First Among Sequels

A Thursday Next Novel

By: Jasper Fforde

Narrated by: Emily Gray

Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Beloved for his prodigious imagination, his satirical gifts, his literate humor, and sheer silliness, Jasper Fforde has delighted book lovers since Thursday Next first appeared in The Eyre Affair, a genre send-up hailed as an instant classic. Since the no-nonsense literary detective from Swindon made her debut, literature has never been quite the same. Neither have nursery rhymes, for that matter. With two successful books of the Nursery Crime series under his belt, Fforde once again takes up the brilliant adventures of his signature creation in the highly anticipated fifth installment of the Thursday Next series. And it's better than ever.

It's been 14 years since Thursday pegged out at the 1988 SuperHoop, and Friday is now a difficult 16-year-old. However, Thursday's got bigger problems. Sherlock Holmes is killed at the Rheinback Falls and his series is stopped in its tracks. And before this can be corrected, Miss Marple dies suddenly in a car accident, bringing her series to a close as well. When Thursday receives a death threat clearly intended for her written self, she realizes what's going on: there is a serial killer on the loose in the Bookworld. And that's not all: The Goliath Corporation is trying to deregulate book travel.

Packed with word play, bizarre and entertaining subplots, and old-fashioned suspense, Thursday's return is sure to be celebrated by Jasper's fanatical fans and the critics who have loved him since the beginning.

Delve into Jasper Fforde's literary universe with the other books in his Thursday Next fantasy/detective series.

©2007 Jasper Fforde (P)2007 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Fans of satiric literary humor are in for a treat." ( Publishers Weekly)

Tries to Cram Too Much Into One Book

This is the third Thursday Next novel I have read (I started out of order and accidentally have stayed that way). I love the idea of Thursday Next and the Bookworld. Fforde's cleverness and irreverence know no bounds! However, I think I'd like this book more if one or two of the several storylines were removed, so I could focus more on what was happening and not feel like I was consistently just a little bit lost.

The narrator is fantastic.

A return to form

I love this series and I think the narration of all is excellent. The middle books are perhaps the weaker, but this latest book seemed to return to the swinging narration of the first two. But I'd highly recommend listening/reading to all of them right the way through.

How can you top the last book?

Well, he didn't top the last book. He kind of wrote around it. The problem with this one, and with all sequels is that it's near on impossible to add the element of surprise. You know the characters, you know the parameters of the story, and you're nestled in waiting to be amused at the same level of the previous book. On top of that, the last Thursday Next book wrapped everything up into a tidy bow so that you're really not looking for more. This book not only beats "sequel-itis", it also manages to uphold the cute and clever that mark the previous efforts. Yep, it's the same character just done in a different way - - and yes, I realize I'm not explaining this well - - that's because I don't want to give it away. Bottom line: if you like the previous books you'll like this one too. If you haven't read the previous books then what the heck are you waiting for?

I love these books!

I love the literary humore of Jasper Fforde. These books are witty and intelligent and fun. They always make me happy.

Most fun series ever!

I love the Thursday Next series. If you're a book nerd who loves the classics and wordplay and alternate universes and hardboiled detective stories and straight up mysteries and a bit of scifi and time travel, this is for you. Jasper Fforde is endlessly clever and inventive. All these books stand alone just fine by themselves, but if you're patient enough to work your way through them all you'll discover Fforde has done something more significant than just write a bunch of random sequels.

Wow

I wasn't sure that it would be as much fun as the first four, and it was a slow start to get back into it all again.
Jasper Fforde has an amazing mind and I really enjoyed the parallel worlds of jurisfiction and the somewhat present day alternative universe UK.
These books are pure pleasure and although the bit about eternal damnation was out of place, and the bit about Jenny was a heartbreaker (not in the way I has worried it might be) all else kept me completely captivated.
Thank you Mr Fforde!

Need to read the prequels

I found the"alternate universe" premises in this book amusing, charming and delightful. However, it is the fifth book in the series, and I could not figure out lots of it. I have since bought and read the previous four books in the Thursday Next series, and am enjoying this one much more. A fine trip into a fantasy world.

Creative .. and at times boring

Jasper Fforde is one of the most clever writers I've ever encountered,and sometimes listening to this book I just had to shake my head in amazement at his audactious creativity. Somehow, though, I couldn't wait to get through this book ... I didn't enjoy the story itself as much as others. I kept asking myself: "how can anything this original and creative be boring me?" .. and I don't know the answer.

Thrilled to see more...

I'm very happy to see Jasper Fforde is continuing (or is it restarting) his Thursday Next series. Not quite sure if this rises to the quality of the initial series yet. Time will tell - but for Fforde fans, no going forward in time to peek at the answer.

Great Book/Bad Encoding

I have always enjoyed Jasper's books, but this one took me for a spin - and I am not talking about the book. Whoever was in charge of putting the audio together should have paid just a wee bit more attention. It goes normally from chapter 1 to chapter 15, then goes back to chapter 12 and repeats. Ok.. so... I blunder... Oh, wait... at chapter 18, it goes back to 15 again in mid sentence.

Maybe... just maybe they will fix this so we can all enjoy the wonderful book without having to hunt through to find the story in an ordered fashion.