The Chronicles of Kazam, Book 3
by Jasper Fforde
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
Copyright: 2014
Format: hardback
Pages: 405
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: own book
From the cover:
Although she’s an orphan in indentured servitude, sixteen-year-old Jennifer Strange is pretty good at her job of managing the unpredictable crew at Kazam Mystical Arts Management. She already solved the Dragon Problem, avoided mass destruction by Quarkbeast, and helped save magic in the Ununited Kingdoms. Yet even Jennifer may be defeated when the long-absent Mighty Shandar makes an astonishing appearance and commands her to find the Eye of Zoltar—proclaiming that if she fails, he will eliminate the only two dragons left on earth.
How can a teenage non-magician outdo the greatest sorcerer the world has ever known? But failure is unacceptable, so Jennifer must set off for the mysterious Cadir Idris in the deadly Cambrian Empire—a destination with a fatality index of fifty percent. With the odds against them, will Jennifer and her traveling companions ever return to the Kingdom of Snodd?
I have no idea what to do with this one. This is the third book in the series, and it won't make the slightest bit of sense if you haven't read the first two: The Last Dragonslayer and The Song of the Quarkbeast. If you have read the first two, and liked them, you need to read this one too. However - I found it way, way bleaker and darker than the previous two. The events were pretty heavy and the, um, callous way things were presented and handled made me pretty unhappy. I was going to be pretty ticked with then book overall and was planning to say simply ugh - and then we came to the end - which I can't discuss at all because a) total spoilers and b) Holy Cliffhanger!!! but wow - I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW! And there isn't any sign of it on-line - like a projected publication date or tentative title - anything to demonstrate that it will even exist other than the way that this book ended
The Chronicles of Kazan will continue ...
They bloody well better, 'cause Holy Cow!
I am still not particularly happy with events in story and really disliked one aspect that, again, I can't mention because it would be a massive spoiler. ARGH! Suffice it to say that this book does not end with a traditional HEA. OTOH, the story certainly avoids the problem of being a torturous placeholder, like the recent Finishing School book.
I have no idea what else to say about any of this, so I am going to give up now.
I loved the first book, but haven't read books 2 and 3. I think, from the sound of it, I'd better wait for book 4 to come out first!
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