Heaven Cent by Piers Anthony

"Heaven Cent" continues the Xanth series in yet another fun filled, pun filled, book! Prince Dolph, son of King Dor and Queen Irene, and brother to Princess Ivy, is a shape-shifter. He can change into anything you can imagine, which is quite useful, and often hilarious! Dolph is determined to find the missing Good Magician Humfrey, but of course since he's still young his parents have a few objections to that.


 
Dolph and his parents come to a compromise. He can go on his quest as long as he takes an adult along. Dolph doesn't particularly like this idea (adults tend to squash fun ideas) so he determines to suggest a bunch of truly horrible adults so that when he suggests the one he wants, they'll agree out of relief! Unfortunately (or fortunately) his first suggestion is actual one they agree with! So Dolph finds himself semi-reluctantly the traveling companion of Marrow, an enchanted skeleton from the Hypno-guards.


 
Marrow turns out to be the best companion Dolph could have hoped for. They both have the ability to change forms. Marrow can rearrange the order his bones are in, and Dolph's power is more liquid. It makes them kindred spirits in a way, and both of their talents come in handy more than once!


 
Of course, this wouldn't be Xanth if they didn't face a number of unique trials along the way. Women keep trying to ensnare the Prince (what better match can a woman find?), Dolph is frustrated by the "adult conspiracy" (just how DO adults signal the storks to bring babies?), and the group even finds themselves guarding a dragon's nest for him!

Vale of the Vole by Piers Anthony

"Vale of the Vole" is the next book in the continuing Xanth series by Piers Anthony. I love this series for so many reasons! Anthony has incredibly inventive mind, and he's created a diverse world in Xanth that is full of unlimited possibilities, which he proves over and over with each new book he writes!

The book stars Esk, the son of Smash Ogre and Tandy Nymph, and Chex, the daughter of Xap Hippograph and Chem Centaur, as well as Volney Vole, a totally new character to the series! Well, the other two are new as well, but they are descended from characters that we know and love. That's one of the things I like about this series, Anthony keeps things fresh and moving along by bringing in the children of previous characters!

Esk is on a mission to ask the Good Magician how to get rid of a seductive demoness who has invaded his hiding place. Along the way he meets Chex, who is mostly a centaur, but has wings thanks to her hippograph father. She's also looking for the Good Magician wanting to learn how she can fly, because her wings are not big enough to support her mass. The two of them meet up with Volney Vole, who is on a mission from the Vale of Voles trying to find out how they can get rid of the demons who have over run the vale and ruined their paradise.

One major problem though, the Good Magician has disappeared! Now it's up to our three adventurers to come up with their own solutions to their problems. Which is something they usually have to do after they receive their answer, but they usually at least have their answer from the Good Magician to guide them!

Along the way our friends make even more friends! We meet Marrow the Skeleton, Bria Brassie, and Latia Curse Fiend. We also get to meet up with some of our old friends from previous books! The one thing that doesn't get resolved in this book, though, is what happened to the Good Magician? I'm hoping we find out in the next book!

Golem in the Gears by Piers Anthony

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Golem in the Gears (The Magic of Xanth, Book 9)

I've been looking forward to getting to "Golem in the Gears" as I read through the Xanth books. I knew from reading some of his author's comments at the back of his books that this was the first book he wrote using a computer! Piers Anthony had said in those notes that the computer managed to work it's way into the book, and I was curious to see how that worked out.

"Golem in the Gears" stars Grundy Golem, the little Golem that was transformed awhile ago into a living being. He's still quiet small though, and he's struggled with his feeling of self worth. Now he has a chance to prove his worth by going on a quest for the princess.

Traveling in Xanth is always an adventure, and fortunately Grundy doesn't have to go alone. He travels with the monster from under the Princess's bed as his stead, and eventually meets up with Rapunzel. Rapunzel is part elf, and she's able to change her size. She likes being his size, admires what he's doing, and begins to fall for him. Can a golem find love?

And yes, they do encounter the computer, and a battle of wits ensues!

Crewel Lye: A Caustic Tale by Piers Anthony

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Crewel Lye (Magic of Xanth)

The master of puns is at it again! I must admit though, even though I read like maniac, I had no idea what the word "crewel" meant. I had to look it up. Apparently it's a type of yarn used in embroidery, or etching. It's also called worsted yarn, which is the term I had heard before. "Lye," for those who don't know,is a type of solution, in fact any solution "resulting from leaching, percolation, or the like." (dictionary.com)

The title of the book "Crewel Lye" is a play on the more familiar words "Cruel Lie," which is exactly what the ghost Jordan had fallen victim too. He never really understood what had happened though, and when he tried to view the magic tapestry in the castle that shows the history of Xanth, it was too dirty for him to view the scenes of his life properly. So Princess Ivy goes to the Good Magician and he gives her a substance, a crewel lye, to use on the tapestry.

After the tapestry has been cleaned, Ivy and Jordan are able to view his adventures while he was still alive, and discover what had happened to him. You see, Jordan's magical power is the ability to heal himself, even to the point of regenerating missing limbs! However, whoever killed him scattered the pieces of his body so far apart that even his incredible gift couldn't restore him. Now it's time for him to have another chance at life.

Night Mare by Piers Anthony

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Night Mare (Xanth Novels)

You have got to love the tag-line for the book "Night Mare!" "The danger to Xanth was so great that only a night mare could offer hope!" Night Mare's in a Xanth are a little different than what we are used to here in our Mundane existence. In Xanth, things tend to be more literal, and Night Mare's are actual Mare's who's job it is to deliver the bad dreams to the citizens of Xanth.

One Night Mare, Mare Imbrium, has been given a special mission. Normally the Night Mare's can't go out during the day, but because she has half a soul (see the book "Ogre, Ogre) the Night Stallion is able to give her special dispensation. Now she has a special message for the King of Xanth, and she is destined to become a liaison between him and the Night Stallion.

The people and government of Xanth undergo a lot of changes in this book, but they are for the better! I really enjoyed reading it and I look forward to seeing where Piers Anthony takes us next.

Centaur Aisle by Piers Anthony

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Centaur Aisle (Xanth Novels)

Poor spellers the world over have often lamented over those pesky words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. You know, "Too, to, and two?" Well, in "Centaur Aisle" Piers Anthony has way to much fun with his words! Dor is a few years older than when we last saw him in "Castle Roogna," as is Irene, the Kings daughter. 

Trent has been training Dor to be King, and now he decides it's time to give him some practice! King Trent and his Queen travel to Mundania to facilitate a trade agreement, leaving Dor in charge as acting regent. One problem. King Trent doesn't come home when he says he will! 

Now Dor and Irene, alone with some friends, are headed on a rescue mission to save King Trent. Along the way Dor learns a lot about what it means to be a King, and the important role that a Queen can play in the King's life as he and Irene grow closer together. 

You'll laugh the whole way through as Anthony plays with his words just as much or more than he does in any of his other books! And don't worry about not knowing the different meanings of the different spellings, he's great at making things very clear with out making the reader feel dumb.

And Eternity by Piers Anthony

And Eternity

"And Eternity" was written in 1990, and was supposed to be the last of the series "The Incarnations of Immortality." Apparently something changed his mind, because he wrote another book, "Under a Velvet Cloak" in 2007! I'd love to read it, but the library doesn't have it yet. Oh well. I'll read it eventually!

I really enjoyed "And Eternity." I was a little worried going into it because I knew that they Incarnations were headed to a show down with the Incarnation of Good, IE, God. I really enjoyed it though! I think the portrayal of God didn't bother me in this book because the whole system of belief and reality is so vastly different from reality. 

We see all of the old characters in this book, and it was fascinating to realize how closely the Incarnations ended up being by the end of the series! In the book Jolie, Satan's original bride and now a ghost, realizes that while she was off on a mission Orlene, Gaea's mortal daughter, has committed suicide. Horrified by this turn of events Jolie sets off to do what she can to help Orlene's now ghostly soul. Through an entertaining turn of events, the two ghostly ladies get sent to inhabit and help a young girl who's in trouble. 

The ghosts manage to help the girl, Vita, and the three of them set off on even more adventures! Orlene had suicided because of the early death of her baby. Instead of going to Heaven or Hell, the baby had ended up with Nox, the Incarnation of Night. To be able to get her baby back the ladies must go on a quest that involves getting favors from each of the Incarnations. 

Along the way the three ladies learn quite a bit, and by the end of the book the world is headed to a show down. Has the Incarnation of Good given up His right to retain the role because of His inattention? And if so, who will replace Him? All this and more will be answered by the end of the book! I couldn't put it down at the end.

The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony

"The Source of Magic" is book two in the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. Bink, the hero of the last book, is sent by the King to discover the source of all magic in Xanth. To succeed on this quest he takes along the centaur Chester, Crombie the soldier (transformed into a griffen), and even the Good Magician Humfrey! It makes for an interesting crew, especially as Crombie and Chester love to fight! So they'll fight with each other when there's no one else to fight...

You'll be surprised when you discover what the actual source of magic is in Xanth, and what happens when Bink comes face to face with it! Magic is destroyed in Xanth...and the consequences are not fun. 

Each of the characters grow and develop over the course of the book, and of course there's a lot of fun adventures along the way! That's what I love about Piers Anthony's books, he comes up with the zaniest way of looking at things, and his Xanth books are a prime example of that!

For Love of Evil by Piers Anthony

Did you read my review on the "Incarnations of Immortality" series by Piers Anthony? Well, I wrote that review thinking I had just finished reading the final book, and some awesome readers told me I was wrong! There were more! I started dancing in my seat and headed straight to my libraries web-site to reserve the next one, "For the Love of Evil."

I'll admit though, I didn't actually enjoy this book as much as I did some of the other books. In large part I suppose because the main character is Parry, who becomes the Incarnation of Evil, ie Satan. It was interesting though. In a way the book got repetitive because telling Parry's story necessitated revisiting many events in the first five books. To attempt to avoid the book getting overly repetitive Piers Anthony attempted to write those scenes from a different perspective, or with insight that we didn't have before, and I think he did a pretty good job.

I did find it really fascinating to understand Parry's motivation behind his actions in the events of "Being a Green Mother." I think that was my favorite part of the book!

I'm curious to see what the next book, "And Eternity," has in store. Piers Anthony is an agnostic, which means he doesn't believe you can prove or disprove the existence of God. Which means that this book, which I'm presuming deals with the Incarnation of Good, ie God, should be pretty interesting.

A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony

"A Spell for Chameleon" is the first book in the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. I started this series out of order, picking up "Ogre, Ogre," and quickly decided I needed to go back to the beginning! I wasn't disappointed either.

In this book we get to begin exploring Xanth alongside Bink as he seeks out the Good Magician Humfrey in an effort to discover whether or not he has any magical ability. This is a question of vital importance to Bink, because he'll be exiled on his next birthday unless he can demonstrate a magical talent. That's the law in Xanth. Unfortunately he's never shown even the slightest hint of a magical ability!

Along the way Bink meets quiet a few interesting characters, examines who he is, travels to Mundania, and ponders the nature of Xanth and magic. The book is also full of crazy creatures, hilarious puns, and some good old fashioned fun!

Ogre, Ogre by Piers Anthony

I picked this book up at the library one day when I was browsing the shelf with Piers Anthony on it. I didn't look at it closely enough to realize that it was part of a series, although how I missed that when I KNOW I read the back of the book, I'll never know. Anyway, "Ogre, Ogre" is one of the books in the "Magic of Xanth" series. While I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book with out the back story, I'd recommend NOT following in my footsteps and starting out with the first book instead. Believe me, I've already ordered it from my local library!

I love reading Piers Anthony because he has a talent for looking at things from the most bizarre angels! He excels at that once again in "Ogre, Ogre." In this book we meet Smash, who seems to be the typical Ogre at first, if albeit a little bit more familiar with polite society than most Ogres. He goes to the Good Magician Humfrey for an Answer (although he doesn't really know what the question is) and soon finds himself on a journey through Xanth with an ever increasing number of maidens to protect! Its an hilarious journey and each of the companions grows and changes along the way.

Interested in reading my other reviews on other books by Piers Anthony? Go here :)

Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony

I recently read "Being a Green Mother" by Piers Anthony. This is the fifth and final book in the series "Incarnations of Immortality." Since I read the rest of the books last year, before I started this blog and doing book reviews, I decided I'm going to try to briefly tell you a little bit about the entire series!

Piers Anthony sets this series on earth, but it's a earth very different from the one that you and are familiar with! Here magic and science both hold their own power, and different people live their lives based more on one or the other. Time, War, Death, Earth, and Fate are all not only real forces, they are offices held by people! Each book in the series focuses on a different one of these Incarnations, starting with them obtaining their office, and following them as they take their part in the fight between Good and Evil.



The five books are, in order: "On a Pale Horse" - where we meet Death (and he has a concsious!), "Bearing and Hourglass" - where we learn that the office of Time is much more confusing than you or I would have imagined, "With a Tangled Skein" - the life of the incarnation of Fate is rather a twisted path, "Wielding a Red Sword" - where we learn that even War has a heart, and lastly, "Being a Green Mother" - where we see the great responsibility that Gaea has in managing the earth.

I love this series because it takes concepts that may be familiar to many of us, especially those who've been around the fantasy world for any time, and then twists them! The stories are convoluted, but compelling. Oh yes, and did I mention Piers Anthony has a fantastic sense of humor?

"Mer-Cycle" by Piers Anthony

Mer-cycle

In "Mer-Cycle" by Piers Anthony we find ourselves on Earth, in a world strangely familiar, and yet utterly alien. We join five adventurers as they follow an other-world guided quest deep under the seas of Earth. I found the book to be a little slow at the beginning, but I was soon sucked in by the character development and relationships that were developing.

I enjoy reading Piers Anthony because of his character development. He does a good job of putting his characters in bizarre situations, and walking us through their thought processes as they wrestle through them. While he does a good job of that in this book, I don't think this is one of his best books over all.

One thing that I think can be a draw back to reading Piers Anthony's books is that he often feels the need to go in depth in his explinations of how things work. Granted, some readers may appreciate this, but for me it slows a story down and is often way more than I wanted to know! This particular book is chock full of those slow points.

Having said that, he does present many interesting concepts and, if your willing to brave the explinations (I skimmed them) it's worth reading. If you've never read anything by Anthony though I would start with his series "Incarnations of Immortality." Much easier reads (less slow points) and hysterical as well!