Jasper Fforde

[delicatemoth]

I've just discovered this excellent author, who seems to specialise in genuinely funny, whimsical (in a good way), well-constructed whodunits.

The one I just read

[ChrisJ]

Jasper Fforde

I liked his stuff a lot, but after getting to the end of the fourth one, I needed a break - I found the jokes were getting repeated. having said that, they're definitely well-put together, clever and engaging.

You've reminded me I have an unread Fforde lurking on the bedside pile which I shall look forward to this weekend.

[hobbes]

Jasper Fforde

P loves him, but I have to say I read the first 100 or so pages of one of his books and had to stop for fear of beating myself to death in utter irritation.

[Jobi1]

When I went on our winter holiday the other week, I decided I wanted to read a wintery book, so decided to give Fforde's Early Riser a go, having never read any of his stuff before. I did mostly enjoy it and (snow) ploughed all the way through to the end, but I can see what people mean about the jokes and irritation. The story was a really interesting concept, and the dreadful gags did make me occasionally chuckle (in amongst how utterly bleak and dystopian the story was). Also the utterly unnecessary use of endnotes was incredibly annoying, a completely pointless device that just wound me up. Would I read any more of his? Possibly, but likely only as easy holiday reading.

[Patrick Thistle]

His depiction of the Socialist Republic of Wales (tagline - It's not always raining!) in the Thursday Next series is my favourite depiction of Wales in any fiction.