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Available
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Publication
New York : Ballantine Books, 1984.
Description
BEST NOVEL OF THE YEAR, BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY * Discover the magical beginning of Piers Anthony's enthralling Xanth series Xanth was the enchanted land where magic ruled--where every citizen had a special spell only he could cast. It was a land of centaurs and dragons and basilisks. For Bink of North Village, however, Xanth was no fairy tale. He alone had no magic. And unless he got some--and got some fast!--he would be exiled. Forever. But the Good Magician Humfrey was convinced that Bink did indeed have magic. In fact, both Beauregard the genie and the magic wall chart insisted that Bink had magic. Magic as powerful as any possessed by the King or by Good Magician Humfrey--or even by the Evil Magician Trent. Be that as it may, no one could fathom the nature of Bink's very special magic. Bink was in despair. This was even worse than having no magic at all . . . and he would still be exiled! Thus begins Piers Anthony's enthralling Xanth series. . . .… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member adryon
On one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and could barely put it down while I was reading it. The story is pure fun. I enjoyed the premise of everything in Xanth having some form of magic very much, and I loved the quest elements, the journey, the various adventures and discovering all the
However.. the book is annoyingly sexist. The female characters are terrible! I haven't read any of the later Xanth books yet, and I will probably read them at some point, but I really hope the characterisations get less sexist and clumsy. It's frankly boring to read a description of every female creature, human or not, through Bink's assessment of whether she's attractive or not.
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plants and animals with their various forms of magic. Bink's explorations of why some magics exist and are useful were very interesting. Some of the characters were pretty good as well. However.. the book is annoyingly sexist. The female characters are terrible! I haven't read any of the later Xanth books yet, and I will probably read them at some point, but I really hope the characterisations get less sexist and clumsy. It's frankly boring to read a description of every female creature, human or not, through Bink's assessment of whether she's attractive or not.
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LibraryThing member cybercarotte
I have fond memories from reading this when I was 18, but reading it now, I'm not sure why I ever liked it so much...? Or maybe I've changed a lot in those 25 years. Either way, whatever pleasure I thought I'd get from reading this again just totally isn't there at all. Makes me glad I'd bought a
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used copy... Show Less
LibraryThing member 5aweek
Xanth 1: A Spell for Chameleon, by Piers Anthony
Twenty-five year old Bink of the North Village is in danger of being exiled from his homeland, Xanth, because he has no magic talent. Xanth is a land where magic is the norm, and the King requires that every citizen have a magic talent. Naturally Bink
So begins the first novel in the Xanth series, which now has over 30 books. Most follow the format introduced in this novel: a protagonist with a Question goes to see the Good Magician, navigates three Challenges for an Answer, which sends them on an adventure throughout the magic country. Throughout the course of Bink's adventure, he is exiled from Xanth, meets the Evil Magician, finds a very unique female, returns to Xanth, and shakes up the current order of things.
"A Spell for Chameleon" is light, fun, and fresh fantasy. This is one of my personal favorites in the series; I've read most of them. Some of the later novels are quite bogged down with puns, but this book doesn't have that problem. Anthony creates a world you'd want to visit, for the sheer fun you could find there. The reader isn't inundated with page after page of details about the world, instead you discover the dangers and excitement of Xanth along with Bink and the other characters.
I tend to read Xanth books as relaxation, and as a break from "heavier" fantasy. I find them refreshing - a good change of pace. Sure, Anthony has quite a fascination with ogling women and panties; sometimes Xanth seems like a land designed for juvenile boys, but if you can get past that, you'll find a fun, enjoyable read.
4/5.
Twenty-five year old Bink of the North Village is in danger of being exiled from his homeland, Xanth, because he has no magic talent. Xanth is a land where magic is the norm, and the King requires that every citizen have a magic talent. Naturally Bink
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wants to discover his talent so he can stay in his homeland and marry his girlfriend, so he heads off to the Good Magician for help. So begins the first novel in the Xanth series, which now has over 30 books. Most follow the format introduced in this novel: a protagonist with a Question goes to see the Good Magician, navigates three Challenges for an Answer, which sends them on an adventure throughout the magic country. Throughout the course of Bink's adventure, he is exiled from Xanth, meets the Evil Magician, finds a very unique female, returns to Xanth, and shakes up the current order of things.
"A Spell for Chameleon" is light, fun, and fresh fantasy. This is one of my personal favorites in the series; I've read most of them. Some of the later novels are quite bogged down with puns, but this book doesn't have that problem. Anthony creates a world you'd want to visit, for the sheer fun you could find there. The reader isn't inundated with page after page of details about the world, instead you discover the dangers and excitement of Xanth along with Bink and the other characters.
I tend to read Xanth books as relaxation, and as a break from "heavier" fantasy. I find them refreshing - a good change of pace. Sure, Anthony has quite a fascination with ogling women and panties; sometimes Xanth seems like a land designed for juvenile boys, but if you can get past that, you'll find a fun, enjoyable read.
4/5.
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LibraryThing member StigE
It has delightful worldbuilding, and more novel ideas than most books and a wonderful sense of fun.
It's also incredibly sexist. It just reads like a "How not to write female characters".
LibraryThing member nmhale
I needed a book that was all about laughter, being in a state of recovering depression, so I decided to reread this, the first in the Xanth series, as it had always made me happy in high school (when last I read the series). Imagine my surprise when none of the book seemed familiar! Okay, I do read
Yet this is a review, not my personal history with the book. Sorry. I did enjoy this book, bearing in mind that I was only looking for a good escapist novel. Actually, this story had more substance than later Xanth novels. Looking at other reviewers' opinions, I see that a lot of people are upset by later books because they become so silly and riddled with puns, and prefer the beginning of the series because plot and character development are more targeted. Personally, I liked the excessive craziness, probably because I started the series with one of the later books. I was a little disappointed that this one wasn't as ridiculous as I remembered the others being. It still bears that light, humorous touch, though, and that was good for me. If you're looking for a story that is fun and fast-paced, that uses all the fantasy tropes it can think of and then some (in this novel alone, we have centaurs, mermaids, dragons, unicorns, griffins, salamanders, magicians, and about a hundred more different mythical creatures), then this is a good book for you.
I should warn, though, that Anthony's attitude toward women is skewed. The main character asserts several times that he can't trust a beautiful woman who is also smart, because all such women in the novel are manipulative schemers. He also claims that average women are nice but get boring, and he just doesn't like ugly. Well. Several of the female characters are clearly sex objects, the others have defects like hopelessness, mothering, or poverty, and one minor character is an outright misogynist. Did this detract from my enjoyment of the novel? Not really. I remembered similar themes from other Xanth novels. I can enjoy a Bond movie when I'm in the mood even though the same conditions pretty much apply. I like James Bond on the big screen, but I would probably dislike him in person, the chauvinist. Know going in, though, that these stereotypes abound.
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a lot, and it's common for me to forget all but the main gist of a story, or sometimes even that. However, when I reread a novel, I remember bits and pieces as I go along. Or I recognize a section as familiar. Not this time. Everything was new. Which makes me suspect that I never actually read A Spell for Chameleon, but bought it as the first book in a series I was fond of and then grew away from the series and never read it. That very much sounds like something I would do.Yet this is a review, not my personal history with the book. Sorry. I did enjoy this book, bearing in mind that I was only looking for a good escapist novel. Actually, this story had more substance than later Xanth novels. Looking at other reviewers' opinions, I see that a lot of people are upset by later books because they become so silly and riddled with puns, and prefer the beginning of the series because plot and character development are more targeted. Personally, I liked the excessive craziness, probably because I started the series with one of the later books. I was a little disappointed that this one wasn't as ridiculous as I remembered the others being. It still bears that light, humorous touch, though, and that was good for me. If you're looking for a story that is fun and fast-paced, that uses all the fantasy tropes it can think of and then some (in this novel alone, we have centaurs, mermaids, dragons, unicorns, griffins, salamanders, magicians, and about a hundred more different mythical creatures), then this is a good book for you.
I should warn, though, that Anthony's attitude toward women is skewed. The main character asserts several times that he can't trust a beautiful woman who is also smart, because all such women in the novel are manipulative schemers. He also claims that average women are nice but get boring, and he just doesn't like ugly. Well. Several of the female characters are clearly sex objects, the others have defects like hopelessness, mothering, or poverty, and one minor character is an outright misogynist. Did this detract from my enjoyment of the novel? Not really. I remembered similar themes from other Xanth novels. I can enjoy a Bond movie when I'm in the mood even though the same conditions pretty much apply. I like James Bond on the big screen, but I would probably dislike him in person, the chauvinist. Know going in, though, that these stereotypes abound.
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LibraryThing member Homechicken
I enjoyed A Spell for Chameleon, and wish I had read it many years earlier.
Xanth is a magical land that looks just like Florida, but is full of magical creatures. This book was about Bink, a young man born seemingly without magic, and destined to be exiled because he has no magic talent. In his
The book wraps up nicely and could stand on its own, though it is a little shallow sometimes. It's not so much humorous as it is frustrated-young-man-has-trouble-with-women funny. Like the Wuntvor series by Craig Shaw Gardner.
Xanth is a magical land that looks just like Florida, but is full of magical creatures. This book was about Bink, a young man born seemingly without magic, and destined to be exiled because he has no magic talent. In his
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quest to find out if he has one, he leaves home and explores the land of Xanth, braves its dangers, meets several companions (some of them women of questionable morals), and finds out he has a talent, but nobody can figure out what it is. He is exiled, and meets the Evil Wizard Trent, exiled decades ago for transforming his enemies into trees and fish and such. He finds that Trent has changed and wishes to return to Xanth and save it (and taking the throne). They have an uneasy truce, find their way back to Xanth, and end up saving it.The book wraps up nicely and could stand on its own, though it is a little shallow sometimes. It's not so much humorous as it is frustrated-young-man-has-trouble-with-women funny. Like the Wuntvor series by Craig Shaw Gardner.
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LibraryThing member MitraLibrary
After reading the Split Infinity Series by Piers Anthony I jumped right into the Xanth series. A good light hearted fantasy series that, after trying to read again much later in life I can not get into.
LibraryThing member AprilAasheim
The book that started the whole Xanth series. Very well written and thought provoking. Deeper than most in the series. I read this after I had read a few of the others and was surprised how light the others were in comparison. LOVE this one.
LibraryThing member HollyByGolly
This is my all time FAVORITE Xanth novels (I've read 4 others so far), and it started me on my quest to read as many Xanth novels as I could. Unfortunately, none of them were as enjoyable as this one (Castle Roogna came very close though), so I haven't been getting through the rest of the series in
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a very timely manner. BUT after reading "A Spell for Chameleon", I was so happy about the surpise ending and turn of events that I even kissed it after I read the last word. Great story, definately worth the read. Show Less
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
Okay, this was the first Xanth book, and the punning was a long way short of the later barrage. This one is passable.
LibraryThing member TadAD
Though Piers Anthony doesn't have a good track record with me, I'm glad I read this one. The story is amusing, the characters enjoyable and the punning a lot of fun.
Unfortunately, I don't think Anthony's plot ideas for subsequent books were as good and the punning simply got to be tedious. Since
Unfortunately, I don't think Anthony's plot ideas for subsequent books were as good and the punning simply got to be tedious. Since
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this novel stands by itself, I'd stop here. Show Less
LibraryThing member pheelowesq
The first Xanth novels are perfect reads. Nothing too serious, but wonderfully original and fun. Bink is a believable character, with a seemingly intractable problem. Piers enjoys his gender roles, so progressive types will have plenty to be angry about. But if you're into playful fantasy and good
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writing, this is a great book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Razinha
I read, and remember liking, this back when it came out. While Anthony is an anachronism today, he was one even when this was published in 1977. His sexism is pervasive - integral to the story? no; seems he just like being perverse. Some is couched: on page 53 of the paperback, he has a farmer
And some is not couched. Only 3 pages after the "earthy" commentary, he describes a date rape surrogate trial (to protect innocent parties) with the outcome that would make a good ol' boy, or a billionaire golf course owner, smirk. And two pages after that, a bit character, talking to the main character about an attractive female participant in the acted out trial: "Better have Wynne show you." "Wynne?" "Your opposite. The one you almost raped." [Note, the main character was conscripted to play a role, and the outcome, as noted, was in the favor of the male players...] "Not that I blame you."
Yes, he went there. And that is a theme/attitude common throughout the first third of this book. Do we dismiss Anthony's deplorable references for culturally relative reasons, or do we hold him accountable? I regret introducing Xanth to my third son, who read nearly all of the series (I stopped after four - and the fourth was pushing it too far.) As a teen, I seemed to have been largely oblivious to Anthony's sexism, but it bothered me as an adult when I read some of his other series.
Now...there's actually a decent story in here, despite Anthony. [Yes, I know...because of Anthony]. I will probably reread the other two of this trilogy to see if Anthony's style - intriguing first novel of a trilogy, weak filler middle novel, sometimes okay conclusion - fits my memory. Now, I know that this particular series went beyond three...he's still writing these things... It's almost as if he's in competition with himself to see how many inane stretches of wordplay he can work into every page. And they often get in the way of a potentially good story.
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laughing about the main character accidentally groping a female centaur and then he says that farmers had "an earthy sense of humor". "Earthy"? "Lecherous" or "vulgar" is correct in the context he created. Constant references to females growing "shrewish", or losing their looks... And some is not couched. Only 3 pages after the "earthy" commentary, he describes a date rape surrogate trial (to protect innocent parties) with the outcome that would make a good ol' boy, or a billionaire golf course owner, smirk. And two pages after that, a bit character, talking to the main character about an attractive female participant in the acted out trial: "Better have Wynne show you." "Wynne?" "Your opposite. The one you almost raped." [Note, the main character was conscripted to play a role, and the outcome, as noted, was in the favor of the male players...] "Not that I blame you."
Yes, he went there. And that is a theme/attitude common throughout the first third of this book. Do we dismiss Anthony's deplorable references for culturally relative reasons, or do we hold him accountable? I regret introducing Xanth to my third son, who read nearly all of the series (I stopped after four - and the fourth was pushing it too far.) As a teen, I seemed to have been largely oblivious to Anthony's sexism, but it bothered me as an adult when I read some of his other series.
Now...there's actually a decent story in here, despite Anthony. [Yes, I know...because of Anthony]. I will probably reread the other two of this trilogy to see if Anthony's style - intriguing first novel of a trilogy, weak filler middle novel, sometimes okay conclusion - fits my memory. Now, I know that this particular series went beyond three...he's still writing these things... It's almost as if he's in competition with himself to see how many inane stretches of wordplay he can work into every page. And they often get in the way of a potentially good story.
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LibraryThing member Alliebadger
First, the good. I actually did enjoy the general fantasy adventure plot; it was kind of a fun classic wander-and-meet-creatures sort of book. However, let me share a few choice quotes from the narration.
"So the soldier rejected all women because felt they rejected him. Well, it was a good enough
"Bink saw with relief that it was not Sabrina, but a marvelously ugly female he had never seen before. Her hair was wild, her teeth gnarled, her body sexually shapeless."
"It figured. She had said he wouldn't believe her reasons, and he had believed the first one, so she wouldn't tell him the other. Typically female logic."
"A pretty girl could express shock and distress if someone saw her bare torso, but privately she would be pleased if the reaction were favorable."
"Chameleon, like most girls, had to answer calls of nature frequently, particularly when she was excited."
And of course, the main character's quote towards the end:
"I like beautiful girls," he said. "And I like smart girls. But I don't trust the combination."
If it were typical misogyny in which the male characters all have to rescue the females, I would roll my eyes and move on. But this ongoing attitude towards women, the countless description of magical creatures' breasts, the bizarrely placed rape trial (in which it's decided that if she didn't want it, she would have run away, so the case is thrown out), and the ending paragraph made me literally throw the book across the room.
"So the soldier rejected all women because felt they rejected him. Well, it was a good enough
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rationale.""Bink saw with relief that it was not Sabrina, but a marvelously ugly female he had never seen before. Her hair was wild, her teeth gnarled, her body sexually shapeless."
"It figured. She had said he wouldn't believe her reasons, and he had believed the first one, so she wouldn't tell him the other. Typically female logic."
"A pretty girl could express shock and distress if someone saw her bare torso, but privately she would be pleased if the reaction were favorable."
"Chameleon, like most girls, had to answer calls of nature frequently, particularly when she was excited."
And of course, the main character's quote towards the end:
"I like beautiful girls," he said. "And I like smart girls. But I don't trust the combination."
If it were typical misogyny in which the male characters all have to rescue the females, I would roll my eyes and move on. But this ongoing attitude towards women, the countless description of magical creatures' breasts, the bizarrely placed rape trial (in which it's decided that if she didn't want it, she would have run away, so the case is thrown out), and the ending paragraph made me literally throw the book across the room.
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LibraryThing member utbw42
This was a very enjoyable read. Imaginative, funny, and has somewhat of an adult tinge to it in some of the emotions it explores. I can't wait to see what else Anthony has in store in the world of Xanth.
LibraryThing member gilroy
Grabbed this to read after dealing with a very stressful situation. Figured bad puns would help me get past that pain. So here's my thoughts on it.
While Reading:
-- I feel like I'm reading a novel written by a 12 year old. The descriptions of the female form are ridiculous at best.
While Reading:
-- I feel like I'm reading a novel written by a 12 year old. The descriptions of the female form are ridiculous at best.
LibraryThing member hermit
This is not only the first of many pun filled books, but the best of the series. The others are fun filled and contain some very good writting. But this book has a well developed plot that is worth reading. Be careful though, for the series seems never ending. Xanth is a marvelous place to visit,
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especially if you are familiar with Florida. Everybody has a magical talent of lesser or greater degree, but our hero seems to lack one, and heads for exile and adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member idanush
I think this book was excellent.
A little on a teenish side but great with ideas and plot.
Anthony does get a little too aggressive on puns and sexual hints down the series so I stopped at the third book (after a recommendation)
A little on a teenish side but great with ideas and plot.
Anthony does get a little too aggressive on puns and sexual hints down the series so I stopped at the third book (after a recommendation)
LibraryThing member djinni53
Magic is very fun, and Xanth portrays cool stuff about it.
LibraryThing member bell7
Bink is nearly 25, and he has a problem. He has no magic. This means that he will be exiled from Xanth, unless he can demonstrate a talent in front of the Storm King (who once was great, but now could barely conjure a dust devil and is failing fast) on his birthday. In a last-ditch effort to avoid
I read this book years ago, and had forgotten all the veiled and not-so-veiled sexual references, which annoyed me, but not enough to stop reading. It suffers just a tad from being the first book in a series, setting up the world of Xanth and the "rules" in order to prepare you for coming information, but all in all it's well done and fun fantasy read.
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exile, he travels to the Good Magician Humfrey for help in finding his magic talent. Will he succeed, or will he have to leave behind everything he knows and loves?I read this book years ago, and had forgotten all the veiled and not-so-veiled sexual references, which annoyed me, but not enough to stop reading. It suffers just a tad from being the first book in a series, setting up the world of Xanth and the "rules" in order to prepare you for coming information, but all in all it's well done and fun fantasy read.
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LibraryThing member marysneedle
It has been over 20 years since I read this first Xanth novel. I have to say that it was just as enjoyable the second time around as it was the first.
Piers Anthony seems to capture the essence of what it is like to be different and how we search for a way to become like everyone else so as not to
For Bink, Chameleon, and Trent it is a story of self discovery that being different is really not so bad.
Bink finds out that it is not that he doesn’t have magic, it is that he has a very unique magic. Chameleon discovers that her monthly phases are not so undesirable after all, and Trent discovers that he can be a good king instead of an evil one.
I thought the characters were very well thought out and the story covered, although masked in a different environment, some of the same things we see every day, like the bureaucratic wall we come up against when dealing with politics; whether it is in government, corporate, or the educational field, such as the old king being left in charge, forget the fact he really is not in any stable mental condition to do so, and how Herman the Hermit was condemned and exiled by the centaurs (representing as I see it the educational field) for being a magical creature who could perform magic. Because the norm in Xanth is that you are either a magical creature (i.e. the Centaurs) or you are not but have magical abilities. Yet Herman gave his life trying to protect Xanth from the Wiggle Swarms.
We also see the friction between couples where the female is very dominant and the Male very macho with Chester and Cherie the Centaurs. Chester is always looking for a fight and Cherie is always bossing him around with her I’m better than you attitude which Chester always gives into. However once Bink tells of Chester’s uncle Herman’s (the centaur that was exiled for doing magic) heroic deeds with the wiggle fight, and sees how Cherie does not want to hear the disturbing tale of someone she obviously looked down on, Chester is all for Bink coming to visit to relate the story just to irritate Cherie if for nothing else.
The story was very easy to read and very easy to relate to. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy stories with some substance and the puns will also keep you entertained.
Piers Anthony seems to capture the essence of what it is like to be different and how we search for a way to become like everyone else so as not to
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be considered an outcast only to discover that being unique is really an asset in the end.For Bink, Chameleon, and Trent it is a story of self discovery that being different is really not so bad.
Bink finds out that it is not that he doesn’t have magic, it is that he has a very unique magic. Chameleon discovers that her monthly phases are not so undesirable after all, and Trent discovers that he can be a good king instead of an evil one.
I thought the characters were very well thought out and the story covered, although masked in a different environment, some of the same things we see every day, like the bureaucratic wall we come up against when dealing with politics; whether it is in government, corporate, or the educational field, such as the old king being left in charge, forget the fact he really is not in any stable mental condition to do so, and how Herman the Hermit was condemned and exiled by the centaurs (representing as I see it the educational field) for being a magical creature who could perform magic. Because the norm in Xanth is that you are either a magical creature (i.e. the Centaurs) or you are not but have magical abilities. Yet Herman gave his life trying to protect Xanth from the Wiggle Swarms.
We also see the friction between couples where the female is very dominant and the Male very macho with Chester and Cherie the Centaurs. Chester is always looking for a fight and Cherie is always bossing him around with her I’m better than you attitude which Chester always gives into. However once Bink tells of Chester’s uncle Herman’s (the centaur that was exiled for doing magic) heroic deeds with the wiggle fight, and sees how Cherie does not want to hear the disturbing tale of someone she obviously looked down on, Chester is all for Bink coming to visit to relate the story just to irritate Cherie if for nothing else.
The story was very easy to read and very easy to relate to. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy stories with some substance and the puns will also keep you entertained.
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LibraryThing member jimmaclachlan
I got book 2 of this series first, read it a couple of times before I finally got the first. I think the first 4 books are well worth reading - a must read for anyone into fantasy books. I think the series is up in the 20 odd count somewhere now. The first 3 or 4 are excellent. After that, I just
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couldn't get too into it any more. Might just be me. When this came out, it was unlike any series before it AND was funny on top of that. Humor in this sort of fiction is hard to pull off, but Anthony did it very well. Show Less
LibraryThing member pagemasterZee
Piers Anthony can really keep you guessing but it also seems like he get tired of his characters quickly and thus moves the stories along at a fast pace. He also never sticks with the same characters for more than one book thus moving the timeline along. He also is extremely sexist, the majority of
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his women in his books are horny big breasted idiots. Easy quick read though. Not something i would venture again even though I have to say Piers Anthony has one unique imagination. Show Less
LibraryThing member SylviaC
I really liked the first few Xanth books, until I got tired of the same jokes over and over again. But my biggest complaint about Piers Anthony's writing is that he only ever portrays one type of female character, and she is whiny and manipulative.
LibraryThing member MaryRunyan
I love this whole series! You have to love puns to love this bunch of well written fantasy! I love how the first characters are still around but wish they could have been included more.
Subjects
Awards
Locus Award (Nominee — Fantasy Novel — 1978)
British Fantasy Award (Winner — August Derleth Fantasy Award — 1978)
Gandalf Award (Nominee — 1978)
Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire (Winner — 1993)
Locus All-Time Best (Fantasy Novel — 18 — 1987)
Language
Original publication date
1977
Physical description
344 p.; 18 cm
ISBN
0345317718 / 9780345317711
Local notes
"A Del Rey Book."
Similar in this library
Pages
344