The Last Dragonslayer [Hardcover]

Jasper Fforde (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2010 | Age Range: 9 and up

In the good old days, magic was powerful, unregulated by government, and even the largest spell could be woven without filling in magic release form B1-7g. Then the magic started fading away. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for soothsayers and sorcerers. But work is drying up. Drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and even magic carpets are reduced to pizza delivery. So it's a surprise when the visions start. Not only do they predict the death of the Last Dragon at the hands of a dragonslayer, they also point to Jennifer, and say something is coming. Big Magic ...

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Highly recommended. Very funny' -- Independent '[Fforde's] ripping yarn of magic in decline mashes up the usual spells-and-beasts motif with a satire on corporate cash and tabloid values.' -- i 'Fforde is a master entertainer, and a wordsmith of dexterous genius' -- Scotsman 'This year's grown-up JK Rowling' -- Sunday Times 'Hilarious, absurd and utterly compelling new series of nursery crimes for adults.' -- Daily Mirror 'Fforde's books are more than an ingenious idea. They are written with buoyant zest and are tautly plotted. They have empathic heroes and heroines who nearly make terrible mistakes and suitable dastardly villains who do. They also have more twists and turns than Christie, and are embellish with the rich details of a Dickens or Pratchett.' -- Independent 'True literary comic genius' -- Sunday Express

About the Author

Jasper Fforde traded a varied career in the film industry for staring out of the window and chewing the end of a pencil. He lives and works in Wales and has a passion for aviation.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 281 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton; First Edition edition (November 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1444707175
• ISBN-13: 978-1444707175
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #817,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and Surprising! January 9, 2011

By Alexandra Cenni VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Fforde is one of those authors that I found quite by accident while looking another one up and than couldn't help but keep reading. His Thursday Next series (which has a sequel due out this year!) is a delightfully entertaining mystery quasi-fantasy that's full of clever puns and satirical renditions of our own world. The Last Dragonslayer is no different, just its a young adult fantasy series.

While I had no idea this was coming out I'm glad that I came across it because it was pure entertainment to read. The book has a very British feel to it, which it should since British author + British environment, which includes the humor. There's a little slapstick (Gordon von Gordon taking care of some of the reporters was a good laugh), some irony (what happened to the Great Zambini...) and dry humor (The Blessed Sisterhood of the Lobster?). As the kid who grew up on the BBC more often than Nickelodeon it made me all warm inside.

Much of the world is built upon being like ours, but slanted a ways. The UnUnited Kingdoms? I'm guessing because of the magical influence, and the Dragons, things developed differently. The Dragons, after the Dragonpact some 400 years earlier, were each given a fairly large chunk of land, some of which sat in the middle of Kingdoms. Some things, like the Consolidated Useful Stuff business seems to be a direct jab at mega-corporations like Wal-Mart (aka The Evil Empire in my household).

Jennifer, indeed all the characters, don't act like you'd expect. There are several twists and clever plays on how the smallest idea can become a firmly entrenched belief. Or how prophecy will always find ways to make itself come true (though maybe not for the reason you expect).... The last dragon, Maltcassion, reminds me of a grumpy old man with the mischievousness of a five year old. He certainly doesn't act like a maneater. He was probably my favorite, next to the Quarkbeast honestly.

In short if you're a fan of Terry Pratchett you will likely enjoy this book honestly. Its just this side of ridiculous with some weighty moral concepts strewn about to keep it from being utterly ridiculous. Read more ›

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For fans of Harry Potter and The Philospher's Stone and Artemis Fowl April 20, 2011

By sazbah

Format:Hardcover

Before I start, I'll point out this is a children's book, and I've regarded it, and starred it as such. I think it would be a great read for children around the ages of 10 and 12.

The Last Dragonslayer is the tale of 'foundling' (orphan) Jennifer Strange, and a re-imagined 'Ununited Kingdoms', a UK much similar to one we know, but divided into feuding kingdoms; a place where magic exists, but is dying.

Jennifer works at one of the last two remaining wizard agencies: talent agencies representing wizards. It's a bizarre place, filled with hilarious characters, unpredictable magic, and a Transient Moose.

The world, the characters--the creatures--are characterised by Fforde's typical brand of charming absurdism, and The Last Dragonslayer is genuinely one of the best children's novels I've encountered in a long time. Imagine you're a 10 year old, and Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett (both of whom I'm forever comparing with Fforde) write about a UK where dragons and magic still exist, adults are even weirder than they already are, and you can have a pet that's one part velociraptor, one part kitchen blender, one tenth golden lab, and eats tin cans for breakfast. Wow.

Fforde tells a magical story of corrupt government, corporate (and individual) greed, lobsters, personal sacrifice, values, and it's one where the good guy wins--but at a cost. The story is intelligent, yet never condescending. There's a very strong moral message in the book, butit's not at the cost of a marvellous story.

I often find Jasper Fforde's writing quite dense (not a criticism--just an observation), so it was very interesting reading this, as, while his trademark humour is still there, his writing is much changed for a younger audience....

The Last Dragonslayer deserves to be up there with Harry Potter and The Philospher's Stone and Artemis Fowl--and should appeal to fans of both. Read more ›

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Witty new series for all ages January 7, 2011

By paralamaleta

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was instantly a Jasper Fforde fan after reading his first book The Eyre Affair when it came out in 2002. I continue to pick up every one of his books as they're released and he stands as my favorite author. This new book is geared towards young adults however any and all should pick up this light read. Unfortunately it hasn't been released in the states so I had to order it from the UK but it was worth the wait. Once again, Fforde creates an alternate world, the UnUnited Kingdom, in which magic is commonplace and dragons exist. Fforde's brilliant use of words and satire never cease to amaze me.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars The plot just does not work. February 27, 2013

By Liz

Format:Hardcover

I am frankly startled to see so many good reviews of this book. I am a fan of Jasper Fforde's brand of humorous fantasy fiction, full of puns and delightful world building. I really enjoyed "Shades of Grey" and the Thursday Next novels. While The Last Dragonslayer was a pleasant and easy read, with Fforde's characteristic wit, I just could not get over the plot holes in this narrative. Most of the things driving the plot felt very artificial and overly convenient.

Spoilers below-

The central plot element of the novel is a premonition that reveals that the last dragon will die at the end of the week. Jennifer's reaction to that news is to decide quite out of the blue that she should go talk to the dragon. Never mind that there is a force field that will vaporizes anyone except for the Official Dragonslayer (and their apprentice, conveniently) surrounding that dragon land. Why does Jennifer think that she needs to go talk to the dragon? It would be like if I saw a White House press conference and then decided that the correct course of action would be to go personally and talk to the president.

And then it is revealed that Jennifer is next in line to be the dragonslayer. The previous dragonslayer magically uploads all of the knowledge that she will need into her head in a minute, and then dies. Then she meets Gordon, a complete stranger, who shows up to apply to be the dragonslayer apprentice, telling Jennifer that he placed an ad in the paper for the job without her knowledge. Despite the fact that is is obviously some kind of scam, she without any thought whatsoever, in complete, blind trust, hires him. Surprise, it is later revealed that he is a bad guy, bent on claiming as much of the dragon lands as he can for a corporation.... Why doesn't she pick her new friend Tiger? Why does she need anyone? After all, if she is the "last" dragonslayer, what does she need an apprentice for?

One of the book's antagonists, Lady Mawgon, spends the first half of the book being a royal pain in the butt to Jennifer, and even succeeds in getting her effectively fired from Kazam. But she ends up being crucial in hiding Jennifer when she is in danger of being arrested (and possibly murdered) by the King's men. Lady Mawgon's character has shown absolutely no sympathy towards Jennifer during the entire book, that action is wildly out of character. It seemed much more likely that she would do something like that if she felt she could gain some kind of leverage over Jennifer, not out of the goodness of her heart.

Also, Jennifer comes across as kind of pretentious. For example, why is she so turned off by the idea of endorsements? Do all of the athletes on Wheaties boxes and wearing Nike apparel, deserve our scorn for their endorsements as well?

Finally, after saying over and over and over that no one can go into the dragon lands except the dragonslayer, and her apprentice...she brings her pet quark with her. Who then gets shot and killed.

I found myself constantly rolling my eyes while reading this book. The plot just does not work. Read more ›