Are you new to the Thursday Next series?

[JeannieB360]

I've read all the books in the sequence in which they were published. In general, I'm a big fan of 'serial' mysteries - I like getting to know the characters and see how things change over time.

I've read a lot of series where I started somewhere in the middle of the series, and then gone back to read earlier books in the series. Generally, I haven't had a problem with this. But I'm not sure how I'd react if 'First Among Sequels' was my introduction to Thursday Next/Jasper Fforde.

If you're a 'newbie', what do you think?

If you're an 'oldbie', what advice would you give to the 'newbies'?

Personally, I know I'm going go back and re-read the series from the start, partly because many of the references to the earlier books in FAS don't agree with my memory of the earlier books. How much of this is faulty memory on my part, and how much of it is due to the plot device that the first 4 books, as we see them at the beginning of FAS, are in the process of being re-written by the end of FAS?

(I'll admit I went back and re-read 'Jane Eyre' after I read TEA because I didn't really remember how Jane Eyre ended!)

[songgirl7]

Mr. Fforde may correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the "Thursday 1-4" books talked about in First Among Sequals are meant to be the same as the actual books written by Mr. Fforde himself, despite the titles being the same. I think that is part of the joke; that we know the real Thursday and the Thursday 1-4 books are so different. First of all, in the actual books, Landen isn't killed in a fire, he's eradicated and then brought back. But in the Thursday 1-4 book, they kill him off early so she can become a slut.

Perhaps it was easier for me to get the joke since I've read the entire series this year, so the earlier books were very fresh in my mind when I read First Among Sequals.

In response to your question, however, I've told my friends who are new to the series to start with the first book and read them in order. There are so many things, especially when the Chronoguard are involved, that wouldn't make sense if they were being read out of order.

I'd also recommend waiting to read The Big Over Easy until after one's read The Well of Lost Plots. I liked seeing Jack Spratt and Mary Mary (and her flying boat) after having read about them in the Thursday Next series. Although it can be confusing that in the Nursery Crime books, the Book World and the Out Land are blended together rather than being two distinct worlds.

[suetu]

I guess I'm an oldster, having read each book upon its publication right from the start. And this has always been a bit of a challenge for me with the books. As a rule, I'm not a big fan of rereading books. (It's the oppressive weight of the thousands of unread books already in my home.) But it really is a challenge to remember all the detail you need from one book to the next. Jasper doesn't do a lot of remedial exposition to help those of us with flagging memories.

I have reread the first two novels, but even that was years ago now. I feel that I would be well served to reread the whole series from the beginning--especially to fully catch the nuances between the TN world and the NC world. But it really is hard to dedicate the time. Maybe before TN-6 comes out?

I may be wrong about this, and please do correct me if I am, but I seem to recall that on tour this year Jasper said that next summer's novel wouldn't be either TN or NC. God knows how I'll ever keep it all straight!

[Abbynorm]

Hi - I've been a fan for several years now. I started the series with the Well of Lost Plots which I am very partial to, in my opinion it is the best of the series. I am a wantabee writer so I think about plots, characterization, scene and atmosphere all the time. I have been a wordy since childhood - in fact my sisters always teased me for 'talking like a dictionary'. I think and read about grammar - there are some amazingly funny books about the subject and I have quite a personal collection. WOLP was largely about the storymaking process/grammar/words - one of my loves. It was also the most hilarious in putting together characters from so many different genres and well known stories making their individual foibles seem all the more ridiculous. The Eyre Affair; Lost in a Good Book & Something Rotten definitely have their moments too. Jasper did such a good job of summarizing the story line that I didn't feel I missed too much. Maybe it was because the scene was completely within the Bookworld that it didn't matter that I didn't have her Outland background. Of course, I did have to go back and find out the details of how and why Thursday had to live in a book. I also agree with the comment that WOLP and The Big Over Easy complement each other nicely and ideally should be read close together.

[craftimoose]

As an oldster, I'm pretty strict about my rereading methods. I think I always enjoy the experience more when I start from the beginning. If I start in the middle, I always miss references and keep running back to the other books trying to figure out what I forgot. It's like hopping on a rollercoaster mid-ride.

I love rereading books. They are like old friends (full of new secrets).

[bettymac]

I am new to the series and am presently reading The Well of Lost Plots...got here too late to start with the assigned one...life keeps interferring...anyway, will someone please list the books in order? Thank you very much...

[craftimoose]

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bettymac wrote:
I am new to the series and am presently reading The Well of Lost Plots...got here too late to start with the assigned one...life keeps interferring...anyway, will someone please list the books in order? Thank you very much...

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Greetings Bettymac. Here are the Thursday Next books:
The Eyre Affair
Lost in a Good Book
The Well of Lost Plots
Something Rotten
First Among Sequels

However, there have been a couple of Nursery Crime books which are somewhat related but stand on their own. If I remember right, I believe they came out after Something Rotten(?):
The Big Over Easy
The Fourth Bear

I hope you enjoy them

[bettymac]

Thanks for the list of books...I have a request at the library for The Eyre Affair...I'm looking forward to reading them all.

[songgirl7]

It seems to me that reading them out of order would be confusing. It also spoils the fun of some of the plot twists.