Pet Peeve (Xanth) - Hardcover

Anthony, Piers

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0765304082 ISBN 13: 9780765304087

Publisher: Tor Books, 2005

Synopsis

An abominable army of automatons has plunged Xanth into dire peril in Pet Peeve, the 29th hilarious adventure in Piers Anthony's beloved fantasy series. All that stands between the enchanted land and destruction is a most unlikely hero, a forlorn, mild-mannered Goblin named Goody, whose courteous ways have earned him the scorn of his ill-tempered goblin fellows.

Assigned by the Good Magician Humfrey to find a appropriate abode for the Pet Peeve--a foul-mouthed fowl who insults anyone it encounters, Goody reluctantly sets out on this daunting quest, armed only with a bag of half-spent spells, and guarded by a brawny woman warrior called Hannah Barbarian.

But when Goody's mission unknowingly triggers an invasion of Xanth by a horde of mechanical marauders from a faraway Robot World, he must enlist the aid of Xanth's many denizens--dragons, zombies, centaurs, demons, elves, and even goblins like himself. And, in the heart of Goblin Mountain, Goody finds an unexpected ally - Gwenny Goblin, a beautiful, strong-willed goblin chief who can help him rally Xanth to repel the robot army, and perhaps mend his broken heart as well.

Brimming with heart-stopping adventure and heart-warming delight, overflowing with wicked wit and wanton wordplay, Pet Peeve is Piers Anthony in rare form, an exceptional new chapter in the continuing chronicles of Xanth.

About this title

About the Author

Piers Anthony is one of the world's most popular fantasy authors, His previous Xanth novels, including Swell Foop, Cube Route, and Currant Events, have been read and loved by millions of readers around the world, and he daily receives hundreds of letters and emails from his devoted fans. Piers Anthony lives in Inverness, Florida.

Reviews

Anthony's entertaining, if somewhat uneven, 29th Xanth book (after 2004's Currant Events) follows the polite, generous and even-tempered Goody Goblin-an anomaly among males of his race, who are usually crass, unkind and violent-as Goody tours Xanth on a quest to dispose of a foul-mouthed bird known as the "Pet Peeve," which can mimic anyone's speech. Accompanied by the tough Hannah Barbarian, one of Anthony's most completely realized female characters, Goody passes through many parts and meets many people of Xanth, none of whom is willing to take the dangerously annoying bird off his hands. The journey is rife with the kind of oddball humor typical of the Xanth series, such as the early episode in which Goody is given "the Finger," a detached human middle finger that comes in a box and pokes and prods anyone who possesses it. By the usual happy ending, Goody may have found a new love-or maybe not. Even more jumbled than the average Xanth novel, this one is strictly for the faithful.
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The most recent Xanth novel follows the formula: lots of low jokes, simple puns, and a miniscule plot. This time the most ungoblinlike (he's nice) Goody Goblin has to find a home for the Pet Peeve, a talking bird that speaks only insults. While on this quest, Goody unwittingly triggers an invasion of robots from another world and must enlist the aid of Xanth's peoples to fight them off. The result is a conducted tour of Xanth, which may be of great interest to seasoned Xanthophiles but may not be overly intelligible to relative newcomers, who may feel themselves in the presence of a stand-up comic addressing his veteran audience only. Or not. Xanthophiles will enjoy the novel. Judging from the amount of help Anthony seems to receive from his readers to meet a tight deadline, those enthusiasts remain quite numerous. Determine their prevalence among your patrons and acquire accordingly. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Tor Books
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0765304082
• ISBN 13: 9780765304087
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336