In July 1979, Piers Anthony published the third installment in the Xanth saga. A young man must find a restorative potion to bring a former ghost's former lover back to life, and that entails going into the past. Synopsis: Once Upon A Past. Millie had been a ghost for 800 years. But now, restored by the magic of Xanth, she was again a maddeningly desirable woman. She could have had any man she wanted . . . except the one she did want, Jonathan the zombie. To grant Millie her desire, and to prove his right to rule Xanth in the future, young Magician Dor embarked on a quest for the elixir which would restore Jonathan to full life. But the potion could be found only in the past . . . so, through a magic tapestry, to the past he went, taking over the body of a barbarian warrior. The first person he encountered there was Jumper, a giant spider--a nightmare monster, but a staunch friend and much-needed ally in peril-haunted, ancient Xanth. Then Dor met Millie--800 years younger, but just as lovely. And he realized that, in his new body, he was no longer twelve years old . . .
The novel opens with Dor, unable to stand lovely Millie and zombie Jonathan, being ridiculed by ordinary citizens for his talent: being able to talk to inanimate objects; he teases Irene, the daughter of King Trent and Queen Iris and not a Magician. Dor helps the vegetarian ogre Crunch find and rescue his son. He goes to talk with Trent, thinking that Irene will tell on him, and Trent decides that since Dor is becoming a young adult, he should be given a mission. Dor and Grundy--through tricking the defenses--visit Good Magician Humphrey who tells him that he needs the Elixir of Restoration from the Zombie Master and requests that Dor records everything he sees in that Wave of Xanth. Dor agrees, and Humphrey has his mind placed in the Brain Corral--the Brain Corral takes over Dor's body in the meantime. Upon entering that time, Dor takes the body of a Mundane barbarian warrior and meets a large spider called Jumper--Jumper is from Dor's own time, but smaller. The two venture on toward Castle Roogna, becoming captured by harpies and goblins.
They learn that the goblins killed the harpy's men and the harpies turned the goblins into ugly creatures. Managing to create a diversion and escape--with the beautiful maiden Millie in tow--they flee to Castle Roogna. The castle is being built by King Roogna and Magician Murphy--whose talent it to work against the other person--continues to prevent Roogna from finishing it; both have different ideas on what the future of Xanth should be. When the two Magicians learn what Dor wants, both point the way to the Zombie Master's castle. Dor, Jumper, and Millie go to get the elixir; during those travels, Millie constantly flirts with Dor and Dor really begins to notice her as a woman, but refuses to have sex with her. Once at the Zombie Master's castle--which is built where Humphrey will have his built--they ask for the elixir. The Zombie Master, at first, refuses, but with the arrival of blood-thirsty goblins and vengeful harpies show up, the Zombie Master begins to make the elixir; the Zombie Master starts falling in love with Millie, and, though she's pretty stupid, Millie asks him for his help in defending Castle Roogna from Murphy's power.
He agrees. The Zombie Master also asks Dor why he wants the elixir and who it's for. Dor tells him it's for a zombie named Jonathan, to which the Zombie Master says he knows Jonathan quite well. With the elixir, the four of them, plus the Zombie Master's army of zombies, goes to Castle Roogna and fights against the goblins and harpies. Dor uses a magic flute to lure many of the enemy forces away from the battle and toward the gap chasm, where he detonates a powerful forget spell.
During the battle, Dor visits the Brain Corral and has it release the last male harpy; this causes Murphy's plan to fritz out and Neo-sorceress Vadne, jealous of Millie, turns her into a flesh-book--with the soul shoved out, turning Millie into a ghost. With the horde of goblins and harpies defeated and learning of Millie's tragic fate, Murphy exiles himself, taking Vadne with him. The Zombie Master, in sorrow, turns his power on himself; he becomes a zombie. The flesh-book is placed on a shelf in what will later become the library and King Roogna spells the tapestry to let Dor and Jumper go home.
Back in their own time, Dor learns that his body was kissing Irene; he goes to apologize, but Irene wants him to do that again--just kiss. Dor, with Grundy, tells Trent about his mission; Trent's pleased that Dor could overcome his challenge. Dor and Grundy visit Humphrey. Humphrey is impressed with Dor's success and tells Dor that he (Dor) was more of a man for refusing to have sex with Millie. Using a quick potion to get back to Castle Roogna, Dor and Grundy get the elixir from the magic tapestry, which the Zombie Master and King Roogna spelled in to wait for Dor to get back to his own time. Dor and Grundy encounter Jumper talking to his mate, and they tell her that Jumper helped Dor with his quest. Dor goes back to the ham-and-cheese cottage and gives Millie the restorative elixir. Jonathan drinks it and turns back into a man; the man, as Dor is surprised to see, is none other than the Zombie Master. Jonathan and Millie kiss.
All in all, a great novel with a few noticeably bad puns and wonderful characterization. Despite being 329 pages, it reads awfully quick and has become one of those novels I'd refer to as popcorn novels: novels I can enjoy and read fast. I'd recommend this series to any fan of adventure-fantasy.
Showing posts with label Good Magician Humphrey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Magician Humphrey. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Book Review: The Source of Magic: A Xanth Novel SPOILERS!
In 1979, Piers Anthony published the second novel in his epic Xanth saga. This time, Bink's magic is working against him and only his journey with friends can solve it and discover the Source of Magic. Synopsis: As a ruler of a country steeped in enchantment, King Trent was naturally curious about the source of its magic. It made sense to order Bink, the only one of his subjects immune to supernatural harm, to undertake a quest to discover the wellspring of Xanth's uniqueness. From the beginning, Bink and his companions, Chester the centaur and Crombie, the soldier transformed into a griffin, were harried by an unseen enemy determined to thwart them. Even the power of the Good Magician Humphrey, together with Bink's protective talent, scarcely saved their lives. Then when Humphrey and Crombie turned against him, all seemed lost. but Bink's ingenuity and luck prevailed and he reached his goal. The King's orders had been carried out... But the King had not expected Bink's next act--to destroy utterly the magic of Xanth!
The novel opens with Bink, harrowed by an upset pregnant Chameleon (in her intelligent/ugly phase), attend the party that Queen Iris is hosting. Despite not wanting to attend, Bink was given no choice by Iris because Trent refuses to participate. Bink meets Chester and Crombie, as well as a sword that's trying to kill him, and they enter the party. The theme is illusionist masquerade and the person who guesses the most people wins; Millie the ghost wins the contest and she is granted one wish and she chooses to return to her body and life. Bink, like the rest of the partygoers, searches for her hidden body and stumbles upon Trent in the library. Trent's dilemma is that he hasn't touched another woman since his wife and child died; Bink suggests that Iris use her ability to make them both appear to be different people to get around his problem. Trent thanks Bink, then leaves him to his hunt; Bink finds a leathery book, but the binding is flesh (the body wasn't transformed but topologically shaped). Bink realizes this is Millie's body and brings it downstairs--Iris has made herself absent as has Trent--and the doctor helps restore Millie to life, naked.
When a zombie tries to clothe her and Crombie yells at it, it crashes into the cake and the picklepuss gets loose; Trent and Iris, appearing as different people, rush in. Iris uses her ability to put clothes on Millie, herself, and Trent. Trent demands that Bink attend him and that Iris should choose another date for Millie and have him look like Bink. Trent, realizing how disruptive Bink's powers just were, has him resume his mission to find the source of magic in Xanth and that Crombie--magicked into a griffin--and Chester shall attend him. On their way to Good Magician Humphrey's castle to enlist his help, they are set upon by nicklepedes and a dragon. Finally, they get through his defenses and talk to him; Humphrey agrees to accompany them on their quest. Chester wants to know his magic talent, but Humphrey doesn't want to supply it and asks Chester to, in case he discovers it for himself before their quest is up, to pick another question; they bring along a golem named Grundy to serve as translator. Beauregard is frightened by the end of Xanth. During their travels, they encounter a vegetarian ogre, a village full of women, and a sorrowful siren and her sister a lonely gorgon who think men leave awkward statues when they see her.
Beauregard is released from his year of service to Humphrey because of Grundy who tries to have emotions. This succeeds when the group's life is in peril and he cares for them. They enter the Region of Madness and trek into the lake of the Cursed Fiends. Humphrey places himself, Crombie, and Grundy in a glass vial. They find a vortex and jump in. Bink and Chester become separated from the group; Bink and Chester encounter a nymph named Jewel who places jewels into the rocks so people can find them when the time is right. Jewel leads them to see Beauregard and the demons; Beauregard leads them to where the glass vial is. It's revealed that the person trying to kill Bink is some kind of demon. Grundy pulls them to shore and Humphrey reveals to Bink that he and Crombie work for the enemy--the brain coral--and that he should leave. After a fight that leaves Chester and Crombie wounded, Bink manages to subdue them. Humphrey leads Bink to the source via the brain coral's instructions.
The source of magic is the Demon Xanth--more specifically: X(A/N)TH, who has been isolated according to the rules of a complex inter-Demon game. Bink wills the Demon free, satisfying the game's rules for his release and X(A/N)TH (the Demon) quickly and violently leaves Xanth (the land), taking all his magic with him. In the confusion that follows, Humfrey is lost and Bink returns to the surface, with help from Jewel, to find a much more mundane Xanth. On his way back to the king, Bink meets Chester's mate Cherie. She convinces him to return with her to find Chester and Humfrey. They arrive to find that X(A/N)TH has just returned (for "an eon or two") while he re-strategizes in light of changes to the Demon game that have occurred while he was in isolation, thus returning magic to the land of Xanth and ending what will later be called the time of no magic. X(A/N)TH provides Grundy a real body, rescues Humfrey and Chester; and after testing his mettle, is persuaded to give Bink a reward for releasing him. The party returns home, where Bink learns that his newborn son has already manifested the magician-class talent of making inanimate objects speak.
A very well rounded novel, with several horrible puns and great descriptions. Piers Anthony continues to capture the magic of fantasy and the superb pacing needed to handle a series so indubitably embedded with puns and fun.
When a zombie tries to clothe her and Crombie yells at it, it crashes into the cake and the picklepuss gets loose; Trent and Iris, appearing as different people, rush in. Iris uses her ability to put clothes on Millie, herself, and Trent. Trent demands that Bink attend him and that Iris should choose another date for Millie and have him look like Bink. Trent, realizing how disruptive Bink's powers just were, has him resume his mission to find the source of magic in Xanth and that Crombie--magicked into a griffin--and Chester shall attend him. On their way to Good Magician Humphrey's castle to enlist his help, they are set upon by nicklepedes and a dragon. Finally, they get through his defenses and talk to him; Humphrey agrees to accompany them on their quest. Chester wants to know his magic talent, but Humphrey doesn't want to supply it and asks Chester to, in case he discovers it for himself before their quest is up, to pick another question; they bring along a golem named Grundy to serve as translator. Beauregard is frightened by the end of Xanth. During their travels, they encounter a vegetarian ogre, a village full of women, and a sorrowful siren and her sister a lonely gorgon who think men leave awkward statues when they see her.
Beauregard is released from his year of service to Humphrey because of Grundy who tries to have emotions. This succeeds when the group's life is in peril and he cares for them. They enter the Region of Madness and trek into the lake of the Cursed Fiends. Humphrey places himself, Crombie, and Grundy in a glass vial. They find a vortex and jump in. Bink and Chester become separated from the group; Bink and Chester encounter a nymph named Jewel who places jewels into the rocks so people can find them when the time is right. Jewel leads them to see Beauregard and the demons; Beauregard leads them to where the glass vial is. It's revealed that the person trying to kill Bink is some kind of demon. Grundy pulls them to shore and Humphrey reveals to Bink that he and Crombie work for the enemy--the brain coral--and that he should leave. After a fight that leaves Chester and Crombie wounded, Bink manages to subdue them. Humphrey leads Bink to the source via the brain coral's instructions.
The source of magic is the Demon Xanth--more specifically: X(A/N)TH, who has been isolated according to the rules of a complex inter-Demon game. Bink wills the Demon free, satisfying the game's rules for his release and X(A/N)TH (the Demon) quickly and violently leaves Xanth (the land), taking all his magic with him. In the confusion that follows, Humfrey is lost and Bink returns to the surface, with help from Jewel, to find a much more mundane Xanth. On his way back to the king, Bink meets Chester's mate Cherie. She convinces him to return with her to find Chester and Humfrey. They arrive to find that X(A/N)TH has just returned (for "an eon or two") while he re-strategizes in light of changes to the Demon game that have occurred while he was in isolation, thus returning magic to the land of Xanth and ending what will later be called the time of no magic. X(A/N)TH provides Grundy a real body, rescues Humfrey and Chester; and after testing his mettle, is persuaded to give Bink a reward for releasing him. The party returns home, where Bink learns that his newborn son has already manifested the magician-class talent of making inanimate objects speak.
A very well rounded novel, with several horrible puns and great descriptions. Piers Anthony continues to capture the magic of fantasy and the superb pacing needed to handle a series so indubitably embedded with puns and fun.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Book Review: A Spell for Chameleon: A Xanth Novel by Piers Anthony SPOILERS!
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.
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.
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