Jasper Fforde has to be one of the funniest people I've ever met. I met him at a book signing in Hey-on-Wye, where our friends, who run the local bakery, had sponsored him for several years, but hadn't this year due to a communications failure of some kind. Still, despite the fact that they ... Read review
Advantages: Hilariously funny and extremely engaging Disadvantages: You might die of laughter
Jasper Fforde has to be one of the funniest people I've ever met. I met him at a book signing in Hey-on-Wye, where our friends, who run the local bakery, had sponsored him for several years, but hadn't this year due to a communications failure of some kind. Still, despite the fact that they weren't sponsoring him, he'd written them a jingle, which he read out at his presentation.
Fforde is as good a stand-up comedian as he is an author, ... ...again after it gets the Jasper Fforde treatment. Every book he has written is a pleasure to read and will bring a smile to your face at the most random times, when you see a book sale, for example, or when you see a gingerbread man. If you want to know what I'm talking about, you'll have to read them, won't you? ... more
Jasper Fforde has to be one of the funniest people I've ever met. I met him at a book signing in Hey-on-Wye, where our friends, who run the local bakery, had sponsored him for several years, but hadn't this year due to a communications failure of some kind. Still, despite the fact that they weren't sponsoring him, he'd written them a jingle, which he read out at his presentation.
Fforde is as good a stand-up comedian as he is an author, which is high praise. He was funny, engaging and extremely friendly, and it's an event which I will never forget.
But, as this is a review of the author, I should probably talk about his writing. When I started reading his books, he was quite an obscure author, with a fairly small following. In the intervening years, his phenomenon has grown, not quite to the level of Terry Pratchett (who I saw him on stage with), but he's certainly getting that way. His books are set in a parallel universe, inside books mostly, and provide a hlarious insite into what our favourite characters get up to when they're not involved with the story (probably inspired by his work in the film industry).
His writng style is easy and natural, and so much fun. The books aren't hard to get into, although they're fairly hard to get out of, and you will never look at any book the same way again after it gets the Jasper Fforde treatment. Every book he has written is a pleasure to read and will bring a smile to your face at the most random times, when you see a book sale, for example, or when you see a gingerbread man. If you want to know what I'm talking about, you'll have to read them, won't you?
Advantages: full of amusing moments and mentions of nursery rhyme characters. Disadvantages: bit hectic in some places, characters which aren't needed.
I am not completely sure why I picked this book up. The front cover-a cartoon esque image of a detective-suggests to me a story basd in years gone by. An era which fails to interest me. It also states that 'it is very funny.' Another aspect which makes me wary. One mans P G Wodehouse is another mans Tom Holt. If that makes sense.
JasperFforde, author of The Eyre Affair and Something Rotten seems to be well known for his amusing novels although I've rarely come across any. Until now that is. Based in Reading, The Big Over Easy is the first book out of the Nursery Crime series.
In an alternative style world where it would be perfectly normal to come across a greek god living in a rented house with a strict land lady, Mr Humpty Dumpty has fallen off of his wall for the last time. The 65 year old egg who has an eye for the ladies ...
Advantages: Brilliantly written as ever :-) Disadvantages: I prefer the older covers - but it's still good!
Well, I do love the books!
When I read The Eyre Affair I felt like it had been written just for me and since then nothing has changed!
I eagerly await the next Next book to come and I have not been in the slightest disappointed with any of them.
This latest installment was just as wonderful as those that came before it - JasperFforde has managed to keep up the humor, mystery and action into his fourth book.
As in the previous books the ideas are brilliantly original and so well written that you are totally drawn into the other dimension that he has created.
Like all of the Thursday Next books it is clever, funny and extremely well written - what more can anyone want? ...
Advantages: Wildly entertaining, funny and engaging Disadvantages: Background from the past three books is pretty necessary
After waiting a whole year for the new book, I read the fourth Thursday Next book, 'Something Rotten', in the space of an afternoon. Once again JasperFforde is on top form.
If you haven't read any of the past three books - (in order) 'The Eyre Affair', 'Lost in a Good Book' or 'The Well of Lost Plots' - I suggest you start at the beginning of the series right now. Although this book itself makes a good read, it is definitely a great advantage to read them in order.
'Something Rotten' sees Thursday Next, the literary detective and head of Jurisfiction (the division that polices books from within), return to the real world and her home town of Swindon with her son Friday and two dodos in tow. It's the same old 'Thusday saves the World' scenario, but this time it all depends on a croquet match. It's not all as simple as it ...
