Customer Reviews

Key to Havoc (Chromagic)

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

 

 

Oh my lord, this was a fantastic book!! I've been having trouble just sitting down to read this last year, but once I picked this up, I couldn't put it down. Yes, it's a bit cliche, but it's true too. I participated in an online reading group about this also, and between reading the book and discussing it with these people (from said reading group), I had a spectacular time :)

The book involves a barbarian becoming king against his will and solving problems with the understanding that he can then leave the throne after solving these problems. His approach to each situation is unique and done in a manner that no one would expect - and he does it while avoiding assassination attempts to boot!

All of his followers are loyal, but wait until you see WHY - you will (hopefully) end up like me; having more questions about what's going on, and eager for the next page, chapter, and book :)

Please, if you have any interest in fantasy novels, give this a try. I find it hard to believe that anyone would be disappointed by this.

One more thing... we need help. If sales from the first three books go well, rumor has it that Mr. Anthony will write a fourth and fifth book also! I don't want to miss out on those, so please help us convince him to write the last two by buying the first three!

This is the first book in a fantasy series called the Chromagic series. This is a fantastic book with a brand new world with a magic system that blow me away. A planet long ago colonized by humans and disconnected with Earth thereafter. What people didn't know is that it had volcanoes that created magical fields that turned anything in their area whatever color the volcano spouts (red, yellow, green, black, white, etc...).

The main story is quintessential Piers. The main character Havoc is taken away from his village and his love, Gale, to the big capital city and force to become King of the Chroma. Kingship has its privilage but not if someone wants to kill you and that is one of the many challenges that Havoc needs to deal with with the help of his girlfriend Gale and other interesting characters that he encounted in the castle. There is a secret menace, a dark mystery, love and passion and lot of adventures.

This is not a kiddie book a la Xanth. This is an adult novel with a lot of sex and blood but with a Piers' twist.

If you like Piers and enjoy reading such things as Apprentice Adept or Bio of an Space Tyrant, this is the novel and the series for you.

I loved this book! I have been a fan of PA (Piers Anthony) for 18 years now. I am thrilled that he has a new series published. This book, the first in the ChroMagic series, is EXCELLENT! It has a little bit of everything...magic, adventure, mystery, romance, s-e-x!

I believe that any PA fans will be very happy with this book! No, it's not Xanth. Xanth is great. BUt this is WONDERFUL!

I'm not going to give any details on the story because, well, you can read what you need to know above. I don't want to give anything juicy away!

This is not a book for children, however. This series is written for ADULTS. On a much higher level than Xanth.

After reading the reviews of this book I was very excited to read it. I've been a Piers Anthony fan since the 70's and was hoping he's rediscovered his talent with this book. Macroscope and Battle Circle are terrific, and the early books in the Xanth series are some of the best I've ever read in the genre. However, it was during the Xanth series that Anthony seemed to lose his way. His writing became repetitive and juvenile and this book follows that same path. Much of this book is dedicated to the sexual relations between the characters. I don't mind that when it furthers an interesting plot but in this book it almost is the plot. Also, his treatment of the sexual subject matter is pretty simple minded. His views on sex and relationships seem to have been written by an adolescent boy. I was very disappointed in this book and will not be reading the remaining books in the series. If you're an Anthony fan, do yourself a favor and read his earlier material as mentioned above or check out the Tarot series and the Orn/Omnivore/Ox books.

Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (6/07)


Who better to tell a tale such as this except Piers Anthony. The man has written a series of best-selling books: The Pornucopia Series, Dragon's Gold Series, Of Man and Manta Series and many more. He needs no introduction to readers of fantasy and the magical realm. To those that don't know him, his books have appeared on the New York Times' Best Seller List twenty-one times. Mr. Anthony has written much more than just fantasy and science fiction. His literary prowess has extended into books about martial arts and horror as well.

Presenting a fantasy world of Dragons, Mystics, Queens and Kings, this book reads like an RPG (Role Play Game). Magic abounds, sex runs rampant and two innocents are in for the adventure of their life, as this mystical tale of a young barbarian (Havoc) and his sweetie (Gale) unfolds.

Havoc is a young man that lived for the freedom of the woods and nature. You could almost call him a Dr. Doolittle of sorts. He was just a carefree young lad who enjoyed the outdoors and the life he led, till that fateful day when the King's men came and took him away -- took him away to a land far away, and he was thrown into an environment that was totally alien to him, the city.

What happens to young Havoc and his pretty little Gale is just so traumatic, from the time he is forced to take a mistress instead of having Gale by his side, to her having to role play having sex with a young lad and not him. All this must be done and is expected of them for the position that Havoc has been put into.

The plot thickens with attempts on his life, demons trying to steal souls and a mystery surrounding the demise of the man Havoc replaced. All this, while trying to fight the evil soul-snatching demons that live in a land far away.

"Key to Havoc" is well written and nicely presented in a way that there is never a dull moment. I gave it an A because it is fast moving and intriguing. It will keep you in its spell from the first chapter to the last. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to all fantasy readers.

Received book free of charge.