Xone of Contention (Xanth, No. 23) [Mass Market Paperback]

Piers Anthony (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2000

New York Times bestselling author of Zombie Lover

A wild and wonderful new magical adventure that leads from Xanth to Earth - and back again!

A cataclysmic cloud hangs over the enchanted land of land of Xanth. Three courageous couples must venture into the O-Xone, a cybernetic interface between Xanth and our own world, to rescue the enchanted realm from destruction.

A xany new fantasy xaga from the Master of Merriment, Xone of Contention is chock-filled with danger, excitement and xillions of laughs!

After a year filled with harrowing adventures, all Breanna of the Black Wave and her newfound love Justin Tree want is a little time to get to know each other better, and explore the wonders of the enchanted land of Xanth. But their incipient idyll is soon shattered by a stunning discovery. A climatic catastrophe is causing a massive meltdown that threatens to inundate the ancient forests of Xanth.

The only way to avert this dire disaster is to undertake a voyage into the distant mists of the past, to find the moment when this ghastly greenhouse effect began. And the only people who can safely make that journey are those unaffected by Xanth's magic - normal, ordinary humans from our own world.

So Breanna and Justin turn for help to the Demon X(A/N)th (a.k.a. Nimby) and his lovely consort Chlorine. Together, they devise a daring plan. Making use of the O-Xone, a magical computer network that links the worlds of Xanth and Earth, Nimby and Chlorine make contact with Pia and Edsel, a young couple from Earth who are working on a Xanth game, and arrange to exchange bodies with them.

But an unexpected surprise awaits them on their arrival. The Demon Earth has challenged the Demon Xanth to a deadly duel for the highest possible stakes - dominion over both worlds. While Pia and Edsel range through the farthest reaches of time and space to save Xanth from destruction, Nimby must learn to live by the strange rules of our world, and defeat his ancient enemy without the benefit of his own awesome powers.

Brimming with magic, merriment, laughter and love, Xone of Contention is a rousing new fantasy saga in the grand Xanth tradition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The newest volume in Anthony's most popular series (Zombie Lover, etc.) is for truly dedicated Xanthropologists onlyAfor it's filled not only with horrendous puns but with a maze of references to past books in the saga. When an environmental disaster threatens Xanth, Edsel and Pia, earthling game designers with a shaky marriage, exchange bodies with the presiding demon of Xanth, Nimby, and his consort, Chlorine. Nimby and Chlorine face culture shock and the risk of being trapped on Mundania (aka Earth), while Edsel and Pia grapple with the more complex task of averting a catastrophe. Leaping from wordplay to wordplay and rapidly straining readers' patience with their marital troubles, the young couple eventually travel both in Xanth and in time to fulfill their quest. Occasionally a bright scene, such as Pia and Edsel's visit to the Isle of Talents, is handled cleverly, reminding us of Anthony's ability. But these moments are outnumbered by sophomoric jokes about the Adult Conspiracy to keep teenagers from having sex and the power of women's panties to disturb males. The novel won't alienate the faithful, but neither will it convert unbelievers. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

To avert the disasters that threaten both the magical world of Xanth and the real world of Mundania, Mundane computer designer Edsel and his wife, Pia, exchange bodies with Xanthian natives Nimby, the demon, and his mate, Chlorine, in the hopes that each couple can save their host world from destruction. The latest addition to Anthony's popular Xanth series takes on computers, chat rooms, and the web with the usual plethora of puns and slapstick humor. Purchase according to demand.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy; Reissue edition (October 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812555236
• ISBN-13: 978-0812555233
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Piers Anthony is one of the world's most popular fantasy authors, and a New York Times bestseller twenty-one times over. His Xanth novels have been read and loved by millions of readers around the world, and he daily receives hundreds of letters from his devoted fans.In addition to the Xanth series, Anthony is the author of many other best-selling works. Piers Anthony lives in Inverness, Florida.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best book in the Xanth series, September 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Xone of Contention (Xanth) (Hardcover)

Xone of Contention is one of the most witty, funny and intelligent novel that Piers has written for the Xanth series. It really show how much Xanth has grown too since the first novel, Spell for Chameleon.

Although the book synopsis place Breanna and Justin as main characters, the reality is that this is Pia and Edsel show.

I really enjoy the novel. The parody about the Internet and computers are fun and to the point. The puns are nice too without being overbearing :-) In short this is a most buy book!!!

Hurry up and get your copy soon!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best in the series!!, September 18, 1999

By 

Daniel J. Reitz, Sr. (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Xone of Contention (Xanth) (Hardcover)

Piers Anthony has done it again this time. The latest Xanth novel is still filled with wonderful puns and imaginative adventures but is taking on a more adult tone as serious issues are explored. Not just sex, although there are the delightful sprinklings here and there, but themes like divorce and other mature situations are considered.

Several times in the Xanth series we have seen through mundanes' eyes as they explore and discover the magical world of Xanth. Now we get the almost child-like innocence of one of the most powerful beings as he explores Mundania ... without his awesome powers.

Since Piers has recently joined the world in surfing the internet, Xone of Contention playfully shows us how the world wide web and all of its components are viewed by Xanthians. Sometimes you wonder if the WWW is magic ... well in Xanth it is!!

Plenty of puns abound in this tale as well but they are not overdone this time. All in all a wonderful addition to the most magical place on Earth, Xone of Contention does the series proud.

Way to go Piers!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, how I love to read about Xanth!, August 23, 2000

By 

Robert W. Smith "Robert Smith, Ph.D." (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Xone of Contention (Xanth) (Hardcover)

As a longtime reader of Piers Anthony's and also a longtime fan of Xanth, I always enjoy another good Xanth novel. I've been reading his books for about 15 years now and have read all of the Xanth books numerous times.

I take these books for what they are - a lighthearted romp in fantasy. They are fun, humourous, enjoyable, and also very interesting.

Xone of Contention is no different. If you are a Xanth fan, you'll enjoy this book also! Piers had some delightful new puns in here, as some other reviewers have pointed out. And I always enjoy it when he ventures into Mundania.

If I had to rank this book among all his other Xanth books, I'd put it in the top 75% of them. Not my most favorite, but very good. He explored some new themes in this book, like marriage and divorce, that were intriguing and make me want to re-read it. Of course, there was only 1 Xanth book that I was bored with, and that was the one that told the history of Good Magician Humfrey. Otherwise, they are all a lot of fun and worth a read!