Dor through the Magic Tapestry* (Castle Roogna - Piers Anthony)

Member Name: campb3ll

Product:	Castle Roogna - Piers Anthony
Date:	05/08/01 (29 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suitable for all ages

Disadvantages: Humour may not appeal to everyone

Millie the Ghost had been restored to life and her talent of sex appeal was starting to drive Dor wild. Dor, heir to the Xanth throne, was only 12 years old, although he was a Magician with the talent of communicating with the inanimate, and clearly wasn't able to pursue any half formed notions about Millie. So, King Trent connived with Magician Humfrey to send Dor on a quest - a mission to find an elixir to restore Millie's true love, the zombie Jonathan, to life.

The first major obstacle to be overcome was the location of the elixir. Dor would have to travel back in time, 800 years, in order to locate the one person able to create the elixir. Humfrey therefore arranged for Dor to visit the past through the magic tapestry at Castle Roogna. (Xanth readers will be aware that this magic tapestry displays tiny moving pictures of the past and present.) Dor entered the magic tapestry via a spell and took over the body of a Mundane warrior.

His first surprise on entering ancient Xanth was encountering a gigantic (compared with tapestry figures) spider called Jumper, who had been caught up in the spell and - luckily for Dor - proved to be an excellent adult companion for him. His second surprise was meeting Millie the Maid, 800 years before her demise and restoration from ghosthood, in the her radient pre-ghost youth.

"[Millie] was every resilient inch a woman, while he was but a boy of - 'I wish I were a man!' [Dor] murmured. 'Done!' the [magic ring] on his finger cried. 'I now pronounce you man.'"

Dor has to do a whole lot of growing up fast to act like a man (No, not that way! This is a family rated novel!), recover the magic elixir and gain useful experience to prepare him for his future - as the apparent heir to the throne.

The novel takes the readers through Xanth's ancient history and reveals how Castle Roogna came to exist, plus a few other interesting background details suc
h as the spell on the Gap chasm and the magic tapestry.

As ever, in this third installment of the Xanth series, puns and magic prevail throughout. The Xanth novels have a large and diverse fan base but it requires a certain sense of humour for a reader to become a Xanth fan. If the idea of crabapple trees with real crabs and night mares who carry nightmares to dreamers hit your funny-bone, then you too will surely become a Xanth addict. Xanth appeals to old and young alike; adults can indulge in escapism and children will surely love the goblins, ogres, nymphs and other magical creatures.

(*Finally, the title is suggestive of "Alice through the Looking Glass", which is probably familiar to most people. If Dor is Alice and ancient Xanth is Wonderland, then the magic tapestry is the mirror. A bit tenuous but similar enough.)

Summary: