In 1977, Piers Anthony starts one of the greatest, and pun-filled, fantasy series with a novel called A Spell for Chameleon. It's about a man named Bink trying to find his magic talent in kingdom where every bit of magic is special and embarks on a journey to discover his talent but ends up getting a wife and a new King. Synopsis: Xanth was the enchanted land where magic ruled--where
every citizen had a special spell only he could cast. That is, except
for Bink of North Village. He was sure he possessed no magic, and knew
that if he didn't find some soon, he would be exiled. According to the
Good Magician Humpfrey, the charts said that Bink was as powerful as the
King or even the Evil Magician Trent. Unfortunately, no one could
determine its form. Meanwhile, Bink was in despair. If he didn't find
his magic soon, he would be forced to leave....
The novel opens with Bink worrying about not having a magical talent; he'll be exiled from Xanth if he cant produce/show his ability to King Aeolus on his (Bink's) 25th birthday. Sabrina, a young woman Bink likes, suggests he as Good Magician Humphrey to see what his magical talent it. Bink sets off, coming across a pair of centaurs--Chester and Cherie. Cherie gives Bink a lift toward the edge of the forest, whose magical properties try and turn unsuspecting travelers into fish or other animals or kill them. Bink learns ancient Xanth history from Cherie; she also tells Bink about Herman the Hermit, a centaur exiled for obscenity. Bink stands in for a man at a hearing; the man's accused of raping a dimly hot woman called Wynne. The case is cleared because of virtue of reasonable doubt. Wynne takes Bink to the Gap.
Despite her stupidity, Bink refuses to take advantage of her and orders her to leave when the Gap Dragon attacks. Bink manages to escape via being stuck in the Gap; Bink accepts a shade's help and they escape toward the shade's former home; the shade says goodbye to his wife, then departs. Bink resumes his journey. He runs into the Sorceress Iris, who specializes in illusions. After a bit of time, he's not fooled by her magic and rejects her offers of marriage, to become the King, and taking Sabrina as a mistress; Iris wants to rule as Queen with Bink as a puppet. He leaves her behind. Bink saves a wounded Corporal Crombie using healing water from a magic spring; Crombie pledges to see Bink to Good Magician Humphrey. Crombie's talent is to sense danger; he's slightly mistaken when the threat turns out to be an average woman called Dee--she's on her way to see Humphrey as well.
The three head there; though they part ways when Crombie keeps being sexist towards Dee, telling her that all women mean men harm. Bink, alone, makes it to Humphrey. Together, they ask the mirror--which contains a demon named Beauregard--about Bink's talent; Beauregard agrees that Bink does have a magic talent, but can't answer as to what it does. With that, Good Magician Humphrey gives Bink a slip of paper for the King, stating that Bink does have magic, but is clueless as to what it does. Bink goes back and presents the paper to the King, who rejects it and has Bink exiled. Bink crosses the shield-stone and gets captured by Evil Magician Trent; so is a fat and ugly woman named Fanchon. Together, and after Bink and Fanchon attempt an escape, Trent, Bink, and Fanchon manage to be pulled under a whirlpool and get stranded back in Xanth.
They stay together, despite not getting along; Bink finds out during a stay in hidden Castle Roogna that Fanchon, Dee, and Wynne are the same person, and their changes in form and brains during the moon cycles are her talent. Trent and the others try and make it back to North Village, despite everyone facing the same penalties as before--worse for Trent, though. They encounter Herman the Hermit as he fights to extinguish the dreaded wiggles. Herman and the Invisible Giant are killed, but Trent--with Bink's permission--turns Bink into a salamander and burns the forest, then gives a speech about Herman's sacrifice. Trent, Bink, and Chameleon encounter Iris--she wants Trent to rule so she can be Queen. Trent and Bink fight, but Trent's magic doesn't work.
Trent and Bink discover that this is his talent, to prevent himself from being harmed by magic and continuously hides its itself, thereby preventing anyone from discovering it. The duel results in Chameleon being wounded. Trent stays to heal and protect her--much to Iris' anger and because Trent wouldn't want to get his kingdom by killing. Bink flies to get help as a bird. Good Magician Humphrey, after being alerted by Bink, goes to get the North Village people and they save Chameleon, then--because the King is dead--the people ask Trent to become the new King. Trent takes Iris as his wife and repeals the ancient law of needing a magic talent to stay in Xanth. Bink is appointed Official Researcher of Xanth. Bink and Chameleon decide to get married.
All in all, a well crafted novel with tiny bits of puns, great characterization, wonderful world-building, and a great sense of pacing. I would recommend this fantasy series to any fan of fantasy and world-building.
