Fforde,
Jasper. The
Song of the Quarkbeast. (series:
The Chronicles of Kazam) Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt Brace
2013
289p
$16.99 ISBN 978-0-547-73848-2 ms/hs Fantasy E-BN
It’s not often that one can say that a
sequel holds up to the first book in a series, but this one surely does. In Fforde’s newest universe, Hereford in the
Ununited Kingdoms, magic is now making a comeback due to Jennifer Strange’s
place in the Big Magic when she is declared the Last Dragonslayer. She is able to make sure that each of her magic-makers
of Kazam Mystical Arts Management now has a full work schedule. Jennifer, foundling and indentured servant,
manages this magical employment agency/boarding house. Not yet sixteen, she has been in charge since
her mentor, the Great Zambini, disappeared. Kazam must now
rebuild an ancient bridge before its competitors from iMagic can defeat it. Supported
by King Snodd and his evil minions, iMagic will do anything to destroy
Kazam. It will be up to Jennifer to get
to the bottom (in this case, of a well) and make sure that good conquers evil
one more time. She will temper the
ongoing chaos with her common sense and good nature. This twist on fairy tales provides a
wonderfully funny book. As in all good
tales, however, there are questions of morality and philosophy to discuss and
evil and greed to overcome. Fforde holds
the reader entranced throughout this engaging and suspenseful fantasy. It is thoughtful, thought provoking, and
wonderfully funny, all at the same time.
Jennifer is a worthy soul sister to Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching. The next volume in the series will be
breathlessly awaited.
Summary: Jennifer Strange returns to Hereford in the Ununited Kingdoms to
continue her management of Kazam Mystical Arts in this outstanding sequel to The
Last Dragonslayer. Jennifer
is a worthy soul sister to Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching.
Fantasy-Fiction, Magic-Fiction --Susan
Ogintz
No comments:
Post a Comment