Throwback Thursday: Traveling Back to Xanth in Piers Anthony’s Isis Orb

Nearly 40 years ago, Piers Anthony published A Spell for Chameleon. It was a hit, winning awards and hitting the bestseller lists. Originally intended as a standard fantasy trilogy, sales were so good, Anthony expanded the series—to say the least: this month the 40th volume, Isis Orb, hits the shelves.
There was a time when almost every fan of SFF literature had at least a glancing familiarity with Anthony’s work, and, by extension, with the Xanth books—he’s one of the few writers working in SFF today who has managed to maintain across decades a near-universal profile among hardcore aficionados of genre.
Reading the latest Xanth book offers a great reminder why Anthony has been so successful: he’s got it where it counts. It’s a terrific book and a return to the form of the first dozen or so entries in the series.

Isis Orb
Isis Orb returns to the magical land of Xanth (which geographically resembles Anthony’s home state of Florida in non-magical Mundania), where everyone is born with a single magic talent. Sometimes these talents are awesome, like being able to animate zombies or discern any sort of information about anything you desire. Sometimes, a talent is significantly less useful. This book introduces us to Hapless, a young man whose magic talent is the ability to summon any musical instrument he desires. That’s…useful, I guess? It would be a lot better if he could actually compose music that people want to listen to, which he decidedly cannot.
It’s a classic Xanth setup. Hapless’ useless talent echoes one of the deep themes of the series. The story eventually evolves into a classic quest, as Hapless collects a ragtag team of companions, all seeking the legendary Isis Orb that will grant them what they think they need (in Hapless’ case, that would be an instrument he can actually play). Along the way, Anthony offers up everything a Xanth fan could ask for.
The Premise
Let’s not forget the breathtaking and effective simplicity of Anthony’s basic premise, one so sturdy and well-conceived it has supported forty years’ worth of stories. In the field of fantasy writing in general, complex and sometimes obfuscated magic systems are all the rage, and have been for a long time. Anthony dispenses with the concept of ancient lore, semi-scientific theories, and diligent apprenticeship and study. He treats magic the same as, say, musical talent or athletic ability: something we’re all born with, to a greater or lesser extent. This simplicity of world-building frees the story from some of the heaviness required to construct a secondary world, making it the ideal petri dish for Anthony’s fun-loving sense of humor.
The Adulthood
The Xanth books have a reputation as entry-level fantasy (you know, for kids). Not so: to this day, the author still catches gets a bit of flak for the occasionally risqué moments that pepper his books. And despite the vein of silliness that runs through the series (you can’t title a novel Crewel Lye: A Caustic Yarn and not raise a few eyebrows), part of the reason Xanth continues to find new readers is the way it tackles serious adult themes with humor, warmth, and magic. Hapless’ quest to makes his talents work for him is a story with appeal for young readers struggling to solidify their identities, and adults who are still trying to figure out their lives. It’s no surprise Anthony’s counts several generations of families as fans—these are books parents will love to share with their kids as soon as they hit the proper age to appreciate a good pun.

The Sandbox
One of the best parts of jumping into a series when it’s forty books deep is the sheer volume of ideas it contains. Over the years, Anthony has expanded the fundamental fabric of Xanth, stretching it this way and that. The modern version featured in Isis Orb is not only grounded by well-established rules and topography, it’s jam-packed with history. The quest Hapless and friends embark on is the brainchild of the Good Magician Humfrey, the Magician of Information, who has been part of the series since the first book. Anthony astounds in his ability to find new dimensions to his characters, and new ways to send them careening off into an adventure, giving each book a sense of depth and realism that belies its often whimsical nature.

Crowdsourced
Anthony has been including lengthy, chatty Author’s Notes in his books for years, dishing on recent events in his life and career, and sharing letters from readers. Long ago, fans started sending in puns, which he dutifully began sneaking into books, making sure to credit those who inspired them. This interaction has gone as far as fans sending him fully-fledged story ideas—and in fact, Isis Orb’s narrative was suggested by a 10-year old girl, whose letter to Anthony is reproduced in the Author’s Note. The enthusiasm and energy he brings to corresponding with his fans is rare in any field, and at this point, Xanth is practically a crowdsourced universe: fans supply ideas, names, and puns; Anthony curates and transforms them into new stories; the cycle continues. Hopefully for a long time.
Have you traveled to Xanth? Piers Anthony’s Isis Orb is available October 18.