Xanth
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Xanth is a fantasy world created by author Piers Anthony for a series of novels.
The series is noted for its punny and somewhat humorous style. The author's habit of using (and crediting) reader notions is another factor in the popularity of the series, as it includes readers in the creation process. Anthony has gone so far as to create a popular character based on a young reader.
History
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Anthony commonly states that he originally intended for Xanth to be a trilogy, and after the wild success of the first three books decided to expand the series to nine books. An extremely devoted fan base persuaded the author to continue writing the series, which is now open-ended. He has since declared, in the Author's Notes of Cube Route, that this 27th book ended the first "trilogy" and that he was beginning a new one with the 28th, punning on the fact that 27 is the third power of three, i.e. three cubed.
The world of Xanth
Each human character in Xanth is born with a unique magical ability, called a talent. These abilities never repeat in individuals throughout the entire history of Xanth. Though many abilities are limited in scope, the series focuses on individuals with "Magician" caliber abilities (one of the criteria for serving as King of Xanth).
In addition to the human characters, Xanth is populated by centaurs, demons, dragons, gargoyles, goblins, golems, harpies, merfolk, naga, nymphs, ogres, zombies and all other manner of fictional beasts. Though they were initially introduced as obstacles to the human characters, they have become main characters in the later books of the series.
Geographically, modern Xanth resembles the state of Florida. One major exception to this is the Gap Chasm, an enormous canyon a mile wide which completely bisects the country, though the position of the Chasm could technically correspond with the Cross Florida Barge Canal, which, similar to the chasm, is generally forgotten except for those who stumble upon it. The Gap is guarded by a resident dragon and is crossed by means of treacherous bridges. Many of Xanth's other geographical features are puns on those of Florida (for example, Lake Ogre-chobee and the Kiss-Mee River). The Florida Keys also exist, though they are, in Xanth, actual keys. Other punnish features include the Isle of View ("I love you") and the Centaur Aisle created by a magician from the Centaur Isle. The moon is close enough that flying creatures may land there; one side is sweet and honeyish, the other has curdled and become cheese, because it saw what was happening on Earth and Xanth. Plants may bear fruit of all descriptions (pie trees and shoe trees are common) or they may be carnivorous (such as the tangle trees). Travel in Xanth is risky.
Xanth has a connection with the normal world, which is referred to as "Mundania". Xanth was colonized in several waves by groups of invaders and nomads. The series ties these colonization events to actual historical events on Earth, most notably the Punic wars.
The Adult Conspiracy
The Adult Conspiracy is one of the prominent features of the Xanth world. Nearly every book contains references to the Conspiracy and its effects, particularly those novels in which the main characters are children.
At its core, the Adult Conspiracy seeks to protect children from knowledge that could bring them to great harm. The precise age for entering into the world of the adults is undefined, but most characters that go from outside to inside of it do so at the time of marriage. The primary principle that inducts children into the Conspiracy is the understanding of the secret of "summoning the stork." In Xanthian terms, "summoning the stork" literally means to put out a call to summon a stork which will deliver to the couple a child. In Isle of View, it is revealed that summoning the stork will release an "ellipsis" (...) into the air to fly off to the stork. This is a ploy on the joke that all the "adult" things happen after a paragraph ends in an ellipsis. Most inductees actually discover the specifics of the act "by accident" after marriage, or under the influence of a love spring (a magical spring which causes two drinkers, not necessarily human, or even of the same species, to fall madly, and lustfully, in love with one another at first sight).
Other faculties of the Adult Conspiracy include:
- Censorship of foul language - All foul words contain the ability to cause negative effects (the wilting of plants, removal of curse burrs, etc.). These are automatically bleeped when said in the presence of someone who has yet to be inducted.
- Visual access to underwear - Because underwear is so closely tied to sexuality (even more so than nudity in Xanth), men become automatically "freaked out" when they view panties. This is made a common joke, most prominently in the novel The Color of Her Panties, and is often used by women to gain advantage over men. Panties only carry their effects when worn, but because of their nature, they are forbidden to be shown to children.
- Inability to have childish fun - Children believe that once they join the Adult Conspiracy, they will no longer have pillow fights, eat sweets and drink tsoda popka (soda pop), or want to have fun. While this belief is exaggerated, the entry to the Conspiracy does cause the couple to lose their bed monster, inadvertently creating the appearance of losing all childhood spirit under the responsibility of Adulthood.
Criticisms
Xanth is often criticized for its abundant use of puns. Some readers also feel that the original novel was a good fantasy book on its own, but that the series has further degraded as it became more punny. Some have also criticized the series for a repetitive and formulaic nature after the initial nine books. Many critics believe the series has misogynistic overtones. #redirect .Also related
- Encyclopedia of Xanth (1987, by Jody Lynn Nye) a Crossroads Adventure role-playing game book
- Piers Anthony's Visual Guide to Xanth (1989, with Jody Lynn Nye)
- Letters To Jenny (1993, nonfiction)
- Companions of Xanth (a computer game described in and following the plot of Demons Don't Dream)
Reference
Gohst of a Chance (1988) by Jody Lyn Nye (A Crossroads Adventure in the World of Piers Anthony's Xanth)External links
- [Xanth] series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- [Xanth on Hipiers.com]
- [Extensive 2005 Interview with Piers Anthony] on the creation of Xanth
- [I was a captive of Xanth] a review of the long-lived series from Salon (December 7, 2000)
- [Xanthians Online] the largest Xanth fan-based community and website
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