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The Dastard Oct 1, 2000 (34 of 37 found this helpful)
The Dastard is on of Piers Anthony's better Xanth books. It has a lot of humor and too many puns (as usual), but the puns don't detract from the story. I have been waiting for the last 2 years for Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm to make an appearance as major characters and I really like their personalities. I would have liked them to star more as children (like Ivy did in Dragon on a Pedestal, my favorite Xanth novel), but maybe next time. Becka also proved to be a dynamic character. She had her dragon heratige to keep the Dastard in line, but also her morals and common sense to provide an alternate point of view from the Dastard and to move the plot along. Castle Maidragon was great fun and I hope it appears in future books. I'm glad Becka got her wish (though I won't say what it is). I thought the ending needed work and I would have prefered to see the Dastard work on using his talent for good. Over all, it was a terrific book and it kept me enthralled till the end.
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Xanth is my favorite place to visit Apr 11, 2002 (4 of 4 found this helpful)
Piers Anthony's Xanth series fills that void we all get when we just want to read for the pure pleasure and not have to "think". You know, like wanting to watch a light hearted movie where you don't have to follow an intricate plot line or keep track of who did what to whom and why. The Xanth series pokes fun at the mundane world. Anyone who lives in Florida will appreciate the way Anthony describes local landmarks with a pun-ish twist.
The Dastard didn't let me down. Piers Anthony is back with a great plot as well as a bucketful puns. I know, people have been saying that the Xanth books were becoming just one big pun and there wasn't really a story. I'll have to agree, but it was only a few books and they were still a GREAT read. But, be forewarned. The Dastard has not one, not two, but more plots and subplots than you'd ever dream of in Xanth book. Savor it slowly so you don't miss any of the fun.
I adore this series and eagerly await the next release. I fiercly guard by collection and only let very special people borrow copies after leaving an adequate replacement such as their car or deed to their house as collateral.
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Very entertaining--ignore the Cri-tics, Xanth is still good! Oct 10, 2001 (4 of 4 found this helpful)
Whenever I hear someone talk about Xanth, I tend to hear the same nonsense over and over. That "After a spell for Chameleon" Xanth should have been stopped. NOT TRUE!
I have read ALL the books available in softcover and I have enjoyed them all. Do I think there are too many puns in some of the Xanth novels? Occasionally, yes. Do I think the series is something that should have been stopped? Heck no!
The Xanth series is great for what it is--light fantasy, with an OCCASIONAL serious comment tossed in (drunk driving, etc). The books are something to pick up, enjoy, and get away from your troubles for a short time. If you want so-called "serious literature" and try to gauge Xanth by that standard you will be seriously disappointed. But then again if you are foolish enough to use the wrong standards in judging things in life, you will have trouble in more than just reading...
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An improvement over recent Xanth offerings Jun 27, 2001 (5 of 6 found this helpful)
Like many fantasy readers, I've followed Xanth from _Spell_ to the present with a kind of addicted disappointment. The first nine books were punny enough to make critics' eyes roll, but they shared a coherence and unity of plot that kept everything under control. Since Anthony's move from Del Rey to Avon and later to Tor Books, the plots have suffered from neglect and wordplay has taken over.
_Zombie Lover_ and _Xone of Contention_ strengthened my suspicion that Anthony spends more time lately assembling reader-suggested puns and plot twists than he does coming up with his own material. I was expecting more of the same with _The Dastard_, but as the Author's Note informs us, Anthony used up his supply of reader suggestions sometime during the first draft of _Dastard_. The result is a delightful throwback to what made the first nine books so enjoyable. The story line is suspenseful, the characterization is effective (no small feat when your protagonists are two mirror-image sets of triplets!) and no deus ex machina comes in at the end to finish things off and baffle the reader.
Don't misunderstand me--I'd still rather reread _Centaur Aisle_ than _The Dastard_. But this latest offering is a definite improvement and an enjoyable read.
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$24.95 for an e-book?!?!? Nov 26, 2002 (2 of 2 found this helpful)
I love the Xanth series but I don't think I'd pay $24.95 for an e-book version! Most other e-book prices are in line with a paperback sale price, $4.00 - $7.00. I think if you bundled 3 of his book together for download you could ask for that kind of price.