Item Details
Sign up

The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)

Book
4
Ratings2
Reviews0
Followers0
Q's
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)
Highlights Images Videos
9.5
No Media

This item doesn’t have any media yet

Add New Image or Add New Video
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)

2012 | Fiction & Poetry | Science Fiction/Fantasy

Foundling Jennifer Strange 15 is an indentured manager for Kazam, a house of sorcerers. As magic dwindles, so do their jobs. Drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets deliver pizzas. But the Last Dragon is set to die this week, and Big Magic is coming.

Related Items:
No related items currently exists - add one now
Jasper Fforde
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers
Edition Unknown
ISBN 9780547738475
Language English
Edition Unknown
ISBN 9781473651289
Language English

Images And Data Courtesy Of: HMH Books for Young Readers.
This content (including text, images, videos and other media) is published and used in accordance with Fair Use.

Added By

Hazel

Added this item on Oct 1, 2018

Changelog > Edited By
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1) Reviews & Ratings (4)
9-10
75.0% (3)
7-8
25.0% (1)
5-6
0.0% (0)
3-4
0.0% (0)
1-2
0.0% (0)
Sorting

Post Type

Hidden Post

Archived Post

The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1) reviews from people you don't follow
40x40

Hazel (1853 KP) rated

Dec 17, 2018  
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)
Jasper Fforde | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
9.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

The recent dramatisation on Sky1 over the Christmas period (which I have not watched) has prompted the release of a new edition of Jasper Fforde’s <i>The Last Dragonslayer</i>, which originally appeared in bookstores six years ago. Fforde is perhaps best known for his <i>Thursday Next</i> series, a comical science-fiction story, but he proves he can equally tackle fantasy with this tale about an intrepid, young dragonslayer.

In the slightly fictional Kingdom of Hereford, part of the Ununited Kingdom, is a home and employment agency for mystical artisans. Over the past decades, magic has begun to diminish, leaving soothsayers and sorcerers struggling to find jobs. Jennifer Strange, although only fifteen, is temporarily in charge of running the agency, Kazam, and looking after the building’s cantankerous inhabitants. Although competent with her position, Jennifer soon finds herself out of her depth when wizards begin having prescient visions of the death of the last living dragon.

Able to ignore the prophecy at first, Jennifer becomes deeply involved once it is revealed that she is the foretold dragonslayer. Being both helped and hindered by friends and obdurate sorcerers, Jennifer desperately tries to prevent the shocking prediction from coming true. However, as she quickly discovers, it is impossible to outrun your own fate, especially if Big Magic is involved.

<i>The Last Dragonslayer</i> is a fun book to read that, despite the slow build up to the promised dragon story, is humorous and engaging throughout. Jasper Fforde is a particularly witty writer who uses genuine, intelligent, and often subtle, puns rather than demeaning himself by resorting to crude jokes. Although some may dismiss dragons, magic and fantasy as fatuous nonsense, it is clear Fforde is writing for the more intellectual reader.

The way in which the story is executed, particularly the conclusion, borders on genius and deserves to be highly praised. Magic is a concept that has been written about thousands of times, and also mocked in parodies of well-known literature. <i>The Last Dragonslayer</i> successfully combines fantasy and humour in a way that avoids ridicule.

Some may argue that <i>The Last Dragonslayer</i> is a young adult novel due to the age of the protagonist and the less highfaluting content in comparison to Fforde’s other works. On the other hand, Jennifer Strange is a character that appears a lot older than she actually is, and is involved in events and satire that a younger audience may not be able to fully appreciate. Therefore, there is nothing to prevent readers of all ages from enjoying this book, and the rest of the series, of course.

I particularly enjoyed reading Jasper Fforde’s <i>The Last Dragonslayer</i>. I found it engaging and amusing, loved the characters, and was slightly disheartened when the book ended earlier than I expected – that is the downside of having sneak peak chapters at the rear of the paperback! Of all the Jasper Fforde books I have read (<i>The Eyre Affair</i>, 2001 and <i>Shades of Grey</i>, 2009) <i>The Last Dragonslayer</i> has been my favourite. Perhaps the potential younger target audience prevented me from getting lost, unlike in the complexity of the other stories. As long as you can forgive the author for his fish fetish and preoccupation with marzipan, you will absolutely love this book.
  
40x40

Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated

Oct 1, 2018  
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)
The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)
Jasper Fforde | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
This one has been on my tbr list for a while and I finally got around to reading it after finding myself in a bit of a book slump. It was exactly what I didn't know I needed to break the slump lol. Light-hearted and fun, fast paced, thoroughly wonderful, and most importantly DRAGONS! Well one dragon for the most part but still... I loved it! Bought the second book immediately after finishing cause I just wasn't ready to leave Jennifer's world. Hoping my son will read them as well!