The Magic of Xanth

The first ten or so books in "The Magic of Xanth" series by Piers Anthony are a true delight. They are full of wonderful, deep characters and some of the most incredible punning and prose I have ever seen in the Science Fiction/Fantasy genre. Only Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams are comparable when it comes to the imagination found in the Xanth books. There are many more than ten books in the Xanth series, however. For my husband and I those books didn't seem to be up to the earlier books' standard...mainly due to the increase sexual innuendo and overtones. We may just have different sensibilities when it comes to that type of nuance, I don't know, but we really loved the first ten of the Xanth books and haven't even bothered reading the last few books. If you are looking for a wonderful read, I can highly recommend the first eight to ten books in The Magic of Xanth...after that, you'll have to decide if they become too risque for your taste. If you like the Xanth novels but are looking for something with a bit more technology, you might try "The Adept Series", also by Piers Anthony. It is another very creative and interesting series of books by Mr. Anthony. Among the many other books he's written, there is a relatively little known Fantasy/Historical Fiction series of sorts..something completely different than his usual fantasy novels called 'The Geodyssy' which includes (1) Isle of Woman, (2) Shame of Man, (3) Hope of Earth, (4) Muse of Art. While I wasn't really wild about the way he chose to end the first book in the series, I kept reading and absolutely loved the rest of the books. Try them for a view of a completely different side of Piers Anthony.

This book is a compilation of the first three books of the Xanth series. It is great for people who want to get started on a series, but don't have the patience to stop the story long enough to buy the next book. With the first three in hand, you can easily immerse yourself in this magical world without setting foot in a bookstore.Xanth is a land where everyone has a magical talent. The first book tells of a quest where a young man named Bink searches for his talent before he is exiled to Mundania, where magic does not exist. Clever puns and witty dialogue make up for the slightly sexist themes. A great read.

These three books make for an excellent trilogy, thick with a rich writing style, imaginative prose, and surprising depth for a "lightweight" fantasy series. I cannot imagine the fantasy genre without these. Piers Anthony has opened up a whole new route of writing fantasy. You'll be won over by Xanth's charm instantly. Excellent.

The first three books of the Xanth series are the best of the hideously sprawling series. The characters are more fully realized and the atmosphere is not so cheekily sexist. The puns actually add to the stories, instead of dragging the readers along to the big blinking neon sign PUN! PUN! PUN! Bink and Chameleon are probably the best characters Anthony has written, because they are adults and have some rather serious relationship problems. To put it bluntly, this was the only volume of my Xanth collection that I bothered to save when my bedroom was flooded

Containing the trilogy that started the well-known series, this book introduces the reader to the magical world of Xanth. Xanth is a peninsula (with a remarkable resemblance to Florida) where magic exists and anything is possible. It is surrounded by the "Curtain," a magical barrier that instantly kills anything touching it. Outside the Curtain, Xanth is surrounded by the magic-less land of "Mundania." With this setting with unlimited possibilities, Piers Anthony has created a masterpiece.