Review: THE LAST DRAGONSLAYER by Jasper Fforde

Title: The Last Dragonslayer
Author: Jasper Fforde
Pub info: HMH Books for Young Readers, 2012
Genre: MG fantasy, 287 pp

This is the first book in the Chronicles of Kazam series. Two are out so far, and thank goodness they don't end on cliffhangers.

Goodreads summary:

In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

Status: finished 3/13/14

My impressions:
I remember reading and laughing along with Jasper Fforde in his Thursday Next books, a series in which the detective solves crimes that occur within the pages of literature. (It's complicated and hilarious.) Fforde's voice in this new MG/borderline YA series comes through loud and clear: Here are his trademark array of zany characters (wizards with names like the Mysterious X and Full Price), quick satiric humor, and quippy dialogue. The Last Dragonslayer was a fun, whimsical fantasy with lots of real-world references thrown in, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The humor distanced me a bit from the characters--I can't say I was wholeheartedly invested in them, because some seem more like archetypes than real people. Still, for light fun and humor, you can't beat this clever author.

About Jasper Fforde:
Jasper Fforde is a novelist living in Wales. He is the son of John Standish Fforde, the 24th Chief Cashier for the Bank of England, whose signature used to appear on sterling banknotes. His published books include a series of novels for adults starring Thursday Next, including The Eyre Affair (2001) and  Lost in a Good Book (2002). Jasper also writes the Nursery Crimes series for adults, in which Detective Jack Spratt solves crimes inflicted by and upon nursery-rhyme characters (The Big Over Easy, 2005). The third book in the Chronicles of Kazam is called The Eye of Zoltar and is coming in October. (Note: Pub dates are for the USA releases; Fforde's books release earlier in the UK.)

Online:
Visit Jasper's very busy website here for fun stuff and news about his books and appearances. His Twitter page is here, and you can find him here on Facebook.


Want to win a free copy of this book? The first Monday of each month features a giveaway of any of the titles I've reviewed the previous month. Pick your fave, enter, and win!  Next giveaway: April 7.

SIGN UP HERE TO RECEIVE A BRIEF EMAIL WHENEVER A NEW GIVEAWAY BEGINS.

To follow my progress as I bulldoze my way through a stack of 51 to-be-reads this year, search for the tag 2014 TBR Shelf. Read all the reviews here.