The Magical World of Piers Anthony


Xanth


Xanth is a magical land populated by centaurs, sorcerers, harpies, gargoyles, demons, dragons, oh, yes, and humans, too. Looking suspiciously like the state of Florida it is surrounded by the sea and by Mundania-a land of very little magic. It is a place where puns abound, where shoes grow on shoe trees, and everyone has some kind of magic and the national pastime is going on quests.


A Spell for Chameleon. Del Rey, 1977.
In the land of Xanth-where everyone has some kind of magic-Bink has none. Because he is "ordinary," he is exiled until he can discover and prove his own special talent.

The Source of Magic. Del Rey, 1979.
Having succeeded in unearthing his inner talent, Bink searches for the source of all magic in Xanth.

Castle Roogna. Del Rey, 1979.
Bink's son, Dor, enters a magic tapestry and travels 800 years into the past in an attempt to revive Jonathan, the zombie, who is the beloved of Millie, the ghost.

Centaur Aisle. Del Rey, 1982.
As the second Xanth trilogy begins, Dor fills in as monarch as King Trent & Queen Iris are away. When they do not return as planned, Dor sets out to look for them.

Ogre, Ogre. Del Rey, 1982.
A moronic ogre named Smash has his intelligence magically raised to genius level and he will need all of his new-found wits as he escorts a bevy of young females through a variety of perils.

Night Mare. Del Rey, 1983.
Xanth is invaded by the Mundanes and it is Mare Imbrium to the rescue.

Dragon on a Pedestal. Del Rey, 1983.
Three year old Princess Ivy becomes lost in the forest and makes friends with Hugo, the son of Good Magician Humphrey, and a Gap Dragon.

Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn. Del Rey, 1985.
Jordan, a ghost in Castle Roogna, once betrayed and killed by two magicians and the woman he loved, has the power to live again, but only if his scattered bones can be found. Trouble is, no one knows where they are.

Golem in the Gears. Del Rey, 1986.
In order to prove himself tiny Grundy Golem volunteers for a quest to find the long-lost dragon, Stanley Steamer.

Vale of the Vole. Avon, 1987.
Young Esk, the ogre-nymph-human, together with his new friends Volny the mole and a beautiful winged centaur, searches Xanth to gather enough creatures to defend the Vale of the Vole.

Heaven Cent. Avon, 1988.
Bored with sitting around Castle Roogna, Princess Ivy uses the Heaven Cent and is sent unexpectedly to Mundania where she encounters a young college student who doesn't believe in magic (!), doesn't believe in princesses (!!), and doesn't believe in Xanth (!!!)

Man from Mundania. Avon, 1989.
Young shape-shifter Prince Dolph, accompanied by Marrow, an enchanted skeleton, searches for the missing sorcerer Humphrey. Along the way he (among other things) penetrates an island of illusion, escapes a goblin kingdom, nest-sits some dragons, and discovers a magic coin.

Isle of View. Morrow, 1990.
Prince Dolph's dilemma in choosing between two fiancées (the uninterested Nada and the uninteresting Electra) is put on hold when goblins foal-nap Che Centaur.

Question Quest. Morrow, 1991.
The history of Xanth as seen through the eyes of its grumpiest magician-Humphrey.

The Color of Her Panties. Avon, 1992.
Preoccupied with helping Gwenny Goblin beat out her awful half-brother for chieftanship of the Goblin horde, Che Centaur and Jenny Elf must find the fabulous egg to accomplish their task.

Demons Don't Dream. TOR, 1993.
Drawn into Xanth by a harmless-looking computer game, Mundanians Dug and Kim are faced with a number of obstacles and monsters.

Harpy Thyme. TOR, 1994.
Gloha, half-harpy and half-Goblin, asks the Good Magician Humphrey for help in finding her one true love and is sent on a perilous quest.

Geis of the Gargoyle. TOR, 1995.
Gary Gar the gargoyle guardian of the Swan Knee River, consults with Humphrey on how to reverse the alarming level of pollution in the river. To do so he must transform himself into human shape, tutor a child with wild magical talents, and find a philter which can restore the river to its pristine condition.

Roc and a Hard Place. TOR, 1995.
Humphrey sends the Demoness Methia on a mission to search for a suitable jury for the trial of the virtuous Roxanne Roc.

Yon Ill Wind. TOR, 1996.
The Demon X(A/N)th must go "undercover" on a quest to extract a single tear of either love or grief from the cold-hearted Chlorine.

Faun & Games. TOR, 1997.
Forrest Faun, a young satyr, searches for a suitable spirit to save a magical tree and his quest takes him to a tiny planet hidden in the heart of Xanth.

Zombie Lover. TOR, 1998.
Beautiful Breanna of the Black Wave is caught napping in the Pavilion of Love of Xeth, King of the Zombies, and is obligated to marry him. She has other ideas on the matter and flees to the Isle of Women.

Xone of Contention. TOR, 1999.
The idyll of Breanna and her new found love Justin is shattered by the discovery of a climatic catastrophe that is causing a massive meltdown that threatens to inundate the ancient forests of Xanth.

The Dastard. TOR, 2000.
Becka, the daughter of Draco Dragon and a human woman, is beginning to wonder just where she belongs in the scheme of things and sets of on a journey to discover her True Purpose. She is astonished when the Good Magician Humphrey tells her that a great Destiny awaits her.






Some Other PIERS ANTHONY Series You Might Enjoy:



The Apprentice Adept

Split Infinity. Del Rey, 1981
Blue Adept. Del Rey, 1981.
Juxtaposition. Del Rey, 1982.
Out of Phaze. Ace, 1987.
Robot Adept. Ace, 1988.
Unicorn Point. Ace, 1989.
Phaze Doubt. Ace, 1990.


Bio of a Space Tyrant

Refugee. Avon, 1983.
Mercenary. Avon, 1984.
Politician. Avon, 1985.
Executive. Avon, 1985.
Statesman. Avon, 1986.


Incarnations of Immortality

On a Pale Horse. Del Rey, 1983.
Bearing an Hourglass. Del Rey, 1984.
With a Tangled Skein. Del Rey, 1985.
Wielding a Red Sword. Del Rey, 1986.
Being a Green Mother. Del Rey, 1987.
For Love of Evil. Morrow, 1988.
And Eternity. Morrow, 1990.


Geodyssey

Isle of Woman. TOR, 1993.
Shame of Man. TOR, 1994.
Hope of Earth. TOR, 1997.
Muse of Art. TOR, 1999.


Mode

Virtual Mode.
Fractal Mode. Ace, 1992.
Chaos Mode. Ace, 1993.
DoOon Mode. T. Doherty, 2001.


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