My father had a face that could stop a clock. I don’t mean that he was ugly or anything; it was a phrase the ChronoGuard used to describe someone who had the power to reduce time to an ultraslow trickle.
(opening lines of The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde)
Bookshelf Fantasies 
I was sure that you would! Jasper Fforde is a hoot!
I’ve read 3 chapters so far, and it’s terrific. I want a pet dodo!
And it’s a series! 🙂