Jasper Fforde Ffan

[Maud Fitch]

I fell asleep reading "Bears" last night. I have read 1/2 of it and am loving it. Looking after my nephew today and tomorrow but hope to finish it when he is sleeping. Top storyline and quite suspenseful.

Well, that's the first time I've read that somebody has found Jasper's work 'suspenseful', but I think you are right.
It's a crime thriller of sorts, isn't it, just a teeny weeny little bit odd! Happy reading!

[Fran]

I fell asleep reading "Bears" last night. I have read 1/2 of it and am loving it. Looking after my nephew today and tomorrow but hope to finish it when he is sleeping. Top storyline and quite suspenseful.

Well, that's the first time I've read that somebody has found Jasper's work 'suspenseful', but I think you are right.
It's a crime thriller of sorts, isn't it, just a teeny weeny little bit odd! Happy reading!

Isn't that the thing with Fforde though, his characters become so real & you get so involved in their escapades that you kinda abandon reality for the duration (and sanity)

[Gannon]

Hey guys, I have just finished "The Fourth Bear". I must say that the long wait that I had to endure was worth every minute. I loved "The Big Over Easy" and didn't think that TFB could equal it in sheer reading enjoyment, but I actually think it's even better.

SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT

There are so many things that I love about TFB, Dorian Gray as a used car salesman whose cars repair themselves until their odometer runs backwards to zero. This is one part of the book that I found suspenseful. I was waiting to see what would happen when the odometer reached zero. The way Jasper works the car into the very ending is brilliant.
The Gingerbreadman WOW. Probably not just my favourite character but my favourite part of the whole book. The perfect assassin who can't get wet. His watery demise under the roof sprinklers is another of my favourite moments. Of course he is a biscuit, not a cake.

Only Jasper could come up with the whole "giant cucumbers being an energy source" plot and I won't even pretend to understand how it all worked, but once again it left me clueless till the end.

Love the whole idea of the bears living alongside humans in society. The issues that they have, porridge being a controlled substance, "the right to arm bears" etc. It seemed at times that they are treated almost as second class citizens.

I was sad when Ashley the Alien gave his lifeblood literally to defuse the cucumbers, but then happy when he was brought back minus a couple of weeks memory.

OMG, what about Punch and Judy being Jack's neighbours. Their continual fighting throughout the book is hilarious.

Great, great book, once again Jasper has delivered the goods. Roll on Next Thursday!

[primrose777]

I know this could be percieved as being a little slow.... but on page 210 of The Eyre Affair the character Jack Schitt is in Braxton Hicks office. JACK SCHITT.... I just got that

[Fran]

I know this could be percieved as being a little slow.... but on page 210 of The Eyre Affair the character Jack Schitt is in Braxton Hicks office. JACK SCHITT.... I just got that

No nodding off while reading Jasper one must remain alert at all times and even then Maud will find little gems we missed
Off topic but there is one of those funny emails that circulate from time to time & it details the extensive family tree & geneology of the SCHITT family .... most un-PC but very, very funny

[Maud Fitch]

@ Fran.
Yes, I know the video you mean, delivered in a delightful American drawl, funny but perhaps not one for the kiddies.
@ Primrose.
I’m the same when reading JF’s work, I have a light-bulb moment where I say “Oh, I get it...right!”.

@ Gannon.
Glad GLAD GLAD you finally got to read it. And so happy it tickled your funny bone. Your observations on cucumbers and Gingerbreadman refreshed my memory and I laughed again. The Independent newspaper said “Both a shrewd satire on modern times...and an immaculately plotted police procedural” but I’m sure they had tongue-in-cheek especially after reading Jasper’s police disclaimer in the front of the book - which is tongue-in-cheek!

Where do I start? (1) The Austin Allegro Equipe was classed as the most feeble UK car of the 70’s. (2) I thought the killing scene was tragic. Apparently the first draft was more gory. (3) SommeWorld was pretty horrific too. (4) Loved so many characters but Chapter 14 Virginia Kreeper the psychologist made me squirm. The dialogue is clever, concise and uncomfortable. Poor DCI Jack Spratt trying to explain how his ‘delusions’ were real and he hadn’t made up nursery crimes to fit nursery rhymes. Then she had a go at him about his ‘eat no fat’ habit. By the way, a Virginia creeper is like ivy. (5) Other names: Bisky Bat was first identified by Edward Lear in his poem “The Quangle Wangle's Hat”. Robert Southey was an English poet of the Romantic school and his contribution to literary history is the children's classic “The Story Of The Three Bears”, the original Goldilocks story which was printed in 1834. (6) As you know Jack Spratt first made a guest appearance in “The Well Of Lost Plots”. (7) Jasper had great fun writing Rambosian alien Ashley because he could ‘make s--- up’ as opposed to using observation.

Oh, I could go on for pages...it’s a book with big appeal.

Gannon, I have the book cover where Mary Mary is making notes in a yellow pad next to a bowl of porridge and she is left-handed. Other covers have her in reverse, right-handed with a pink pad. Which cover do you own, perhaps the darker 'bear in the woods' theme?

[Gannon]

@ Fran.
Yes, I know the video you mean, delivered in a delightful American drawl, funny but perhaps not one for the kiddies.
@ Primrose.
I’m the same when reading JF’s work, I have a light-bulb moment where I say “Oh, I get it...right!”.

@ Gannon.
Glad GLAD GLAD you finally got to read it. And so happy it tickled your funny bone. Your observations on cucumbers and Gingerbreadman refreshed my memory and I laughed again. The Independent newspaper said “Both a shrewd satire on modern times...and an immaculately plotted police procedural” but I’m sure they had tongue-in-cheek especially after reading Jasper’s police disclaimer in the front of the book - which is tongue-in-cheek!

Where do I start? (1) The Austin Allegro Equipe was classed as the most feeble UK car of the 70’s. (2) I thought the killing scene was tragic. Apparently the first draft was more gory. (3) SommeWorld was pretty horrific too. (4) Loved so many characters but Chapter 14 Virginia Kreeper the psychologist made me squirm. The dialogue is clever, concise and uncomfortable. Poor DCI Jack Spratt trying to explain how his ‘delusions’ were real and he hadn’t made up nursery crimes to fit nursery rhymes. Then she had a go at him about his ‘eat no fat’ habit. By the way, a Virginia creeper is like ivy. (5) Other names: Bisky Bat was first identified by Edward Lear in his poem “The Quangle Wangle's Hat”. Robert Southey was an English poet of the Romantic school and his contribution to literary history is the children's classic “The Story Of The Three Bears”, the original Goldilocks story which was printed in 1834. (6) As you know Jack Spratt first made a guest appearance in “The Well Of Lost Plots”. (7) Jasper had great fun writing Rambosian alien Ashley because he could ‘make s--- up’ as opposed to using observation.

Oh, I could go on for pages...it’s a book with big appeal.
Gannon, I have the book cover where Mary Mary is making notes in a yellow pad next to a bowl of porridge and she is left-handed. Other covers have her in reverse, right-handed with a pink pad. Which cover do you own, perhaps the darker 'bear in the woods' theme?

Howdy howdy Maudster. What a fantastic book, I loved every word of it. I did not know that the Austin Allegro Equipe was even a real car. Got to agree with you about Virginia Kreeper, she is very very creepy (sorry couldn't help myself ) Thanks for the help with the other names, I did not get any of them this time around. I knew that Jack Spratt had made an appearance in one of the Thursday books but I could not remember which one. I am so glad that Jasper did not kill Ashley off, I think he is a great character with a lot of potential for growth if Ffforde writes another nursery crime novel. I loved the date that he has with Mary, especially the explosive ending to the night. His parents swapping bodies is a classic.

The cover of my book has Thursday right-handed and the notebook is blue.

Hope you are having a fantastic weekend and are keeping warm (It's so cold.........Brrrrrrr).

Ps - Love the new avatar, although I do miss the old one.

[Maud Fitch]

.....I am so glad that Jasper did not kill Ashley off, I think he is a great character with a lot of potential for growth if Fforde writes another nursery crime novel. I loved the date that he has with Mary, especially the explosive ending to the night. His parents swapping bodies is a classic.

The cover of my book has Thursday right-handed and the notebook is blue.
Hope you are having a fantastic weekend and are keeping warm (It's so cold.........Brrrrrrr).
Ps - Love the new avatar, although I do miss the old one.

Yes, I loved that date Ashley had with Mary, and loved how Jasper wrote the whole thing so believably that I could picture everything clearly. There was a third book in the pipeline but he seems to be adding to his family and either not getting enough sleep or not getting enough writing time!

Well, well, well, so many different versions of the one book cover, eh.

My new avatar will get up the noses of librarians; they're at pains to say they do not 'shush' anymore.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend, no need to say 'chill' because it is.

[Fran]

@Maud/Gannon/primrose
I've just been flicking back through my bookmarks to refresh the old memory (God Bless the Kindle inventor!)
Agreeing with everything posted thus far on The Fourth Bear but I have to give mention to Hardy Fuchsia's cucumber specimen a delicately curved parabola of mathematical perfection .... I just love saying that

Maud, bet you loved Ashley being sent to discover why there was no 3rd series of Fawlty Towers and to interview Ronnie Barker! And Ashley explaining his aversion to linear uniformity ... bar codes, railings & pinstripe suits

My favourite though I think has to be the PDRs .. Persons of Dubious Reality and of course Mad Max Marx, the Masked Manxman-Axeman (just try saying that after a few glasses of red!)

Such a brilliant imagination, I think The Fourth Bear goes to the top of my Jasper list

[Gannon]

@Maud/Gannon/primrose
I've just been flicking back through my bookmarks to refresh the old memory (God Bless the Kindle inventor!)
Agreeing with everything posted thus far on The Fourth Bear but I have to give mention to Hardy Fuchsia's cucumber specimen a delicately curved parabola of mathematical perfection .... I just love saying that

Maud, bet you loved Ashley being sent to discover why there was no 3rd series of Fawlty Towers and to interview Ronnie Barker! And Ashley explaining his aversion to linear uniformity ... bar codes, railings & pinstripe suits

My favourite though I think has to be the PDRs .. Persons of Dubious Reality and of course Mad Max Marx, the Masked Manxman-Axeman (just try saying that after a few glasses of red!)

Such a brilliant imagination, I think The Fourth Bear goes to the top of my Jasper list :lol:

Me too Fran. As much as I love the Thursday Next books, the two Nursery Crime books are my favourite.

What about the hotel "Deja Vu", where everybody thinks they have been there before.

[Fran]

Oh yea, forgot the Deja Vu, so many gems it's difficult to remember everything .... what about the difference between a cake and a biscuit? So obvious but I never thought of it before! And using the sprinkler system ... brilliant

@Maud
You're avatar would still apply in my local library ... they are very strict on kids who use the library to study & to do homework & I've often heard the staff issue the study in silence or leave the library dictum & amazingly they are obeyed with no argument, how is that when teachers & parents get so much cheek & backchat? There must be an authority gene librarians are born with

[primrose777]

Finished The Eyre Affair and absolutely loved it. So clever, witty and funny. So many twists and turns and I love the concept of being able to "visit" a book. I have already ordered Lost in a Good Book. I shall, forthwith work my way through the series. Thanks for reccomending Jasper to me

[Fran]

Finished The Eyre Affair and absolutely loved it. So clever, witty and funny. So many twists and turns and I love the concept of being able to "visit" a book. I have already ordered Lost in a Good Book. I shall, forthwith work my way through the series. Thanks for reccomending Jasper to me

@primrose
Delighted you have joined us in the Fforde world of insanity

[Maud Fitch]

It does my heart good to read your positive comments . It's kind of comforting to know there's other people out there who share my odd taste in books. Nice reinforcement for Jasper's many talents, too.

Whilst I love the Thursday Next series, to my knowledge "The Fourth Bear" Nursery Crime series has been the most universally well-received by a wider age group. That, and the dystopian "Shades Of Grey" with Eddie Russett. Which <hint, hint> you should put on your TBR pronto.

And, don't forget <cue music> the seventh TN book "The Woman Who Died A Lot" is coming out in July.
He's touring UK for two weeks with appearances and book signings. For example:

Fri 13 July 2012
1pm Lunchtime signing in OXFORD BLACKWELLS
48-51 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BQ
(t) 01865 792792
6:30pm Evening talk in READING WATERSTONES
89a Broad Street, Reading, RG1 2AP
(t) 0118 958 1270 Tickets: £2

Lucky readers! In fact, I must find my car keys and visit my local book shop right now to see if.....................

[Gannon]

It does my heart good to read your positive comments . It's kind of comforting to know there's other people out there who share my odd taste in books. Nice reinforcement for Jasper's many talents, too.

Whilst I love the Thursday Next series, to my knowledge "The Fourth Bear" Nursery Crime series has been the most universally well-received by a wider age group. That, and the dystopian "Shades Of Grey" with Eddie Russett. Which <hint, hint> you should put on your TBR pronto.

And, don't forget <cue music> the seventh TN book "The Woman Who Died A Lot" is coming out in July.
He's touring UK for two weeks with appearances and book signings. For example:

Fri 13 July 2012
1pm Lunchtime signing in OXFORD BLACKWELLS
48-51 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BQ
(t) 01865 792792
6:30pm Evening talk in READING WATERSTONES
89a Broad Street, Reading, RG1 2AP
(t) 0118 958 1270 Tickets: £2

Lucky readers! In fact, I must find my car keys and visit my local book shop right now to see if.....................

Hi Ho Maudster, I am currently looking for a nice signed first edition of "Shades of Grey" as we speak (well write). I am also waiting with baited breath (is that the right saying) for the latest Thursday book. Not too long to wait now, if I did not have about fifteen books on the shelf waiting to be read I would go back and reread the Thursday books to get myself ready. I have not been able to read much lately because we are helping my brother and his wife to renovate and move in to this old queenslander they have bought. Sometimes it feels like we are on "The Block".

Great to see that Primrose loves Jasper as well. You really should get a commission from Jasper.
Hope you are having an unbelievable week.