The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove

Got The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore for XMas - Never heard of it and never heard of the author - not that I can remember anyway. Just finished it and I'm quite thrilled that I've read it.
Normally I'm not one for reading any sort of fiction. Somehow, most fiction can't even hold a smoldering match to the miraculous hilarity that is the ass of a great non-fiction book - but this one sure did. One good indicator was that I got some great side splitting laughter out of it and I hardly ever laugh, let alone when reading fiction. [see the "Catfish" section starting on page 277 0f the paperback edition]
As far as comparing the book to anything - it gave me the same feeling as when I first read Still Life With Woodpecker - a Tom Robbins' book before he went droll.

• Yes, there is a lizard.
• Yes, there is lust.
• Yes, there is a melancholy cove.

Here is an excerpt that struck me as exceptionally masterful.

Catfish

A Bluesman hates to be told what to do. Authority rankles him, inspires his rebellion, and plays to his need to self-destruct. A Bluesman doesn't take to having a boss unless he's on a chain gang (for the chain gang boss ranks below only a mean old woman and a sweet young thing in the hierarchy of the Blues Muse, followed closely by bad liquor, a dead dog, and the Man)[...]

For background info check out Christopher Moore's website.