Skeleton Key

Xanth #44

by Piers Anthony

There's no dancing around a demonic threat in the fantasy world of Xanth in the New York Times-bestselling series.

Squid, the alien cuttlefish, is getting an a boost to her shape-changing talent so she can lead a mission against a foreign Demon who's stirring up trouble in Xanth. At Squid's side are her rescued siblings and one very special child--Larry, a girl in a boy's body, who will act as a secret host for their adoptive mother, the Demoness Fornax.

Aboard the Fire Boat, they form a plan to disguise themselves as a traveling dance troupe. Each child is paired up with a native Xanthian. But it's the friendship that blossoms between Squid and Larry that will power their quest, and they'll have to do some fancy footwork to avoid the trials and tribulations that await them.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2021

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

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

While this is my favorite series, I don't give 5 star ratings to the books lightly. This one barely squeaks in. It's a fun read. Anthony doesn't always get the ending right. There's a portion of the ending I wish that he had cut. Except for that bit, the ending is well done. This novel doesn't match the best in the series, but it shows that Anthony is still a master storyteller.

[Linda Lozar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Piers Anthony does it again

I have enjoyed the Xanth "trilogy" (yes, I know this is #44) for almost 50 years now. When I first started reading it, I was told I wouldn't like it. I still love them. The puns can cause some groaning, but still excellent. Just read it, you'll find the perfect place to go to when the world gets you down.

[Stephen Robert Collins · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book was disturbing in that an eleven year boy would understand transgender instead of the book helping transgender it made it smutty. American children are much more sexual obsessed with sex than Britain and here it goes down badly spoiling fun book

[Tamara A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Usually I like reading the Xanth series, but this one in particular disturbes me. He's got children once again on a mission to save Xanth, not the first time he's done this. However, at several points in the book he's got these children ages 10-12 mostly, with a few a little older (13-14ish), being "seduced" by adults, or has the trying to "seduce" adults. CHILDREN DO NOT "SEDUCE" adults. Some very disgusting adults might try to claim that a child seduced or tried to seduce them, but that's part of their mental/ethical/moral defect. When adults try to "seduce" children that is called grooming leading up to molestation, a.k.a. child rape. In another part of this book he talks about children being used "for the pleasure of adults" in the "pleasure resort castles". That is called child sex trafficking and he seems to be trying to make light of it. Even though he says the adults that run the places claim to have "no choice" in the matter and are forced to provide these "services" because they don't have human rights as they are less than half human, therefore not human. The only animals that sexually abuse their young are human beings. (Yes, other animals physically abuse, kill, and eat their own young. But we are the only ones who sexually abuse our young.) Anthony in his author's notes states that some people might be disturbed by the children's "crushes" on one another, but no, that is not what disturbs me. Children get crushes all the time. That is part of growing up and starting to learn what love is and isn't. Some older children do abuse younger ones. Most likely because the older child was already sexually abused by an adult and is now traumatized and mentally, emotionally, and morally broken. Do not make light of these issues and try to make them entertaining or funny. As these are disturbing and disgusting and heart breaking. Those situations leave these children with "invisible scars" for life. Making it very difficult, if not impossible, to have healthy relationships for the rest of their lives.

[Kaylee · Rating 2 out of 5]

It makes me sad to have not liked this one as much. It was alright overall but there was just too much flirting and love and innuendoes and kissing. Having all this between children (and between a couple adults) made it uncomfortable for me as well. I get crushes and all but... It was mainly that I'm not huge on all the romance in general. It was romance (multiple romances) with plot intermixed. I prefer the other way around.

Children. All 13 of them. Whoa. I am glad to see that he plans on using different main characters in the next book. Really don't like reading about children. At least they think/act more like adults, I guess...? Crossing my fingers that the next won't be children too.

Anyway, I liked the plot a lot and always love Anthony's writing. I will continue to read his books no matter what.

[Chris Marsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one made me sad. I’ve been reading Xanth since I was 9, when my friend had this book with a cool looking dragon on the front, and he wasn’t into it. I took it home, met Ivy and Grey, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Even as the books seemed to change over the last 10 years or so, they’ve always been fun, something to look forward to.
Until now.
This one was terrible. There’s no other way to put it. The characters are ridiculous, even for Xanth. Their talents seem to change constantly to whatever is convenient for the story. And while Piers Anthony has always pushed the limits a bit, the sexual innuendo that abounds with these young children is borderline disturbing. It seems like half the book is just them talking about their relationship, or their hope for a relationship. What little plot there is doesn’t make any sense.
He either needs to get away from these horrible characters in the next one, or it’s time to end the series.
That’s a tough thing to say, but I’d rather that than to see it strung along just plugging plot points into a formula. I love the series too much to want that.
I still reread them all every couple of years. Back to Heaven Cent again on this round, and the hold books still hold up as classics.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Anthony is in his 80s; he threatens that this may be the last Xanth book. (Oh no!) I have noticed that his books have been getting more, shall we say mature, over the last few years. One of the earlier books brought in homosexuality as a topic. The current book deals with that and transgender folk. Both are topical and relevant in today's culture; but may be too much for some readers to handle. Given those provisos, it was an interesting read. Not all of his trademark puns are funny, of course. However, dust bunnies...I did laugh out loud. Recommended with warning.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't the pun in the title used way back in Heaven Cent? I guess that doesn't really matter. We're still with the Fire Boat and the ever-increasing group of children that started with the orphans from a potential future, with Squid as the main character. The story is all over the place, including a visit to a world of human-animal hybrids and a lot of gender switching by magic portal. It ends with another case of someone teaching a lesson to an incredibly powerful Demon, in this case Chaos. Entertaining enough, but I can't say I got much out of the story.

[james e. hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many goods puns.

A good read. Too many characters to follow entire storyline. Like travel between dimensions. Good to why characters were related to xanth history. But must be a way to stop them from being orphans in the future. Didn't this book change Xanth future? Still, always love Piers Anthony's writing.

[Molly Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite a funky and different kind of book. lots of fantasy elements all packed into one book made it very interesting. I adore all the characters and how they all differentiate from one another. a lot of this book is revolved around underwear which might sound weird for some LOL.

[Meaghan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I used to love reading about Xanth and the adventures there. But this book killed my love. It's really been a long time coming. A bunch of kids (9-13) need to save Xanth and in the meantime they are going to kiss, flirt and strip naked in front of each other. NOPE! I'm done, done, done, done.

[steven wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing

An excellent addition to the continuing saga of the Xanth universe. A lot of suspense and introspection with sacrifices to face.

[Martin Shabasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read is what your in for

Couldn't put it down so fast based that you wouldn't grown on the puns to much. Liked where it ended up.

[Kara Rowley]

Cool and scary

[Robert Whiting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Xanth Installment

If you've been into Xanth for awhile or are just picking it up, this series is always great and well written IMO.

[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.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a little uneven and maybe a bit rushed.

[Michael Dean Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piers Anthony Jacobs is definitely older, now 83. He has new responsibilities and adjusted his otherwise frantic writing schedule. Hang in there Piers, your life is a lesson for us all. For those who want more, see the author’s notes at the end of the book. Always an important part of any Piers Anthony book!

In Skeleton Key, he begins with a promising, albeit an unremarkable story. By design or due to distractions, or just writing too rapidly? Dunno,. However, halfway through Skeleton Key, Piers picks up the pace, resolves the large cast of characters into a company of juvenile conspirators on an EPIC quest. The chief protagonist, Squid, a alien cuddle fish, has learned she is the most important person in the universe, but cannot imagine why such a nobody could be significant in any way, not to mention the most important in the universe!

Then at the classic point comes the climax, and it is not disappointing. However, the counter-climax immediately follows, breaking the rules for novels. Go get ‘em Piers! He has been reading quantum physics, oh Piers, O my…and the reader transcends Xanth Florida/Mundania, and all the rest in an epic confrontation. What? Spoilers! ;)

When it all ads up, just short of ****, rounded up to four. It was worth persevering, especially for longtime Xanth readers.

Then comes the author’s notes at the end, and Piers answers some old and revealing questions. For readers of Incarnations of Immortality, and I am one of those, ultimately quite critical at that, he resolves his responsibilities and his accountability for including impressions of underage sex. In the Xanth series. He does not stray so far, and has an answer that for this series reveals his sense of a writer’s task. Worth the read.

Best wishes for the family, Piers, and for hours of reading over the years. Glad to hear you decided on a Xanth #45
Four Stars **** for Skeleton Key by Piers Anthony, Xanth No. 44.

[Hazel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was such a trial. First Trans Xanth character so woo for that, but abysmally betrayed. It was so much work in this book, to properly gender and name the trans character, and at certain points other characters as well.

For some reason despite having a gay character, body is taken as dictating sexual interest. Also sexual desire is set up as being inextricable from love.

Besides that I also didn't like how the adventure was set up at the beginning of the book. It just wasn't a very fun read.

[D. E. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was incredibly uncomfortable to read. The way Anthony tried to write a Trans character didn't work, there were so many SQUICK moments especially around Myst and one of the Skeleton Twins, and the constant references to the power of panties just made me put this book down and not want to continue.