The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde (3 stars)
Good:
Light, fun, humorous, though not quite as much as The Last Dragonslayer. Jennifer Strange's responsibilities seemed to weigh heavier on her.
Something, usually something strange, is always happening. The pace rarely slackens and the story always marches forward.
The story is full of weird, zany characters.
Bad:
The title felt misleading. Quarkbeasts do play a big role in the story, but it took a little long for them to appear onstage. I kept wondering where the Quarkbeasts were.
The humor quotient felt lower than in the first book. Jennifer is worried for much of the book and responds to several unfortunate happenings with dread, despair and fear. I think the drama and tension would have built up well even if she were less distraught.
No dragons. (Not that they're required, but dragons are awesome.)
Final Thoughts:
A fun, light, quirky fantastical read. A great way to spend an afternoon.