What exactly do you say about a book that's so over the top it's... the literary equivalent of a Will Ferrell movie. Replete with overwrought prose, this is Santa origin story that has to be experienced to be believed. The author not quite seamlessly blends zombies, Christmas, sexism, a completely narcissistic and entirely clueless idiot with great genetics, turning very little plot into something surprisingly readable. Basically, lots of things die as gorily as possible and the hero never gets any smarter. A cleverly cynical take on the whole Christmas ethos, and once picked up, it's hard to put down. ( )

Claws was just an ordinary guy with superhuman strength, boxing for cash to line the pockets of his manager and best friend Morty, until the fateful night when a dragon attacks the village, and sets off a chain of events that will change his whole life. After meeting the love of his life, he suddenly finds his mission -- to rid the world of zombies, while caring for a horde of baby dragons he accidentally orphaned. Can he save the world, defeat his nemesis, and please his wife all at the same time?

This is a hilarious and gloriously gory story of the Santa Claus we never knew but wish we did. A twist on traditional fairy tales in the vein of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, it's a rollicking tale of love, hate and decapitation. I especially loved the imaginative fight scenes and amusingly naughty figures of speech. And of course, the dragons!

Santa's journey from manipulated street fighter to ... well ... manipulated husband and father, was an intriguing journey for his character. The only reservation I have is that the storyline suddenly skips forward in time about 20 years at one point, and it took me a little time to get used to it. But once I did, I re-engaged in the story and I couldn't put it down. A welcome antidote to the usual cloyingly sweets sentiments of the Christmas season.

Would I read more by this author? YES! ( )