiction. It sure does ask you to think about reality and has a unique perspective.
I read this one fast. It is definitely an adventure story at its heart. The main characters are not exactly good or bad. They are somewhere in between...but probably lean towards the bad side of things. Yet they are the heroes as well.
I thing i definitely liked was how the environment of Texas and New Mexico played a big part in the story. It wasn't just some generic setting. Specific plants were named and I had to go look them up to better understand the story. The story also includes some history as well. Both are nice touches.
A fun and exciting romp through the desert being chased by demons. I believe this is an overlooked jem.
I read this one fast. It is definitely an adventure story at its heart. The main characters are not exactly good or bad. They are somewhere in between...but probably lean towards the bad side of things. Yet they are the heroes as well.
I thing i definitely liked was how the environment of Texas and New Mexico played a big part in the story. It wasn't just some generic setting. Specific plants were named and I had to go look them up to better understand the story. The story also includes some history as well. Both are nice touches.
A fun and exciting romp through the desert being chased by demons. I believe this is an overlooked jem.
May 6, 2024
If Big Trouble in Little China were a Chinese Buffet, Mojo and the Pickle Jar would be the Tex-Mex place next door.
April 26, 2020
A more than decent little time-passer of a book.
Essentially a written chase movie with lots of quirky characters, an improbable hero, Mexican saints, and lots of demons. Oh, and a trip to the very outer reaches of the vastness of the Universe.
Fun.
Essentially a written chase movie with lots of quirky characters, an improbable hero, Mexican saints, and lots of demons. Oh, and a trip to the very outer reaches of the vastness of the Universe.
Fun.
December 17, 2012
Mojo and the Pickle Jar is exactly what it says on the tin, a wild fantasy romp through the Southwest with a girl who claims to have a demon in a pickle jar. It is a short, fun, fast-paced little adventure novel that you can read in an afternoon and still have time to do the laundry. Notable only for being some of the most efficient prose I've ever seen. Douglas Bell uses the least words necessary to paint his picture and suggest the action. Which means that reading the book goes at about the same pace as the action. It is no more and no less than what it's supposed to be, quick and fun.
April 19, 2013
This is by far one of the best (not part of a series) books I have ever read. I read it over twenty years ago, and I still remember it fondly. So Unless you have no sense of humor, or you're dead you will probably love it. At the very least I believe you will like it a whole lot.
January 8, 2009
An odd book where the (anti)hero gets dragged along through some odd adventures due to a supposed demon in a pickle jar. It's... different.
September 17, 2013
This book is fast paced and surprisingly, spiritual - in a way. It is well written and I really liked it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews