Library & Information Science,
Course 262: Resources for Young Adults.
Dr. David Loertscher
Summer, 1998
w8c
This author writes mainly entertaining science fiction and fantasy
books for young adults. Some works may be more suitable for older
teens due to references to sexuality or scatology. Most of his books
and series are written around a scheme or gimmick. Though often
called "light," his writing is mixed with ethical or philosophical
issues which can challenge the young readers who constitute his
primary target audience.
Xanth Series: This, Mr. Anthony's most popular series, is
about the fantasy land of Xanth. Xanth is a land where everything is
magic. It's a medieval land of dragons, giants, centaurs,
harpies,demons and more. It's a land where puns are alive and well.
The setting is modeled after
the state of Florida with the real world of "Mundania" close by.
Recommended Books From The Series:
A Spell for Chameleon. 1st ed. New York: Ballantine Books.
1977.
Bink, who seems to lack a magic talent is exiled to drear Mundania.
He meets magical characters and adventures along the way to
exile,including his future wife. He is then captured by an evil
magician whowishes to rule the magic land of Xanth and is challenged
to find a way to
stop him.
Castle Roogna. 1st ed. New York: Ballantine Books. 1979.
The saga of Xanth continues when Bink's son Dor travels back 800
years into Xanth's past to retrieve an elixir to restore a zombie to
life. This story tells of his adventures there and his friendship
with a giant spider named Jumper who is accidentally transported back
in time with him.
The Source of Magic. 1st ed. New York: Ballantine Books.
1979.
Bink and two friends adventure in search of the source of the magic
of Xanth.
Centaur aisle. 1st ed. New York: Ballantine. 1982.
Arnold Centaur, who projects an aisle of magic with him wherever he
goes, assists Dor and Irene as they travel to medieval Mundania to
rescue Xanth's King and Queen.
Ogre Ogre. 1st ed. New York: Ballantine Books. 1982.
Smash Ogre helps a variety of females (mermaid, dryad, nymph,
Brassie) through the wilds of Xanth. Their trials and tribulations
and a trip into the dark world of the gourd to fight for his soul
makes this story interesting.
Crewel Lye. Crewel lye: a caustic yarn. 1st ed. New York:
Ballantine Books. 1984.
Jordan, a Castle Roogna ghost, was once was a valorous knight who
rode a ghost horse named Pook. This is the story of how he was
betrayed by a cruel lie perpetrated by two wily magicians and the
woman he loved.
Letters to Jenny. 1st mass market ed. New York: TOR Fantasy.
1994.
This is the story of a young girl named Jenny who was wakened from a
coma by a letter from this author and their following correspondence.
It also tells how they met and eventually a character in the Xanth
series came to be named after her.
Other Series: First title only of each series is listed.
Apprentice Adept Series
Split infinity. 1st ed. New York: Ballantine Books. 1980.
Seven books about the planet Proton whose citizens are served by
'serfs', people from other worlds who work for them on long term
contracts for very high pay. The chief recreation on Proton is "The
Game", a complex competitive framework. Phaze is a parallel world in
which magic replaces science. These are the adventures of various
players on both worlds.
Battle Circle Trilogy
Sos the Rope, 1968.
Sos is an educated barbarian who controls a nomadic tribe in a post
nuclear world. The series continues with a war against industrial
centers and the rebuilding of civilization.
Bio Of A Space Tyrant Series
Refugee. New York: Avon. 1983.
Novels of contemporary politics, artificially place in a
science-fiction setting. Basically following the theme, "What I would
do if I were President and had dictatorial powers." Five books in
series.
Cluster Series
Cluster. 1977.
An uneducated tribesman is chosen as Earth's ambassador to the
galaxy, because he is the only one able to withstand transmission
into other bodies. Five books in the series.
Geodyssey Series
Isle of Woman. 1st ed. New York: TOR: [Distributed by
St. Martin's Press]. 1993.
The story of a single family reborn again and again throughout
history. Experience their joys and pains as they try to preserve
their family and way of life during some of the most turbulent
periods of the past. Fictional stories based on historical facts.
Currently three books in
the series.
Incarnations of Mortality Series
On a pale horse. 1st ed. New York: Ballantine. 1983.
Stories are placed on an Earth much like our own, except that magic
coexists with science, and the Earth is a battleground between Heaven
and Hell. Between God and the Devil are the five Incarnations --
once-human manifestations of Death, Time, War, Fate and Nature. They
often oppose the devil in practice. Each sequel tells the story of a
different incarnation. Series of 7 books.
Mode Series
Virtual mode. New York: Ace/Putnam. 1991.
Colene, a 14 year old, suicidal girl rescues a stranger from who
insists that he's from "another reality" and has traveled far from
his world in search of her. She doesn't believe him but after he
returns to his own world she realizes what she's lost. She travels
across realms to find
him. Together they adventure across alternate realities with
interesting characters including a telepathic horse, a woman who
remembers history backwards, giants, sorcerers, and more. Is
currently a three book series.
Individual Books
Anthonology. New York: Tor Books. 1985
Short stories by the author. Most are set in the future or are about
alternate worlds. They include stories about space/time travel,
animals, torture and more. Notes by the author.
Balook. New York: Ace Books. 1997.
Computers and genetic engineering have brought one of the largest
land mammal of prehistoric times, a rhino, to life. He is brought up
in a pen with his only human friend, a boy named Thor. Balook breaks
out one day and the story tells of his adventures and societies
reaction to him.
If I Pay Thee Not In Gold 1993. With Mercedes Lackey.
Women rule the age of the Mazonians through magic. Xylina has to
defend
her beliefs in her own abilities against the queen.
Killobyte. New York: Putnam. 1993.
In the virtual-reality computer game Kilobyte, wheelchair-bound
ex-cop Walter Tobin's a hero--and can have the use of his legs
restored. Diabetic Baal Curran is a beautiful princess-- who can
forget the illness that drove away her boyfriend. The game takes on a
sinister reality
however, when a computer hacker traps them in the system.
Race Against Time. 1973.
Teenagers of different nationalities are raised in a pseudo-1960's
environment--but for what purpose.
Tales from the great turtle. 1st ed. New York: TOR. 1994. With
Richard Gilliam
This is a collection of fantastic tales from Native American
tradition which includes the works by some of the biggest names in
Science Fiction and Native American writing.... Piers Anthony, Jane
Yolen, Debra White Plume, Owl Goingback and William Sanders.
Tatham Mound. 1st ed. New York: Morrow. 1991.
A novel of a Native American tale-teller, a speaker of many tongues,
during the first European invasions. His ancestors set him on life's
path--impelling the young brave on a mystical quest to deliver his
people from the destruction which comes from afar.
Total recall. 1st ed. New York: W. Morrow. 1989.
This book is based on the hit movie about a man who discovers a
hidden past life on the planet Mars when he explores his memories
through a company called Recall.
Bibliographies:
D'Ammassa, Don. "Piers Anthony." In: Twentieth-Century Science
Fiction Writers, edited by Noelle Watson and Paul E. Schellinger.
3d ed. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991.
Drew, Bernard A. "Piers Anthony." In: The 100 Most Popular Young
Adult Authors, Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.,
1996.
Stanley, Deborah A. "Piers Anthony." In: Authors & Artists for
Young Adults, edited by Kevin S. Hile. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale
Research, 1993.
Websites:
Piers Anthony Available Books
http://www.non.com/books/Anthony_Piers_ca.html
Rude Dogs Piers Anthony Page
http://www.angelfire.com/wa/RUDEDOGS/Piers.html
University of Southern Florida Tampa Campus: Special Collections
Division
http://www.lib.usf.edu/spccoll