#FictionalDeathsIWillNeverGetOver Part II

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books, greek mythology, Jasper Fforde, lloyd alexander, movies, prydain chronicles, the last dragonsayer

Lately, the hashtag #FictionalDeathsIWillNeverGetOver has been trending on Twitter. As soon as I saw that, I immediately thought of characters—whose deaths I will never get over. I could not let it pass and so I must tell you all about the imaginary deaths which shall haunt me forever.

Prince Hector

As I’ve said before, the 2004 movie Troy is my favorite film of all time. (Again, don’t ask why because I have no idea.) I felt so sad when Hector died because Achilles’ reason for seeking revenge on the Trojan prince really wasn’t Hector’s fault. Achilles’ young cousin, Patroclus, was mad about Achilles refusing to fight the Trojans so he dressed up in Achilles’ armor and led his cousin’s men into battle. Hector killed Patroclus, thinking he was Achilles, but he felt really bad about it when he found out and while he had his brutal moments, he clearly had a more developed conscience than most the other characters. Oh, and he had a wife and infant son, too. He really, really was one of those characters who you wish could have lived. (Yes, I know he dies in the traditional myths, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it!)

Quark the Quarkbeast

A friend of mine loaned me Jasper Fforde’s YA debut, The Last Dragonslayer for a road trip and I enjoyed it greatly. The main character, Jennifer Strange, has a pet whose coat is described as “an open knife drawer,” eats tin cans, and has to be careful so as not to dent Volkswagens when he wags his tail. Quark was a semi-sentient creature who was fiercely loyal to his young mistress and ended up dying to save her. I knew he was going to die because once again, that detail was spoiled for me, but I still adored him and was very, very sad to see him meet his demise.

Adaon

One of the great underrated fantasy series of all time is Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles. In the second installment, titled The Black Cauldron, we meet a young and mystical warrior who is equally skilled with a sword as the harp and seeks to make and keep peace amongst his companions. He is betrothed to a beautiful and wise young woman with whom he is deeply in love and was an all-around good guy. But…in a scuffle with the zombie-like warriors sent by the dark lord, he is fatally wounded and dies. Adaon is of the minority of my FDIWNGO in that I didn’t see his death coming. Though that didn’t subtract from the devastation I experienced at the others’ deaths, it certainly was a compounding factor with Adaon.

To be continued…

Review: The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragon Slayer, #1) by Jasper Fforde

Tags

alternative fiction, fantasy, humor, Jasper Fforde, series, The last dragon slayer

In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

A friend loaned me this book for a road trip, thinking I would enjoy it. Man, did she think right!

Jasper Fforde’s writing is a glorious mix of moral messages and delightful humor. While we were driving, I would spontaneously burst into laughter and my brother would stare at me like I was nuts.

The plot:
The plot twisted and turned like a roller coaster. I was never really sure where it was going, but it was moving so fast and so well, that didn’t matter! I kept my eyes on the pages as we barreled along miles and highway and lost track of time!

The characters:
Jennifer Strange is sixteen, but has more responsibilities than many adults. She runs what is basically a group home for magicians, sorceresses, apparitions, ghosts, and things that no one’s really sure what they are. I adored her dry wit, her affable nature, her dedication to do the right thing no matter what, and her quarkbeast.

Quark, or simply “the quarkbeast,” is like a little shaggy terrier with razor-sharp spikes instead of fur, that eats metal as a main food group. He was an adorable, faithful, lovable addition to the scene and now I want a quarkbeast!

Tiger, who is more or less in training to take over Jennifer’s job in two years, is another cute addition to the cast.

There were plenty of other faces, King Snod, Magawon, Arthur the moose apparition, Maltcassion the Dragon…each brought something special to the story and each was enjoyable in his/her own way.

This was a great book! I was impressed with how the clean the ending was and I do hope you go look into it!

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