A Spell for Chameleon
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A Spell for Chameleon is the first book of the Xanth series by Piers Anthony.
Plot introduction
In this adventure, Bink is banned from Xanth and exiled into drear Mundania (the non-magical portion of Earth) for his lack of a magic talent.Plot summary
| Characters of A Spell for Chameleon | |
|---|---|
| Primary character | Bink |
| Major characters | Trent Chameleon Iris Humfrey Aeolus |
While on his way to see the Good Magician Humfrey about whether he has a magic talent, he runs into three different women, Wynne, Dee, and Iris, as well as Chester and Cherie Centaur and Crombie The Soldier. He finds out from Good Magician Humfrey that he has Magician-caliber magic but that he can't identify it.
Because the talent cannot be discovered, Bink is officially sent to Mundania. While there, he discovers Evil Magician Trent, who was exiled 20 years ago for attempting to overthrow the king. Trent is trying to invade Xanth with his Mundane army to usurp the throne but the magic barrier around Xanth prevents it. He believes Bink could help him get into Xanth. Bink at first opposes him and is thrown into a pit with a woman from Xanth that followed him there named Fanchon. Eventually, Bink, Trent, and Fanchon are all swept into Xanth in a river.
While travelling, the group discovers Castle Roogna, a castle built 800 years ago for the King of Xanth but abandoned 400 years ago. Here, Bink learns that Fanchon, Wynne, and Dee are all the same person named Chameleon. The group leaves Castle Roogna on their way to the see the King. Eventually, they're forced to break their truce and Bink still refuses Trent's offers to join him in taking over Xanth. Eventually, this leads to the arrival of Iris of Illusion who wants to marry the future King. Trent and Bink decide on having a battle to the death. If Bink lost, then Trent would become King. If Bink won, Trent couldn't become King. Because of interruption from Iris, the battle was forced to be restarted but now Trent had the upper hand. He nearly killed Bink before Chameleon dove in front of the sword. Trent and Bink called a truce to save her life. Bink eventually got to the Good Magician's Castle in the form of a bird, having been transformed by Trent.
Not only did he manage to get the healing elixir, but he managed to find out that the Storm King had died. All the officials of Xanth, including the Council of Elders with Bink's father Roland, arrived on the scene. The Council captured Trent, healed Chameleon, and declared Trent and Iris the new King and Queen. Trent's first act as King was to get rid of the magical barrier between Xanth and Mundania and allow Bink to stay in Xanth. Bink and Chameleon were then married. Trent and Iris took up residence in the old Castle Roogna and Bink and Chameleon obtained a cottage cheese just outside the Castle.
Explanation of the novel's title
The title refers to one of the characters, Chameleon, who constantly changes along a wide spectrum, her intelligence being inversely proportional to her beauty. When she is beautiful, she is incredibly stupid, and when she is ugly, she is extremely intelligent. Chameleon searches for a spell to stop her involuntary transformations which follow the phases of the moon.
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