Muse of Art

The Geodyssey continues... 1999's 'Muse of Art' adds a fourth volume to the epic saga Piers Anthony has constructed of the history of the human race. As the title suggests, this novel concentrates on the arts, including the obvious (story and drama) and the subtle (politics, irony). A handful of characters' lives are followed, matched up with humanity's lifetime so that interesting events in one are tied to interesting events in the other. In 1964 BC, for example, Egyptian actors relating Osiris's tale find their own lives to be in parallel with the play.Anthony is having fun with his creation now, freeing himself of the rigid twenty-chapter framework of the prior instalments to tell fascinating stories of our turbulent past. Also, having made his point that there's more to history than the transfer of "civilization" from Greece to Rome, from England to America, better-known areas now receive his unconventional approach: the Roman empire is seen through the eyes of both Celts and Huns, Vietnam is visited eleven centuries earlier than usual (while Napoleon encounters the guerillas, in Italy), and World War Two is represented by the siege of Stalingrad.Even World War Three, previously skirted around, gets a Geodyssey mention, with biological and nuclear warfare killing off 98% of the population in 2024 AD. Once again the reader is cautioned to learn history's lessons and admit to our responsibility for the world. This entertaining story carries a powerful message, one which we would do well to take to heart.

Although this book differed from other Piers Anthony works which were much more comedic, I loved it and would recommend it whole-heartedly to everyone interested in humanity, history, science, or learning about themselves. I did not read the first three books in the series but unlike most series I understood the story even without reading the first three. I thought that the book was a little bit heavy on the sexuality, but since reproduction is a major part of humanity, it was relevant. To anyone wondering whether to read it--I say go for it!!

Muse of Art is another wonderful entry in the Geodyssey series. Piers is consistent in using the same basic characters through time and at the same time giving us a tour through little know and well know moment in history. I really enjoy the chapter dealing with the Olmec and Egypt. If you really like challenging reading, this is the novel to buy and for that matter all the previous installment of the Geodyssey series!

The fourth story in this series has not fallen short of the last three, which is excellence, of course. Anthony has a unique and remarkable talent of writing fictional history books with a purpose and meaning behind them. I would much prefer he stay to this type of writing, than his Xanth series.

From prehistoric times to some time in the future, the arts have been the distinguishing feature that sets humanity apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. Whether it is prehistory, ancient Egypt, World War II on the German-Russian front, or even the twenty-first century, science and technology have also kept step with the arts. However, "tribal" conflicts (wars between countries) still plague humanity by 2024 when global annihilation begins in the small country of Tuva which is surrounded by Russia and Mongolia. MUSE OF ART, the fourth volume in Piers Anthony's Geodyssy series, is an interesting look at the history (including a future "history") of humankind through various short and short-short stories at different eras. Through it all, Mr. Anthony clearly demonstrates he fully relishes this project that summarizes the generalization that history repeats itself. Most of the periods never fully develop. This leaves readers to feel that they are missing out on something. Still, Mr. Anthony provides his audience with an intriguing look at the lessons of history that each generation ignores even as they rewrite the "facts" to fit their own needs. Historiography lives in Mr. Anthony's opus.Harriet Klausner