Jasper Fforde, Thursday Next series

CommanderROR · 08-29-2007, 06:13 AM

Hi folks,

I'm just starting into the newest volume of the "Thursday Next" series by Jasper Fforde. I'm not too far into the story yet, but already enjoying it vastly.
The book is called "First among Sequels" and is (as usual) funny as hell.

Unfortunately there is no ebook version yet, so I'm reading it in paper

right now, but some of the Fforde books are availaible as ebooks already, so I guess this one should follow soon.

Jasper Fforde is the only author I have found so far that comes pretty close to Terry Pratchett in my personal ranking. The amount of weirdness that his books contain, the interesting stories, unexpected plot-twists and especially the huge amount of humour that he pours into all his books are just great.

The Thursday Next series is something of a "Cops-and-Robbers" story, but set in such a strange and warped reality that it is just totally different. If you don't know Jasper Fforde yet, then I'd recommend starting with the "Eyre Affair" and going through the entire series from there (the first books are all out there as ebooks I think), if you already know him, then you should be reading the newest story right now...

For some reason Jasper Fforde is not as popular as Pratchett and Douglas Adams yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time...and the good this is that he's still quite young and might still be writing for quite a few years...

paulkbiba · 08-29-2007, 09:43 AM

Hear! Hear! I agree with you 100% Fforde is one of the cleverest authors I've read in a long time. The only caveat is that you should be fairly well read, yourself, in order to understand all the literary allusions.

NatCh · 08-29-2007, 11:42 AM

I read the first one, and I agree that it's well written and a good story (as well as the need for being literarily aware), but it just didn't appeal to me all that greatly. I agree that they're worth taking a look at for those who haven't.

DMcCunney · 08-29-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommanderROR

Hi folks,

I'm just starting into the newest volume of the "Thursday Next" series by Jasper Fforde. I'm not too far into the story yet, but already enjoying it vastly.
The book is called "Best among Sequels" and is (as usual) funny as hell.

The "Thursday Next" books are just wonderful. Nice to see another convert.

Quote:

Jasper Fforde is the only author I have found so far that comes pretty close to Terry Pratchett in my personal ranking. The amount of weirdness that his books contain, the interesting stories, unexpected plot-twists and especially the huge amount of humour that he pours into all his books are just great.

I actually like Fforde better than Pratchett. Terry is a lovely chap, but Discworld never connected with me.

Quote:

For some reason Jasper Fforde is not as popular as Pratchett and Douglas Adams yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time...and the good this is that he's still quite young and might still be writing for quite a few years...

I don't see him becoming more than a cult figure, alas. His stuff is wonderful, but requires you to know various things and love literature to really appreciate it. I fear most readers simply won't get his work.
______
Dennis

The GreatGonzo · 08-29-2007, 12:49 PM

What has to happen now is that somebody who's in a position to do so should insert the following sentence - or one much like it - somewhere in a new print edition of Pride & Prejudice:

"At this moment, Thursday Next ran through the crowded drawing room, hoping desperately that she wouldn't be noticed by the readers."

I'm actually thinking about doing this with one of my Austen e-books, hoping I'll forget I did it, and then getting a huge laugh out of it next time I read it....

BenG · 08-29-2007, 08:44 PM

I read The Eyre Affair a couple of weeks ago. What a great book!
And Fforde's books are available on Sony CONNECT.

MaggieScratch · 09-02-2007, 07:49 PM

I tell my friends that Fforde's books are porn for English majors.

NatCh · 09-04-2007, 12:13 PM

Heh, my wife will like that, she's an english prof.

bojan · 09-04-2007, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommanderROR

The book is called "Best among Sequels" and is (as usual) funny as hell.

Unfortunately there is no ebook version yet, so I'm reading it in paper

I guess you meant "First Among Sequels", and it actually is available at Mobipocket for a "modest" price of 25$, while the hardcover edition at Amazon costs 17$.

I'm just reading The Eyre Affair that I bought at Mobipocket, and I like a lot. But it just feels kind of stupid to have to pay 25% more for the eBook version in comparison to the paperback at Amazon.

JSWolf · 09-12-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bojan

I guess you meant "First Among Sequels", and it actually is available at Mobipocket for a "modest" price of 25$, while the hardcover edition at Amazon costs 17$.

I'm just reading The Eyre Affair that I bought at Mobipocket, and I like a lot. But it just feels kind of stupid to have to pay 25% more for the eBook version in comparison to the paperback at Amazon.

$19.21 at PaperBackDigital and $19.96 at BooksOnBoard if you'd rather MS Reader format then MobiPocket.

So why is MobiPocket.com so expensive in comparison?

bojan · 09-14-2007, 07:21 PM

I have learned about PaperBackDigital and BooksOnBoard only recently, and I will certainly be buying some books from them.

But good books, that I will want to reread in next years, I will be still buying from Mobipocket, because I believe(hope) that they have the best chances of not going down in near future. This is enough for me, to pay little more on Mobipocket, and maybe this is why they can afford higher prices than other stores.

JSWolf · 09-14-2007, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bojan

I have learned about PaperBackDigital and BooksOnBoard only recently, and I will certainly be buying some books from them.

But good books, that I will want to reread in next years, I will be still buying from Mobipocket, because I believe(hope) that they have the best chances of not going down in near future. This is enough for me, to pay little more on Mobipocket, and maybe this is why they can afford higher prices than other stores.

I'll continue to break the DRM and from there my books will work far into the future.

FixB · 11-24-2007, 12:10 PM

I'm looking for the 4th book in the series : "Something rotten", but can't seem to find it as an ebook (I don't want to read "First Among Sequels", available at fictionwise for example before reading the 4th !

)

CommanderROR · 11-25-2007, 09:21 AM

I bought it in hardcover because I could not find it as ebook at the time, and I just checked my usual sources and could not find it now either although the other books fron the series seem to be there...sad...

I must add something to the things I wrote about the latest Fforde novel "First among Sequels" because although it was nice to read, it lacked the story-drive of the other books. It also hints heavily at more Fforde Thursday Next books to come...and it feels a bit like a "to be continued" story. I hope Fforde gets back into his usual quality of storytelling with the next volume...

FixB · 11-25-2007, 10:10 AM

Thanks for the answer... Too bad.. I'll try and find the hardcover in my local library, but it will certainly be in french.

08-29-2007, 06:13 AM	#1
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Jasper Fforde, Thursday Next series Hi folks, I'm just starting into the newest volume of the "Thursday Next" series by Jasper Fforde. I'm not too far into the story yet, but already enjoying it vastly. The book is called "First among Sequels" and is (as usual) funny as hell. Unfortunately there is no ebook version yet, so I'm reading it in paper right now, but some of the Fforde books are availaible as ebooks already, so I guess this one should follow soon. Jasper Fforde is the only author I have found so far that comes pretty close to Terry Pratchett in my personal ranking. The amount of weirdness that his books contain, the interesting stories, unexpected plot-twists and especially the huge amount of humour that he pours into all his books are just great. The Thursday Next series is something of a "Cops-and-Robbers" story, but set in such a strange and warped reality that it is just totally different. If you don't know Jasper Fforde yet, then I'd recommend starting with the "Eyre Affair" and going through the entire series from there (the first books are all out there as ebooks I think), if you already know him, then you should be reading the newest story right now... For some reason Jasper Fforde is not as popular as Pratchett and Douglas Adams yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time...and the good this is that he's still quite young and might still be writing for quite a few years...

09-14-2007, 07:21 PM	#11
bojan Enthusiast Posts: 48 Karma: 68 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Slovenia Device: iRex iLiad	I have learned about PaperBackDigital and BooksOnBoard only recently, and I will certainly be buying some books from them. But good books, that I will want to reread in next years, I will be still buying from Mobipocket, because I believe(hope) that they have the best chances of not going down in near future. This is enough for me, to pay little more on Mobipocket, and maybe this is why they can afford higher prices than other stores. Last edited by bojan; 09-14-2007 at 07:24 PM.

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08-29-2007, 09:43 AM	#2
paulkbiba Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 45 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Device: Nokia e61i, iPhone	Hear! Hear! I agree with you 100% Fforde is one of the cleverest authors I've read in a long time. The only caveat is that you should be fairly well read, yourself, in order to understand all the literary allusions.

08-29-2007, 11:42 AM	#3
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I read the first one, and I agree that it's well written and a good story (as well as the need for being literarily aware), but it just didn't appeal to me all that greatly. I agree that they're worth taking a look at for those who haven't.

08-29-2007, 12:49 PM	#5
The GreatGonzo Old Yeller Posts: 180 Karma: 67 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad & Kindle - The Best of Both Worlds	What has to happen now is that somebody who's in a position to do so should insert the following sentence - or one much like it - somewhere in a new print edition of Pride & Prejudice: "At this moment, Thursday Next ran through the crowded drawing room, hoping desperately that she wouldn't be noticed by the readers." I'm actually thinking about doing this with one of my Austen e-books, hoping I'll forget I did it, and then getting a huge laugh out of it next time I read it....

08-29-2007, 08:44 PM	#6
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	I read The Eyre Affair a couple of weeks ago. What a great book! And Fforde's books are available on Sony CONNECT.

09-02-2007, 07:49 PM	#7
MaggieScratch Has got to the black veil Posts: 542 Karma: 2144168 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Device: Kobo Aura One, Kindle Paperwhite 2	I tell my friends that Fforde's books are porn for English majors.

09-04-2007, 12:13 PM	#8
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Heh, my wife will like that, she's an english prof.

11-24-2007, 12:10 PM	#13
FixB Groupie Posts: 186 Karma: 499 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: France, Toulouse Device: Sony PRS500	I'm looking for the 4th book in the series : "Something rotten", but can't seem to find it as an ebook (I don't want to read "First Among Sequels", available at fictionwise for example before reading the 4th ! )

11-25-2007, 09:21 AM	#14
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	I bought it in hardcover because I could not find it as ebook at the time, and I just checked my usual sources and could not find it now either although the other books fron the series seem to be there...sad... I must add something to the things I wrote about the latest Fforde novel "First among Sequels" because although it was nice to read, it lacked the story-drive of the other books. It also hints heavily at more Fforde Thursday Next books to come...and it feels a bit like a "to be continued" story. I hope Fforde gets back into his usual quality of storytelling with the next volume...

11-25-2007, 10:10 AM	#15
FixB Groupie Posts: 186 Karma: 499 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: France, Toulouse Device: Sony PRS500	Thanks for the answer... Too bad.. I'll try and find the hardcover in my local library, but it will certainly be in french.

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