Customer Reviews

Hit or Myth

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was my first Robert Asprin book, and it will not be my last. With a quirky cast of characters including a murderous princess, a kidnapped mentor, a silly pet dragon, a war unicorn, an absent king, and the mafia, not to mention the apprentice this story revolves around, this is truly an enjoyable read.

It goes quickly enough to be a great vacation book, but don't wait to pick it up! Run out to your nearest bookstore, grab a copy and start enjoying, and laughing. You'll be glad that you did!

And for those that won't trust me and want a preview of the plot, Skeeve, an apprentice magician, is tricked into assuming the kings likeness and place on the throne, by King Rodrick himself! The king then runs away. Why? Because he's about to be married to an infinitely rich princess! Right about then the mob shows up and things really get bad from there, but if you want to know what happens next, buy the book!

This is the fourth book in Asprin's Myth series and it's just as good if not better. Aahz is transported back to his home dimension, Perv, and Skeeve is left to handle his job as court magician on his own. He soon ends up with a homicidal queen, Hemlock, and the Mob's fairy godfather, Bruce, after him.

Hit or Myth is just as entertaining as the previous books in this series. Even though Aahz was out of the story for most of the book, the storyline continued to work. It allowed the reader and Aahz to realize how far Skeeve has come in his apprenticeship. It was nice to see Skeeve develop throughout the book from an apprentice to a magician in his own rite.

Hit or Myth and it's sequels are a turn from the norm when it comes to sword and sorcery.

The tales hinge on a young lad, a magician's apprentice, who is suddenly on his own when his master disappears while calling up a demon.

Humor and satire are the norm in the series. The demon turns out to be a magician in his own dimentional world from which he was summoned but now can't get back to. He takes a grudging liking to the lad and assists him as the boy continues to try to learn/develop his skill in the magic arts.

The most facinating area of the fantasy world is the dimentional bazaar -- where literally anything and everything is for sale. Our heroes get into one scrape after another, always coming out ahead by a narrow margin.

If you only like 'serious' fantasy, this is not a book for you. However, if you enjoy puns, satire and humor with a fantasy/magic setting, you'll treasure this book and its companions as long as you live -- no mythtake about it.

~P~

Skipped a few in the series when I re-read this one, but I was headed out the door and grabbed something quick. Once again, Robert Asprin brings his unique blend of adventure and humor in this quality addition to the adventures of Skeeve the magician and his mentor Aahz. I enjoyed this book as much the second time as the first and it did not disappoint in quality after recently re-reading the first book in the series. The nice thing about this series is that, although it is sequential, it is not absolutely necessary to read them in order. Asprin does a nice job of re-introducing his characters and situtations so that if this happened to be the first of the series that you picked up, you wouldn't be totally in the dark. Great for a light, entertaining read.

Hit or Myth (1983) is the fourth Fantasy novel in the Myth series, following Myth Directions. In the previous volume, panic broke out in the stands. Skeeve's team won the game and escaped. Aahz had a happy birthday party.

In this novel, Skeeve is now the Court Magician of Possiltum. He still doesn't know how to travel between dimensions.

Aahz is a Pervect from the Perv dimension. He had been a master magician, but lost his magical powers due to a practical joke. Now he has Skeeve as his apprentice.

Roderick V is the King of Possiltom. As such, he is Skeeve's ultimate employer.

Hugh Badaxe is the Commander of the Royal Armies of Possiltum. He is beginning to respect Skeeve.

J. R. Grimble is the Chancellor of Possiltum. He is a bean counter, always looking for a way to save money. Naturally, he does not get along well with Badaxe or others.

Big Julie is the former commander of a huge army of conquest. Now he is a Possiltum citizen living quietly on his farm.

Massha is the City Magiciam of Vehgus on Jahk. She is a mechanic, using devices to produce her magic. She met Skeeve when he and Aahz came to Jahk to recover Tanda.

Hemlock is the Queen of Impulse. Rumors suggest that she poisoned her father to take the throne.

Shai-ster is a representative of the Mob. He is sent to locate Skeeve, Big Julie and the army.

In this story, Rupert comes to Klah to find out what is keeping his uncle Aahz away from home. After learning that his uncle has lost his powers and that Skeeve is his apprentice, Rupert lies to Aahz and takes him back to Perv. Now Skeeve is left on his own.

Then King Roderick tells Skeeve that he needs a vacation and gets him to impersonate him for a day. Skeeve knows nothing about being king and tries to talk Roderick out of it. But Roderick convinces him to try and then disappears.

Skeeve decides to flee the country. He negotiates a bribe from Grimble in return for his resignation as Court Magician. Then he returns to his room only to find Massha waiting for him.

Massha is looking for Badaxe, but she also wants Skeeve to take her as his apprentice. Of course, Skeeve points out that he is just an appentice himself and know little about magic. Yet Massha says that she knows nothing about magic and still wants him to teach it to her.

Then Skeeve learns that Hemlock is arriving the next day to arrange the royal wedding. Now Skeeve knows that Roderick will not be coming back any time soon. He confides the new information to Massha.

When Hemlock arrives, Shai-ster and two Mob bodyguards come with her. Skeeve is overwhelmed by the presence of Queen Hemlock, especially when he finds that she knows that he is not Roderick. But she is surprised to learn that Roderick is still alive.

Skeeve confronts Shai-ster and demonstrates his ability to overcome the bodyguards. He makes a deal with the Mob to provide access to the merchants of Deva. After showing them the Great Bazaar, Skeeve gives Shai-ster a D-hopper and sends them back to Klah.

This tale leaves Skeeve with three problems. Roderick is still lost, but both Massha and Grimble are looking for him. Hemlock has no qualms about disposing of Roderick (or Skeeve) if they oppose her. And the Mob is moving into the Great Bazaar, selling protection to the Deveels.

The action is furious and the scheming is twisted in this novel. The next installment is Myth-Ing Persons. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommeded for Asprin fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of simple magic, complex plotting, and young magicians.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This Myth book is the fourth in the series. Like the others, this book is chock-full of marry mischiefmaking as Skeeve, the young magic apprentice, and his master Aahz, the powerless demon, continue to experience eeary adventures.

In this volume, Aahz is spirited back to his dimension just as Skeeve is being commanded to replace the king so the king can go on vacation. Now, why would a king want a vacation, asks Skeeve about one moment too late? Because of some deals that will likely cause him to be killed. Skeeve manages to extricate himself from this mess by creative use of his talents and his friends including Hugh Badaxe, Big Julie, Tanda, and Chumly.

Just as Aahz returns and the story ends, the second story line develops. In this one, Skeeve gets tangled up with the mob and the whole gang has to figure out how to get them away from Postillum, Klah, and the Bazaar at Deva.

Needless the say, there are plot twists aplenty as well as much of the quirky humor that is written in so well by the author. For instance, at one point, there is a wrestling match provided by midget wrestlers with four arms from the dimension Tue (sounds like too). So, of course, the puns commence: The team is known as the "terrible Tues" etc.

The book is great fun and will not take long to read. Pay close attention to the quotes that grace the beginning of each chapter. They are a hoot and a holler in their own right.

Skeeve takes you everywhere you never dreamed of, and gets into alot of trouble doing it

The first five books in this series are awesome. They are fun, funny, & have great characters and stories. This is the fourth Myth Adventure. Read all 5 and have fun.

This was the first book by Robert Asprin I ever bought, it was the first I had ever seen and most of my friends have spent the last few years being regailed with how brilliant this guy is. The pottential this book showed made me spend ever since looking for anything written by this guy in the hope that he maintained the passion of this book. For the most part I have not been dissapointed, and I am still convinced I was one of the first Brittish people to hear of this guy.. I have one important thing left to say.... BUY THIS BOOK....

Obviously in a minority here, but I just didn't find it funny. The plot is shallow and totally unbelievable (no, not the magic, but that everything mysteriously works out for Skeeve), in that many (no all) of his plots just are not realistic, even with magic involved.

But that's Ok .. because it's a comedy and therefore so long as it makes you laugh, who cares how silly it is.

Unfortunately, the book failed to make me laugh too. Don't get me wrong .. I have a sense of humour. I love Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, but this is nowhere near the quality that I would expect from either of those authors.

Just my opinion .. maybe you'll find it funny .. it appears that many people do.

Leslie.