Luck of the Draw

Xanth #36

by Piers Anthony

For eighty-year-old Bryce, life didn’t hold much hope or promise. Since his wife had died and his children had grown, his health had failed, and his doctors doubted he would live more than a year or two.

But all that changed one fateful day as he was clearing out his rat-infested garage. For among the debris and detritus of his long life, he discovered a miraculous find—a magical box of brilliant yellow that had the power to transport him to the magical land of Xanth! And there he found himself transformed by a mysterious spell that gave him the body of a much younger man. A high-stakes wager between three cosmic Demons decreed that Bryce would face competition from a slew of suitable suitors to win the hand of the Princess Harmony. The only advantages Bryce possesses in this quest he has been forced to enter are a magical pen and pad that allow him to bring whatever he sketches to life, and the wisdom of his long years that tells him he is far too old for an impetuous princess barely out of her teens.

As the half-dozen contestants travel together to the far corners of Xanth, facing obstinate obstacles, tantalizing temptations, and pun-filled perils, Bryce begins to realize that in this enchanted realm nothing is quite what it seems, and the loser in this dangerous game might be the greatest winner of all.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Ebooks

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 24, 2012

About the author

Though he spent the first four years of his life in England, Piers never returned to live in his country of birth after moving to Spain and immigrated to America at age six. After graduating with a B.A. from Goddard College, he married one of his fellow students and and spent fifteen years in an assortment of professions before he began writing fiction full-time.

Piers is a self-proclaimed environmentalist and lives on a tree farm in Florida with his wife. They have two grown daughters.

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Luck of the Draw is the thirty-sixth book in the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. Bryce is and eighty year old man who feels a little lost and lonely since his children have grown and his wife died. When a rat infestation has him clearing out his garage, Bryce finds a charmed box which promptly transports him to Magical Xanth. There, he finds himself 'in' a much younger body. But with demons, a wager, a beautiful princess, and a competition- Bryce will need to draw on all the wisdom his 80 years has afforded him, because things are certainly not all it seems to be.... and winning might not be everything.

The Xanthe Series is quite a really long series that has spanned many decades. I remember reading the first few books back in the very early 1980’s and was totally captivated by the epic fantasy that unfolded before my eyes. I collected all the books as each new one was released and have revisited them a few times over the years.
I can honestly say that although these books didn’t blow me away as they did the first couple of times I read them- I still really enjoyed all the adventure, magic, swords & sorcery like, epic fantasy that Mr. Anthony is renowned for.
He has imbued his stories with plenty of humour, a playfulness, lots of fun, action, some history, conspiracies, secrets, surprising developments, and much, much more. We meet so many varied and original characters along the way- the books are full of wonderful fictional beasts and paranormal creatures. From centaurs, to demons, dragons, fauns, gargoyles, goblins, golems, harpies, merfolk, elves, nymphs, ogres, zombies, and curse fiends- and a few more I am sure have slipped my mind.
The world of Xanthe is wonderfully rich and vividly descriptive. It is really well written and is so easy to imagine, it came to life before my eyes. Each ‘person’ in Xanthe is born with their own unique magical ability, which is called a ‘talent’. We follow along on many epic adventures and explore the world as the story unfolds.
I have many fond memories of reading this book/series and it’s definitely a series that’s worth exploring- especially for any epic fantasy lover who loves some fun and humour served with their adventure.

Thank you, Mr. Anthony!

[David Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 36th Xanth book.

Bryce is 80 years old, not in good health, all of his friends and loved ones have either moved far away or died , and he only expects to live another year or two at most. That is when he discovers a magical one-way portal to the magic land of Xanth. Along with a service dog, Bryce finds himself in a confusing(to him) magical land.He is suddenly 21 years old and in the middle of a Demon bet about winning the hand of 16 year old Princess Harmony. Feeling ill at ease about getting involved with a princess young enough to be his granddaughter, Bryce goes on a quest with several other suitors.

This doesn't exactly follow the usual Xanth formula. Usually you get a quick introduction to the character, a trip to the Good Magician Humfrey, and then the hero's quest. This time Bryce gets a fairly long introduction to Xanth as he helps to bag puns with the inhabitants of Caprice Castle(see Xanth #35 for their story). Then the visit to the Good Magician. This time it is truly a group quest though with multiple suitors helping each other. Well at least until they fulfill their part when they go back.(Not sure why they didn't saty around and help those who helped them. I believe i would have stayed even after I got my gift.)The final differnce is that the ending to this story is a little more open-ended than the usual Xanth tale.

For me, the Xanth series is like comfort food. They are always quick, reliable, and fun reads. You know pretty much what to expect and while they may not be the "best" literature, they are exactly what you want at times.

One of my favorite parts was finally seeing females getting freaked out seeing men's shorts. I know they don't have the "magic of panties" but it was nice to see they do have some at least.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to explain my 4 stars. In this case, 4 stars is not a judgement on literary quality. It is a judgement of how well it fits the genre that it is from. This is excellent fantasy, lots of made up stuff.....(besides the puns I mean) and just plain original stuff. Using a magical pen and sketch pad to defeat a dragon for example. That is creative! I also found Piers Anthony's main character unusual. He is in actuality, an 80 year old man, but becomes about age 21 in Xanth. What a great way to work in a character too old to interest his target goup of 20 somethings. If I were judging it on literary quality, this would likely be around a 3. Bryce is a fantastic character and I hope he comes back in future Anthony stories. If you have heard of or read a Xanth story, you know that they are heavily loaded with puns. This is no different. I always read his afterwords if he has one because they are very very honest and direct and humane. This one is no different, except perhaps more personal. You probably want to start with the earliest Xanth title you can find since they are very loosely chronological, but that isn't essential by any means. Enjoy!

[Jamais · Rating 3 out of 5]

Xanth will always be a weird series to review. //Luck of the Draw// is all about the bets of demons and the mortals involved in them. Bryce is summoned to Xanth in order to compete for the hand of Princess Harmony, the last unwed princess of Xanth, against a crowd of suitors, each with their reasons to be hopeful to win. Bryce has a few tricks of his own, but he will need to be on top of the game in order to win, if that’s what he wants.

There are all of the usual hallmarks of a Xanth series: puns, some risqué moments, and some well-thought escapes and captures. Xanth is the hot chocolate of the fantasy world; it’s fun to read through a story every so often to catch up with old friends and see what they are up to now, and this does not disappoint. The self-censoring of the adult parts is fun and the puns will catch you unawares. You can guess pretty much what will happen once you get the gist of the set-up, but with Xanth it’s about the journey not the set up. Bear that in mind, and this is a fun book.
As originally written by Jamais Jochim for http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/.

[S. W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always impressed by Piers Anthony's way of pulling me into Xanth and laughing at puns that would normally make me slap my hand on my forehead. This book was self-contained enough to make it feel stand alone, but gave me glimpses of characters I know and love from the other books in the series. I'm about 10 books behind in the series of 36, so I figured I'd just skip ahead to this new release - glad I did... I don't think I missed much, and I'd hate to miss out on new releases if I don't have to!

[Nancy Cook Lauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a warm spot in my heart for Piers Anthony, as I cut my sci-fi teeth reading his earliest works. Many decades later, as he nears his 80th birthday, I still love him for his insight into the human psyche. His latest stories, like those by several other authors I have read, have morphed before or after into video games, but they still make for enjoyable reading. I can tell that Anthony in retirement is writing stories for his own amusement. Lucky for us, the ever-present punning make them amusing to us readers as well.

[Nibrock · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first couple of chapters were hard to get through as they were overfilled with puns in typical Anthony style and it took a while to readjust to Xanth. I really liked the characters and plot of this book. Bryce (an old grumpy man from Mundania) is transported to Xanth to compete for the hand of young Princess Harmony.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much better than the last one. This one reminded me of the older books

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Pun-dits” won’t have to sue for “pun-itive” damages because of Luck of the Draw, a Xanth novel approaching Piers Anthony’s 40th novel in the pun and “pun-undrums”-filled series of delightful and heartwarming fantasy adventures. Xanth is a magical version of our mundane Florida where names are literal so that the panhandle is, of course, a giant pan with a handle while Lake Kissimmee becomes Lake Kiss Me where, you guessed it, there is a kissing spell. Even familiar characters such as the recurring Gap Dragon, Stanley Steamer, and the skeleton named Picka Bone provide either chuckles or groans.

Luck of the Draw is a cute little romp where an embittered octogenarian widower and a 20-something suicide victim get a second chance to correct their mundane mistakes. The plot is not quite the old Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms’ Rod of Seven Parts campaign where adventurers were supposed to find the (duh!) seven parts of this powerful artifact all over the known realms, but Luck of the Draw has a group of competitors each trying to get the perfect gift (ie. magical artifact) to impress a princess and become her husband. All of these suitors are enchanted by a love spell so that they can’t really get out of the competition and, in delightful and clever fashion, they learn that they need to work together rather than just for themselves.
Early on, I suspected that a certain romance would blossom between the two mundane refugees. At one time, I even thought that the clever female refugee was going to be the “winning gift” that the male refugee, Bryce, would give to Princess Harmony for her hand. Later, I thought that Bryce was going to turn down the princess or not please the princess and would marry Mindy (Melinda). As things turned out, I was so blinded by my own perceptions that I didn’t see the interesting (and for me, unexpected until the final 30-40 pages) conclusion unfolding.

I was also amused at how Anthony kept throwing temptation after temptation in front of Bryce. The other competitors for Princess Harmony’s hand weren’t so plagued. It seemed like Bryce’s straight-laced moral code was always working against him. I was curious because it seemed like Anthony’s fantasy seemed to ignore mundane mores because the unpleasant consequences of such affairs and dalliances seemed to have magical resolutions. Yet, there seems to be something of a lesson on authenticity and integrity in Luck of the Draw that I wouldn’t have expected.

One aspect of Anthony’s writing that I have always appreciated has been in his afterwords where he shares some of the real-world background to his writing. One occasion I remember dealt with a teenaged runaway who believed that he could make a better life with Anthony than with his family and how Anthony helped him reunite with his family. In this afterword, he shares the pain of dealing with the anniversary of his daughter’s death and how she was the inspiration for Ivy and why Ivy had receded into the background while maintaining her importance in the kingdom. It appears that touched a nerve in a reader and helped her through the grief process when her daughter, named Melinda, committed suicide. Anthony asked permission to give Melinda a second chance in Xanth and, as he wrote, she became more of a major character than he had originally intended. As a result, looking back on the novel, one gets a bittersweet feeling for the story vicariously lived.

While it would be “pun-ishing” to read too many Xanth novels consecutively, Luck of the Draw managed to bring both a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. To me, that puts it a cut-above many of the Xanth novels I’ve read in the past.

[Kristen (belles_bookshelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

"You are faced with a new situation, with new rules. Learn the rules, then discover how you can forge your own way despite them. Isn’t that what real choice is?"

It's been a few month since I read a Xanth novel (sometimes the puns just get to be too much and I need to take a long break), so I randomly picked this one up at the bookstore. Starting it, I realized I skipped a novel somewhere because two of the triplets are married and this book is about finding a husband for Princess Harmony.

Things I Liked: The Demon Bet (always amusing, though I wish we'd seen more of Demon Xanth). The premise of the bet: that Harmony won't marry unless she gets to choose for herself (very free will, nice). Night Stallion cameo!

Things I Disliked: The scene with the dress (I understand it was in good fun, but I think it needed a LITTLE more humor to offset the scene). Bryce's unwillingness to come to terms with being youthened and living in a magical world.

[Stuart Schneider · Rating 2 out of 5]

A full two stars for once. This book is much better than say, the last ten, in this series since many of the horrible puns are used in a unique way here (getting thrown out) and the story I’m sure mirrors the mortality of our author, who shares with us his personal trials with every author’s note. The main character is finally a relatable figure, and the storyline is actually well thought out, with a few interesting surprises at the end. This at least made the book easier than the last ten to read, and I didn’t struggle through this one for once. Maybe Piers has turned the corner, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

[Mark A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way below the usual standards for Piers Anthony, including the Xanth series. Some of the other books have long setups for the puns during actual adventures.
This book seemed like a contrivance to simply get a use out of all the leftover or lesser puns that weren't good enough to stand on their own. Giving creatures with certain characteristics a name that is the pun and then sending heroes out to capture them was the whole point of this book.

Very disappointed in Piers (almost all my other books by him rank 7 or 8 on my 10 point scale; this was a 5).

[Cory Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Haven't read the Xanth series since I was in high school. While it had the same feel, unfortunately had a little 1986 time stamp to it. The puns literally ruin the book, even the characters groan. Maybe these books are written for people that appreciate that, but when the pun collecting parts came up, I wanted to throw the book out the window. A good read for a high schooler, but adults may want to leave this one in the young adult section of the bookstore. No pun.

[Theodoros · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little childish, however full of puns, for better or worse. It does manage to be entertaining...it is definitely fantasy, however there is a tinge of sci-fi as Anthony did also write science fictions, especially with regards to the idea of multiple worlds and travel through time and space.

Despite the light nature of the story, there is some underlying wisdom, in observations about people and their emotions.

[Keith Beasley-Topliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old man from Florida is "youthened" in Xanth to win the hand of a teenage princess.

This is the 36th book about the magical fantasy world of Xanth, and maybe not the best place to jump into the series. But if Xanth has become your fantasy home, this should please you. Puns abound, but the competition of several suitors for Princess Harmony gives more structure to the story, and 80 year old Bryce's qualms about courting a teenager give more depth.

[Kate H · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Xanth books by Piers Anthony were one of the first SciFi/Fantasy series I ever read. I love puns so I have always enjoyed them. Upon re-reading them I can see that they have some weaknesses but overall they stand the test of time. They are a fun and fast read that keeps me amused without any deep thinking required.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a fun book, though at times it does feel like a defense and justification for including underage relationships in his books. Also his propensity to drawing rape into these novels is not the best.

But other than this the world and story were entertaining. I liked how the demon challenge worked in this one.

[Oscar Turtle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful romp through the land of Xanth, my favorite fantasy land.

Bryce from Mundania is drawn to Xanth to compete for the hand of Princess Harmony. Bryce is 80 yo in my Dania, youthemed to 21 in Xanth. He and his fellow suitors adventure through the land to find objects to impress the 26 yo princess.


A delightful read

[John S. Guthrie Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story that seemed to tie in with the ending

As I read on the stories still carry the xanth reason for what makes me keep read. Some do seem to have similar ties to older books.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pleasant tale, but a very slow read. Not a whole lot of adventure, just a huge pile of word play and puns. Felt best suited for young adults. Quite boring for the majority of the read (as an adult).

[Ray Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always a very punny book. I don't think Xanth will ever be able to get rid of the Puns. Piers does another excellent job.
Definitely one of the top five writers of all time.

[Vader · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not complete it.

[Bill Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting approach - good read!

[Ken Witzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read. Keeps you guessing until the end. Just like most of his books. If you like Xanth, you will enjoy this book.

[R. Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

"The Luck of the Draw" is one of the best Xanth stories I have read so far, and I have read the majority of them. This is a very enjoyable book.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to Xanth with Piers Anthony, I have to be honest this one sounded a little bit dubious with the relationship between an old man and a young princess, thankfully it doesn't play as badly as it sounds and what you get is a pretty charming Xanth adventure for the kids who like light fantasy in all of us.

[Jay Simser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding an old friend.

In the past I read many of these books. Now I have found them again and it is a wonderful feeling to find and discover that puns are able to keep me entertained once again.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner from Piers Anthony! There were two major "twists" in the plot of this book. Maybe, after 36 books, I'm getting to think too much like Piers, because I suspected the first twist fairly early on, but not the second until it was almost revealed.

One plot point that was not explained: How did the yellow box get from Xanth to Bryce's garage? And was the Demon Earth responsible for urging Bryce to clean out his garage that particular day?

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old man named Bryce is made younger, given the power of second sight, and sent to Xanth to participate in a contest for the hand of Princess Harmony. He receives a drawing pad that can make items he draws turn real, and joins up with other suitors to find magical objects throughout the land. Bryce is constantly commenting on how bizarre it is that he’s being considered as a mate for a teenage girl, but is reassured that such a thing doesn’t really matter in Xanth. That’s not what really bothers me about this book, though. Rather, I found it offensive when Bryce said the girl he used to love became less appealing when she got fat, and there are a few other anti-fat comments comments scattered throughout. Other than that, though, it’s basically just another Xanth story, which means whether or not you’d like it depends on what you think of the rest of the series. There were some interesting twists involving the main characters, and a bit of sadness in that one character came to Xanth after committing suicide in Mundania. According to the author’s note, she’s named after a real person.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all the Xanth series, but I think this would be the best for one to start the series, even though it is #36.

The story begins in "Mundania" (which is quickly explained) with an octogenarian named Brice, and progresses with a short but quite good introduction to the land of Xanth, its inhabitants, magic, geography, flora and fauna.

Once Bryce's Xanthian orientation is complete, a quest is begun, with many puns along the way.

The one caution I would give for any of the Xanth series, is to stop reading for a time should the puns start making you groan out loud, if others are present while you are reading.

If you have read this Xanth story and enjoyed it, go back to the beginning and read the other 35, if you dare.

*****
Also check out the author's site, for more information about the Xanth series, as well as his many other works, such as the Cluster series, the Incarnations Of Immortality series, and much more.