Customer Reviews

Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn (The Magic of Xanth, No. 8)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Crewel Lye" is the eighth book in Piers Anthony's "Xanth" series, and in some ways, it is the most impressive of the first nine. Most of the Xanth books take place in a reasonably well-define timeline that we might call the "present." This actually spans quite a long time, since the main character in Xanth-1, Bink, is 25 years in that book, but around 60 in Xanth-9. But "Crewel Lye" takes place **400** years earlier, so it doesn't have the benefit of a lot of the usual Xanthian touches that prop up other books. (By Xanthian touches, I mean things like finding out how to get into Good Magician Humfrey's castle so as to get an Answer.)

Anyway, in the "present" time, Jordan is a ghost, which means that he died with unresolved issues. When little Princess Ivy asks what happened, he tells her the story of his demise. Thus, most of the book is actually narrated in the first-person, which is different from the other Xanth books, and a nice change of pace. First-person narration forces a writer to be disciplined about observations, thoughts, etc., because only those of one person can be related to the reader. This is important for this book, because the "cruel lie" that does Jordan in actually has a different interpretation, one that Jordan doesn't realize, but the reader can figure out. It makes for a very clever ending, even if it becomes somewhat obvious.

Jordan's story -- he is a barbarian who wants an adventure -- is full of action and violence, some intrigue, some romance (or just plain offscreen sex), and even though I was concerned that I wouldn't get to read about the usual Xanth characters, I was engrossed in it.

Crewel Lye is about the journey of Jordan the Barbarian. Like all Xanth books, this one is comical and full of puns. Since Jordan's talent is full regeneration, it adds an interesting viewpoint through the eyes of a person who doesn't care if he gets killed(he'll just come back). I think that anyone who reads the Xanth series should definitely read this one.

I read this book several years ago and wrote a review of it then, but didn't post my name. Here is the review I wrote:
"Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn" is the first, and so far the only, Xanth book that I have read. I can't wait to get my hands on another of this series. I loved Piers Anthony's use of puns. In this book a barbarian ghost tells a young girl living in the castle he inhabits the story of his life. This is a well-written,easily readable, humorous, fantasy that is too good to put down.

Crewel Lye: A Caustic yarn is the first, and so far the only, Xanth book that I have read. I can't wait to get my hands on another of this series. I loved Piers Anthony's use of puns. In this book a barbarian ghost tells a young girl living in the castle he inhabits the story of his life. This is a well-written,easily readable, humorous, fantasy that is too good to put down.

Years ago, I saw my grandmother reading this book (we're devour books together) and I asked how it was. She handed it to me and told me to keep it--because I wouldn't want to return it to her and she could get another copy, which she did purchase!

I was enchanted. There is no other word for it. This exceptionally "punny" book is hilarious. My son went as a "baseball bat" for Halloween the year before last, if that says anything! To this day I'm always buying Crewel Lye (though it's not the first in the series, and I had such fun catching up!) for friends and family (well, there's not many readers left without a copy these days.) I must have bought this book at least eight times now, if not more.

I think the Xanth series should be required reading, it really taught me how much I could love the genre. You won't go wrong with Crewel Lye, in fact, you might just end up hooked!

Taking a slightly different path, Piers Anthony's Crewel Lye is the story of Jordan the Ghost. Those who read the series, will remember that Jordan plays a key role in "dragon on a pedestal" and this book is his personal story. In Xanth, ghosts are people or things that have unresolved issues at the time of their deaths. Several years after the events of Dragon, Jordan meets Ivy at the magic tapestry and she convinces him to tell her his story.

Four hundread years before, Jordan was a barbarian in search of adventure. For that he leaves his home and his girlfriend. While adventuring, his magical talent comes to bear and he uses it extensively. Jordan's talent is that he heals from every injury in a brief amount of time. That carries forward onto death even - and indeed, Jordan dies during this story! - multiple times!!

Jordan hears that Castle Roogna is where adventures can be found and makes his way there. When he arrives he is given a quest and some magical help, and he is off to the races. As it turns out, his quest is to retrieve the King's daughter and bring her back to the castle to wed one of the magicians. However, this being a Xanth book, there are many twists and turns and puns to get through. The King's daughter, it turns out, is not interested in coming back. Not only that, but the first time she meets Jordan, she poisons him and then throws his body into the Gap Chasm.

No suprise then, that Jordan falls in love with her, captures her, and takes her back to the castle. Many more interesting adventures are in store with lots of puns along the lines of quicksand (which makes you go fast - obviously), and slow sand (the reverse of quicksand). Since there are competing magicians for the King's daughter's favors, some of the magical help is actually a hindrance and lots of strange things happen. This is an opportunity for Anthony to explain his beliefs about how women differ from men and why their relative body shapes and sizes affect their behaviors and attitudes.

The title is Crewel Lye and it is a pun for the whole book. This special kind of Lye is needed to restore the clarity of what the tapestry shows. But, it is also the name of the whole story if spelled "cruel lie" as Jordan finds out - not once, but at least twice!

This was a different book than the other Xanth stories I've read. It was more serious in tone in many respects. Extreme violence and death was a constant theme in this one, whereas it is severely de-emphasized in others. Sex comes into play here in a variety of fashions and it is quite fascinating to see how the author manages to avoid explaining it directly, while giving everyone a very good idea of what is going on.

Overall I rated it a three star book as an OK read. It was not as much fun as Dragon on a Pedestal, but it was not a bad book either.

Once again we have another book well written and filled with puns. One difference is brought to light almost immediatley, this book is written in first person, from the perspective of Jordan the Ghost. Jordan unfolds his history as Jordan the Barbarian with some help from young Princess Ivy and a magic tapestry. This is one of the great fantasy books.

This is a good book because it is one of his few books that are not about royalty. It has great descriptive writings and is among the best Xanth novels.

This is the fourth or fifth Xanth book I've read, I found it a little more insteresting then some of the others. I think Piers Anthony is a great author. I guess I really can't keep my mind off of reading.

This a great example on Anthony's literature. Unlike most Xanth books, this one is told in first person, from the perspective of Jordan the Ghost. Jordan unfolds his history as Jordan the Barbarian with some help from young Princess Ivy and a magic tapestry. Piers' ever-present puns and medieval humor is a laugh a second and a great example of humorous fantasy.