Xone of Contention

Piers Anthony

Edsel and Pia are friends of Dug and Kim. They also are writing interfacing software using Companions from the magical land of Xanth. Dug and Kim met in Xanth and have returned there as well, although they live in Mundania most of the time. Edsel and Pia's marriage is in trouble. Edsel hopes a visit to Xanth will improve it. Pia hopes Edsel will give her a divorce if she agrees to this visit.

The couple agrees to an exchange program. They visit Xanth through a computer interface. Chlorine and Nimby (Demon Xanth) visit Mundania using Pia and Edsel's bodies. Nimby is carrying out a bet with Demon Earth. Chlorine stays with the man she loves. Dug and Kim act as their companions in Mundania.

Edsel is immediately fascinated by Xanth. Pia isn't so sure. Breanna of the Black Wave and her fiance, Justin Tree, are Pia and Edsel's companions as they travel in Xanth. Their first night in Xanth they are lured away from Breanna and Justin's protection. Now they find themselves on a quest to help a powerful being in Xanth. When they rejoin Breanna and Justin, they continue with the quest.

This is one of the better Xanth novels, one I whipped right through, not wanting to put it down. There is one section with Magician Grey time travelling that I felt was a non sequiter to the rest of the story. I'm betting it is setting up a future Xanth novel. Other than that, the story stayed together well, and kept the reader up to date on both the adventures in Xanth and in Mundania. This has the charm of the Xanth novels without getting too witty for itself or too convoluted. I chuckled frequently when they went through the Library. The reading puns tickled me. This novel comes as close as any Xanth novel now can come to standing on its own. Since Xanth has developed over twenty-plus novels, much is ignored in this novel or is assumed the reader has the past knowledge. Yet enough is explained that even a new reader of Xanth should be able to catch on and keep up.

After you've read this book, visit . They have an abridged version of this complete series that you can read in a minute or less. Considering the number of books in the series, that is quite a feat!

A Spell for Chameleon
The Source of Magic
Castle Roogna
Centaur Isle
Ogre, Ogre
Night Mare
Dragon on a Pedastal
Crewel Lye
Golem in the Gears
Vale of the Vole
Heaven Cent
Man from Mundania
Isle of View
Question Quest
The Color of Her Panties
Demons Don't Dream
Harpy Thyme
Geis of the Gargoyles
Roc and a Hard Place
Yon Ill Wind
Faun & Games
Zombie Lover
Xone of Contention
The Dastard
Swell Foop
Up in a Heaval
Cube Route
Currant Events
Pet Peeve
Stork Naked
Air Apparent