Jasper Fforde is probably best known for the Eyre Affair and his Thursday Next novels, which quite literally brought classic literature to life. The Eyre Affair was his debut novel, written on the back of 20 years within the film industry. Since that was released Fforde has written twelve novels, mostly science fiction, fantasy and satire, selling almost two million copies and now he’s back with a new ‘Rich and Dark’ novel this autumn called Early Riser.
Due for release in August, Early Riser imagines a world where 99.9% of the world’s population goes into hibernation every winter. The new novel is set in Wales and Fforde says has taken longer to write than any of his previous works, taking over four years to write.
The novel will follow the work of Charlie Worthing, a novice to the Winter Consul whose job it is to protect the population for five months a year while they sleep. Of the novel, Fforde says “Early Riser turned out more complex than I imagined and quite dark – it’s winter after all – but it’s weird, it’s rich, it’s set in Wales – and there are monsters, both real and imagined. Plus Carmen Miranda, stamp collecting, a painting of Clytemnestra and Tunnock’s tea-cakes. How much more interesting could life get? For Charlie Worthing, my protagonist – very interesting indeed, and not always in the good way.”
One thing is for sure, it sounds as weird and wonderful as Fforde’s previous works and we suspect fans are going to be very exited for the August 2nd release.
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