This is the second set of notes on books by P. A. D. Jacob, documenting books published (or written) after those mentioned in Bio of an Ogre (BiOgre), the first autobiography of Piers Anthony. See the Part 1 web page for books in the BiOgre bibliography. Formerly, that goes up to August 1984: fifty books to age fifty, plus the addition of the 50th written book which was the 51st published: With a Tangled Skein. It was explicitly mentioned in the main text, so seems to fit in Part 1. It also happens to correspond with Anthony's computerizing, and the first novel that was written from scratch on a computer also happens to be the first novel written after his 50th birthday.
Book order is roughly chronological, noting important dates related to book completion and publication, intending to follow a reading order that makes sense to chronology of the author. Ideally, this is the writing order of the finished work. Short stories and novelettes will be tracked as I identify them where they are not collected in one of Anthony's anthologies first. Order is a tricky thing. Some works are finished long before they are published. Once published, sometimes there are editorial changes made along the way (some by editors, some by Anthony, and with the former changes that are preferred to be kept), an author's note updated (typically first written at the end of the first draft), or even rewrites to portions of the story, like happened with the novel Ghost, or Mercyle. Revisions might occur later, or for a new printing from another press. The ideal is thus hard to identify, but first publication gives a reference point.
The dates are gleaned from author's notes, autobiographies, and newsletters. The order I give here may be readjusted as I learn more, and may require following the initial, or the edition's, publication date (or even copyright) as a best effort. Overall, this second part relates and is consistent with Anthony's second autobiography, How Precious Was That While, which covers age 50-60 (August 1994 and 100 books) plus a bit more (to 1995). See Part 3 related to what followed How Precious Was That While as the author progressed into his sixties and beyond.
This article is intended to be read from top to bottom. However, because this article is also intended to enable an author-oriented reading order, it is not unexpected that this web page will be used as a reference. This table of contents links the books (not the stories).
I read the Dell Rey 1986 book club edition hardcover, with jacket painting by Ron Walotsky.
The Lexicon of Xanth
is offered as an appendix, compiled by M. J. Langley and
Ass-osciates Michael and Keith
. (A supplement to the lexicon is offered in
Man from Mundania, and of course a different,
newer, illustrated lexicon is offered in the Visual Guide to Xanth.)
The map in the book club edition hardcover doesn't seem right, being the earlier map, not the one
from Ogre, Ogre. Golem in the Gears is the
conclusion to the Xanth trilogy of trilogies, Xanth #9. The sequel is
Vale of the Vole.
The submission manuscript was finished after the But What of Earth? restoration. Golem in the Gears is the first book written on the computer mentioned at the end of BiOgre, with the PTP text processor. It was started in July 1984 and finished before 15 September 1984. The But What of Earth? restoration was actually started in June with the select86 word processor the month before. Golem in the Gears is the last of the Dell Rey Xanth novels, written shorter so as to avoid Lester's editorial knife.
Golem in the Gears is about Grundy, who was introduced in the first Xanth trilogy,
his romance with Rapunzel (yes that's pun
), and the sea hag that steals identity. She has
Rapunzel locked up in a tower as a prisoner and she may be the only one that can truly love him.
Grundy is an irascible character, but that's why we love him in the stories, (OK, so at least the
readers love him). Riding his monster from under the bed, Grundy has a rather obvious quest,
except he's helping Ivy find her dragon with her grandfather Bink. Naturally, the Good Magician
Humphrey charges him for advice, which kills two birds with one
stone, so to speak.
I read the 1999(?) Xlibris hardcover. The final draft was finished 27 December 1984, written after Golem in the Gears. The author's note is dated July 1999, a month after the previous three novels in the series as printed by Xlibris. Executive is book four in the Bio of a Space Tyrant series, the sequel to Politician. The sequel, the fifth book in the series, and what was for years the final installment, is Statesman.
Spoilers to follow.
In some ways, Executive is the pinnacle of the ideas behind the space tyrant. In the previous three novels was explored piracy, militancy, and political ambition. Between revenge against the pirates that brutalized his family in Refugee, and his taking control of not only Jupiter, but the rest of the solar system, Executive brings forward some of the political and environmental ideas that motivated Anthony to write the series in the first place. If you had absolute power to fix societal problems, what would you change and how? What would that look like from the analogy of the U.S. constitutional convention? Can absolute emperial power be resisted, corruption avoided, and ultimately be restored to its original constitutional frame? Probably not.
I read the Del Rey 1986 hardcover with cover painting by Michael Whelan. Wielding a Red Sword was started on 2 January 1985, after finishing Executive. It was finished some time after March, but that's not clear from the notes. See the Xlibris edition author's note in Executive. Wielding a Red Sword is the fourth Incarnations of Immortality novel, the first of a new, second trilogy.
There's a kind of Siddhartha-as-Buddha story in Wielding a Red Sword, but instead of enlightenment, a prince wants to ameliorate violence in the world by becoming the incarnation of war, but it becomes a fight against the incarnation of evil. He meets a woman who makes him feel comfortable with his stutter. The series has settled down here, and the past figures are coming back to revisit for the readers of the trilogy.
The author's note lists Politician as what was written after Golem in the Gears, the first science fiction composed on the Dec Rainbow with PTP. This is in direct contradiction to the later note in the 1999 Xlibris edition of Politician. Plus, the dates don't add up. It was Executive that Anthony intended. I read the book club edition, so it's not clear if a later printing corrected this. I wrote the author asking about it, but he says he doesn't remember. My guess is he doesn't have the book to reference in his new home in California. Past moves have caused disruption in his notes. His book collection was substantive so probably didn't make it to his small retirement flat in California.
I read the Avon Books, February 1986 paperback. This is a collaboration with three other genre authors: Barry Malzberg, Martin H. Greenberg, and Charles G. Waugh. The afterward is dated 24 January 1985. Uncollected Stars was finished after the final drafts of Politician and With a Tangled Skin.
Uncollected Stars is a collection of previously unanthologized classic science fiction tales. Each editor gives a small introduction to each story. If you love science fiction stories, this will expose you to stories likely otherwise unread (from their first printing), but worthy of further publication. The worthy, otherwise passed over or ignored, is a typical theme for Anthony. A later author's note indicated that he hadn't been able to be involved in the initial story selection process, but was given a pre-selected group to consider and narrow down. Thus, he questioned whether this should be counted as one of the books he numbered among his own. However, I think it should be numbered among his works, and he seems to have later decided so. Most of the stories I enjoyed (a couple didn't appeal), though all are good science fiction.
I read the May 1986 hardcover published by Tom Doherty Associates, cover art by Linda Garland.
There's a hint in BiOgre of attempting to market horror along with a World War II novel (which we later learn was called Volk, with only two chapters written in hospital while being diagnosed with cat scratch disease). Is the note in BiOgre referencing only a summary (or the first chapter or two)? More likely, the horror reference was to Firefly. Based on the comment in the introduction to the Ace edition of Tarot, Shade of the Tree appears to be one of the eight unsold novels, written not long after the move to Citrus county Florida. It's possible it was written in the early 1980s, but the late 1970s seems to fit. There was a brief mention in the Through The Ice author's note about Shade of the Tree. However, the mystery seemed solved when adding up dates and identifying the publisher: Shade of the Tree is one of the ten novels sold to Tor, and was being typed up on the new Dec computer with PTP. Ghost also appears to be one of the later ones after Steppe.
This is Anthony's foray into thrillers. Shade of the Tree succeeds in its characterization, plot, and environmental focus that are typical of Anthony's work. A man and his family, sans wife, move to a Florida home that is haunted, or is it? Shade of the Tree is up there in my Anthony favorites. It's a shame it's one of the more neglected titles in terms of recognition.
I read the TOR September 1986 hardcover, with cover art by Ron Walotsky.
In 1966 the story The Ghost Galaxies
was printed in the September 1966 edition of If.
The original title was Ghost
, written in 1961 at 10,000 words. It was later rewritten and
marketed in 1965, apparently going through revisions until sold. It's thus unclear if the short
story was finished before or after Chthon, but it
was published before. The Ghost Galaxies
can be found in
Anthonology. The Ghost Galaxies
was
later expanded into a novel in 1972, with its original title, after
Steppe, then expanded further in February 1976 by
editorial request. The editorial request appears to have been written after
0X. The novelette in
Anthonology comes from the perspective of the
steady state theory, which was antiquated by the big bang theory. Ghost builds on the
novelette, is consistent with big bang cosmology, and was written in such a way as to not
compensate for the spoilers in the novellete's (printed) title (or if the novellete was read
first). Anthony is a craftsman.
Anthony notes in BiOgre that he switched to a Dec Rainbow computer, originally with select86, then the PTP word processor (this of course changed with time). Before this, once he moved from Vermont to Florida (but before his move to the tree farm), he wrote his novels by hand on a clip board during the winter, then would type on an Olympia type writer in a building out in a horse pasture without heating or cooling. Presumably, in entering it into a computer for the Tor edition, according to the author's note, he probably made minor revisions as any submission draft might have, yet that same note seems to assume that Ghost is unprinted. See the author's note in the 1985 edition of Steppe.
Captain Shetland takes the time ship Meg II to the edge of space and time, looking for a new energy source for an energy exhausted Earth. Earth had recently recovered from its poluted history not wanting to repeat the mistake. Along the way they encounter a ghost, find themselves distracted in dealing with it as it disrupts the ship, and they face the possibility of being lost in time and space.
I read the Ace/Putnam hardcover, cover art by Darrell Sweet. The maps are signed by Storrings. The submission draft was completed end of August 1985. It was published at the end of 1986, copyright 1987.
Out of Phaze begins a new (the second and last) Apprentice Adept trilogy that can stand alone from the first trilogy. It's from a new publisher, Anthony having moved away from Del Rey. Starting with this second trilogy would certainly present spoilers to the first trilogy if you went back and read it after, but it should stand alone regardless. It's kind of like watching the second (prequel) Star Wars trilogy first, which then gives spoilers to the big reveal in The Empire Strikes Back.
Out of Phaze follows Stile's child, Mach, who doesn't know about Phaze, at least at first. Naturally, he has his own magic and counterpart in Proton, providing an alernate perspective from the first trilogy: it is the magic side discovering the science side. Its sequel is Robot Adept.
I read the 1999/2000 Xlibris hardcover. Statesman was started 2 September 1985, after finishing Out of Phaze, and completed 24 November 1985. This is the fifth volume (and the final story) in the Bio of a Space Tyrant series.
Spoilers to follow.
Statesman follows the rest of Hope's life, exiled and deposed in the best way that could be done. Finally, we get to look at what is to come from solar exploration, beginning to look out to the stars. Is there hints of the other, unspoken parts of the Cluster framework here? (I may speculate too far.) Here is Hope's madness and concluding fancies pushed into reality.
This is the conclusion to the series, or so it was at the time it was written in the 1980s, setting a ground work to see what the experience might have looked like from the eyes of Hope's sister, but especially what the next steps after Hope would be. Spirit was to become the new Tyrant, and a grandson (through Hopie) was supposed to continue the madness. Exploration beyond the solar system was to be explored. However, with Anthony leaving Dell Rey and moving his books over to Avon, then the publisher of the Bio of a Space Tyrant series, this spelled the end to a sequel to Statesman. However, in 1999, after the digitizing of Statesman for publication with Xlibris, and the writing of its author's note in July, Spirit's story was to be told. The final book is The Iron Maiden, but it doesn't go too far in identifying where the exploration outside the solar system would lead, or Hope's family, anymore than Statesman did. The series was already complete, and The Iron Maiden's purpose is wrapping up loose ends in the series, and retelling the story from Spirit's point of view.
I read the Del Rey December 1987 first edition hard cover, with cover painting by Michael Whelan. The cover, and inside of the dust jacket, states it is the series conclusion, and perhaps for Del Rey, that was true, but the sequel, For Love of Evil was sold to Avon/Morrow. This is Incarnations of Immortality book #5: Being a Green Mother.
Being a Green Mother was started in December of 1985, after finishing Statesman, and finished in either February or March 1986 after Judy-Lynn del Rey died. The author's note isn't quite clear with the months, but is with the RAM upgrade to the second Dec Rainbow that Anthony used for writing at the time (the first apparently moved into the new house) and the use of the Edward editor, replacing PTP, from which this book was written. The author's note makes reference to an Elfquest story, written immediately after, which can be found in Anthony's story collection Alien Plot, as well as to a September 1985 phone call with Judy-Lynn. The issue at hand was Lester's editorial knife, cutting the author's note from Wielding a Red Sword, and the cuts that had happened with Crewel Lye before it. Anthony was now asking for a new editor. It's not clear if that was the issue of that particular conversation. In being denied that, Anthony was asking to return the advance for Wielding a Red Sword and back out of the contract. He wanted to move the series over to Avon with it and three more Incarnations novels (which would include Being a Green Mother). Apparently, a compromise was reached that led to Del Rey publishing both Golem in the Gears and Being a Green Mother. The final two novels would be marketed to Avon, as well as a three Xanth novel contract signed to move Xanth there, and a new Apprentice Adept trilogy would go to Ace. Unfortunately, the Xanth contract killed the Bio of a Space Tyrant series, even though it was doing adequately well. Did the Avon contract lead to finally getting his autobiography, Bio of an Ogre published?
Being a Green Mother builds on the foundation laid by Wielding a Red Sword, which sets up for the dramatic conclusion in For Love of Evil, (And Eternity not having been originally planned). Being a Green Mother is about music, follows up on Mym, and explores the interesting relationship that develops with the incarnation of evil. The Llano runs throughout: a musical book of nature, longing, finding our place, love, and peace in unexpected places. The stakes are bigger in this story than the previous.
I agree with Anthony's comments on Jesus at the end of his author's note.
I read the Avon 1987 book club edition hardcover, with jacket art by Ron Walotsky. This is hard to date when it was written. My best guess is the Spring of 1986, though it could have been in the Summer. The Avon/Marrow Xanth novels, at least the hardcovers, are without a map. It's best to use the Visual Guide to Xanth for this (other than that the elemental regions, though correctly described, are in the incorrect order on the map).
Anthony writes the perspective of a vole, diggles, wiggles, and the swarm at the end. You can hear the echos from Dragon on a Pedestal, as a swarm has occured before. This is Xanth #10, continuing beyond the Xanth trilogy of trilogies under a new publisher. It brings all the normal characters we are used to from Xanth, reintroducing them for new readers, but the Good Magician, who carries the Xanth story plots along as a benevolent guiding oracle, is gone, vanished without a trace, like a metaphor for the breach of relationship with Lester del Rey. The sequel is Heaven Cent.
I read the August 2015 Mundania Press LLC hardcover compendium edition, with cover art by Joel Mallory and Niki Browning.
Originally called 3.97 Erect, Pornucopia was written beginning in 1969 and finished in 1970. This went unpublished and has a history of acceptance followed by rejection from publisher after publisher until Charles Platt, a previous editor of Anthony's and an author of sequels to Phthor, decided to publish it, but even he had trouble and couldn't get a press to print the book. Originally, it was written for Essex House, which went out of business, perhaps as a too-hot publication concept: taboo breaking, pornographic fantasy and science fiction. Even Bantam accepted it, then rejected it. Platt tried to create a publishing business to publish it, Black Sheep. This is where it was first published, in 1987, under the pseudonym, Anton Pierz, as mentioned indirectly in BiOgre. In 1989, Tafford press was established to print the Charles Platt arranged text. I have three of Tafford's books, and they are as well done as those by Mundania Press. When Tafford folded, Electric Bookworm took Pornucopia and folded before it was published. I think at this point, now that Mundania has folded, it is at Open Road Media as an electronic book. Pornucopia (3.97 Erect) was written after Orn. A sequel was written for the Mundania Press edition: The Magic Fart.
The story line is simple: a man has a small penis and meets a demon who promises to solve his sex problems. Then things go wrong when the talent of his venerial disease curing cum is discovered and a doctor removes his genitals for scientific research. He has a prothesis and goes on a quest to conquer demons to recover his bodily integrity. Meanwhile, he has to have lots of sex in every way possible.
This book is brain damage. You will lose your mental virginity. Somehow, it not only maintains plot integrity, but has characterization and actual humanistic themes. I don't know how Anthony pulled it off. Having read in his newsletters that the sequel has been more than enough to satisfy the urge to write such things, since he has sufficient money to no longer care about finding new markets, I am relieved. I'm one of Anthony's completists, but Pornucopia was something that questioned my wanting to continue being so. This is likely not one I intend to reread, but it was hillarious and easy to read (all things considering).
Dragon's Gold was written by Robert E. Margroff (Rem). Anthony revised the novel to make it marketable. This became a series when the Tor editor accepted the novel as the first in a series. The sequel is Serpent's Silver. I read the 1993 Wings Books Three Complete Novels. Mundania Press later called this the Roundear Prophecy Series.
Dragon's Gold begins with a brother and sister sneaking away from home to steal gold scales from a dragon. Little do they know that this will fulfill a prophesy that will change their sense of who they are and where they came from. Kelvin is the chosen one and is destined to overthrow the evil witch who governs Rud.
I read the 1988 Ace/Putnam hardcover, cover art by Darrell Sweet. This is Apprentice Adept book #5. The maps are the same as from Out of Phaze. The writing of Robot Adept is hard to track. My guess is the Summer of 1986, though it could have been in the Spring or early Summer. The sequel, and conclusion to the second trilogy, is Unicorn Point.
Robot Adept provides more adventures from Mach. In a way, this is a forbidden love story, maybe a spin on Romeo and Juliet, but with two worlds, errr their world, to save on top of it. Something similar is happening in the Proton frame, and the youngsters are finding a special bond between them while the adepts begin to fight over both Phaze and Proton in alliance with the citizens. All seem like pawns in the intrigue. A fitting sequel to, and a continuation from, Out of Phaze.
I read the William Morrow and Company, Inc. November 1988 first edition hardcover, with jacket design and painting by Rowena. The manuscript was begun in October and finished January 1987, (the author's note was dated 27 December 1986). For Love of Evil is the first book written from Microsoft DOS, having abandoned CP/M on Dec Rainbows, and the last to use the Edward editor, custom fitted to run on Microsoft DOS and the Dec Rainbow. He was still using Smartkey to adapt the Dvorak keyboard to a Swedish layout (since the Finnish layout was buggy with that combination).
For Love of Evil is Incarnations of Immortality book #6, and is the first published through Avon. The sequel is And Eternity.
The incarnation of evil actually played out much better than I had expected. Go figure that the primary plot is a good man falling in love with a good woman, something bad happens, then the slippery slope to taking over as the incarnation of evil occurs. This criss crosses a bit over old territory, but from Satan's eyes. In other words, this retells the story that is told in Being a Green Mother. If anything, Piers Anthony knows how to finish a story. We know the end of this story, or do we?
The author's note mentions the story The Blood of Ten Chiefs. This story was published in Alien Plot.
I read the Ace May 1988 first edition hardcover, with jacket painting by Darrell Sweet. Bio of an Ogre (or BiOgre as Anthony refers to it) was finished in 1985, presumably before Out of Phaze, but sold late (maybe as a deal for taking more Apprentice Adept novels?), though clearly there are up-to-the-minute edits (such as showing the transition away from the PTP text processor in Appendix F under BLOCK) extending into 1987. Formerly, BiOgre covers up to the publication of his 50th book at age fifty, and includes one of his first short stories in an appendix (mentioned, but not published, in Anthonology). Shade of the Tree appears to be indirectly referenced in BiOgre. I suspect it is one of the eight unsold novels.
BiOgre is a must have for Anthony fans. I've read it more than once, and have enjoyed
the honest relation of his life and writing. It is not as detailed as Asimov's biographies, but
gives a feel for Anthony's first half of his life and work. It parallels a lot of what is said in
author's notes, but also has some unique content in those parallels, both simpler and more
elaborate. I suspect the author's notes came first, and BiOgre is in a way a revision, and
sometimes summary (or elaboration) of those notes. BiOgre is likely originally written in
1985. A later chapter in BiOgre mentions the author's notes since
Viscous Circle saying that they ...could be
updates on this volume
, which at least substantiates that BiOgre has summaries of the
notes, but could also indicate that BiOgre (at least up to that point) was already
written. The chapter following is about his computerization, and there are more at-the-end
clarifications of things in chapters, and appendecies, probably from gallies.
I read the Avon 1988 hardcover, a book club edition, with jacket art by Ron Walotsky. Heaven Cent is Xanth #11. It's sequel is Man from Mundania.
Heaven Cent is mentioned in Chaos Mode (along with Virtual Mode, though a separate incident), as being a book taken by a teacher in Florida from a neuro-divergent boy, Tommy. The teacher, and later the principal, was never able to justify this beyond stating that it was inappropriate, or not allowed in the cafeteria, all the things claimed by the teacher being shown not to be accurate. Anthony tried to intervene without success, and in the end sent an autographed copy to Tommy.
We met Marrow Bones in Vale of the Vole, a lovable haunting creature of the gourd realm, who has been asked to take Bink's grandson Dolph on a Xanth adventure. Dolph has so many questions, from why mushy adults are mushy to a grandmother's waning talent, to where in Xanth has the Good Magician gone to? Some things in Xanth don't follow Mundanian mores. This is a story from a little boy's perspective, very similar to how Dragon on a Pedestal is a story from a little girl's perspective. I'm always satisfied by Anthony's capacity to make vivid to the imagination non-adult, and non-human, perspectives.
I read the 1993 Wings book hardcover edition, called Three Complete Novels, an omnibus of the Adventures of Kelvin of Rud trilogy, with cover art by Mel Grant. The Serpent's Silver copyright is 1988. The sequel is Chimaera's Copper.
Alternate realities are introduced and Kelvin learns how to jump between them in his bid to save his captured father, deal with the evil witch who is a kind of doppelgaenger of his mother, and to save Rud and fulfill the prophecy. This book forwards the series concepts further.
I read the Ace/Putnam 1988/1989 first edition hardcover, with jacket painting by Darrell Sweet.
A game for power over Proton and Phaze leads Mach and the other children into an adult battle for their future. Their uncanny ability to interact with not only their counterpart selves in the other frame, but their siblings too, gives them an edge in the fight between serfs and citizens, magical beings and adepts.
The book follows each character in sets of 3 chapters, each chapter dedicated to following a particular character, and trading between Phaze and Proton. This is the conclusion of the second trilogy following Mach. One book, the seventh, remains to wrap up the series: PhazeDoubt.
I read the Avon 1989 hardcover edition, with cover illustration by Darrell K. Sweet. The book illustrations are by Todd Cameron Hamilton and James Clouse. Anthony writes a forward and afterword. The book text is in collaboration with Jody Lynn Nye, who previously had written authorized role playing game adventures in Xanth for Crossroads Adventures: The Encyclopedia of Xanth and Ghost of a Chance.
This is a necessary addition to the Xanth series at this point. For one, after Golem in the Gears, Avon/Morrow Xanth books do not include a map. The text is not a duplicate of the Golem in the Gears lexicon, or the additions to Man from Mundania, but is its own source of information, though there's a lot of overlap. I get the impression that the lexicon supplements are intended as much for Golem in the Gears as they are a companion to the Visual Guide to Xanth. Fans seemed to have carried on updating the lexicon, which Anthony's website once posted, but recent changes to his website exclude it.
The illustrations are beautiful. I am confused by the illustrated maps though. The maps on
pages 101 and 103 are inconsistent with the (correct) descriptions on pages 98 and 100 and the
maps shown in the books Ogre, Ogre through
Crewel Lye: Earth is out of place, shown as coming
after the Void. Centaur Isle, and
Golem in the Gears mark the Forbidden Region as Incognito. It is
possible that the original individual texts of the first trilogy do so as well. The simplified
edition of A Spell for Chameleon contains the
same map as Centaur Isle, but I don't believe the
original did. The Magic of Xanth doesn't have a map. I suspect it was originally added to
The Source of Magic. The Tor maps that begin with
Demons Don't Dream are the same as
Golem in the Gears effectively in what they show. Water should be
immediately south of the Void, and Earth should be immediately north of Air. In the chapter
Water
of Demons Don't Dream, there is text that appears to be
an explicit correction of the Visual Guide to Xanth illustration mistake.
I read the 1990 New English Library British hardcover edition, though Avon originally published Man from Mundania in 1989. The cover art is beautiful, showing a man in a cave looking out on a snowy mountain scene with a young woman running down a path from a large, somewhat crystaline looking tower in the background. For some reason, the cover art is unattributed, and doesn't appear to have a signature. According to the author's note in And Eternity, Man from Mundania was finished in February or March 1988. This is Xanth #12. The sequel is the rather unique, Isle of View.
It is time for Ivy to leave Xanth for Mundania. She meets a college student and falls in love, but the student is Grey Murphey who likes to read Xanth but doesn't believe Xanth is real. Now why does Murphy and Vadne have a son in Mundania?
A supplement to the lexicon from Golem in the Gears is provided as an appendix. With the mangling of Anthony's website a little before the time of his move to California, the Xanth databases and chronicling have to be found on the Internet Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20230406002440/http://www.hipiers.com/xanth.html. This is useful for what came after Man from Mundania as found in its lexicon and the Visual Guide to Xanth.
I read the William Morrow and Company, Inc. first edition hardcover, published September 1989, with jacket illustration by John Berkey. It was finished after December, in early 1989, (see Letters to Jenny).
The hardcover initial release was based on the original script. There are some minor
differences, e.g. Quail instead of Quaid (following Dick's original name), and a sexy scene with
Quail walking through the 3D light projection of a beautiful woman. The paperback follow up was
changed to more closely match the movie as produced. I think Anthony's first edition novel was
more fun, though Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone were great to watch. I think that
Anthony's rendition of the script, as originally printed, does justice to Dick's story We Can
Remember It For You Wholesale
, updating this 1960s pulp (F&SF) science fiction classic
for the current culture (though even that has aged since). Of course, the movie story is far more
elaborate than Dick's: there's no Martian terraforming, political consipiracy, underground, or
mutants. Quail's job is not a clerk, but more suited to Schwarzenegger's muscle. In some ways, I
like Anthony's rendition the best.
I read the 1989 first edition hardcover from Underwood-Miller, illustrations and cover art by R. Daniel Horne. Started in March of 1988, finished in May, and finalized in late July 1988 with the galleys (see How Precious Was that While and Letters to Jenny), a month after the submission draft of And Eternity, and while writing Tatham Mound.
This is a basic, fun fantasy: an enjoyable way to escape for a few hours. A group of youngsters are chosen, a fulfillment of a prophecy. Seth is one of them, pulled from his harsh reality in Michigan. They go on a trek to defeat an evil emperor, bent on world domination, in favor of a good emperor and for the betterment of a multi-plane existence.
I read the Underwood-Miller 1990 first edition hardcover, with illustrations and jacket art by Patrick Woodroffs. This is an elegant, beautiful edition, with multiple illustrations, thick glossy paper, and stitched binding. The writing (not sure about the illustrations) was finished in early 1987, though the original story was written in 1966, long before Jurassic Park was written, and then expanded into a novel, at least most of a first draft, beginning in 1967. It took longer to publish, with the illustrations and such, so it's not quite clear when the author's note and last minute changes was finished.
This is a children's story about a large, prehistoric zoo animal that becomes attached to a child. The premise is genetic engineering, but unlike the popular Jurassic Park, it's not a thriller, bringing back deadly prehistoric predators. When the large animal escapes, causing havoc in the country side, alarm spreads and the boy goes after him. A simple, fun story about the bonds we form with animals (other than humans) and some of the environmental implications that come from our power over animals (instead of the fear of playing God, it does speak of the implications, perhaps from a different but similar point of view). Balook has got to be one of Anthony's most elegant youth novels.
Written in 1970, and perhaps edited later (1971? 1972?). I read the Tafford 1990 first edition hardcover with jacket illustration by Jeff Myers. This was written after Race Against Time and the first (unsold) version of Mercycle (perhaps just before. See the Steppe author's note.)
Dead Morn is the first collaboration between Anthony and Fuentes, before Kiai!. It originally described Fuentes' experience in Cuba working for Castro's rebellion and government until he was able to escape to Florida, but as a fictional account. Anthony turned it into a science fiction novel, but the science fiction is mainly at the beginning. Though its premise seemed solid, the events of Cuba's revolution overwhelm the story. It's good reading, and comes to a resolution for both the science fiction element, and the main character within the Cuban missle crisis.
I read the Tafford 1990 first edition hardcover with jacket art by David Welling. The book was originally collected in 1972, but remained unsold until Tafford picked it up.
The first three chapters were sold to If magazine, the same as with the Prostho Plus
stories, as Hard Sell
, Black Baby
, and Hurdle
respectively. The last three
stories Galaxy bounced, but the fifth was later published in Twilight Zone magazine as
Life
. Hard Sell
and Black Baby
were also published in
Anthonology, the latter under its original
title of Hurdle
. The fourth story was titled Death
. The sixth and final story was
title Libel
.
This is the complete collection of science fiction stories about Fisk Centers, first conned by a salesman but then becoming one, when he'd rather retire. Like the Prostho Plus stories with a theme around dental work, this is a funny romp through experience with sales propaganda, but in an interstellar framework of aliens and humans getting the best of each other.
I read the 1993 Wings book hardcover edition, called Three Complete Novels, an omnibus of the Adventures of Kelvin of Rud trilogy, with cover art by Mel Grant. Chimaera's Copper is copyright 1990.
More reality jumps. More intrigue and war. More Kelvin saving the day. It didn't feel like much development of the series was done here, though it lays the ground work for the sequel, Orc's Opal. The Chimaera is a three headed beast that talks to itself that Kelvin encounters along the way. We meet more of the Chimaera as the series continues.
I read the Morrow 1990 first edition hard cover with jacket illustration by Rowena. The author's note is dated 17 June 1988. And Eternity is Incarnations of Immortality #7.
To say much about And Eternity presents a lot of spoilers for how For the Love of Evil covers previous ground and And Eternity continues the story. Wielding a Red Sword, Being a Green Mother, and For the Love of Evil are the second trilogy of Incarnations of Immortality. However, For the Love of Evil and And Eternity stand alone as an independent, curious pairing. And Eternity is a fitting conclusion to the series.
Except it isn't. Many years later, Anthony decided to write about one of the lesser incarnations after all in Under a Velvet Cloak, a roaring, saucy postlude that is not lesser at all.
I read the Ace/Putnam 1990 hardcover, with jacket painting by Lisa Amoroso.
Is it a surprise that the grandchildren are going to save the world in this concluding adventure to the Apprentice Adept series? Now, the threat is external, an invasion fleet that wants the resources of Proton, and its magical capabilities that are found in Phaze. The grand children befriend one of the invader informants, political choices must be made that affect the future of Proton, and the future existence of the magic that comes from Phaze. I hear echos a decade or two later in Anthony's erotic fantasy series ChroMagic.
I read the Morrow 1990 first edition hard cover, with jacket illustration by Darrell Sweet. The initial author's note was finished 19 May 1989, the day following finishing the initial manuscript draft. A follow up in the author's note of November (December?) 1989 gives an update regarding Jenny. This is noted in Letters to Jenny, which has much to say about this novel, it's a kind of non-Xanth sequel and background story. This is Xanth #13. It's sequel is Question Quest.
Isle of View is a story of young love and a decision between two suitors, but from a male with two women. The two women decide they've had enough waiting on Dolph (the male) to choose between them, so go on their own quest. No, the Good Magician Humphrey is still missing, but they did get help in a similar way. The story dynamic is perhaps complicated by the introduction of Jenny and her personal story that Anthony got involved with, yet maybe it was perfect inspiration. The chapters trade off between Dolph, the two women, Che, and Jenny.
I read the Morrow first edition hardcover, with jacket illustration by Jerry Lofaro. It was written during and immediately after Isle of View, and finished in October 1989. According to How Precious Was that While, this was the next major novel of his career, replacing Tarot. I agree.
Tatham Mound is one of my favorite works of Anthony's, not a fantasy (maybe a little) but history. It is based on research the author funded of a tribe that lived in Florida and was effectively destroyed by the Spaniards (de Soto). It is a large book, but kept my interest page for page. It follows Hotfoot through his life beginning as a new warrior traveling up and down the American coast, following the guidance of his ancestors, and becoming his tribe's story teller.
I read the TOR, October 1990, first edition hardcover with jacket art by Darrell K. Sweet. Orc's Opal was finished in December 1989, after Tatham Mound. It's the fourth novel in the Kelvin of Rud series written with his collaborator Rem. The sequel and concluding novel is Mouvar's Magic.
Piers Anthony portrays child characters well and seems to have fun with them. This story is a rather weird, but perhaps a typical, switch-a-roo, wicked witch story. The witch's witch Zady, who is Zoanna's (the antagonist of the trilogy) aunt who taught and raised her, comes for revenge against Kelvin and his family, putting their children into bad situations and framing them and others for her bad deeds. It also introduces the opal, and its orc guardians, which the children are tricked into finding and stealing.
I read the 1990 Morrow first edition hardcover with jacket design by Linda Kosarin and photo by Lisa Stein.
Did Anthony say he wrote this as a trade off with Stephen King for their daughters, the one that resulted in The Eyes of the Dragon? Does anyone have the reference where Anthony claimed this? There are hints of it in the introduction to the Ace edition of Tarot.
Letters to Jenny indicates that 6 novels were written in 1988. This was also complained about in the author's note for And Eternity, where Firefly is mentioned explicitly for the first time, (the notes in BiOgre, and other author's notes, about a horror novel was regarding FireFly). Letters to Jenny also mentioned that 4 novels were written in 1989, and 5 were written (or to be written?) in 1990.
This is a horror novel, heavy on character. This story has an environmental theme, and one of sexuality. It treats some subjects of sexuality sensitively, but it is graphic. A monstor begins romping the Florida country side, eating people from the inside out, but there is no sign of struggle. It's almost like people are allowing themselves to be eaten. Anthony excels at horror and thrillers, equaling his hard science fiction, but he doesn't write it much.
I read the 1991 Tafford first edition hardcover, with jacket art by Ron and Val Lindahn. The For Love of Evil author's note mentioned an old novel being reworked within three years (1986-1988), and I believe it was a reference to Mercycle. The author's note hints that it was written before Tatham Mound, so I suspect the work was done in 1987 or 1988, as 1986 was fairly busy.
Originally written in late 1971, this is a rewrite of the original. The galleys appear to have been reviewed around May 1990. Anthony described it as collaborating with himself, updating a novel written by a writer with enough talent to have potential, but making mistakes in delivery that he needed to work out. This is the last of his unsold novels to this point that he got in to print, if you don't count the first (Unstilled World). Anthony didn't market it until after the rewrite, not having been satisfied with it.
The writing style reminds me of the novel Ghost, though the plots are dissimilar. Most of this story takes place under the ocean off Key West, Mexico, and Cuba on a mystery mission that is not explained to the main character, Melanie, but which she takes out of individual desperation.
I read the Ace/Putnam hardcover with jacket illustration by Daniel R. Horne. The first draft of Virtual Mode was finished in February, and the final draft was finished 8 March 1990. The jacket illustration is beautiful, and forever fixed my impression of the protagonist of the story. The sequel is Fractal Mode. This was written on the Borland, Sprint word processor, the update of FinalWord II, and now using an AT compatible Acer instead of the Dec Rainbow.
This begins one of Anthony's classic fantasy series and is perhaps my favorite of his. Colene (pronounced like Colleen: Call-een) is a depressed, suicidal teen, backed into a corner by peers, abused, and ignored by parents with their own problems. Then she finds a man, beaten on the side of the road, and can't help but help him. Little does she know, the man is royalty from a magic kingdom, and he is searching for her.
I read the Morrow 1991 first edition hardcover with jacket illustration by Darrell Sweet. At
the back is an appendix History of Xanth (simplified)
by E. Timber Bram, and of course
the standard author's note which indicates the novel was finished in May 1990. Question
Quest is Xanth #14. It's sequel is
The Color of Her Panties.
The Good Magician Humphrey is an iconic part of Xanth, but after the estrangement in Mundania of the author and his editor, Lester del Rey whom Humphrey was kind of based on, Humphrey suddenly disappeared from the series, and his fate was left unknown. Question Quest is about a woman who goes on a quest to ask her question of Humphrey, but then must find out what happened to him before she can ask her question.
I read the Ace/Putnam 1992 hardcover, with jacket illustration by Daniel R. Horne. The final draft was finished 22 November 1990, after the expansion and revision of Mercycle, and the novelette Alien Plot. (See the author's note in the book Alien Plot.) The author's note in Phaze Doubt indicates that the beach scene with different instruments and sizes of people, at the time apparently nothing more than an ideas file entry, was inspired by the cover of Heartdance by the band Song of the Wood. This is book #2 in the Mode series. The sequel is Chaos Mode.
Traversing the modes, the new friends land in a mode realm where the mandelbrot set is a literal fractal reality, with different cultures and sizes of people existing within each iterative level of the set. The level they land in is in a magical transition period. They meet Nona the most powerful magician of the land, and future ruler, in a despotic environment ruled by men for which she wishes to escape.
I read the TOR, August 1992, first edition hardcover with jacket art by Darrell K. Sweet. This is book #5 of the Kelvin of Rud series.
This concludes the series and gives the final revelations about Kelvin's father's origins. Books three and four (Chimera's Copper and Orc's Opal) are a kind of pair, similar to books one and two, but focused more on character development of the series. Orc's Opal also moves away from Kelvin as a primary character. This book returns to the series concept and wraps up the loose ends.
I read the September 1992 Morrow hard cover with jacket illustration by Darrell K. Sweet. This is the first formal hardcover of the Xanth series, all previous being US book club, or equivalent UK, editions. As Ace/Morrow ramped up their Xanth investment, Morrow scuttled Tatham Mound, and in doing so found that this was also their last Xanth. Originally, Anthony had been asked to have The Color of Her Panties written the same year, so that Question Quest could be going to paperback while The Color of Her Panties went to hardcover proper. Well, it went to hardcover, though Anthony decided to do so the next year instead of writing two Xanths in a year. However, Xanth went to Tor, as did everything else from then on. The Color of Her Panties is Xanth #15. The sequel is Demons Don't Dream.
Gwenny wants to be the Goblin king, but what color are the merwoman's panties, and how does one get the egg between the Roc and the hard place? What do these have to do with each other and the Goblin king? This Xanth novel skirts close to the boundaries of the adult conspiracy, joins a roc in a cloud city/home with characters from Isle of View, and has an author's note that occurs as part of the novel with Jenny Elf at Humphrey's castle. Par for the course. This novel was funny.
The author's note ends with the somber news that Anthony's mother had died, which he gives a brief reflection on.
I read the Ace October 1992 first edition hardcover, with jacket painting by Romas. In
Letters to Jenny is mentioned the first conversations in early July
1988 about restarting this collaboration. The first chapter was written by Anthony in 1987, based
on the story Tappuah
, written after Quinquepedalian
during his first writing year
(February/March 1963), which never sold, though some rewrites were attempted later. The second
chapter was written by his collaborator P. J. Farmer in 1987. They initially rotated chapters beginning in 1988, but don't seem to have really got going until 1989 and 1990. It's unclear if it was finished in 1990, but took some time due to sending correspondence through the mail, and
some issues from Farmer with manuscript access.
This is the adaption of a short story by Anthony, turned into a first chapter, then rotating
between the two authors, at least initially. An alien seduces Jack, who needs him for protection
until she can morph into a powerful creature capable of moderating the tyranny of a galactic
empire. This is a romp around the galaxy in a science fiction story typical of both authors.
Each chapter in some ways is a separate story, and in some ways eggs on the collaborator to find
a way to continue with get-out-of-this-one cliff hangers. For instance, chapter 9 ends with
...yet there seemed to be no alternative.
Chapter 10 starts with, Then he saw
something.
It reminds me of some of the early Weiss/Hickman D&D plot advancements.
I read the TOR October 1992 first edition hardcover, with dust cover by Carol Russo.
This is a second collection of short stories after Anthonology. Apparently, Anthonology was originally a collection of unsold stories in 1969. Instead, what sold as Anthonology was a collection of published stories, with some unsold additions. Alien Plot adds more of the unsold stories, plus more recent stories, some of which were sold. Each story has a small author's introduction. This is about on par with the first volume.
The final entry is not a story, but an article that I originally read in the periodical
The Writer, called Think of the Reader
, which I remember enjoying at the time. This
version is the unedited one, naturally. According to
Letters to Jenny, an article was finished for a writer's
magazine
on 18 March 1989. I suspect Think of the Reader
was that article, as it was
the August 1989 edition it was published in. A later chapter confirms that it was
The Writer.
I read the TOR August 1993 hardcover, with jacket art by Jael.
On 9 December 1988, a drunk driver hit a teenage girl, put her in a coma, and left her paralyzed. Knowing she was an Anthony fan, her mother wrote asking for help: write Jenny and see if that will wake her up. It did. This book is the first year of letters that he has written to her since.
I first encountered mention of Jenny in the Xanth novel Isle of View. The autobiographical material it provides is interesting for a year span of the author's life. His humor and encouragement of Jenny, through imagined interaction (she never really responded much, though her mother would report some things), is both funny and endearing, and provides its own narrative dialog, as well as background to Isle of View, and to a degree Question Quest and The Color of Her Panties. Author's notes in these and other novels written after Isle of View give updates to Jenny's status. She did get to a point she could stand again, though last I heard that was standing from her wheel chair.
This is the book that MaryLee, an Anthony fan, read and wrote a fan letter to Piers about it. More than 24 years later she moved in with Piers who had been grieving as a widower and ultimately they married. She has a WordPress blog as murimccage.
I read the Ace 1993 hardcover, with jacket illustration by Den Beauvais. The book was finished in September 1991 (or at least its author's note was), and was written in the summer of 1991, including some reader feedback at DragonCon that year. The publication date appears to be 5 January 1993.
This action thriller is a kind of fantasy within a virtual reality game, with two misfits who become lovers, and a power hungry player who ups the stakes to deadly interactions. Anthony seems to like this virtual reality approach, but unlike other series and short stories, this stand-alone novel is on the cusp of the internet era. What a gem.
In the author's note is the question of the song Girl in the Wood
.
See the entry on Chthon for
the answer on this, contributed by a reader in response to one of the
newsletters. It is also documented in the author's note to
Geis of the Gargoyle.
Throughout the earlier author's notes, Anthony has dealt with certain lethargic tendancies, originally diagnosed as mental instability, then type II diabetes. This author's note recognizes that it's not that either. The final diagnosis, first noted in the June 2000 newsletter after he switched GPs, was a thyroid problem, which also explained Anthony's mild melancholy. In the author's note in Knot Gneiss, he confirms that he finally has coverage for an underactive thyroid. Initial indications was his treatment wasn't entirely effective, but the February 2009 newsletter indicates that it was, including curbing the melancholy.
I read the Tor February 1993 hardcover with jacket art by Darrell Sweet. This is the first of a long string of Tor Xanth hardcovers, the third major publisher of the series in the United States. It includes a beautiful in-cover color map of Xanth, probably the best yet, with a smaller black and white version on a page. This color print is dropped in later Tor editions, then disappears entirely. Demons Don't Dream is Xanth #16. It's sequel is Harpy Thyme.
After the success of Killobyte, and the idea of a 3D alternate reality through a computer interface (which Anthony plays on for years after), it's time to have a Xanth game. He did mention in earlier author's notes the desire to make a computer game for Xanth, and apparently this was actually realized. Perhaps this is a way for Anthony to advertise his game while showing how those in Xanth really play. Demons Don't Dream brings another Mundanian into Xanth with the promise of Xanthian magic in return for a quest. Of course. Everything in Xanth seems to be a quest. The covers shows Jenny from ElfQuest with her cat, and the Good Magician Humphrey, who is back now, but he really doesn't play a strong part in the book.
I read the Baen July 1993 hard cover edition, with jacket illustration by Darrell K. Sweet.
Anthony had some criticism of this collaboration. It was initiated by the Baen editor. Anthony provided an idea for a novel he had been mulling over. However, when he received a completed manuscript from his collaborator, he thought the novel he received, written by Lackey, was subpar, and decided to rewrite it. From there it seemed a trilogy was planned, but was scrapped when Anthony's payment for his work was almost neglible. I understand there was a lawsuit over it. See the 1997 newsletters for details and the resulting success of the lawsuit.
The novel itself, in its finished form, was epic. I found myself immediately engrossed by the character. The Roman-like historical setting was believable, and described in a way that kept interest in the surroundings and the characters. The politics was a believable matriarchy. When the main character is left homeless, and becomes involved in a classic type of fantasy quest, the outside world from the matriarchal city-state is drastically different, and the contrast is again engrossing. This was a fun novel. It's a shame it got buried in the politics of the publishing Parnassus, (as Anthony calls it).
The author's note talks about Julie who sent Anthony a cross. It was unclear whether she survived, or committed suicide, from the author's note. Anthony cliff hangers? The answer is discussed in a collaboration they did together later, Dream a Little Dream, and in his memoir, How Precious Was That While.
I read the Ace/Putnam 1993 hardcover with jacket illustration by a new artist this time, Romas Kukalis. The new character Burgess is shown on the cover.
Chaos Mode is the third novel in a series beginning with Virtual Mode, and is the sequel to Fractal Mode. The series start in a way stands alone, though clearly not reaching the expected fulfillment. This installment seems to revisit the issues of the first and second book, wrapping up loose ends, creating a new one with Burgess, and bringing to a head the conflict with Ddwng and the attempt to finally get to Darius' home mode. (My best pronunciation of Ddwng, following Anthony's explanation, is Dee-Doong, not quite D-dung, which was my temptation.)
The ending is a cliff hanger, and must have felt insufferable to readers to have to wait 8 years for the conclusion from a different publisher. Anthony's newsletters provide some of the context for the writing of the final book, DoOon Mode.
I read the Tor September 1993 first edition hardcover, with cover art by Eric Petersen. The text was finished either in August (or maybe September) 1992. The author's note indicates editing began on the finished first draft 6 August. The sequel is Shame of Man.
Geodyssey is a series of books that is a collection of short stories and novellas, beginning in evolutionary pre-history and finishing in the relatively near future. It ties the stories together through characters, general personality types, that seem to have souls (residual memories) that transcend their physical manifestations, adapting to the local culture and situation, but being sufficiently recognizable to make interesting stories, with even plot strands shared between the individual stories and later books.
Isle of Woman is the first of five books in the series. It has some information that later books refine or even find not to be entirely accurate, though the author's note lists the sources used for some of the scientific foundations of the ideas presented. The stories and ideas themselves are worth reading, regardless, and tend to lend to a kind of suspense of what-really-happened? as the series progresses. This first volume introduces some early ideas around human breasts evolving into being a mating attractant, instead of mammary glands that swell only when fertile, suggesting that going into heat is something human evolution abandoned, as well as exploring the mating of Neandertal and modern human.
Some of the language is a bit dated by modern standards, having seen a shift in the period this was published, as I imagine many of his prior novels will start to seem similar. Perhaps the author is starting to show his age (and perhaps temperment). All in all, I really enjoyed this series, on the same level or better than Tatham Mound. Exploring different cultures of history and time periods was fascinating, and Anthony does well making them come to life (as even his earliest books do, e.g. Pretender) as well as being entertaining. Each ends with more of a science fiction futuristic projection, and this one's final story, an apocalyptic ending to the book, shows us what may happen if we don't get control of the pollution of the biosphere, but paints a potential way forward too.
According to the November 2010 newsletter, it is believed that Neanderthal became extinct earlier than this book portrays (by about 5,000 years), and that it was a volcano that took them out, not the superior capabilities of what would become homo sapiens.
I read the Tor 1994 first edition hard cover with jacket art by Darrell Sweet. In the
author's note for Demons Don't Dream was mentioned the story of the
paralized Janet Hines. The author's note for Harpy Thyme follows up on her status. She's
now in Xanth, having died in Mundania. Harpy Thyme was written from August to October
1992. The story Adult Conspiracy
was written before Harpy Thyme, and is referenced
in chapter two. Because of this indirect, contextual, reference, I imagine Adult
Conspiracy
is best read immediately before Harpy Thyme, though not reading it might
be suitable, as it torpedos Xanth as was its original intent as a story idea.
Adult Conspiracy
can be found in the story collection
Cautionary Tales, published much later,
though originally written in early 1992, revised later, and was slated in 1994 for publication
in Norman Spinrad's Down in Flames (which was never published). Harpy Thyme is
Xanth #17. The sequel is Geis of the Gargoyle.
Harpy Thyme is another coming of age story. It is about a mix between a harpy and a goblin (how did that happen!?), and of course of a love story, because really that's what Xanth is half the time. Harpy Thyme looks at our uniqueness, finding our inner beauty, as well as acceptance of our differences from others. We also get to meet some old characters and places that the book references in context of fading away. Time moves on, old makes way for new, but that doesn't mean that in Xanth we can't revisit old, comfortable friends, places, and things.
I read the Tor October 1994 first edition hardcover, with cover art by Brad Schmehl. Shame of Man was written the winter of the first part of 1993, and finished in April or May. It is the second Geodyssey. The sequel is Hope of Earth.
Some of Anthony's explorations here include:
The final stories address gun-toting attitudes in the United States, pacifism, communal and environmental living. Anthony's father created a Quaker farm community, and some of Anthony's early years in the US, after immigrating from the UK, I'm sure gave insight here. BiOgre has some references and an article on creating the community. His fictionalized biography of his father, Alfred has some references. More recently, a full account, as collaboration with his sister, is given in Hilltop Farm (which I've not yet read).
I read the first edition, December 1994, Tor hardcover, with jacket design by Bonnie B. Butler. Tales From The Great Turtle was written sometime after the collaboration Spider Legs.
If you liked Tatham Mound, you'll enjoy these stories. One of them is from Anthony, which could almost be a side story to Tatham Mound, or perhaps a story in his Geodyssey series. There's authors I remember from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (F&SF), Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and Asimov's Science Fiction, e.g. Mike Resnick, Kristine Katherine Rusch. There's a lot of good fiction here, some angry stories, and a few wild ones, but all in theme and entertaining, some educational, some gritty, but ultimately a satisfying collection.
I read the January 1998 TOR first edition hardcover, with eery jacket art by Latif Kazbekov.
This is a story about a super lobster that is hungry and begins eating humans. The author's
note claims this is the hundredth book he's written (not published). It was finished in late
March, early April 1993, after If I Pay Thee Not in Gold.
The late publication date I think is a reflection of how much Tor was publishing Anthony at
this point, every few months. The collaborations weren't desired, and though Anthony had
delivered them to Tor, it seems that Tor was stalling, and then Xanth got caught up in the mix.
See the author's note in Geis of the Gargoyle, as well as the chapter
Collaborations
in
How Precious Was That While.
Anthony writes very good horror and thriller novels, and this is one of my favorites of his collaborations. The Candian coast is itself an eery, beautiful landscape to imagine and explore, especially for the environmental theme Anthony adds to the story. Plus, the romance and characterization Anthony contributes to the story is spot on for a tale of this type, certainly more low key than Anthony's more adult sexuality in his other stories. Spider Legs is an adult story, and the gore is certainly shocking in places, but such is the horror genre. Anthony wraps this tale up nicely, as he always does. As he says often enough in his newsletters, this is my kind of junk.
I read the Tor December 1996 first edition hardcover, with jacket art by Tristan Elwell. It
was finished in June 1993. See the author's note in
Geis of the Gargoyle, as well as the chapter Collaborations
in
How Precious Was That While.
This is a saucy, fun tale of fantasy from Hindu folklore and theology. Hari is a naive, young man seeking spiritual enlightenment. Instead of marrying he sets out on a quest, only to have the gods and a demon bet on his sexual corruption. Seven life threatening seductions face Hari who is unaware of the wager, and who only wants enlightement not sexual romance.
I read the Tor February 1995 first edition hard cover with jacket art by Darrell K. Sweet. The manuscript was finished in August 1993. It is Xanth #18. The sequel is Roc and a Hard Place.
This felt like more classic Xanth, whatever that means, with a gargoyle protecting his land from environmental pollution encroaching from Mundania. Standard formula: Humphrey, quest, innuendo, adult conspiracy. A new cast of characters that have developed during the Avon/Morrow publication Xanth books that provide amusement and interest. Perhaps the first Tor trilogy reminisces about past Xanth, for Del Rey and Avon/Morrow readers, but it's time to move on and explore Xanth from the perspective of new characters.
I read the Tor October 1995 first edition hard cover with jacket art by Darrell K. Sweet. It is Xanth #19. The sequel is Yon Ill Wind.
Metria has become a common figure at this point in Xanth, and her past with Mentia, her sister, and the Roc she is supposed to visit, reveal much of the mythos hidden in Xanth. Perhaps part of this is Anthony reread A Spell for Chameleon as part of the simplified version revision, and discovered some loose ends to wrap up. The other part is Parnassus, the icon of the insurrmountable fortress that represents the publishing industry by analogy, is itself in violation of Xanth law (there's laws?), presenting an unusual trial.
I read the Tor May 2000 first edition hardcover, with jacket art by Tristan Elwell.
It's not quite clear when this novel was completed. For certain, inbetween 1989 and October of 1999 (when his author's note is dated). As Anthony's memoir indicates, the collaborative novels last sold to Tor were done so in groupings, and this one was essentially after Dream a Little Dream, though the publishing order is not the same as the writing and sell order. It was written after The Secret of Spring.
Gutbucket refers to a guitar, and this novel is a 1960s style love story. It is about the love of the blues. It is about finding love in unexpected places, especially when that place is an alternate fantasy reality.
It starts in answering what might be a question: what happened if the civil war was won by the South?
It goes farther from there, but likely not the way one might think. The GutBucket is magic, and is the core talisman of the story. Progress is a dynamic character that reminds me of a similar character in Stephen King's The Stand. I couldn't help but imagine Morgan Freeman as Progress. If this ever gets made into a movie, Freeman has to be the actor. I really enjoyed this book.
I read the Tor March 2000 first edition hardcover, with jacket art by Tristan Elwell. It is astonishing how long this novel took to get published. It must have been one of the ones in Anthony's law suit with Tor. The author's note is from before the 1997 shut down of HIPIERS.
The cover art nails it. It's a scene from the book, captures the two main characters well, and also gives a sense of what the whole book is like. This story is witty, insightful, funny, saucy, and a science fantasy, romantic adventure.
Herb, the main character, is a walking, humanoid plant, young and looking for a good time with women. Though he's is in love with Lilly, something isn't working for him, so he leaves his planet for an extended bachelor party to figure it out.
Spring is the daughter of a scientist, who has imbedded his scientific secrets in his daughter. The only way to get them out is a romantic, sexual encounter.
Zygote is the evil wizard antagonist of the story. Professor Gabriel, Spring's father, is trying to protect his secrets from him.
Sometimes it's the simple stories that are so good.
I read the TOR January 1999 first edition hardcover, with jacket illustration by Tristan Elwell, though I understand this is based on, or actually is, Julie Brady's painting in the foreground.
A depressed woman with lucid dreaming begins to create her own fantasy reality that she can disappear to, until her bad dreams risk overtaking her fantasy and reality. Not one of my favorite Anthony collaborations, but I strongly approve of Anthony's work with new authors to get them published. Some go on to write their own novels. Sadly, some stop with the one collaboration. This appears to be one of the latter.
I read the Tor October 1996 first edition hard cover with jacket art by Darrell K. Sweet. It was finished in December of 1994. It is Xanth #20. The sequel is Faun & Games. Yon Ill Wind was written with several systems, ending on Microsoft DOS on an i486 with Microsoft Word.
This demon thing with Xanth was not my favorite. The demons aren't entirely a back drop, begin betting with Xanth's future, are far too much a deus-ex-machina contrivance for the series, yet I suspect that is not only too harsh but not quite accurate. Other than perhaps A Spell for Chameleon, and that is arguable, I suspect all Xanths are created equal, but some resonate for us more than others. Yon Ill Wind is of the latter variety for me. Not only does the demon X(an)th become a relatable character, but the whole of Xanth is brought into a narrative that fits so much of the earliest part of the series, if not validates the things that didn't resonate with me originally. Plus, an incursion from Mundania brings even more of a human factor into this novel that isn't always in the others. This was a lovely vacation into Xanth on nested levels.
I read the July 1998 Tor first edition hardcover, with jacket art by Tristan Elwell. I have gone through a couple copies of this hardcover, and each one, no matter how gently I treat it, cracks along the inner front and back lines where the paste down block is attached. Something with this particular binding was flawed. An old glue? Inexpensive outer pages to the block? The book was finished after Yon Ill Wind in 1995.
This is a typical, but utterly engrossing, epic fantasy. Richey and his collaborators really did a thorough job with it. The characters are alive and interesting. The fantasy elements, however seemingly typical, are in the mix the right thing to hold reader interest. Though the book is big, and the writing pace starts slow, that pace keeps relentlessly marching forward. The descriptions are interesting and detailed, and the story line and characters everything they should be.
See Part 3 for further notes on his second hundred books.
©2022-2025 David Egan Evans.