If you are looking for a new author, try Fforde and his fantastical worlds

There are few (modern) authors to whom I am truly devoted and will read anything they write. Geraldine Brooks is one [http://geraldinebrooks.com]; her newest book will be released in May and will probably be my next book club suggestion. She is a “historical fiction” novelist who weaves the most beautiful stories from overlooked moments and places in the past. Her book March tells the story of Mr. March--the father of the Little Women--and received the Pulitzer. My favorite, Year of Wonders, is about a small 16th century English town that quarantined itself after the citizens discovered the outbreak of the plague. Her stories are about the past and about people, and they explore how we deal with heartbreak and catastrophe.

My other favorite is Jasper Fforde [http://www.jasperfforde.com/]. Completely unique, his books are part fantasy, part comedy, part science fiction--basically, they are a clever and fun mix of all genres defying any sort of definition. I was first introduced to his brilliance in my masters program when we were assigned The Eyre Affair, the first in his Thursday Next series. Thursday is an agent of SpecOps 27--a whole group devoted to all things fiction, its fraud, its misuse, etc. These stories take place in a parallel world where people actually care about books, Swindon is a cool pace to live, and, if you have the ability, you can live in books and hang out with the greatest characters of fiction like Miss Havisham and Hamlet.  Besides his amazing creativity and imagination, what makes his books so enjoyable is that he writes for readers. He writes for and to those who are completely devoted to their identities as readers-to those who as nerdy and clever as he is. His books are fantastic lessons in word play and allusions.

His latest series, Shades of Grey, tells about a world wherein each person can only see one color. And, this color determines everything about his/her life: whom they marry, what job they will do, and even what social class they are part of. Though you must be prepared to suspend disbelief, the story is a fascinating reinvention of the dystopian genre. It never takes itself too seriously and remains as comic and creative as his other novels. But, despite the lightness of the story, Fforde still subtly explores the seeming inevitability of hierarchy and of people’s lust for power. The book calls us to question our own capacity to make change. Can one person really change anything? What are those sacrifices? Would you have the strength to overcome your own apathy?

In his newest novel--I had to order it from a used bookstore in the UK, Abebooks.com-- Dragonslayer, Fforde ventures into young adult fiction. Although all of his books are playful, and he writes for the youthful spirit in the adult, this book is for kids. But, you know how I feel about young adult fiction, so for me this was the best of both worlds. He didn’t “talk down” to his reader nor did he get caught up in the overly dramatic trend that seems to be invading the young adult genre. With his usual playful imagination, he creates a world where society is no longer amazed by magicians, and witches and wizards must resort to plumbing work in order to stay relevant. Hilarious and unique, the book narrates the coming of age of a young orphan girl, unsure of her role in the not so distant “big magic” that will change her world. The book is fast-paced, sometimes too fast, and at times seems to skip through some character development. The ending was a bit rushed--I’m not a fan of the end-of-book wrap-ups. But, overall, it was a fun, short entertaining read--a pleasant way to spend a snowy afternoon.