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The Last Dragonslayer #2
The Song of the Quarkbeast
A long time ago magic faded away, leaving behind only yo-yos, the extremely useful compass-pointing-to-North enchantment and the spell that keep bicycles from falling over. Things are about to change. Magical power is on the rise and King Snodd IV of Hereford has realised that he who controls magic controls almost anything. One person stands between Snodd and his plans for power and riches beyond the wildest dreams of avarice. Meet Jennifer Strange, sixteen-year-old acting manager of Kazam, the employment agency for sorcerers and soothsayers. With only one functioning wizard and her faithful assistant 'Tiger' Prawns, Jennifer must use every ounce of ingenuity to derail King Snodd's plans. It may involve a trip on a magic carpet at the speed of sound to the Troll Wall, the mysterious Transient Moose, and a powerless sorceress named Once Magnificent Boo. But one thing is certain: Jennifer Strange will not relinquish the noble powers of magic to big business and commerce without a fight.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
308 people are currently reading
6201 people want to read
About the author
Jasper Fforde
47 books13k followersFforde began his career in the film industry, and for nineteen years held a variety of posts on such movies as Goldeneye, The Mask of Zorro and Entrapment. Secretly harbouring a desire to tell his own stories rather than help other people tell their's, Jasper started writing in 1988, and spent eleven years secretly writing novel after novel as he strove to find a style of his own that was a no-mans-land somewhere between the warring factions of Literary and Absurd.
After receiving 76 rejection letters from publishers, Jasper's first novel The Eyre Affair was taken on by Hodder & Stoughton and published in July 2001. Set in 1985 in a world that is similar to our own, but with a few crucial - and bizarre - differences (Wales is a socialist republic, the Crimean War is still ongoing and the most popular pets are home-cloned dodos), The Eyre Affair introduces literary detective named 'Thursday Next'. Thursday's job includes spotting forgeries of Shakespeare's lost plays, mending holes in narrative plot lines, and rescuing characters who have been kidnapped from literary masterpieces.
Luckily for Jasper, the novel garnered dozens of effusive reviews, and received high praise from the press, from booksellers and readers throughout the UK. In the US The Eyre Affair was also an instant hit, entering the New York Times Bestseller List in its first week of publication.
Since then, Jasper has added another six to the Thursday Next series and has also begun a second series that he calls 'Nursery Crime', featuring Jack Spratt of The Nursery Crime Division. In the first book, 'The Big Over Easy', Humpty Dumpty is the victim in a whodunnit, and in the second, 'The Fourth Bear', the Three Bear's connection to Goldilocks disappearance can finally be revealed.
In January 2010 Fforde published 'Shades of Grey', in which a fragmented society struggle to survive in a colour-obsessed post-apocalyptic landscape.
His latest series is for Young Adults and include 'The Last Dragonslayer' (2010), 'Song of the Quarkbeast' (2011) and 'The Eye of Zoltar' (2013). All the books centre around Jennifer Strange, who manages a company of magicians named 'Kazam', and her attempts to keep the noble arts from the clutches of big business and property tycoons.
Jasper's 14th Book, 'Early Riser', a thriller set in a world in which humans have always hibernated, is due out in the UK in August 2018, and in the US in 2019.
Fforde failed his Welsh Nationality Test by erroneously identifying Gavin Henson as a TV chef, but continues to live and work in his adopted nation despite this setback. He has a Welsh wife, two welsh daughters and a welsh dog, who is mad but not because he's Welsh. He has a passion for movies, photographs, and aviation. (Jasper, not the dog)
Series:
* Thursday Next
* Nursery Crime
* Shades of Grey
After receiving 76 rejection letters from publishers, Jasper's first novel The Eyre Affair was taken on by Hodder & Stoughton and published in July 2001. Set in 1985 in a world that is similar to our own, but with a few crucial - and bizarre - differences (Wales is a socialist republic, the Crimean War is still ongoing and the most popular pets are home-cloned dodos), The Eyre Affair introduces literary detective named 'Thursday Next'. Thursday's job includes spotting forgeries of Shakespeare's lost plays, mending holes in narrative plot lines, and rescuing characters who have been kidnapped from literary masterpieces.
Luckily for Jasper, the novel garnered dozens of effusive reviews, and received high praise from the press, from booksellers and readers throughout the UK. In the US The Eyre Affair was also an instant hit, entering the New York Times Bestseller List in its first week of publication.
Since then, Jasper has added another six to the Thursday Next series and has also begun a second series that he calls 'Nursery Crime', featuring Jack Spratt of The Nursery Crime Division. In the first book, 'The Big Over Easy', Humpty Dumpty is the victim in a whodunnit, and in the second, 'The Fourth Bear', the Three Bear's connection to Goldilocks disappearance can finally be revealed.
In January 2010 Fforde published 'Shades of Grey', in which a fragmented society struggle to survive in a colour-obsessed post-apocalyptic landscape.
His latest series is for Young Adults and include 'The Last Dragonslayer' (2010), 'Song of the Quarkbeast' (2011) and 'The Eye of Zoltar' (2013). All the books centre around Jennifer Strange, who manages a company of magicians named 'Kazam', and her attempts to keep the noble arts from the clutches of big business and property tycoons.
Jasper's 14th Book, 'Early Riser', a thriller set in a world in which humans have always hibernated, is due out in the UK in August 2018, and in the US in 2019.
Fforde failed his Welsh Nationality Test by erroneously identifying Gavin Henson as a TV chef, but continues to live and work in his adopted nation despite this setback. He has a Welsh wife, two welsh daughters and a welsh dog, who is mad but not because he's Welsh. He has a passion for movies, photographs, and aviation. (Jasper, not the dog)
Series:
* Thursday Next
* Nursery Crime
* Shades of Grey
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,023 reviews
February 28, 2014
Liked this one as much as the first.
While not as mythically rich as YA books by some of my other favorite authors, (Tiffany Aching books from Pratchett, Coraline and Graveyard book by Gaiman.) this book has a playfulness that those books don't.
There's some genuine silliness here, and I can appreciate that.
Simply said, I would be happy to read this to my little boy. And I would be happy to see him reading it himself when he gets old enough for that.
I'll probably wait until he's six or seven though. Some of the humor would be over his head at this point.
My one quibble would be the final chapter/epilogue which felt like a rushed attempt to end the series, and felt like a tacked-on summary of future events. It baffled me a bit, given that there's a third book scheduled to come out later this year....
September 28, 2022
Re-read 9/27/22, in audio: As with the previous book, I'm not fond of the narrator of this audio book because her range of voices is extremely limited, and some of her choices for the character voices were odd. Another quibble is that it takes about ten chapters for the real plot to emerge, something that is more noticeable when I was listening to it. However, once it gets going, it's tense and interesting. Everything below still applies.
Read 9/8/13: This follow-up to The Last Dragonslayer has all the charm and randomness of its predecessor. Jasper Fforde seems to have made a career out of...well, interesting prose and clever ideas, but I was thinking more along the lines of "completely random throwaway items you can't believe are part of the story." It mixes up what would otherwise be an interesting but not mind-blowingly original story.
I still say Jennifer Strange doesn't sound or act like a teenager, though Fforde makes an effort (okay, not an effort, more like a two-line exchange of dialogue) to establish that she's mature for her age because of her upbringing and her having been thrown into a position of responsibility so young. Aside from her age and the greater simplicity of the prose, I see no reason to class this book as a YA novel--and since simplicity of prose is not necessarily a marker of YA fiction, that classification stands on even shakier ground. Having said that, I figure the earlier one is introduced to Jasper Fforde, the better, so if his publisher wants to market it as YA, I say go for it.
The contest of magic at the heart of the story is quite tense, and Conrad Blix as villain is exactly the sort of person it's easiest to hate, someone who abuses rules and laws to give himself an unfair advantage. As Jennifer's support is whittled away, she's forced to reach out beyond her usual sources, so we get to meet characters like the Magnificent Boo (and the truth behind her story was both simple and horrifying) and, at last, the long-missing Zambini. The book sets up a different villain for the future and ultimately gives Kazam back some of its lost glory.
It's that last bit that leaves me dissatisfied with the final chapter, in which Fforde wraps everything up so neatly that it seemed as though he was trying to wrap up the series itself, which confused me because there's certainly a third book in the works (and supposedly available any day now). Unless he is Messing With Us, which I would not put past him. At any rate, this was an enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the (possibly nonexistent, thank you very much Mister Fforde) next book in the series.
Read 9/8/13: This follow-up to The Last Dragonslayer has all the charm and randomness of its predecessor. Jasper Fforde seems to have made a career out of...well, interesting prose and clever ideas, but I was thinking more along the lines of "completely random throwaway items you can't believe are part of the story." It mixes up what would otherwise be an interesting but not mind-blowingly original story.
I still say Jennifer Strange doesn't sound or act like a teenager, though Fforde makes an effort (okay, not an effort, more like a two-line exchange of dialogue) to establish that she's mature for her age because of her upbringing and her having been thrown into a position of responsibility so young. Aside from her age and the greater simplicity of the prose, I see no reason to class this book as a YA novel--and since simplicity of prose is not necessarily a marker of YA fiction, that classification stands on even shakier ground. Having said that, I figure the earlier one is introduced to Jasper Fforde, the better, so if his publisher wants to market it as YA, I say go for it.
The contest of magic at the heart of the story is quite tense, and Conrad Blix as villain is exactly the sort of person it's easiest to hate, someone who abuses rules and laws to give himself an unfair advantage. As Jennifer's support is whittled away, she's forced to reach out beyond her usual sources, so we get to meet characters like the Magnificent Boo (and the truth behind her story was both simple and horrifying) and, at last, the long-missing Zambini. The book sets up a different villain for the future and ultimately gives Kazam back some of its lost glory.
It's that last bit that leaves me dissatisfied with the final chapter, in which Fforde wraps everything up so neatly that it seemed as though he was trying to wrap up the series itself, which confused me because there's certainly a third book in the works (and supposedly available any day now). Unless he is Messing With Us, which I would not put past him. At any rate, this was an enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the (possibly nonexistent, thank you very much Mister Fforde) next book in the series.
August 1, 2012
Fforde's books are always very readable, and enjoyable, but when you've seen an author's best work, you want the next book to improve one what's come before. This is the second 'Last Dragonslayer' book, Fforde's series aimed at kids/teens, following the further adventures of Jennifer Strange. However, she's no longer the Last Dragonslayer (and dragons don't feature at all), so perhaps naming the series after the first book in it was a bad move.
All of Fforde's books so far - the Thursday Next set, the Nursery Crimes, Shades of Grey[1], and
Last Dragonslayer - involve Earths unlike our own, with societies, norms, and creatures that seem unusual, curious, fantastical and funny to us, the readers, but are accepted as every day and familiar to the characters living in these worlds. The stories usually involve a large array of different plot threads which are all relevant to the main character and somehow tie together to make for an exciting and satisfactory climax.
The Last Dragonslayer series (including Song of the Quarkbeast) are aimed at a child/teen market, and this just means that there's fewer of these tangential plot threads, and the logic required to tie them together is clearer, and many explanations are given to the reader in the narration (whereas in the adult books, sometimes you have to work it out for yourself).
On the whole, I did enjoy the book, but it didn't quite live up to my memory of Last Dragonslayer, and is not nearly as satisfying as the early Thursday Next books, the Nursery Crimes, or Shades of Grey (which I consider to be Fforde's best work so far).
[1] Please note there is no number in front of this title. Fforde's Shades of Grey is a BRILLIANT book and is about a curious future where class is based on the colours you can see. I eagerly await the sequel, and wish he would get around to writing it instead of more Thursday Next, which has seriously gone down hill since book 4.
All of Fforde's books so far - the Thursday Next set, the Nursery Crimes, Shades of Grey[1], and
Last Dragonslayer - involve Earths unlike our own, with societies, norms, and creatures that seem unusual, curious, fantastical and funny to us, the readers, but are accepted as every day and familiar to the characters living in these worlds. The stories usually involve a large array of different plot threads which are all relevant to the main character and somehow tie together to make for an exciting and satisfactory climax.
The Last Dragonslayer series (including Song of the Quarkbeast) are aimed at a child/teen market, and this just means that there's fewer of these tangential plot threads, and the logic required to tie them together is clearer, and many explanations are given to the reader in the narration (whereas in the adult books, sometimes you have to work it out for yourself).
On the whole, I did enjoy the book, but it didn't quite live up to my memory of Last Dragonslayer, and is not nearly as satisfying as the early Thursday Next books, the Nursery Crimes, or Shades of Grey (which I consider to be Fforde's best work so far).
[1] Please note there is no number in front of this title. Fforde's Shades of Grey is a BRILLIANT book and is about a curious future where class is based on the colours you can see. I eagerly await the sequel, and wish he would get around to writing it instead of more Thursday Next, which has seriously gone down hill since book 4.
January 16, 2018
Ahoy there me mateys! Yesterday I shared me second reflections of the last dragonslayer and discovered there was a book three in the series that I haven't read! So I decided to remedy that. But of course that meant taking a second look at book two first and giving me crew me second reflections, as it were, upon visitin' it again . . .
This be a fun second foray into the Ununited Kingdoms. Magic is on the rise but there be a fight to see who will control it. And what better way to come up with a winner then a duel! In this case it is Jennifer and the Kazam agency versus their competition, the iMagic agency. There is a bridge that needs to be repaired and each has a half of it to fix. Whoever finishes their part of the bridge first wins? Easy right?
Well maybe not when yer magicians keep disappearing, a quarkbeast is on the run, and silly politics are getting in the way. This was filled with more delightful shenanigans, quirky characters, and absolutely silly situations. I loved to see Jennifer back in action.
While I do think book one is the stronger book, this is still fun if not quite as good. It is just fluffy fun with no bigger purpose. But I enjoyed it and want more. Onto book three! Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
This be a fun second foray into the Ununited Kingdoms. Magic is on the rise but there be a fight to see who will control it. And what better way to come up with a winner then a duel! In this case it is Jennifer and the Kazam agency versus their competition, the iMagic agency. There is a bridge that needs to be repaired and each has a half of it to fix. Whoever finishes their part of the bridge first wins? Easy right?
Well maybe not when yer magicians keep disappearing, a quarkbeast is on the run, and silly politics are getting in the way. This was filled with more delightful shenanigans, quirky characters, and absolutely silly situations. I loved to see Jennifer back in action.
While I do think book one is the stronger book, this is still fun if not quite as good. It is just fluffy fun with no bigger purpose. But I enjoyed it and want more. Onto book three! Arrr!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
June 25, 2020
I don't think I was really in the mood for this one. It was just ok for me and the audio narration (new narrator for this second book in the series) was over-dramatized, which didn't help.
Fforde's humor is dry and wonderful and I love the main characters, but nothing ever called me back to this book once I put it down.
Fforde's humor is dry and wonderful and I love the main characters, but nothing ever called me back to this book once I put it down.
May 3, 2019
Genauso witzig und verschroben wie Teil 1 :-)
June 3, 2013
What did I think? I think it grossly unfair that the Hodder territories have had this book for some time, whilst the colonies have been and are yet deprived until September, 2013 of this second installment of The Chronicles of Kazam. Having obtained an ARC through the good graces of my daughter making pilgrimage to BEA, I did not waste a moment in devouring every page like a Quarkbeast ravening the nearest galvanized container.
I refuse to share any part of this book, not from any sense of greediness, but with a proper desire to allow said reader to enjoy every scintilla of the experience.
I, along with many fans, have been stymied by the location of the Quarkbeast monument. This volume sent me back to Google maps, having taken me on a romp through Kippen some time ago in anticipation of this book. For those of you who may not be familiar with Jasper Fforde's many layered web presence, you could do well to begin with the particular layer devoted to the Kazam series, or as he identifies it, the Dragonslayer series, though there are no dragons appearing in this second installment. http://www.jasperfforde.com/dragon/dr... is the location, and the sleuthing competition is a particular piece of fun. Beware, if you are new to Fforde's work, you may find yourself sidetracked in a most delightful way and forget to get back to reading the books for a considerable amount of time.
Oh, so what did I think of the book. Well, I enjoyed it, and I do believe it will prove more than satisfactory to anyone who likes a few Eureka moments of thinking "So that is what is going on here?"
I refuse to share any part of this book, not from any sense of greediness, but with a proper desire to allow said reader to enjoy every scintilla of the experience.
I, along with many fans, have been stymied by the location of the Quarkbeast monument. This volume sent me back to Google maps, having taken me on a romp through Kippen some time ago in anticipation of this book. For those of you who may not be familiar with Jasper Fforde's many layered web presence, you could do well to begin with the particular layer devoted to the Kazam series, or as he identifies it, the Dragonslayer series, though there are no dragons appearing in this second installment. http://www.jasperfforde.com/dragon/dr... is the location, and the sleuthing competition is a particular piece of fun. Beware, if you are new to Fforde's work, you may find yourself sidetracked in a most delightful way and forget to get back to reading the books for a considerable amount of time.
Oh, so what did I think of the book. Well, I enjoyed it, and I do believe it will prove more than satisfactory to anyone who likes a few Eureka moments of thinking "So that is what is going on here?"
June 25, 2015
"Strange by name, Strange by nature."
This book wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first one was. It just wasn't as hilarious but the plot was just as interesting.
Kazam and iMagic (their only competitors) compete it out to gain control over magic. iMagic isn't nearly as good as Kazam, so there's a lot of underhanded shenanigans going as they try to sabotage Kazam. This led to some very interesting and silly moments throughout the book.
King Snood and his Gracious Useless Brother were my favourite parts of this book. They were extremely funny and anytime their names came unto a page, everything just immediately turned better :D
I was kind of disappointed that no dragons was in this one. How can you have a series titled 'The Last Dragonslayer' when you have no dragons?!
Besides that and the fact that it wasn't quite as funny, still a very enjoyable read.
Overall: 3.7 stars
This book wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first one was. It just wasn't as hilarious but the plot was just as interesting.
Kazam and iMagic (their only competitors) compete it out to gain control over magic. iMagic isn't nearly as good as Kazam, so there's a lot of underhanded shenanigans going as they try to sabotage Kazam. This led to some very interesting and silly moments throughout the book.
King Snood and his Gracious Useless Brother were my favourite parts of this book. They were extremely funny and anytime their names came unto a page, everything just immediately turned better :D
I was kind of disappointed that no dragons was in this one. How can you have a series titled 'The Last Dragonslayer' when you have no dragons?!
Besides that and the fact that it wasn't quite as funny, still a very enjoyable read.
Overall: 3.7 stars
March 27, 2017
Fun. The first book was also fun, but the story was a little bit disjointed. This one had better pacing and hung together a little bit better. Not enough Quarkbeast and no dragons though.
May 19, 2025
I just love Jasper Fforde! I simply can't resist any book he writes and the different, wacky parallel universes he manages to create. I had enjoyed reading the first instalment in The Last Dragonslayer series but The Song of the Quarkbeast proved even better.
The characters, plot, humour, wit, crazy situations, magic and sheer brilliance of it all make The Song of the Quarkbeast a fantastic read. I just can't wait to read The Eye of Zoltar, the third instalment in this series.
· Book 1: The Last Dragonslayer ★★★★
· Book 3: The Eye of Zoltar ★★★★★
· Book 4: The Great Troll War ★★★★
The characters, plot, humour, wit, crazy situations, magic and sheer brilliance of it all make The Song of the Quarkbeast a fantastic read. I just can't wait to read The Eye of Zoltar, the third instalment in this series.
· Book 1: The Last Dragonslayer ★★★★
· Book 3: The Eye of Zoltar ★★★★★
· Book 4: The Great Troll War ★★★★
December 19, 2019
What a silly book. Full review later. I'm so behind in my entire life.
(five months later)
I DECLARE REVIEW AMNESTY
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
(five months later)
I DECLARE REVIEW AMNESTY
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
April 19, 2025
The second book of the series The Last Dragonslayer was equally good as the first. It had the same sarcasm, the same humor and the sometimes high paced storylines. There were some twists that I didn't expect, but really enjoyed. The role of the Transcient Moose became at a certain point very crucial and also a beloved magical creature came back. Also, there's more information released about the secret and intereseting life of the Quarkbeast. There will be a lot of teaming up to conquer what is to come, but Jennifer and her friends of sorcerers are able to handle it.
November 9, 2024
Quark!
(I really enjoy when a book ends on a major plot point that supposedly changes the paradigm, only for the sequel to avoid shark jumping and continue on sensibly.)
Quark...
(It's a hard week to read lines like:
"The king made a long rambling speech about how proud he was that the hard toil of a blindly loyal citizenry kept him and his family in the lap of luxury while war widows begged on the streets, and how he thanked Providence that he had been blessed to rule over a nation whose inexplicable tolerance toward corrupt despots was second to none. The speech was well received, and some citizens were even moved to tears."
or
"'Magic is not for the one, it's for the many', I said.
'I agree wholeheartedly', he said, 'but in this particular instance, "many" means only myself, Lord Tembry, the King, and his useless brother.'"
but it's always validating to see an author make fun of anyone who can't see the reality.)
Quark!
(quark)
(I really enjoy when a book ends on a major plot point that supposedly changes the paradigm, only for the sequel to avoid shark jumping and continue on sensibly.)
Quark...
(It's a hard week to read lines like:
"The king made a long rambling speech about how proud he was that the hard toil of a blindly loyal citizenry kept him and his family in the lap of luxury while war widows begged on the streets, and how he thanked Providence that he had been blessed to rule over a nation whose inexplicable tolerance toward corrupt despots was second to none. The speech was well received, and some citizens were even moved to tears."
or
"'Magic is not for the one, it's for the many', I said.
'I agree wholeheartedly', he said, 'but in this particular instance, "many" means only myself, Lord Tembry, the King, and his useless brother.'"
but it's always validating to see an author make fun of anyone who can't see the reality.)
Quark!
(quark)
August 18, 2014
Audiobook performed Elizabeth Jasicki
From the dust jacket - 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.
My reactions
Fforde entertains with another flight of fancy and fantasy. The plot has been written before – evil geniuses out to control the world, thwarted by an honest, morally upright young person with right on her side. The cast of characters includes several doddering old magicians, one charming young apprentice, the king’s useless brother, and the Transient Moose. The action features a magic carpet ride at the speed of light, a visit to Trollvania, a brief appearance by the Great Zambini himself, and a bridge-building contest between rival teams of sorcerers. Of course, there’s also the quarkbeast and its lonely song: “A song of resignation, of poetry given and received.”
I like that Jasper’s heroine is a strong, intelligent, resourceful young woman who uses wit and intelligence rather than might to best her enemies. In fact, there are several strong women in the roster of characters from Lady Mawgon to the Once Magnificent Boo.
On the whole, however, I think this is a book best enjoyed by a younger audience; ages 10-15 seems to be the target group.
Elizabeth Jasicki does a marvelous job performing the audiobook. She has a gift for voices that brings all these colorful characters to life. And her enthusiasm for the work helped me suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride (even without a magic carpet).
From the dust jacket - 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.
My reactions
Fforde entertains with another flight of fancy and fantasy. The plot has been written before – evil geniuses out to control the world, thwarted by an honest, morally upright young person with right on her side. The cast of characters includes several doddering old magicians, one charming young apprentice, the king’s useless brother, and the Transient Moose. The action features a magic carpet ride at the speed of light, a visit to Trollvania, a brief appearance by the Great Zambini himself, and a bridge-building contest between rival teams of sorcerers. Of course, there’s also the quarkbeast and its lonely song: “A song of resignation, of poetry given and received.”
I like that Jasper’s heroine is a strong, intelligent, resourceful young woman who uses wit and intelligence rather than might to best her enemies. In fact, there are several strong women in the roster of characters from Lady Mawgon to the Once Magnificent Boo.
On the whole, however, I think this is a book best enjoyed by a younger audience; ages 10-15 seems to be the target group.
Elizabeth Jasicki does a marvelous job performing the audiobook. She has a gift for voices that brings all these colorful characters to life. And her enthusiasm for the work helped me suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride (even without a magic carpet).
July 8, 2013
Definitely an improvement from the already quite satisfactory first book in the series. There are a lot of dominoes set up for the third and final book, due out this fall in the UK and (presumably) next fall in the US - as, I realize, this book isn't due out in the states til September. I'm excited to see where they fall and what happens in this quirky land where magic is the unit of energy, marzipan an addictive drug, and certain other things (which I'll leave to you to discover - more fun that way) are just-the-right-amount of off-kilter.
The plot is a little more multifaceted (but, to my mind, better for it) and the character development stronger all around. Things are a little heavier for some younger readers but nothing ever soars above the first-book's-audience's heads. It's a delightful book that builds on the strengths of the first and is all the better for it. And you never leave a Fforde book feeling like you haven't had fun, I'll certainly say that.
More at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-KF
The plot is a little more multifaceted (but, to my mind, better for it) and the character development stronger all around. Things are a little heavier for some younger readers but nothing ever soars above the first-book's-audience's heads. It's a delightful book that builds on the strengths of the first and is all the better for it. And you never leave a Fforde book feeling like you haven't had fun, I'll certainly say that.
More at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-KF
October 10, 2015
This was the 2nd book in Fforde YA series, 'The Chronicles of Kazam'. Once again this was a fun read, maybe even a bit silly in places, but in a parallel world perhaps that's normal. The characters from the 1st book are all there, or in the case of the Great Zambini he isn't, along with various fantastical beasts.
The story once again follows Jennifer Strange, a 16 year old foundling, who is in temporary charge of one of the only 2 mystical houses of magic in Hereford.
Somewhere along the lines Jennifer ends up involving the House of Kazam in a magical contest with their rivals at iMagic. There are various bits of skulduggery going on, but can Jennifer and the House of Kazam emerge triumphant. In the background there is a Quarkbeast on the loose within the neighbourhood, which is in danger of becoming hunted.
The plot seems closer woven this time, and not so prone to going off at random tangents, which makes it a more enjoyable read.
The story once again follows Jennifer Strange, a 16 year old foundling, who is in temporary charge of one of the only 2 mystical houses of magic in Hereford.
Somewhere along the lines Jennifer ends up involving the House of Kazam in a magical contest with their rivals at iMagic. There are various bits of skulduggery going on, but can Jennifer and the House of Kazam emerge triumphant. In the background there is a Quarkbeast on the loose within the neighbourhood, which is in danger of becoming hunted.
The plot seems closer woven this time, and not so prone to going off at random tangents, which makes it a more enjoyable read.
May 18, 2019
Super 👍 If you liked the first book of the series, you should read this one. Interesting, sometimes funny and sometimes serious.
March 14, 2023
If you have a kiddo (or you yourself) who enjoys the Septimus Heap series or Erec Rex series, I think this would be a good next choice. My son reread this series a couple times at about 10 and really enjoyed it.
March 27, 2020
Brilliant. Like a mega wizard battle over a bridge. The king is pretty vile as usual. Jennifer and Tiger are fab. Needs more quarkbeast
April 25, 2013
Really, really fantabulous book that contained everything I expect a Fforde book to have. A lovely, quirky world, a special sense of humor (which might not be everyone's taste, I admit that) and social commentary.
It may have one flaw but I rated five stars anyway because I enjoyed every single word. That one flaw is that it's quite similar to the Thursday Next series and so, the construction of the plot is somewhat predictable. Fforde adds all these details little details that become very important in the end and his protagonist has to face more and more problems until it seems that there is hardly any way this book could end good but it does. It requires a lot of skill to unravel everything and that makes up for it.
Also, we get amazing descriptions like these:
„She was sitting in an armchair in front of a fire, her gnarled fingers resting on top of her cane, and her face so suffused with wrinkles that lost infant tortoises often followed her home.“
And we get Quarkbeasts because that's the name of the book and also Quarkbeasts are like the best thing ever. Plus, there are interesting characters with interesting opinions who are not just black and white:
„[...] Maybe magic shouldn't be regulated at all. Maybe it should take its own path, like the Quarkbeast, unfettered by our meddling. Perhaps magic needs to be used for evil before it can take the right course for good and if so, Zambini's need to control it is as damaging as Blix's. The only thing that separates the pair of them is their viewpoint and dress sense.
Jasper Fforde is the author I turn to when I lose hope, when I've read just one bad book too many. He hasn't disappointed me one single time so far.
It may have one flaw but I rated five stars anyway because I enjoyed every single word. That one flaw is that it's quite similar to the Thursday Next series and so, the construction of the plot is somewhat predictable. Fforde adds all these details little details that become very important in the end and his protagonist has to face more and more problems until it seems that there is hardly any way this book could end good but it does. It requires a lot of skill to unravel everything and that makes up for it.
Also, we get amazing descriptions like these:
„She was sitting in an armchair in front of a fire, her gnarled fingers resting on top of her cane, and her face so suffused with wrinkles that lost infant tortoises often followed her home.“
And we get Quarkbeasts because that's the name of the book and also Quarkbeasts are like the best thing ever. Plus, there are interesting characters with interesting opinions who are not just black and white:
„[...] Maybe magic shouldn't be regulated at all. Maybe it should take its own path, like the Quarkbeast, unfettered by our meddling. Perhaps magic needs to be used for evil before it can take the right course for good and if so, Zambini's need to control it is as damaging as Blix's. The only thing that separates the pair of them is their viewpoint and dress sense.
Jasper Fforde is the author I turn to when I lose hope, when I've read just one bad book too many. He hasn't disappointed me one single time so far.
November 18, 2017
Jasper Fforde is an incredible writer. He's among that very small crowd of adult writers that can also effectively write for a younger audience. The secret, which causes so many other writers to stumble, is that children are people. The characters must have feelings and motivations, and the reader must be treated with respect as well. Failing in either regard will create a bad book; failing in both will sink it utterly. Fforde, thankfully, knows how to do both well.
In this series, he created a magical world that operates on a very strange set of rules, but the rules stay consistent throughout. Characters may be bizarre, but there is a logic to their behavior that remains internally sound.
In addition to these craft issues, Fforde is able to tell a story that's just plain good fun. I highly recommend his books.
In this series, he created a magical world that operates on a very strange set of rules, but the rules stay consistent throughout. Characters may be bizarre, but there is a logic to their behavior that remains internally sound.
In addition to these craft issues, Fforde is able to tell a story that's just plain good fun. I highly recommend his books.
September 28, 2018
In many ways I enjoyed this more than the last dragonslayer - Jennifer seems more settled into her role at Kazam, and into being able to stand up for herself and what she believes in, the story of magic slowly returning is interesting, and the magic and politics and rivalries are fun and compelling.
I missed the dragons, obviously, and also wanted more Quarkbeast as it was great in the last book - and I think that’s largely why I think the books are equal.
I also really liked getting to see more of Jennifer’s everyday life, so to speak.
As always, Fforde sets up a society that is brilliantly bizarre and perfectly sensible - you look at the random and wonderful laws or societal norms that get mentioned, and each time they make perfect sense to the book!
I missed the dragons, obviously, and also wanted more Quarkbeast as it was great in the last book - and I think that’s largely why I think the books are equal.
I also really liked getting to see more of Jennifer’s everyday life, so to speak.
As always, Fforde sets up a society that is brilliantly bizarre and perfectly sensible - you look at the random and wonderful laws or societal norms that get mentioned, and each time they make perfect sense to the book!
March 3, 2020
Wie erwartet war auch der 2. Teil sehr unterhaltsam, die Seiten sind nur so "verflogen".
November 24, 2018
Drama, intrigue, peril and fantastic beasts. What more could one wish for?
Moral, readable and engaging, I really liked this book. I think it would make a great present for a child one is looking to engage with the simple pleasure of reading and losing oneself in a good book. All that and a good read.
Moral, readable and engaging, I really liked this book. I think it would make a great present for a child one is looking to engage with the simple pleasure of reading and losing oneself in a good book. All that and a good read.
April 2, 2019
I am happy to say that Mr. Fforde has redeemed himself over the quarkbeast. What a relief! Jennifer Strange continues to agent her way through the many difficulties at Kazam with unexpected and delightful results. Plus my imagination has now been caught by the Trolls and the possibilites there. The way Mr. Fforde's mind works is extraordinary. I so enjoy it.
October 22, 2015
A much more compelling story than the first one. No loose ends and it made sense.
February 12, 2021
I really enjoyed the first book in this series but I think I loved this instalment even more. Unfortunately the events in The Last Dragonslayer didn’t deliver the expected Big Magic surge and Jennifer Strange along with Kazam's resident sorcerers are still preforming mundane tasks and low key jobs such as levitating cars for the city's car impound service and delivering pizza by magic carpet. Kazam have a big job coming up to rebuild the town's main bridge and hopefully drum up some new business. The only problem is, their rival magical company iMagic, have plans to hijack magic, exploit its use for monetary gain and become exclusive magical aids to King Snood's Court. On top of all that, a mysterious client has asked them to locate a long lost ring. With an elaborate mix of crafty spells and magical abilities, they manage to get hold of it. However when Jennifer realises the ring is imbued with dark powerful magic she decides to hide instead of returning it to the client.
As Jennifer and co try to keep on top of their jobs, make sure their newest member Perkins completes his magical licence application all while fending off the commercialisation of magic, the added pressure to locate their missing illustrious manager Zambini may lead to their downfall and the end of their unorthodox family. Dangers lurk around every corner from murderous Trolls to exploding Quarkbeasts all the while an unknown ominous powerful threat appears to closing in on them every day.
This was another 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read from Jasper. It had the usual mix of quirky banter, hilarious concepts while showcasing a bunch of weird creatures and intriguing characters. Jennifer's character really developed in this book and I loved seeing her grow into her role at Kazam. I also loved the introduction of a sweet romantic interest for her as she deserves a little happiness in her life. This book had an interesting plot featuring misunderstood trolls, magic carpet rides, supernatural battles and a transient Moose, what more could you ask for.
As Jennifer and co try to keep on top of their jobs, make sure their newest member Perkins completes his magical licence application all while fending off the commercialisation of magic, the added pressure to locate their missing illustrious manager Zambini may lead to their downfall and the end of their unorthodox family. Dangers lurk around every corner from murderous Trolls to exploding Quarkbeasts all the while an unknown ominous powerful threat appears to closing in on them every day.
This was another 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read from Jasper. It had the usual mix of quirky banter, hilarious concepts while showcasing a bunch of weird creatures and intriguing characters. Jennifer's character really developed in this book and I loved seeing her grow into her role at Kazam. I also loved the introduction of a sweet romantic interest for her as she deserves a little happiness in her life. This book had an interesting plot featuring misunderstood trolls, magic carpet rides, supernatural battles and a transient Moose, what more could you ask for.
March 28, 2023
Ich fand diesen zweiten Teil wesentlich besser als den ersten Teil ,,Die letzte Drachentöterin". Der erste Teil war eine sanfte, zeitweise etwas langatmige Einführung in die Welt rund um Jennifer Strange. ,,Das Lied des Quarktiers" hingegen nimmt mehr an Fahrt auf. Die Story ist spannend. Das Worldbuilding ist, genauso wie im ersten Band und noch darüber hinaus, sehr kreativ. Das Magiesystem, das sich Jasper Fforde ausgedacht hat, ist amüsant und logisch ausgearbeitet. Magie ist hier weniger Hokuspokus und mehr eine messbare, gezielt nutzbare Erscheinung, die aber auch Grenzen hat.
Mittlerweile sind mir die Charaktere sehr ans Herz gewachsen. Ich mag vor allem die Protagonistin Jennifer gerne.
Im Gegensatz zum ersten Band wurde hier mit Fußnoten gearbeitet, was ich als erfrischend empfand. Ich mag Fußnoten gerne und die Arbeit mit Fußnoten passt gut zum Stil des Buchs.
(Kleine Anmerkung: in der mir vorliegenden Übersetzung haben sich einige Fehler eingeschlichen, vor allem, was Lady Mawgon betrifft. Sie wird fälschlicherweise mehrmals Lady Magwon, Lady Mawgoon und Lady Magoon genannt. Das ändert natürlich nichts am Inhalt des Buches und findet im Original wahrscheinlich so auch nicht statt, hat mich aber sehr gestört und aus dem Lesefluss gebracht.)
Mittlerweile sind mir die Charaktere sehr ans Herz gewachsen. Ich mag vor allem die Protagonistin Jennifer gerne.
Im Gegensatz zum ersten Band wurde hier mit Fußnoten gearbeitet, was ich als erfrischend empfand. Ich mag Fußnoten gerne und die Arbeit mit Fußnoten passt gut zum Stil des Buchs.
(Kleine Anmerkung: in der mir vorliegenden Übersetzung haben sich einige Fehler eingeschlichen, vor allem, was Lady Mawgon betrifft. Sie wird fälschlicherweise mehrmals Lady Magwon, Lady Mawgoon und Lady Magoon genannt. Das ändert natürlich nichts am Inhalt des Buches und findet im Original wahrscheinlich so auch nicht statt, hat mich aber sehr gestört und aus dem Lesefluss gebracht.)
June 26, 2021
Fford has created a unique world containing wonderful original ideas, most of which I felt were lost in this YA plot. I enjoyed that this novel's protagonist is an intelligent, empowered 16 year old girl, yet as I read, I kept feeling that Fford was restraining himself, that he wanted to include more 'adult content' but for some reason stuck to the YA format. I wonder why? I feel like I want this book to be rewritten, with Jennifer being 36 instead of 16, with details and complications that a 36 year old can handle.... maybe I should read one of Fford's adult novels.
May 13, 2017
What a fun book! *still laughing* I like Tiger, he should be a comedian. Jennifer was still as dependable as always. The sorcerers were still quirky, eccentrics, and unique. The plot was great! Full of action, tactics, and no fillers! The book is only 290 pages but took quite a while to read because it was packed. You cannot skim through it because you'll missed important plot and hints. And it was funny! Oh I love this book!
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