Caught In The Whirlwind
50 in 365
Book 4: Castle Roogna
0
Title: Castle Roogna
Series: Xanth (Book 3)
Author: Piers Anthony
Pages: 336
Summary
Bink’s son, Dor is sent on a quest to restore the zombie Johnathan to full life again. In the process he travels back in time to the very beginnings of the golden age of Xanth to seek aid of the Zombie Master who was living at the time.
Notes (Minor Spoilers)
As previously mentioned, this is my second read through this book, the third in the Xanth series. It’s probably my favorite of the initial (planned) trillogy of books.
I like the fact that through his adventures in the past, Dor eventually ends up creating many of the strange features of Xanth’s landscape that the characters from earlier books wondered about.
At this point in my book reading, I was starting to get a little burned out by all the puns, so I temporarily diverted myself over to another series to recharge. But I will return back to Xanth soon.
Book 3: Source Of Magic
0
Title: Source Of Magic
Series: Xanth (Book 2)
Author: Piers Anthony
Pages: 336
Summary
Following his quest to prove that he has a magic talent while simultaneously bringing gigantic amounts of change to the world of Xanth, Bink is sent out on another quest to determine the ultimate source of magic. But his efforts are opposed by an unseen enemy that seems bent on stopping him at every turn.
Notes
This is the second book in the Xanth series, so a lot of what I said about the first book earlier still stands. More puns, more adventure, more magic, all just as entertaining as the first book.
Honestly, it seems like the first three books in the series are mostly just setup for the adventures to come, fleshing out the mechanics of the world and building up situations which are then further exploited in the later books.
Book 2: A Spell for Chameleon
2
Title: A Spell for Chameleon
Series: Xanth (Book 1)
Author: Piers Anthony
Pages: 352
Summary
Xanth is an enchanted world where practically everything in it had magic. Names for things are often quite literal. Shoe Trees are trees that grow shoes, for example. In fact, one can find most anything they need growing on a plant. All humans living in Xanth have their own individual magical talents ranging from being able to turn objects different colors to truly fantastic abilities such as transformation and weather control. Everyone except Bink that is. This book deals with his quest to discover exactly what his magical tallent is before he is exiled for not having one.
Notes
I have read this book before, but after reading the Lord of the Rings again, I decided I needed something a little more on the…light side. So I decided to start re-reading the Xanth series. Wassy introduced me to these a while back and I really enjoy them. Puns everywhere! Often times groan worthy puns…but that’s what really makes the flavor of the universe so awesome. They’re quick reads, but very well written and highly entertaining.
Although (at least the early books) they tend to have a bit of a formula to them which makes them tough for me to read in quick succession. I get a little burned out on the puns after 3 or so books, so I ended up taking a break. (The other two books I read will be coming soon…trying to catch up with my book posting)
Book 1: Down And Out In The Magic Kingdom
0
So as I mentioned I think I’m going to be giving this 50 in 365 challenge another go. So here’s my first book.
Title: Down And Out in the Magic Kingdom
Author: Cory Doctorow
Pages: 208
Notes: This book is freely available under the Creative Commons license and you can download and read it for free at http://craphound.com/down/download.php
Summary
A look into the future where the internet is embedded in your head, death has been conquered and the economy is based entirely on one’s social standing in relation to others.
My Notes
I tend to avoid Cory Doctorow (Anti-DRM Zealot and creator/author of the popular blog boingboing.net). It’s not that I don’t agree with his message most of the time, it’s that I find he can be a bit preachy. So when this book was selected for the current Sword and Laser book club pick, I was a bit apprehensive about reading it.
Once I started digging into it though, I found I really enjoyed it. I was a little bit worried at the beginning as it’s one of those books that throws you right into the world and doesn’t explain any of the terms being used at all. But that bit is really just setting the tone and understanding what’s going on isn’t strictly necessary. Not only is it an engaging “what if?” type story detailing a future which is extremely plausible, it also raises a lot of really interesting questions relating to that future. Society is depicted in a state that seems too good to be true, with instant access to information anywhere and, more importantly, the defeat of death. Over the course of the book, you start to ask yourself if a “perfect” society like the one described (and the one which humans are striving for in our current time) is really a good thing after all? It’s too bad that I want to avoid spoilers in these entries (although the book is several years old) as I really want to go into the specifics. This is a book that practically begs to be discussed.
My only complaint is that the ending is one of those where it seems as though the author didn’t quite know how to finish it out, so the conclusion is fairly weak. But the ride makes it worthwhile, and it is a forgivable problem since this was the first book he has written.
Recent Comments