First Among Sequels (Thursday Next #5) By: Jasper Fforde

Plot:

It’s been fourteen years since Thursday pegged out at the 1988 SuperHoop, and Friday is now a difficult sixteen year old. However, Thursday’s got bigger problems. Sherlock Holmes is killed at the Reichenbach 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. Naturally, Thursday must travel to the outer limits of acceptable narrative possibilities to triumph against increasing odds.

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.

Review:

I took a break from this series because the last book came to such a perfect and logical conclusion I didn’t really think I needed to read more. However, since I love the series and the characters so much I had to see what Fforde did next and I wasn’t disappointed.

This book takes place fourteen years after the last and Thursday’s life is solid, for the most part. You get to see her in a comfortable relationship with her husband and be a mother who mostly has her stuff together. Then you start to see how that’s not really the case and it’s all done in Fforde’s usual awesome style.

I’m not sure if this book added much to the world or really even the characters, but it was great to be back and I loved every minute of it. The next book doesn’t sound quiet as appealing so I’m not in a rush to read, but I know I’ll get around to it and one day.

5/5