Air Apparent is book 31 of the Xanth series. This installment can be described as a little odd, even for Xanth, but it is an enjoyable addition to the storyline of the series.
The story starts with the disappearance of Hugo, the Good Magician’s son and Wira’s husband. A spell blocking their summons to the stork was removed, and Hugo went to the cellar to get some Rhed Whine to celebrate the renewed effort to summon the stork. However, Hugo did not return after a while and Wira became worried. It turned out that Hugo disappeared, a dead body was in the cellar, and the Good Magician’s Book of Answers had been corrupted. At the same time, a girl named Debra arrived at the castle questioning how to remove a curse she had. Unable to provide an answer to her, it was agreed that she would be Wira’s eyes as she searched for Hugo as her service and her answer would come afterwards. Following the clues that were left aside certain entries of the muddle Book of Answers, they set out.
As they ventured out, they met with Fray and Happy, the daughter and wife of Fracto Cloud. The Cloud family relates that, like Hugo, Fracto has been missing and they were out searching for him. Reviewing the various clues that were found, they agreed to work together, though they would search separately. They then come across Nimbus, Demon Xanth’s son. Taking care of him, they continue their search, which leads them to the Nameless Castle, where they come across information about the whereabouts of Hugo. Hugo, meanwhile, has been confined in a prison at an unknown location. After switching places with a bat that is outside his cell, he comes to the realization that he is confined in the Random Factor’s cell at Castle Maidragon.
The Random Factor experimented with randomizing himself, which randomly switched him, Fracto, and Hugo. Now that he was out, he was enjoying himself. Knowing that the Factory would send an agent to find him and return him to his cell, he does his best to avoid his stalker. But what he did not “factor” in was that when he searched the agent out that it would be Debra and that they would fall in love with one another. This leads Random and Hugo needing to team up, which in turn encompasses Wira, Debra, Nimbus, Fray, and even Sim Bird. Inadvertently causing trouble on the worlds, they are cursed, and are forced to look for a suitable place to live on one of Ida’s moons. This journey through the moons is the most interesting trip yet undertaken, and the characters end up in a place they never expected.
This was a fun installment of the Xanth series, though at times it seemed a little farfetched, even for a fantasy series about a magical land built on puns. Wira gets to be a major character, Sim falls in love, and readers find out more about the Random Factor. In general, one of the great things about the Xanth series is that readers don’t need to read them in order. However, this is one of the few books that new readers of the series should avoid starting with as there are some references and along with places mentioned that without the background of previous books may make it difficult to follow. All in all, I think Xanth fans will enjoy this book.