There is already a thread here on his Thursday Next series but I thought Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron was so brilliant (pun intended) that the series deserves it's own thread + I have lots of questions that need answers.
From the other thread:
SPOILERS FOLLOW
He plans two more books: it says in my copy that Brunswick & deMauve will return in:
Unfortunately, Jasper is so busy with various other books the next Shades of Grey is not going to be published until 2013!!! All I can ask is "Why so long?" He says in another interview that he wrote half of book 2 first, then realised that he really needed to write about how Eddie got to be a National Colourman first and that is the basis behind book 1. However, if half is already written why the 3 year gap?
I've read several comments that the start of the book is too slow and the only in the second half does it become a gripping page-turner. That was also my experience too, but I enjoyed the first half all the same. It has his same trademarked word play, but also what I would describe as "colourplay" and lots of jokes around books and paintings and popular culture. In any case, it is all necessary background towards his world-building.
I read a Guardian newspaper review that said die-hard SF fans would guess the ending. I'm not sure what was meant by that exactly. I was already spoilered myself on Jane being tested a Green and so being incompatible with Eddie. The Perpetulite (Organoplastoid self-maintaining building compound) eating humans was not a great leap once the Giraffe was found in the roadway. The destination of night train to "Emerald City" wasn't such a leap either. Eddie is a typical reluctant hero, but he isn't stupid, just ignorant of the real world. What marks him out is his curiosity. Edit: Probably meant that Mildew was caused by looking at a colour, but the blind people had already gave that away.
I'd recommend the Jasper Fforde website for extra information http://www.jasperfforde.com/grey/grey1.html Unfortunately, his Fforum is not as good and I am still waiting to be able to join it, so I'll ask some of my queries here:
Quite a few of my questions were already answered: we did find out where all the spoons went, and how a tree goes Purple, and why the Green Room is better than the Mildew. We learn why nobody comes back from High Saffron, why there is a Caravaggio in the Greyzone and what Jane put in the Prefect's scones.
1. Jasper Fforde has also given away some pre-epiphanic names of places:
And would Head Office still be London? the deMauves do have a Kensington and Chelsea SW3 postcode. Or is it Cardiff?
2. How long in the future are we?
The book is set is about 400 years after 'Something that Happened'. But we have no idea of the date of 'Something that Happened'. There are actually three CE dates in the book: the Ovaltine ad date of 2083, the 2136 that appeared on the Perpetulite control panel and XCIV Olympiad' (94th Olympiad) date on the medals that Eddie sees in his Father's lodgings which would equate to 2276. So we are looking at a date at the very least 700 years henceforth.
3. Clearly before 'Something that Happened' there was extensive genetic engineering. There are bouncing goats that seem part kangaroo, ratfinks that seem part reptile, and man-eating Yateveo trees among many other things. The website includes a bestiary. Everything has a bar code, including animals, and humans (on their nail beds.) Obviously, the lack of colour perception and night vision, and the possible ultra-violet and infra-red vision in others, is all part of this. And Baxter being over 500 years old. However, I wanted to talk about the Swans. Clearly the larger Cygnus Carnivorum Giganticus is nothing but a high altitude aircraft and not a swan or beast at all. It is from these "swans" that the men in metal seats have ejected. This begs the question of where they came from, and the possibility of another part of the world (much like John Wyndham's The Chrysalids) where the leapbacks in technology have not taken place. Do you think that we are going to see Eddie and Jane find these people?
4. And I'm interested in your thoughts on the technology. There is clearly wireless energy and information grids still in operation that can be tapped into with the right equipment, but what is the function of the ball lightening that appears every month (or was it 37 days?)
Now I'm off to look at some Lime.
From the other thread:
I'm in the same position as aboyes. I have yet to read TN4 and TN5 but have just read the first book of Shades of Grey and was knocked out. Clearly influenced by 1984 and Brave New World but unlike anything else.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
He plans two more books: it says in my copy that Brunswick & deMauve will return in:
- Shades of Grey 2: Painting by Numbers
- Shades of Grey 3: The Gordini Protocols
Unfortunately, Jasper is so busy with various other books the next Shades of Grey is not going to be published until 2013!!! All I can ask is "Why so long?" He says in another interview that he wrote half of book 2 first, then realised that he really needed to write about how Eddie got to be a National Colourman first and that is the basis behind book 1. However, if half is already written why the 3 year gap?
I've read several comments that the start of the book is too slow and the only in the second half does it become a gripping page-turner. That was also my experience too, but I enjoyed the first half all the same. It has his same trademarked word play, but also what I would describe as "colourplay" and lots of jokes around books and paintings and popular culture. In any case, it is all necessary background towards his world-building.
I read a Guardian newspaper review that said die-hard SF fans would guess the ending. I'm not sure what was meant by that exactly. I was already spoilered myself on Jane being tested a Green and so being incompatible with Eddie. The Perpetulite (Organoplastoid self-maintaining building compound) eating humans was not a great leap once the Giraffe was found in the roadway. The destination of night train to "Emerald City" wasn't such a leap either. Eddie is a typical reluctant hero, but he isn't stupid, just ignorant of the real world. What marks him out is his curiosity. Edit: Probably meant that Mildew was caused by looking at a colour, but the blind people had already gave that away.
I'd recommend the Jasper Fforde website for extra information http://www.jasperfforde.com/grey/grey1.html Unfortunately, his Fforum is not as good and I am still waiting to be able to join it, so I'll ask some of my queries here:
Quite a few of my questions were already answered: we did find out where all the spoons went, and how a tree goes Purple, and why the Green Room is better than the Mildew. We learn why nobody comes back from High Saffron, why there is a Caravaggio in the Greyzone and what Jane put in the Prefect's scones.
1. Jasper Fforde has also given away some pre-epiphanic names of places:
- Vermillion City is Hereford (Frank Oz was born there explaining the bronze plaque, it holds the "Badly Drawn Map" (Mappa Mundi) in it's map museum, and has the Green Dragon Hotel.
- East Carmine is Rhayder. When Jane unlocks the Perpetulite the road there was the A470 and the 'Heol Canolfan Cymru' means 'Central Wales Road' in Welsh. There are also some GPS co-ordinates.
- Rusty Hill is Builth Wells. It is roughly 14 miles from East Carmine in a Southerly direction.
And would Head Office still be London? the deMauves do have a Kensington and Chelsea SW3 postcode. Or is it Cardiff?
2. How long in the future are we?
The book is set is about 400 years after 'Something that Happened'. But we have no idea of the date of 'Something that Happened'. There are actually three CE dates in the book: the Ovaltine ad date of 2083, the 2136 that appeared on the Perpetulite control panel and XCIV Olympiad' (94th Olympiad) date on the medals that Eddie sees in his Father's lodgings which would equate to 2276. So we are looking at a date at the very least 700 years henceforth.
3. Clearly before 'Something that Happened' there was extensive genetic engineering. There are bouncing goats that seem part kangaroo, ratfinks that seem part reptile, and man-eating Yateveo trees among many other things. The website includes a bestiary. Everything has a bar code, including animals, and humans (on their nail beds.) Obviously, the lack of colour perception and night vision, and the possible ultra-violet and infra-red vision in others, is all part of this. And Baxter being over 500 years old. However, I wanted to talk about the Swans. Clearly the larger Cygnus Carnivorum Giganticus is nothing but a high altitude aircraft and not a swan or beast at all. It is from these "swans" that the men in metal seats have ejected. This begs the question of where they came from, and the possibility of another part of the world (much like John Wyndham's The Chrysalids) where the leapbacks in technology have not taken place. Do you think that we are going to see Eddie and Jane find these people?
4. And I'm interested in your thoughts on the technology. There is clearly wireless energy and information grids still in operation that can be tapped into with the right equipment, but what is the function of the ball lightening that appears every month (or was it 37 days?)
Now I'm off to look at some Lime.
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