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Meisha Merlin, Sept 2003, 25.00 272 pp.
ISBN 15922200088
He is known as The Great Skeeve, a powerful magician that others fear, but he knows that it is mostly smoke and mirrors and that he ranks out as an apprentice. He retires from his position as Court Magician, a very profitable endeavor and returns to Klah to study magick so that he can be what his reputation advertises. Staying with him at his inn is his dragon, Glee, the war unicorn Buttercup, and Bunny a beautiful and intelligent woman.
Using a D hopper, Wensley from the dimension of Wuh meets and begs Skeeve to use his powers to get rid of the Prevects that control his world. Unable to think of an immediate way to control the Prevects, Skeeve picks up Tanada the Trollup and Zol Itchy, the self-help guru of Kobold and heads for Wuh to liberate the wuhs. What Skeeve doesn't know is that the Prevects have a business contract with the Wuhs and they have to meet it or see their reputations ruined. These two groups are working at cross-purposes laced with several misunderstandings and the results are totally hilarious.
This is a very funny lighthearted fantasy that will be appreciated by those readers who read the previous Skeeve and Aahz books or the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. Skeeve is his usual charming, urbane yet naive self who takes up for the underdog (in this case the Wuhs) who don't really appreciate his efforts. Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye are great collaborators and together create a work that is refreshing as the previous Myth novels. MYTH ALLIANCES demonstrates that humor done right can be an integral part of a fantasy novel.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Robert Asprin & Jody Lynn Nye Scholar
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Overall Review
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%
Tone of book
- humorous or laughable
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Political power play
Yes
Political plotlets
- preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- mage/magician
Age:
- 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female Alien
Age:
- long-lived adults
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a primitive/fantasy society
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript
