Piers Anthony is an author who has written some brilliant books, and some not so brilliant books. Love him or hate him Mister Anthony has earned the right to pretty much do what he wants. My first exposure to his work was Tatham Mound - a rather large plodding "historical" novel - that I happened to really enjoy. I was told by more than one person I had to read this, or that book by Mister Anthony. I have to admit that I've always enjoyed reading Pier's work, and even the books I've not been overly enamored with, have had their own charm.

So if I am less than charitable to Mister Anthony on occasion, rest assured I consider him a storyteller of the highest order and will give just about anything with his name of the cover a fair chance. If it doesn't work for me, there's usually something else of his I could try.

Battle Circle
Sos the Rope (©1968)
Var the Stick (©1972)
Neq the Sword (©1975)

It's been a years or so since I read this one, but I remember enough to say that this post apocalyptic novel of wandering warriors was a real treat. This is Piers at the top of his game before he settled into his role as the master of puns and the 30 day novel.

There's nothing really new about the concept of nomadic barbarians wandering around killing each other - but the manner in which these stories braid together and tell a larger story was a lot of good fun. It was a book I had on my shelves for a long time before I pulled it out as a back up book to have on hand. I shouldn't have been so quick to dismiss this one before reading it.

If you like good solid fun, with twists, turns, romance, and plenty of action, you could do a lot worse than Battle Circle.

Reviewed January 26, 2008

One A Pale Horse
Bearing An Hour Glass
With A Tangled Skein

I read all of these one after the other ... so if the reviews seem to blur together they do, since I more or less treated each book like a chapter in a larger story.

Gee, On A Pale Horse was a really good book.  I have the rest of the books in the series and am a little nervous about starting them, as Piers has a habit of writing on a declining scale.  Read a Xanth book lately?  This was an ambitious effort, full of tender insights into what we all fear most - and it's not taxes.  Well worth the time.

Bearing An Hourglass is the second book in the Incarnations of Immortality.  Surprise! I enjoyed this book.  It was silly in places, fluffy, and had some interesting moments with a main character who lives backward through time.  Not much going on really in this book, but it was a fun ride while it lasted.  One line struck me as very funny, "He was answered by a gust of wind that reeked like the flatulence of a corpse . . ."  The back cover says that this book is a thought provoking study of good and evil.  Sure.

With A Tangled Skein is better than the previous novel, this one tackles fate.  A good read, and has some fun moments.  Features the inevitable show down with Satan, I'm beginning to see a patern here.

Wielding A Red Sword
Being A Green Mother
For Love Of Evil

After reading Wielding a Red Sword I'm now four books in to the series, and it's not getting worse as I had figured.  The books are all different, and Piers manages to braid the characters throughout.  The mandatory finale with Satan is getting a little weary, but not enough to spoil the book.

Oddly enough Being a Green Mother is my favourite so far - bordering on excellent.  Partly due to the fact that as the series goes on the characters became more developed, and more likable.  Heck even Satan comes across as an okay guy who's just doing what he has to do.  We don't actually meet the Green Mother until the latter stages of the book, and that did bug me a little, but not enough to worry about.  Features a very touching ending. Sniff.

For Love of Evil isn't the strongest book of the bunch, but it wasn't as embarrassing as I was expecting.  In fact the whole series so far is much better than I had hoped.  This book of course deals will hell, and evil and all that bad stuff.  (ick!) Surprisingly it reads well, and raises some interesting notions about sin, and the relationship between good, and evil.  The story itself was solid and well paced, but in the latter stages felt a little stilted as it tried to weave the other books into the tapestry from Satan's point of view.  If you liked the other books, you may as well read this one too.

And Eternity

Lucky seven?  The final book in the Incarnations of Immortality series, and the worst of the lot. On a positive note it did wind up the loose ends and all that, but there was something missing the whole way through. If you'll allow me the vulgarity, this series was like one big bowel movement. It was big, satisfying, and at times it stunk. The last book was like the tickle at the end: you're sure that there's something left, but when the grunting is done, all you've done is either pass gas, or do nothing. That's what this book was like. I'm sure that Mister Anthony had some great issues regarding God, and all, but in the end it was just so much passing wind. All in all a plodding read, I finished this book because I started it.

My advice is to read the first six books, enjoy them - then quit while you're ahead. Leave this one on the shelf. Really, it's not how you want to remember this otherwise fine series. Chances are you won't heed my advice any more than I heeded that of those who read this before me, and told me to stay away.

The Continuing Xanth Saga ©1996

Centaur Aisle (©1981)
Ogre, Ogre (©1982)
Night Mare (©1982)

It’s been a few years since I’ve read a Xanth book, and since I was in the mood for light one dimensional reading, this fit the bill. Young Dor, whose magic talent is making inanimate objects speak, finds himself temporary King of Xanth. Of course, nothing is ever easy, and before you can say fibbledegumnumbnuts our reluctant king, is a reluctant hero, and along with a band of trusty friends, an ogre, a centaur, a gnome, and his not quite girlfriend Irene they’re off to rescue the king.

This wasn’t an especially riveting read, but it was cute an fun, and full of the juvenile sexual tension that makes the young blush, and the old groan. In short, it’s more of the same standard fare from a dependable storyteller.

Ogre, Ogre gives Smash the ogre top billing, and as always Mister Anthony tells a decent story, and uses the usual journey with a band of comrades to tell the story. Smash isn't just any ordinary dumb ogre, as he finds along the way, there's more to this ogre than smashing in heads for fun, although he dies enjoy and good head smashing along the way. What made this story so much fun was the way in which our reluctant hero slowly realized he wasn't a run of the mill smelly ogre. I know this is pretty light stuff, but there's a reason the Xanth books have become so wildly popular over the years. There's a lot of depth to the world, and although it reads like a juvenile adventure at times, there's enough going on to make this a really enjoyable read.

By the time I got to Night Mare, I was pretty sure I was in for a light read. In this volume, the darkest tale in the trilogy, the Night Mare Imbri, who was also a minor character in Ogre, Ogre gets her shot at major character status. This time around Xanth is on the verge of being overrun by Mundanes (non magical types from our regular earth) and Imbri is sent to deliver her message to the king "Beware the Horseman!" Of course the warning is cryptic, and soon Xanth is in terrible danger and only the Night Mare can save the day.

I don't want to add any spoilers, but the "surprise" was pretty transparent; however, Mister Anthony tells a pretty good action adventure and there's a fair amount of action in Night Mare, and I was actually surprised by by the climax, and it served to remind me that there are dangers a plenty in Xanth, and that preconceived ideas about what can happen aren't a good idea.

In all, this second trilogy was good fun, and as much fun as the first three books. I've been on the lookout for a third omnibus, but alas nothing. I've read a number of other books in the series, it doesn't seem to matter what order they're read in anyway.

December 10, 2004 - January 10, 2005