Yon Ill Wind (Xanth, No. 20) [Mass Market Paperback]

Piers Anthony (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1997

An All-New Xanth Adventure
First Paperback Edition!

A fickle flux in the fabric of space has allowed a horrendous hurricane to blast into Xanth, stirring up mischief and madness wherever she goes. Trapped in a preposterous form by a cosmic wager, the Demon X(A/N)th must join forces with a vexatious vixen named Chlorine to save Xanth from this terrifying and tempestuous threat.

Their companions on this haphazard quest are a hapless human family - Jim and Karen Baldwin and their two teenaged sons, David and Sean - gusted into Xanth from the mundane world beyond. Together they encounters a host of turbulent misadventures as they struggle to keep Xanth from being blown off the map forever.

A brisk and breezy adventure in the grand Xanth tradition, Yon Ill Wind is sure to bring gales of laughter and excitement to Piers Anthony's legion of loyal readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Devotees of Xanth, Anthony's engaging fictional realm, will applaud his latest pun-filled entry in the series. Anthony incorporated about 150 suggestions from fans in Roc and a Hard Place (1995); he uses?and credits?another 100 here, including two major premises. A Mundane (human) family is blown to Xanth by a tropical storm that threatens the land's existence. To save Xanth and to win a cosmic wager, the Demon X(AN) must become Nimby, a mortal, ass-headed pink-and-green-striped dragon and wring an unlikely tear from the hard-hearted maiden Chlorine. Anthony relates each episode of this frothy adventure through a different character's eyes in order to reinforce a gentle lesson about gifts and responsibilities. Xanth, where everything is very literal and each being has its own one talent, can continue only if everyone from mightiest to humblest works together. This engaging excursion puts them all to charming use. Once again, Anthony's unflagging sparkle, verve and wordplay spin everyday trials of Mundane life into storytelling gold.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Anthony returns to the magical world of Xanth, last glimpsed in Roc and a Hard Place (Tor, 1995) for another funny, pun-filled story. On a bet, the Demon of Xanth agrees to travel incognito and win the sympathy of an inferior mortal woman without revealing his identity. Along the way, a human family is transported to Xanth and helps save the world from being blown away by the ill wind. Written by the master of sly humor with a little help from his fans, this delightful romp through an alternate Florida of strange creatures with literal names and magical powers is highly recommended for fantasy collections.
Copyright 1996 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: 352 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (October 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812555104
• ISBN-13: 978-0812555103
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,550 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

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the earlier ones, April 24, 2002

By 

Anne B. "anneb" (Tarrytown, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yon Ill Wind (Xanth, No. 20) (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a big Xanth fan, but I hadn't gotten any new episodes for over 10 years, because of becoming a very busy working mother. My brother-in-law got me this one after I had recently re-read all my old ones. The kids having finally gotten interested in Xanth got me going on my re-reading project.

I don't think this one measures up. It doesn't flow like the others and you don't get into the story. Maybe it's because there are too many main characters, so that none of them can be developed very well. They all run off in different directions and it's hard to keep track of what is going on or what the characters are like.

Maybe it's because, while the earlier stories were essentially cheery, this one has an underlying gloominess throughout.

When certain ones of the characters are announced to be in love, it seems like sort of an afterthought. You just don't get inside anyone's head enough to really empathize with them, so there's not enough buildup that would justify the characters' feelings.

The puns don't seem to be as good as they used to be either.

I don't think I'm just becoming jaded, because I was reading the earlier ones again to my kids at the same time I was reading this one and the earlier ones just seem better.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars my favorite book, September 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Yon Ill Wind (Xanth, No. 20) (Mass Market Paperback)

It's a book about a selfish demon and an abused girl who come together by accident. The demon Xanth has to try to make her shed her last tear, but there's no time for that because they have to help a mundane family and try to defeat a hurricane. The ending brought tears to my eyes. Yon Ill Wind is truly one of Piers Antony's best books that he ever wrote and I personally loved it. I've been reading Piers Anthony books since I was 10 or 11, (I started with Being A Green Mother) and Yon Ill Wind is my favorite!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of the Xanth novels in awhile, March 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Yon Ill Wind (Xanth, No. 20) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have been an avid reader of Piers Anthony's novels, I've read and own all of the Xanth series, as well as a number of his other series. And I must say that lately, the Xanth novels have not been quite as good, lacking in the original creativity that first attracted me to the series, but with this one, I believe life is once again breathed into the magical books. Dont' miss it!