the song of the quarkbeast

the song of the quarkbeast
the last dragonslayer #2
jasper fforde
mg/ya/fantasy/humor
harcourt
published 2013

Long ago, magic began to fade, and the underemployed magicians of Kazam Mystical Arts Management have been forced to take any work their sixteen-year-old acting manager, Jennifer Strange, can scare up.  But things are about to change.  Magical power is finally on the rise, and King Snood IV of the Ununited Kingdoms knows that he who controls magic controls everything.  Only one person stands between Snodd and his plans for a magic-grab - and that's Jennifer.

Yet even smart and sensible Jennifer would have trouble against these powers-that-be.  The king and his cronies will do anything to succeed - including ordering a just-might-be-rigged contest between Kazam and iMagic, Kazam's only competitor in the magic business.  With underhanded shenanigans afoot, how can Kazam possibly win?

Whatever happens, one thing is certain: Jennifer Strange will not relinquish the noble powers of magic without a fight.

I know, I know.  I said I wasn't all that interested enough to read the second book, yet here I am writing a review for it.  I was at the library the other day and I looked up from the shelf I was perusing and there it was right in front of my face, The Song of the Quarkbeast.

This one was so much more fun that the first book.  We got to see more of the wizards in action and the mystery was rife.  And there was a quarkbeast!  The best character in the first book has returned....maybe.

Either way it was fun, funny and kept me guessing.  Much better than The Last Dragonslayer.