Review: THE SONG OF THE QUARKBEAST by Jasper Fforde

Title: The Song of the Quarkbeast
Author: Jasper Fforde
Pub info: HMH Books for Young Readers, 2013
Genre: MG fantasy, 289 pp

Having just finished The Last Dragonslayer, I had to move on to The Song of the Quarkbeast, the second book in Fforde's Chronicles of Kazam series. It was just as much fun as the first.

Goodreads summary:

Long ago, magic began to fade, and the underemployed magicians of Kazam Mystical Arts Management have been forced to take any work their sixteen-year-old acting manager, Jennifer Strange, can scare up. But things are about to change. Magical power is finally on the rise, and King Snodd IV, of the Ununited Kingdoms knows that he who controls magic controls everything. Only one person stands between Snodd and his plans for a magic-grab--and that's Jennifer.

Yet even smart and sensible Jennifer would have trouble against these powers-that-be. The king and his cronies will do anything to succeed--including ordering a just-might-be-rigged contest between Kazam and iMagic, Kazam's only competitor in the magic business. With underhanded shenanigans afoot, how can Kazam possibly win?

Whatever happens, one this is certain: Jennifer Strange will not relinquish the noble powers of magic without a fight.

Status: finished 3/19/14

My impressions:
Last week I reviewed the first book in the Chronicles of Kazam, and this novel is a fantastic follow-up. With the world-building securely in place and our already-beloved characters ready for action, this book proceeds more smoothly than #1 and gives us a bit more substance to chew on alongside the humor. There's plenty of action, too, if not quite as much magic. And I can't lie that I was overjoyed to see the word Quarkbeast in the title, considering some plot points from Book #1 that I won't reveal here. I loved learning more about Kazam's wizards as well as the fascinating origins of the Quarkbeast itself.

And here's a perhaps oft-overlooked plus: Jasper writes wonderful, believable, strong female characters. While that perhaps shouldn't be a big deal, it is--because not enough male writers can pull it off. Kudos!

Finally, one of the things I love best about these books is the extent to which the reader's imagination is engaged: It's up to you to imagine exactly what a Quarkbeast looks like, and yet I have a clear picture of it in my mind, just like I know precisely what Jennifer, Tiger, and the Transient Moose look like. And I love them all.

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? Next week I'm giving away your choice of the 5 books I reviewed during Middle Grade March Madness (oh yeah, and one adult novel too). Pick your fave, enter, and win!

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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.

And be sure to visit Shannon Messenger's blog to see more fun links to great middle-grade reads and giveaways!

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.

TBR 2014: Books No. 8 and 9

Upping the ante! Next up are two books by Jasper Fforde: The Last Dragonslayer (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2010) and its sequel, The Song of the Quarkbeast (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2013). If I don't like the first one, I'll likely ditch the second, but knowing Fforde's strengths as a writer, I'll probably gobble them both up.

“Features the same delightful mix of magic and everyday absurdity that characterizes [Fforde’s] other books. . . . Readers both young and adult will get hours of pleasure visiting these Ununited Kingdoms.” —NPR Books, online review

"Fforde's foray into children's books will delight readers who like their fantasy with a dash of silliness.”  —Publishers Weekly, starred review

I'm excited! You?

That's right: I've committed to reading all the books on my TBR Shelf this year--and blogging them! Click here to read the reviews I've posted so far.