A Spell for Chameleon (Xanth Book 1)

Lorie

A Spell for Chameleon: A Magical Quest of Wit, Adventure, and Unexpected Love

"Bink's journey in A Spell for Chameleon is a wild and whimsical adventure through the land of Xanth, where every citizen possesses a unique magical talent—except for him. Determined to prove his worth, Bink embarks on a quest to uncover his hidden gift, facing trials, riddles, and unexpected dangers along the way. His path repeatedly crosses with Chameleon, a woman who changes from breathtakingly beautiful but dull to plain yet brilliant. As Bink grows, he realizes she embodies the best of both worlds, making for one of fantasy's most unique love stories. With the help of the once-feared Evil Magician Trent, they battle the wiggly menace threatening Xanth. Filled with clever wordplay, quirky characters, and a world bursting with imagination, this book is as entertaining now as it was when I first read it. It was a truly delightful start to a legendary series! ["

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February 18, 2025 Verified Purchase

ToldYouSo

Old School Fantasy at it’s best!

"Piers Anthony‘s books are always a delight to read. I first read this in 1978; it has lost none of its magic. Anthony is one of the best at subtle puns and at turning everyday idioms and colloquialisms into an integral part of the humor. Anthony also tells a damn good story. Just for a lark, I tried a sample of the simplified version. Don’t bother. If you were thinking of it for a youngster, don’t. There are words they might not know; teach them to look them up! It’s mind-bendingly simple with Kindle. I do want to address the accusations the book is sexist. Yes, and No. Yes there are a lot of beautiful females in this book, many described in detail because they are topless or naked. You have to remember, though, this book is written from the point of view of a young man still in the prime of horniness, so the book reflects that condition. Secondly, the book was written and published back in the day when the primary audience for fantasy was young males. Or not quite-so-young males, but males nonetheless. So, of course the writing reflects the audience. On the “No” side of the sexism question, there are a few strong females in the book and Bink recognizes their strengths. Furthermore, Bink’s attitudes towards beauty and brains in a woman are not static through the book. Try to read it with these in mind. ["

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July 16, 2019 Verified Purchase

K. P. T.

Strange Mix of Narrative Fit For Kids, But For The Misogyny and Off-color References

"There are good things to say about this book, but first, the criticisms. I read this book as a teen and enjoyed it, though it was by far not my favorite book. Anthony resorts to clever turns of phrase, and doesn't really concern himself with quality writing. The descriptions of scene and setting are terse and really only exist to serve the immediate action. There is a lot of pondering of imponderables regarding the nature of the magical land of Xanth and it's denizens and not really any real insights into more character-driven issues. It struck me somewhere around the half-way mark in this second read years later that this book was reading more like a childrens fairy tale than a grown-up book. If it weren't for the many references to the relationships between men and women and the rampant misogyny I could easily see myself reading this as a bed time story to young nieces or nephews. Misogyny? Oh yes, it's there, bold and unapologetic. There are those who have tried to defend it, but there is no lipstick you can put on this male chauvinist pig. Women are portrayed in terms of how they look and just how manipulative and deceitful they can be. I can only speculate that the author must have written this series of books while going through a nasty divorce or something. The next book opens with one of the heroines of this book having turned into a nasty and repulsive harridan throwing expletive-filled verbal assaults on our protagonist like cherry bombs. Criticisms aside, the story is engaging and exciting, action-packed and cleverly plotted. It was a fun bathroom reader and time-passer and I got a kick of some of the clever turns of phrase. For example, in describing a three-way under-water fight, which can be tricky to write well: "There was nothing but mutual mischief." That conveyed the scene well enough for me to picture a comedic struggle, and that's sometimes all an author can ask. Overall I would recommend this book to those seeking a fun, no-brainer to read, if they can overlook some offensive references to women and don't really seek much intellectual stimulation. If that's not you, you really won't get much from reading this book. ["

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November 18, 2017 Verified Purchase

Jackie

So happy I finally decided to get the whole series on e-book!

"I have read the first 30 or so books of this series in paperback format, years ago. I had looked several times for electronic versions but could never find more than a handful. And a lot of them from different sources. I was so happy when I decided, just out of curiosity, to look on Amazon. The whole series!! Affordable and all in the same place and same format. I don't know why I waited so long. Xanth is absolutely magical. The place and the series. Piers Anthony is such a talented author, he's funny and imaginative and never fails to keep me interested. If you like fantasy themed books, I highly recommend this and am the others that follow. They don't have to be read in order but they are all connected in some way or another. Good for most ages, probably best for 13 and older though. Some of the puns, and there's a ton of them, may be a tad mature but not overly so. Edit** I just saw that 3 of the books are actually not available in e-book format yet. Hopefully by the time I get to them they are! ["

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May 13, 2023 Verified Purchase

Amanda Bankston

Accidentally got addicted to this book.

"I don't remember the last time I couldn't put a book down. I initially bought this for my 14 year old, excited to unleash the wit of Xanth. She couldn't stay interested (she's more of a comic book reader) so I took a peak to confirm if the writing was as good as I remembered. I actually could not put this book down. Even during work, I'd read a few pages here and there to get my "fix". It is absolutely spellbinding. I cannot, for the life of me, understand how J.K. Rowling is a household name but Piers Anthony isn't! His writing is eloquent and clever. The dialogue never disappoints and the characters have the perfect amount of development. Piers creates a fantastical world without boring his readers with repetitious concepts. Regarding the misogyny, I think many are misled or misunderstanding. You have to read the whole book to understand the characters and their mindsets. You shouldn't stop halfway, announce the book as sexist and throw it out. Instead, use your mind to pick up on what the author is putting down: he is making FUN of misogyny. He is poking fun at gender stereotypes and their hilarity. Really, he is, but you have to read the books to get this. Piers doesn't hate women. He finds our man-made stereotypes to be funny, and so he mimicks it in Xanth. Many readers seemed to be upset by the rape trial scene, however, it is relevant to character development and laying the cultural foundation of Xanth. When you look at the end of the book and find the map of Xanth, you'll be tickled. Similar to everything in this book, the fun is in the details. If you're a skim reader, you may not enjoy this book. It's not intended to be skimmed! ["

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April 30, 2022 Verified Purchase