Fire Sail

Xanth #42

by Piers Anthony

The New York Times–bestselling series continues with this pun-tastic epic quest and far-flung fantasy adventure.   Lydell, a shy, naive man of twenty-one, and world-weary grandmother Grania could not be more different. But when their paths cross on the way to beseech the Good Magician to add some excitement to their extraordinarily dull lives, the one thing they have in common is about to get them more than they bargained for . . .   Lydell and Grania’s exceptional integrity makes them valuable to the Good Magician. He promises to fulfill their hearts’ desires on the condition they pilot a fireboat to its new proprietors, whoever—and wherever—they may be.   Along with an obnoxious bird and a robot dogfish as shipmates, they unfurl their sail of flame and cruise through the skies of Xanth, guided by cryptic clues. Picking up a crew of future children along the way, Lydell and Grania must plan a royal wedding, detonate an F-Bomb, evade illusion dragons, rescue Jack and Jill, find a princess for a werewolf prince, and face their greatest fears—all while remaining true to their compulsively honest selves. Fire Sail is the 42nd book in the Xanth series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.  

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

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2019

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

[Helen Robare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read every single Xanth book that Piers Anthony has written (along with his other series). I have to say that this one is the BEST one in a very long time. That's not to say that the previous books were horrible or unreadable, just that (IMO) this book is probably his best one since Golem in the Gears.

Perhaps it was the fact that one of the "adventurers" was a middle-aged woman like me. :) Perhaps it was because the sex didn't take over the entire book and instead the plot was the basis of the entire book. Yes, there was "boy meets girl/boy loses girl" twelve times in fact and I will admit that got a bit tedious. Still, it was only a part of the book and towards the last three, pretty easy to skim through it. Yes, the ending was pretty predictable but I don't read these books to get an education or to learn anything, I read them for FUN and my own enjoyment. I read them for the puns and the fantasy. I read them for the characters. In short, I read them to please myself and to forget about the trials and tribulations of old age. :)

So if you want a book (and no you do NOT have to read the previous 41 books!) that will take you away from your ordinary life and whisk you into a world of magic and puns, then read this book especially if you are like me and like the idea of the heroine being middle-aged.

[Mark Gugel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another classic Xanth Novel

Piers Anthony takes me back to my days as a teen reading A Spell for Chameleon and all the other early Xanth novels.

[Sashi Grayndler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for old times sake, I think my tolerance for punnish novels has waned. It was a fun read but not gripping.

[Margaret Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved every Xanth book I have read, and that's a lot of them. This one is no exception. The author outdid himself -- again -- with this one. Two people meet up at the Good Magician's castle and get sent on a quest together. They are an old grandmother, age 60, and a young naive man, age 21. They are asked to be co-captains of a magic boat, one with a sail made of fire, and to take it to the new people it belongs to. Only they aren't told who those new owners are or where to find them. They are expected to sail around following cryptic clues to find them. Along the way, they both face challenges. Obviously, the young man faces more challenges than the grandmother does, but they each learn lessons along the way and learn to rely on each other. They are joined by children, some of whom are characters in the previous book. One learns to share her body presence with a future child to the benefit of all. The challenges in this book are the kind we can relate to easily, because we have all faced our own challenges and, hopefully, have learned from them. I highly recommend this book!

[Cindy Adair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather punny

I had never read anything by Piers Anthony. Because I enjoy fantasy and he is such a prolific and popular author, I decided to give one of his books a try.

I must say that this author has an impressive mastery of the pun. Everything in this story was centered on a unique pun of some kind. Each chapter was a new adventure as the group of main characters steered a magical ship through the air on the way to find its new owners.

I found the second half to be better than the first half - maybe I just had a little trouble buying in to the story at first. However, once I did get into it, I enjoyed the characters. Unfortunately, I found the puns got a little tiresome and I had the ending basically figured out way too early. So, for me, this book was just okay.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Xanth adventure, this time focusing on an honest and naive young man named Lydell and a grandmother called Grania, whose honesty and integrity lead to the Good Magician Humfrey making them captains of a magical fire-powered boat, nicknamed Fibot. They sail it through a series of fanciful and pun-filled encounters, and a lot of women flirt with Lydell along the way. It also ties up some loose ends from earlier books, like Princess Rhythm and Cyrus Cyborg finally getting married after their dalliance with time travel magic, the fate of the destructive Ragna Roc, and finding a mate for Jenny Elf and Jerry Werewolf's son. For some reason, even though nobody in Xanth seems to care too much about totally different species hooking up, having only four fingers on each hand is still a problem. Doesn't make a lot of sense, but I guess prejudice rarely does.

[Stan Hutchings · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's best to start with book one and proceed if you like funny, punny stories with interesting characters.
Be warned: there are puns galore, and then more puns. Be careful what you wish for, because it may be a long, involved process for it to be fulfilled, as Lydell and Nia experience. They are given temporary possession of a magical sail boat, with a sail that is fire. The crew is a motley assortment of beings with unique personalities and magic. They all work together to solve the meaning of unasked questions based only on the enigmatic answers provided, gradually getting closer to their unknown and unspecified destination and to turn over Fibot to its unidentified and unknown rightful owners. It’s complicated and amusing, but everything works out satisfactorily in the end.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too long, too repetitive and too much sex

xanth novels with their glorious puns and imaginative settings can be a delight. This one started off well, but quickly devolved into a boring treatise on the sexual longings and lusty of an immature shy guy. The protagonist Lydell, is very moral and yet consumed with lust. He meets no fewer than 12 different women, each of whom throws herself at this moron, and is rebuffed. To make matters worse, the discussions are written in an oddly puerile way, claiming that women "flash their panties and that freaks men out ". I kept reading hoping it would get better and it never did.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another punny installment in the Xanth series. Mr. Anthony still uses so many puns one wonders where there's room for the story. Unfortunately, I came down with COVID about a week before I could finish reading it. So what should have taken a week took two. And it was hard to wait for the ending that I knew was going to happen. I think that Piers doesn't have much use for young men and gives the female side of the world more credit than some of us deserve. Makes my feminist heart all warm inside. And for those like my sister who worry about language: the worst word you'll ever see in a Xanth novel is 'bleep'... Recommended.

[Michael Otto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Xanth book. This book even has a pun in it's title. A young and much older querant both go to the Good Magician to ask him to fix their hum drum lives. In typical cryptic fashion his answer is they must both pilot this ship that has a fire sail to it's new proprieters. The pick a group of children for a crew and so the adventure begins with different challenges, destinations and characters. All with the usual amount of puns galore. For once I was able see where the story was going before the end was revealed.

[Kaylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Piers Anthony but mostly his older works. Still enjoy the stories a lot. I just have to remind myself that it's all in good fun and take things in with a grain of salt with Xanth. Some things can be downright insulting otherwise. Definitely sigh and shake my head at times. However, really love his writing style. Always have.

The amount of flashbacks here was somewhat distracting. It's rather unusual for him.

[John (Hey Y'all Listen Up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fire Sail is the best Xanth novel in a long time. The inclusion of puns is at a much better pace than the novels immediately preceding this one (where there can be a page full of them). This novel sprinkles them in periodically and they never overwhelm the story. The main characters are relatable and the story is excellent. This gets 4 stars instead of 5 because the ending is predictable and I had hoped the ending would be different.

[KarenMichelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading Xanth since high school. Xanth has only existed slightly longer than I have in this world. Piers Anthony would say I'm of advanced age (nooooo!) but I guess I am stuck in my ways.

I still read Xanth and overall I still enjoy Xanth (excluding two to the fifth that made my skin crawl). This is another Xanth adventure full of puns and unique people. I knew the end before I'd read a fourth of the book and I didn't mind at all.

If you love Xanth you'll enjoy this.

[Kate H · Rating 4 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.

[Stuart Schneider · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was somehow worse than the last one. At this point I am merely reading the words and just trying to get through the book to the next one, which happens to be the last one in this series that is currently published. I believe there are at least another 4 more to go after the next one, but my concern was just getting through the ones on my shelf for now. The end is near!!!

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just alright. It kept my attention but I never got wrapped up in it.

Really didn't like how Anthony paired up another queer character in a straight presenting relationship for their own safety. Sure, yes, it is a thing that happens, but I don't think it's ideal and it would be nice if the characters could live their lives without hiding.

[Donald W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why only a four

Yes I did love it, just like I love ALL Xanth books. I gave it a four because to me it was just not as good as the other Xanth books. I am looking forward to the next Xanth book!

[Ancilleno Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meandering read with lots of adventure and puns off course

There were slow parts i could have done without but others that seemed disconnected and then became meaningful later on. Well written and fun read overall

[Darby]

As usual a great punny tale by the great Piers Anthony.

[Larry Wegman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Xanth #41. At least there's still a pun basis for everything. This time, attraction isn't entirely based on appearance, which is nice for a change.

[Lbd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun summer read, right up there with all the other Xanth books.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story, even though I figured it out about half-way through.
Not sure if there aren't quite as many puns or if it was nice because I haven't read one of the Xanth novels in quite a while.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is the first Xanth novel that I was disappointed in.

[Kara Rowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool and scary

[Lesa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny. Short stories hung together.

[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.

[R. Jetleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't enjoy this series as much as I did when I first began reading them. I have to confess I skimmed my way through this one.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comical journey.. which I have jumped ship to another book to read.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony turns his forty-second Xanth novel, a frivolous fantasy of staying true to oneself and finding answers in unexpected places, into a puntastic lesson of tolerance and acceptance.

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

"I am as I was made."

I literally saw everything coming here, that's how much the ending of these doesn't surprise me anymore.