Book Review: First Among Sequels (67 of 100)

m relieved that there is one more Jasper Fforde novel. It’s called shades of Grey. I had thought First Among Sequels was the last and was sad for the loss of Jasper. First Among Sequels is the story of Thursday, her husband Landen Parke-Laine, and her two/three, it depends; read the book and you’ll see, children. In this book, real Thursday meets and opposes fictional Thursday. There are three Thursdays in the book- the regular one, the violence obsessed one, and the hippie who reminds me of my ex.

In addition, there is a time travel crisis, which may or may not be good to solve. Thursday must also try to help her son become the man he is supposed to become- Director General of the Coronoguard. My favorite part of the book, being a poet, was when Thursday was placed in a poem, as opposed to the typical fiction she always runs about in. There were a few phrases I wrote down, because they are beautiful descriptions of my discipline. 1) They don’t do nothing by half measures down at poetry. 2) The thing you discover in poetry is your true personality.

Thursday has one more problem (like she needs one). Like Jack Spratt, she's big time in the "lie to your spouse" area. Never, I repeat never, a good idea.

I rate this book a 7.75. It’s fun, but not a coherent as the book beforehand, Something Rotten. Still I think you’ll like it.

Book Review: Something Rotten (Book 56 of 100)

This is the 4th book in the Thursday Next series. There is one more to go and then I'll be like other fans waiting on a new installment. I'm happy to report that the more Fforde I read the more sense it makes. This makes me because at one point at compare Jasper Fforde to the Bible, in terms of confusion in regards to the verses Genesis 36-38. Perhaps the more Bible I read it will go as the Thursday Next series did, that is to become more and more clear.

I'm happy to report that Thursday got her husband back, but I won't tell you how. Now will I spoil the end for you, which was very surprising, wonderful, and lucid. I liked learning even more about the Well of Lost Plots. Another bonus feature was the long Neanderthal section. I'm glad that the 'thals as they are called triumphed over the evil Goliath corporation and learned how to correct their enforced sterility, a cruel corporate check. One thing I like about Fforde is that he quietly condemns things like cloning, without beating his readers over the head with his opinions.

I rate this book an 8.5. I think that was because it just makes more sense and is written much more traditionally in terms of narrative arch. I think my readers will like it, even though this book makes the most sense of the quartet, I think all readers should start as I did with The Eyre Affair. It will help you understand Thursday's universe

Book Review: The Well of Lost Plots (Book 53 of 100)

Another Thursday Next adventure, in this one she must deal with a memory stealer and, at the same time save fiction. You see, Thursday is escaping from the evil Goliath corporation. Being a literary detective, she opts to hide out in unfinished book land.

Being a writer myself, I loved The Well of Lost Plots. All that adventure and those crazy book characters, especially Randolph and Lola, two original characters, called generics, who Thursday needs to advise in romantic matters. I know it's not real, but the story convinced me never to destroy another manuscript. None of my characters are going to end up on the auction block. It seems to much like slavery. I love the people I create, nothing bad should happen to them. I couldn't bare it.

This book is very well organized, especially for Jasper Fforde. It actually made sense. It also explained how the second Fforde series The Nursery Crimes come into being. I liked it, rating 8.5 for organization and originality. Keep it up in Something Rotten (the forth book in the series which I'm listening to as I type this) Jasper.

Book Review: Lost in a Good Book (Book 47 of 100)

Lost in a Good Book is the next chapter of the Thursday Next Adventures by Jasper Fforde. I've been kind of under the weather today. And as always when I'm under the weather, a good book helps keep me sane. I like this second installment much better than the first. It made more sense, but that may have just been because I wasn't accidentally replaying parts I already played without realizing it.

So much happens to poor Thursday in this book, I've lost count of her misfortunes. Her husband is eradicated which is apparently something they do in this universe without much thought. She gets an F evaluation at work. Her father dies--sort of. And she almost comes to our world, but decided against it. I realized the list of events I've outlined seem a little confusing, but don't worry, so is the book. One you read it, it all makes a weird kind of sense.

I rate this book a 7 out of 10. Half a more readable than the first novel. Still, not exactly my cup of tea. My favorite characters in the book are Dodos, Neanderthals and Thursday. I know I'm supposed to like Landon, but he doesn't do it for me, although I'm sorry about his eradication.

All that said, I think most people would enjoy this book. Just be careful not to think too hard about it while you read, your head might explode.

Book Review: The Eyre Affair (book 44 out of 100)

I like time travel novels, as you all know. The first Thursday Next novel: The Eyre Affair is just such a novel. Everyone loved it, which usually means I will hate it. I wasn’t thrilled with it. I’m not sure what’s going on. In this weird alternative history novel, people can jump back and forth into famous novels, for example Jane Eyre.

This world is weird. They have Dodos (the extinct birds) as pets and books are a high commodity. I don’t understand the universe, as of yet, but will read more. Shakespeare doesn’t exist (don’t ask me how).

Thursday Next is a literature detective or literatech. Her job is to protect works of literature. Being a bibliophile, you’d think I’d love this kind of work. However, I’m not thrilled with it.

I like Thursday Next, her long suffering love interest Landen, and their pet Dodo. They are very interesting characters. I hope that the next few novels will clarify the world, so I can see Thursday as the wonder the rest of the planet seems to.

For now, on first read-however- 6.5. As I said, I liked the characters, but the plot made little sense. In fact, I think one part of the story was repeated verbatim in another part, but that may have just been my misplaying. I won’t truly form a opinion until I read the second book, which should hopefully arrive from the library tomorrow.