Robert Asprin’s “excellent, lighthearted fantasy series” ( Epic Illustrated ) continues with more antics from magician Skeeve and his eclectic team at M.Y.T.H., Inc.
Business is slow for M.Y.T.H., Inc., and its president, Bunny, is getting nervous that the company might not meet its quarterly goal. So when a job comes in that’s worth an absurd amount of gold—and also happens to take them to Winslow, the most luxurious vacation resort in any dimension—the team jumps at the opportunity to recoup some cash and maybe catch some R&R.
Only, magician Skeeve has an unsettling feeling that this mission might be trickier than it seems. Someone in Winslow is messing with the magic lines and working hard to ensure that the M.Y.T.H. crew gets nowhere near the powerful relic that they’ve been hired to find. And as the mysterious manipulation turns deadly, Skeeve, Bunny, Aahz, and the rest of their partners find themselves in a race not only to finish the job but also to escape paradise alive…
Jody Lynn Nye lists her main career activity as ‘spoiling cats.’ When not engaged upon this worthy occupation, she writes fantasy and science fiction books and short stories.
Before breaking away from gainful employment to write full time, Jody worked as a file clerk, book-keeper at a small publishing house, freelance journalist and photographer, accounting assistant and costume maker.
For four years, she was on the technical operations staff of a local Chicago television station, WFBN (WGBO), serving the last year as Technical Operations Manager. During her time at WFBN, she was part of the engineering team that built the station, acted as Technical Director during live sports broadcasts, and worked to produce in-house spots and public service announcements.
Over the last twenty-five or so years, Jody has taught in numerous writing workshops and participated on hundreds of panels covering the subjects of writing and being published at science-fiction conventions. She has also spoken in schools and libraries around the north and northwest suburbs. In 2007 she taught fantasy writing at Columbia College Chicago. She also runs the two-day writers workshop at DragonCon, and is a judge for the Writers of the Future contest, the largest speculative fiction contest in the world.
Jody lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, with her husband Bill Fawcett, a writer, game designer, military historian and book packager, and three feline overlords, Athena, Minx, and Marmalade.
Not very good. The author was trying too hard to write like Robert Asprin and, yes, everything was accurate, just not anything worth reading about. It was same old, same old. Blah, to the extreme. Where was the personal growth, struggles and let's not forget the new magic? And what about new relationships, romantic or otherwise? For everyone that loved Myth Inc like I did, not recommended.
Robert Asprin started this series way back in 1978. Along about 2002 Ms. Nye started collaborating with him. After he passed away in 2008, she continued the series in 2012 with “Myth-Quoted” and followed it up with this novel. After having worked with Asprin for so many years, the transition seemed pretty seamless. She describes the books as “gentle humor” with a strong dash of adult innuendos. The main character is Skeeve, a young man from the dimension of Klahd, who began the stories as an apprentice to a magician and is now a master magician in his own right. His best friend and former mentor is Aahz, a green-scaled “demon” from the dimension of Perv. Inhabitants from Perv refer to themselves as Pervects but other dimensional beings frequently misname them as Perverts – a long-running joke in the books. Skeeve and Aahz have acquired a host of good friends who have become coworkers in their corporation: Myth, Inc. Their expertise is used to solve problems. So each book is a particular problem. In this book, business has been slower than their current President, Bunny, would like. (Bunny came into the story as a Mob Moll sent to both impress and control Skeeve who was thought to be challenging the Mob’s business. She turned out to be quite a bit more than a dumb blonde moll and is a trusted member of Myth, Inc.) So, when a less-than-lucrative and more-than-troublesome job comes along, Bunny insists the company take the job. The crew doesn’t mind a bit when they discover they have to spend time – all expenses paid – on the most luxurious resort world in all the dimensions. Although the job seemed pretty straightforward – locate a missing goblet – it seemed to be complicated by the resort’s problem of losing access to their magic supply. It takes Skeeve’s innate belief in people’s goodness to see that the two problems are linked. But it’s a rocky path that sends the crew to hell (literally) and back and might even have started an actual romantic interlude for Skeeve; something the series has been very gradually leading to. I liked the plot of this story much better than its immediate predecessor. I thought it more complex and layered without being confusing. The characters are, of course, completely familiar as I’ve been reading the stories since 1978. It’s been a while since a new character was introduced and remained with the cast and that hasn’t changed yet. The character development advances slowly in this series and I didn’t see too much advancement in this book beyond a bit more conversation from Gleep (Skeeve’s baby dragon; no one but Skeeve knows he can talk) and a strengthening of a minor (but really fun) character called Markie. While I miss Asprin’s unmistakable barbs and puns, I’m glad Ms. Nye is at the helm and I look forward to more.
If Myth-quoted gave me hope for the new Myth Adventure books written solely by Nye, Myth-fits cemented that hope. Like its predecessor, the book has a better focus, shows more character progression, and feels more like the books published during the series' heyday in the 1980s than the books that were co-written by the two authors. It definitely helps that the gang is all together again, and that they're all written from Skeeve's perspective.
With Myth-fits, the gang is hired to help find the Loving Cup, a magical cup that makes people agree and come to peace with each other. Aahz is hired by an ambassador who needs it for peace talks in his dimension, and their quest takes them to a resort dimension where, for only three gold pieces a day, they can have anything they want. Early on, they realize they can just ask customer assistance for the Loving Cup, but of course it can't be that easy.
Though the book is an improvement, it's still not perfect. There's a lengthy dimensional aside near the beginning of the book that's significant, but not revisited except in passing near the end of the book. It could be that this dimension will be significant in future books (hints dropped in Myth-quoted are realized in Myth-fits, so there's a precedent), but it felt a little out of place. It fits the part of the story at first, but given how important it felt to the characters and story, I kept expecting it to play into the larger plot.
Overall, though, these last two books have convinced me to keep reading this series as new books are published. This didn't feel like a final book, so I'm assuming there are more to come, but it may be a while before we see the next one. Myth-fits was published just this year, and four years passed between Myth-quoted and this book.
It's been decades since I've read a Myth Adventures book. I loved them when I was younger. So, would I like them now after all this time and with a new author at the helm? Yes and no. I thought Ms. Nye really captured the spirit, characters, and humor present in the old stories.
However, there were two flaws. It felt like the characters were exactly where I left them, and there had been 10 books between where I left off and this one began. One thing I liked about the old Myth books was that either the characters developed or their situations changed in the books. They seem to stagnated since I last left them. I don't feel like I missed 10 books.
The other problem was that this book was too long. The older Myth books come in around 5 hours while this one comes in around 11 hours. I didn't realize how appropriate that old format was until I was halfway through this book and thinking I'm ready to wrap this up. I remember knocking back those old Myth books in an afternoon. Aahz, Skeeve, and the rest really got on my nerves after that 5 hour point.
So, I recommend starting the series at Another Fine Myth and keep reading until you get tired of it. I'll probably read some of the others that I missed, but not for awhile. I might even start over from the beginning and see how far I can get.
An reminder that brevity is the soul of wit. This Myth-Inc. adventure overstays its welcome in almost every scene, belaboring the jokes and character points well beyond the point where the reader gets tired. I'm not sure if my tastes have changed since reading the earlier entries in the series, or if the change of author made the difference (I didn't realize at first that it wasn't written by Asprin). This was very nearly an I-want-my-time-back audiobook.
When Asprin wrote the series it was fun, a lot of fun. Nye just can't seem to carry it off. The stories are roughly similar but the sheer fun is missing.
Another romp through Skeeve the Magnificent's adventures. For some reason, Bunny is worried about the income for M.Y.T.H., Inc. She thinks they need more income, and someone is under cutting them on jobs. Skeeve, Aahz, Tananda and the others are worried about her stressing for income. They need to know why she's upset. And they need to find the Loving Cup last seen on the resort world of Winslow. But they aren't the only ones after the cup and strange things are going on. On a world that should have plenty of access to magic, it's very sparse.
My previous reviews of Nye's books may have been a touch too critical. I grew up with the characters that Robert Asprin created so many years ago and gradually handed off to Nye before he passed away in 2008. Nye's first solo book in the series simply did not feel right. However, in Myth-Fits, she has shown remarkable improvement in both the characters and the environment.
The story alone is entertaining, humorous, and exciting. The characters are more in line with Asprin's creation. Their thoughts, actions, and memories all appear to be original Asprin-ish. The magic and the world(s) are fantastic and comical. Even the danger carries a strong vein of humor and ridiculousness. There is little to criticize. Well, the ending was abrupt. MYTH Inc was hunting the wrong magician and Nye barely includes the real villain. The book just sort of ends suddenly. Of course the journey to the end was fun.
Asprin included more inside jokes. I think that remains one of the hardest elements of his books to reproduce. I am sure there is some hidden humor in naming the resort world "Winslow" and the inhabitants "Winslovaks," but I do not understand it. If the intent is to compare the uber resort with the dullness of 1950s Communist Eastern Europe, Nye is only partially successful. A more overt comparison could have been made. So maybe there is a hidden meaning with the prefix Wins-. I do not know.
Overall, there is much more improvement in lining up the characters, storyline, and humor. The book could plausibly pass for one of Asprin's own. There are some easy-to-spot differences in writing styles; but Nye is much better in pursuing Asprin's vision for Skeeve, Aahz, and the gang. This book is a delightful and fun read even without comparing Nye to Asprin.
The descriptions are great. The plot goes along as it should. The characters all stay in character, as we have learned to love them over the years. It is very MYTHy which has its own unique dangers, events, twists and endings. It all adds up to great fun for a reader
I recommend it but start at the beginning of the series
Maybe I'm jaded, but not much fun in this book. The characters seem tired and stereotypical. The foot notes pushing the other books in theserires seem to be just that, not amusing. Think it is time I stopped reading these.
Jody Lynn did it again! A great continuation of the series with wonderful dialogue and keeping well with the tradition of staying each chapter with a poignant and funny quote. Kudos on the footnotes to the previous stories!
It was very engaging and I loved how all the characters were reintroduced so that even if this is the first of the M.Y.T.H. Series that you read, you can't get lost, though it does help VERY MUCH if you read all the previous ones.
The ending leaves for a sequel. I'm very much hoping and looking forward to it!
Very happy to see a return to form for this series, after a somewhat disappointing previous volume. It was a much better showcase for the Myth Inc. teamwork that I enjoy, and the case for the volume provided a nice tangle of problems to be unraveled, the setting was fun, and there was enough going on at the character level to keep the story focused on OUR characters vs. falling into "case of the week" syndrome where the guest stars are more important than our heroes.
Fun and nice to enter the MYTH-world again :) Like that Jody continnues the series and this was a good addition to the series. Liked it and it's caracters, I feel like they will meet again...
It's been ages since I've last read this series. As far as I can remember, this keeps the tone of the previous books. It's good fun, with interdimensional travelling and magic adventure.
Was hoping this one would be a winde down for the series but pretty happy with another fun sized story. Fun fact, I started this series Ten years ago 😱
“Robert Asprin’s Myth-Fits” by Jody Lynn Nye continues the madcap adventures of the members of M.Y.T.H., Inc. as they try to fulfill their obligations and keep Bunny, the company president, from getting too stressed. An assignment that takes them to a remarkable vacation resort requires using the specialized talent that each being possesses, but even that may not be enough to complete the mission, or even worse, may not satisfy Bunny’s uncharactericstically strict requirements.
This fun and imaginative fantasy adds a new story to the delightfully punny series began by the late Robert Asprin. It was fun to catch up with the great Skeeve, who has made a lot of progress under the tutelage of that wily Pervect Aahz, and it’s always hilarious to watch the contrast between the private and refined persona of Chumley and his abrupt alter-ego, Crunch. The delightful irony and ridiculous situations that arise whenever this group is involved in an assignment is wonderfully portrayed, and I wasn’t lost, despite not having kept up with the revival of this favorite series. I think that someone new to the series would have a little trouble figuring out all of the intricacies and interrelationships but this is a story that just requires one to sit back (and duck frequently) and enjoy the ride and the witty quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Ms. Nye continues to do a great job of continuing the series and I can’t wait to find out what new misadventure, I mean myth-adventure, this crazy crew gets into next.
A copy of this title was provided to me for review, a version of which was submitted to Night Owl Reviews.
Another excellent Asprin-aspiration. Jody Lynn Nye's Myth-Fits is at least as funny and exciting as Myth-Quoted. Skeeve and Aahz and Bunny and Tananda and Chumley and Markie and Gleep (nearly all the crew want to go on this assignment) are hired to find a Loving Cup which is located on Winslow, the most luxurious vacation resort in any dimension. The vacation starts out luxurious, but the cup keeps slipping away. Finally Skeeve realizes that the Winslovaks need M.Y.T.H., Inc.'s help to continue running the resort, more than M.Y.T.H.., Inc. needs the Winslovak's help in finding the cup. With a new mission in mind, the team works up to the challenge. They are aided by a wonderful new character, Haroon, a Canidian, who helps them sniff out the problem. I do hope to see Haroon in future books. (Yes, every new book, by Asprin or Nye, has added interesting characters that are appropriate for the specific plot, but not necessarily ones you hope will join the crew for future romps.) The plot is clever, the twists and turns are unexpected, and there is a lot of humor, both from the actions of the characters and from the wordplay used to describe them. I miss Robert Asprin, but Jody Lynn Nye is an appropriate Fit for him. It is a fun book. Enjoy!
The book started a little slow. There was a lot of story building because of sub plots concerning why Bunny is suddenly so concerned with MYTH Inc. needing to make money. Sure there are new contractors on Deva undercutting their prices, but as Aahz says, you get what you pay for. When a contract comes along that takes the crew to Winslow, the vacation resort where the customer is always satisfied things are looking up. Unfortunately Aahz did not pay attention to the full details of the contract.
Everyone seems content to take a vacation while they are on the job. Only Skeeve has misgivings and tries to continue with the mission. And why are the magical force lines on Winslow so strained? As Skeeve tries to find the elusive Loving Cup for the client it is revealed the client has other contractors on the job as well, and only the ones that find and present the cup will be paid, which means the 'expenses' of staying at the resort will come out of MYTH Inc. funds if they don't find it. Which causes more out of character actions by Bunny.
To find out what's wrong with Bunny and if the crew can find the Loving Cup before their 'competitors' and what's wrong with the magical force lines of Winslow...you need to read the book.
I used to love these books as a kid, and was thrilled to check recently and see there were ten books written after I stopped reading them in high school. This particular one was good fun! Between the nostalgic feeling of checking in with the MYTH Inc crew and the whimsical concept of an all-inclusive resort powered by magic, this was the most relaxing thing I've read in a while.
The whole cast of Myth Inc characters are back in another adventure. This time they are trying to retrieve a magical item that helps in negotiations. It's lost on a vacation world that is developing problems. They solve the problems, handle the negotiations, and retrieve the item.
JLN's second solo Myth book, and the 22nd in the series overall. More entertaining, light-hearted fun. Good to see that she's maintaining the standard set by Robert Asprin (and herself).