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Xanth #5
Ogre, Ogre
Smash, himself, was part ogre. Although ogres were considered so stupid they coud hardly speak, and spent their time eating young girls, seven assorted females had suddenly turned to him for guidance and saftety? In Xanth, one visit to the Good Magician Humfrey worked wonders....
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 12, 1982
189 people are currently reading
2618 people want to read
About the author
Piers Anthony
441 books4,214 followersThough 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.
Piers is a self-proclaimed environmentalist and lives on a tree farm in Florida with his wife. They have two grown daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
November 29, 2008
I discovered the Xanth series when this book came out. I went back and read the first four. I love them! I've recently introduced them to my son who doesn't enjoy reading, but really liked the first book. I've read the series at least four times. I (in my tiny circle) led a D&D campaign that I designed based on the Xanth books. It was the most fun I had as a DM!!
April 14, 2010
This entire book was just "so so" until Chapter 13... at that point the book pulled things together in a very satisfying manner, and earned its 3.5 stars that I'll offer up.
Piers Anthony is dependable in certain ways. For the most part, his books are light fare - a little perverted in a weird and usually disgusting way, and a little bit humorous in descriptive minutiae.
And for most readers, that usually determines which ones stick with Piers Anthony, and which ones get turned away. For the most part, I overlook these two commonalities, so why do I keep reading?
There's more that Piers Anthony always delivers in his novels. The situations, scenarios, and settings that he creates always have internal consistency. The logic governing how things work (in the worlds of his novels) are always set out very distinctly. Piers Anthony has his characters test the limits of these "rules" in various ways, learning how to solve the novel's problems in terms of the rules they are faced with, and the resources which (logically) therefore must exist to help overcome the obstacles.
And that's what I like, and that's what I enjoy, about a Piers Anthony novel. And he's done it again for me in this early Xanth novel that I'd never read before.
For nearly the entire book, I was entertained, but only mildly. I actually didn't like the characters too much, and thought the quest was weak and corny. And that pretty well summed up chapters 1-11.
Chapter 12 had things getting more interesting, but I thought I had already had the book figured out.
But, surprisingly or not, Piers Anthony really tied things together nicely in Chapter 13. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I really started to care for the characters. And I began to see that Piers Anthony had once again been more deft than I had anticipated in tieing up the loose ends in a logically consistent manner. I don't know why the rest of the novel couldn't have the same depth of character, but maybe that's because of what I see as the payoff of reading a Piers Anthony novel. It was satisfying intellectually as well as emotionally.
Overlook the corny stuff, and follow the story arc -- you might also compare it to a mystery. All the pieces are there... and the author has to tie them just so that they fit together at the end, without breaking any rules along the way. In this book, as in most other Piers Anthony novels I've read, the plot resolution was handled very skillfully.
Piers Anthony is dependable in certain ways. For the most part, his books are light fare - a little perverted in a weird and usually disgusting way, and a little bit humorous in descriptive minutiae.
And for most readers, that usually determines which ones stick with Piers Anthony, and which ones get turned away. For the most part, I overlook these two commonalities, so why do I keep reading?
There's more that Piers Anthony always delivers in his novels. The situations, scenarios, and settings that he creates always have internal consistency. The logic governing how things work (in the worlds of his novels) are always set out very distinctly. Piers Anthony has his characters test the limits of these "rules" in various ways, learning how to solve the novel's problems in terms of the rules they are faced with, and the resources which (logically) therefore must exist to help overcome the obstacles.
And that's what I like, and that's what I enjoy, about a Piers Anthony novel. And he's done it again for me in this early Xanth novel that I'd never read before.
For nearly the entire book, I was entertained, but only mildly. I actually didn't like the characters too much, and thought the quest was weak and corny. And that pretty well summed up chapters 1-11.
Chapter 12 had things getting more interesting, but I thought I had already had the book figured out.
But, surprisingly or not, Piers Anthony really tied things together nicely in Chapter 13. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I really started to care for the characters. And I began to see that Piers Anthony had once again been more deft than I had anticipated in tieing up the loose ends in a logically consistent manner. I don't know why the rest of the novel couldn't have the same depth of character, but maybe that's because of what I see as the payoff of reading a Piers Anthony novel. It was satisfying intellectually as well as emotionally.
Overlook the corny stuff, and follow the story arc -- you might also compare it to a mystery. All the pieces are there... and the author has to tie them just so that they fit together at the end, without breaking any rules along the way. In this book, as in most other Piers Anthony novels I've read, the plot resolution was handled very skillfully.
March 15, 2012
I first read this book when I was in 3rd grade, on loan from my neighbor Rolf Mueller. I remember thinking it a hoot, and though many years have passed since 3rd grade, I remembered the book fondly.
A few years back, while looking through a closing used book store, I found a paperback copy for $.50. I bought it, fully intending to read it again at some point. And, so I have done. And it was still a hoot.
It's a simple read, very punny, that tells the story of an ogre much more engaging than Shrek. This ogre, Smash, who is quite cunning and vegetarian for an ogre, is on a search to find out what he is missing in his life. The Good Magician Humphrey sends him out on a quest across Xanth to find it, and along the way Smash befriends seven individual lovely lasses of varying backgrounds and species. Various pun-loaded antics ensue.
Like I said, not a complicated read, but fun enough to keep one interested.
The neatest thing about it, to me, is that the book happens in the magical world of Xanth. Anthony supplies a map of the magical land at the beginning of the book, and Xanth is, very clearly, Florida.
I happened to finish the last 5 chapters of this book while riding through Florida on a train. The environment closely resembled that in the book, and in the afterward about the author, I learned that Anthony himself lives on his tree farm in Florida and drew inspiration from the scenery around him, including the train tracks at the back of his property.
It provided a glorious end to my second read through.
A few years back, while looking through a closing used book store, I found a paperback copy for $.50. I bought it, fully intending to read it again at some point. And, so I have done. And it was still a hoot.
It's a simple read, very punny, that tells the story of an ogre much more engaging than Shrek. This ogre, Smash, who is quite cunning and vegetarian for an ogre, is on a search to find out what he is missing in his life. The Good Magician Humphrey sends him out on a quest across Xanth to find it, and along the way Smash befriends seven individual lovely lasses of varying backgrounds and species. Various pun-loaded antics ensue.
Like I said, not a complicated read, but fun enough to keep one interested.
The neatest thing about it, to me, is that the book happens in the magical world of Xanth. Anthony supplies a map of the magical land at the beginning of the book, and Xanth is, very clearly, Florida.
I happened to finish the last 5 chapters of this book while riding through Florida on a train. The environment closely resembled that in the book, and in the afterward about the author, I learned that Anthony himself lives on his tree farm in Florida and drew inspiration from the scenery around him, including the train tracks at the back of his property.
It provided a glorious end to my second read through.
September 30, 2013
This is the fifth book in Piers Anthony's Xanth series and the best of those first five by a wide margin. Piers Anthony has a quirky, almost clunky way of unfolding a story, but the deeper structure--the skeleton of his tales--is always sound and well imagined. Some story ideas just naturally stand out or resonate more than others, and this one did. Surely that's why it was the only one of the 30+ Xanth books to get on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Ogre, Ogre is a classic 'beauty and the beast' love story. Smash is half human, half big ugly brutish Ogre. He entirely denies his human side. Tandy is half human, half nymph. Smash feels that something is missing from his life, but has no idea what. Tandy is desperately trying to escape the unwanted physical attentions of a demon who can pass through walls. Their very different quests find common ground when the Good Magician Humphrey sends them out into the wilds of Xanth together to seek their 'answers'.
Along the way Smash takes six more female creatures in tow, all of whom also have unfulfilled needs. He fights a dragon and encounters numerous other threats and obstacles, ultimately delivering all six females safely to their various resolutions, one at a time. In the end, it's just Smash and Tandy again, and Smash still hasn't figured out what he's looking for. Of course the reader well knows what's going to happen long before it does, and yet the plot isn't spoiled by the knowing. The reader still wants to find out how and where the 'light bulb' will finally come on.
As in all of the Xanth novels up to this point, the hurdles, obstacles, threats and conflicts that the protagonists encounter come thick and fast, one after another, almost always in series. That is, they come one at a time and are essentially dispatched or set aside before the next one arises. In that very general sense the story lines are predictable and simple--there's an over-riding quest and a lot of short-lived impediments to achieving the goal. In most cases there's absolutely no foreshadowing - the majority of the problems arise entirely unexpected, and more often than not they are forgotten just as quickly, unless some lesson has been imparted.
This simple writing style, I'd guess, can appeal to readers who are quite young, and not a lot of brain power is required to enjoy the tale. Yet I, as a mature adult didn't feel that my intelligence was insulted, nor was I ever bored. Anthony is good at what he does, and the quality is consistent. It's good light entertainment.
Ogre, Ogre is a classic 'beauty and the beast' love story. Smash is half human, half big ugly brutish Ogre. He entirely denies his human side. Tandy is half human, half nymph. Smash feels that something is missing from his life, but has no idea what. Tandy is desperately trying to escape the unwanted physical attentions of a demon who can pass through walls. Their very different quests find common ground when the Good Magician Humphrey sends them out into the wilds of Xanth together to seek their 'answers'.
Along the way Smash takes six more female creatures in tow, all of whom also have unfulfilled needs. He fights a dragon and encounters numerous other threats and obstacles, ultimately delivering all six females safely to their various resolutions, one at a time. In the end, it's just Smash and Tandy again, and Smash still hasn't figured out what he's looking for. Of course the reader well knows what's going to happen long before it does, and yet the plot isn't spoiled by the knowing. The reader still wants to find out how and where the 'light bulb' will finally come on.
As in all of the Xanth novels up to this point, the hurdles, obstacles, threats and conflicts that the protagonists encounter come thick and fast, one after another, almost always in series. That is, they come one at a time and are essentially dispatched or set aside before the next one arises. In that very general sense the story lines are predictable and simple--there's an over-riding quest and a lot of short-lived impediments to achieving the goal. In most cases there's absolutely no foreshadowing - the majority of the problems arise entirely unexpected, and more often than not they are forgotten just as quickly, unless some lesson has been imparted.
This simple writing style, I'd guess, can appeal to readers who are quite young, and not a lot of brain power is required to enjoy the tale. Yet I, as a mature adult didn't feel that my intelligence was insulted, nor was I ever bored. Anthony is good at what he does, and the quality is consistent. It's good light entertainment.
September 28, 2014
This was my first fantasy book.
I didn't have a great reading level in high school. I had not ever gotten to enjoy a book before then...
All of my reading up until this point was for learning which combined with the difficulty reading due to a minor learning disability had it to where I really didn't have an enjoyment of the written word.
My resource class assigned me to the Independent Reading class, and after a few questions about myself, the teacher (I wish I remembered her name) pulled out Ogre, Ogre and let me find a spot in the resource section to curl up and start reading… I LOVED it, it was so much different than any of the text books, or the stuff my mom (a teacher) had tried to make me read up to that point.
Luckily, Piers Anthony's Xanth series does not require books are not reliant on the previous books to understand what is going on, or else this might have marked the beginning and end of my fantasy trip.
I didn't have a great reading level in high school. I had not ever gotten to enjoy a book before then...
All of my reading up until this point was for learning which combined with the difficulty reading due to a minor learning disability had it to where I really didn't have an enjoyment of the written word.
My resource class assigned me to the Independent Reading class, and after a few questions about myself, the teacher (I wish I remembered her name) pulled out Ogre, Ogre and let me find a spot in the resource section to curl up and start reading… I LOVED it, it was so much different than any of the text books, or the stuff my mom (a teacher) had tried to make me read up to that point.
Luckily, Piers Anthony's Xanth series does not require books are not reliant on the previous books to understand what is going on, or else this might have marked the beginning and end of my fantasy trip.
June 12, 2008
This is the ONLY book I ever forbade my son to read. (He loves to tell people that his mother, the librarian, censored him!) He was in 7th grade and I didn't want him to read it because of the first scene in the book where an ogre tries to rape a woman in her own bedroom and then implies that all women "want it." Of course my son read the book on the sly but it sparked a recurring discussion about attitudes towards women that lasted across his teen aged years. I think that helped to make him the fine man he is.
October 10, 2007
To this day...still one of my favorite books. Yes it's silly. Yes it's pun filled. But at it's heart, it's the story of the "Big Dumb Guy" being more than a side character.It's him being the main character, not the sidekick there only to accrue damage so the main character can save the maiden. Cute, witty and genuinely lovable Ogre, Ogre win win your heart over.
August 11, 2022
A good relaxing read full of magical creatures. And how one should get along with another ,even help.
Reading this, I thought yes this is a true fantasy. But I enjoyed it.
Reading this, I thought yes this is a true fantasy. But I enjoyed it.
July 3, 2023
One of my little goals I've set myself this year is to read more trashy, pulpy novels. I've read enough of the good to be almost too intimidated to dare write myself, and maybe trash is what I'd like to write, anyway, so I need experience in the field. So I went to a second hand bookshop and picked up the goofiest books I could see.
Hence Ogre, Ogre. I hadn't heard of Piers Anthony, but he seemed to occupy a fond, if dimly-recalled place in the hearts of nerdy American teens in the 80s. I found it hard to judge if this was the dreaded 'YA' or not, because it shifted so frequently between puerile and heartfelt regarding young adolescent insecurities. I don't really know what adults would be interested in this, but I also think it's mostly inappropriate for children under...15ish?
Then again, Murakami was my teenage awakening for seeming daringly mature and he made sex weird and desirable in a way I understood much more keenly than I did from observing the horny behaviour of those around me. So maybe Anthony really is just a kind of nerd teen whisperer. The romance in this novel seems a bit too saccharine and elementary to appeal to my image of a 14 year old boy, but the pervasive sexism and male gaze doesn't seem appealing to girls. Anthony dedicated this book to his daughter. I'm not sure any other father could knowingly read this and give it to his daughter.
Googling Piers Anthony and the controversy is all laid out. This is not the kind of book that would have earned that kind of controversy, but I can definitely see how the same man might've written this and books about men having sex with 14minus year old girls. This is certainly an artefact of the naive misogyny of the 80s, the stomping ground of Savile and pals. But I struggle to simply condemn Anthony and call it a day. Bad books can say a lot about a man, too. I was always interested, reading, even if that wasn't because of the plot or characters.
Hence Ogre, Ogre. I hadn't heard of Piers Anthony, but he seemed to occupy a fond, if dimly-recalled place in the hearts of nerdy American teens in the 80s. I found it hard to judge if this was the dreaded 'YA' or not, because it shifted so frequently between puerile and heartfelt regarding young adolescent insecurities. I don't really know what adults would be interested in this, but I also think it's mostly inappropriate for children under...15ish?
Then again, Murakami was my teenage awakening for seeming daringly mature and he made sex weird and desirable in a way I understood much more keenly than I did from observing the horny behaviour of those around me. So maybe Anthony really is just a kind of nerd teen whisperer. The romance in this novel seems a bit too saccharine and elementary to appeal to my image of a 14 year old boy, but the pervasive sexism and male gaze doesn't seem appealing to girls. Anthony dedicated this book to his daughter. I'm not sure any other father could knowingly read this and give it to his daughter.
Googling Piers Anthony and the controversy is all laid out. This is not the kind of book that would have earned that kind of controversy, but I can definitely see how the same man might've written this and books about men having sex with 14minus year old girls. This is certainly an artefact of the naive misogyny of the 80s, the stomping ground of Savile and pals. But I struggle to simply condemn Anthony and call it a day. Bad books can say a lot about a man, too. I was always interested, reading, even if that wasn't because of the plot or characters.
September 20, 2013
Even though I didn't like this book, I guess it's okay. The wordplay was just too lame for my taste and the descriptions of scarcely clad nubile females too juvenile. The idea and story line is fine. The book just felt like it was written by a hormone filled thirteen year old boy who thought he was clever with words, rather than a mature author with many other novels under his belt.
December 11, 2013
I read this years ago and remember it as sweet and funny, I really should re-read it. But I know a lot of the later Xanth books for repetitious, boring, and far too punny to appreciate as a story. The main character, Smash, I enjoyed because at the time I read it, it turned the whole concept of ogre as villain on it's ear - and this was long before Shrek!
February 27, 2008
Read this book when I was young along with other Pearce Anthony books, but he is always adding things about naked women and other sexual suggestive things that finally turned me off from reading anymore of his books.
February 26, 2021
The adventure and the world were fun, and I enjoyed the puns, but the way the women are written, treated, and described just made me feel gross. I can see why these were successful, but they don't hold up today.
April 24, 2008
Xanth is a Florida shaped land filled with magic, centars, zombies and murderous trees. I know these books are geared toward 15 year old boys but I love them.
January 28, 2021
Loved the entire Xanth series when I was a boy. The Good Magician Humfrey was an influence for Palomides the Wizard in The Dragon and the Apprentice.
October 23, 2021
This was a slower build into really liking the characters, but part way through I started to really get behind Smash especially. I really enjoyed him discovering all he could be when intelligence was "forced" on him. This story was really a journey to grow up and discover who you really are at your core. Both Tandy and Smash knew the world they'd grown up in and now being pushed to travel the length of Xanth on their quest they really got to discover who they were as adults. So much of who they thought they were changed, especially for Smash. By the end of things I was really on his side. I adored how self sacrificing and loyal he was. He had such a good soul underneath all that ogre brutishness.
I was amused by the little harem Smash garnered on their travels. He picked up quite the bevy of woman he later helped to find where they were supposed to be. I did love the journey he went through in the hypnogourd and with the Nightmares as well. This was fun in the typical way of all Xanth novels, but I felt the moral of the story really did sneak up on you a bit with the character development taking a bit of time to come through. This was a journey with no real end in the sense of the quest itself, but the end instead was discovered through the inner realizations that brought Tandy and Smash together.
I was amused by the little harem Smash garnered on their travels. He picked up quite the bevy of woman he later helped to find where they were supposed to be. I did love the journey he went through in the hypnogourd and with the Nightmares as well. This was fun in the typical way of all Xanth novels, but I felt the moral of the story really did sneak up on you a bit with the character development taking a bit of time to come through. This was a journey with no real end in the sense of the quest itself, but the end instead was discovered through the inner realizations that brought Tandy and Smash together.
December 14, 2014
To begin, this book is geared towards young adults. It is meant to be a fun read, without the burden of a heavy plotline. If you are looking for something with a ton of substance, you will not find that in the Xanth series.
I originally read this book when I was a freshman in high school on a long drive to South Dakota to visit family in the summer. We stopped at a used book store and the cover (I know, I know, never judge a book by its cover) was so intriguing to me that I picked up the book without having ever entered the beloved world of Xanth previously. I loved the story so much, that I read it at least three times again afterwards in that same summer. Now it is over 15 years later and I went through a re-read of this book that I loved so much. As Goodreads didn't exist then, I felt it was time for a proper review of the book... here it goes....
You are first introduced to Tandy, a teenage half nymph/half human girl that lives underground with her nymph mother. Her father is a soldier that spends the majority of his time working for the King above-ground at Castle Roogna. Unfortunately, in her exploring of the underground caves, she was discovered by a demon who has now taken a fancy to her. Inexperienced with men of any sort besides her father, she was understandably terrified. Her mother, being the type of nymph that she was, was unable to offer her any sort of assistance when away at work, and refused to believe that any demon would act out so maliciously. So Tandy had to figure out a way to get herself out of the situation.
She plans on finding her father, and rides a nightmare to the surface. Having no experience with the surface, she tells the nightmare that she will release her if she drops her off at Castle Roogna. By the time the sun starts to appear, she is dropped off at a castle...but the wrong one!
Next you meet Smash, a half human/half ogre male that reacts as though he is fully ogre... for the most part. Having grown up around humans, he tends to stay away from the eating of humans lest he ruin his friendships. For some reason, he is not satisfied with his life and makes a trip to Good Magician Humphrey for an answer. When he gets there, he cannot even find enough intelligence to ask his question! However, Good Magician Humphrey decides that his answer is to escort Tandy (who has been serving her year for her question she asked when dropped off at the castle) throughout Xanth. Both Smash and Tandy are confused by this turn of events, but roll with the punches anyways.
Tandy has no experience above-ground and it is up to Smash to teach her what is good and what is to be avoided in Xanth. However, Tandy has a heart of gold that wants to help all creatures, and soon Smash ends up escorting 7 different females of different species across Xanth to find what they are looking for as well. There is no end to the excitement, Smash becomes super intelligent when he stumbles into an Eye Queue vine, has to fight for his soul in a hypnogourd, fights dragons, tangle trees and other ogres just to save his newly found female friends.
Without spoiling anything else in the book, it is a great read about not judging a person by their looks, but instead by their hearts. I recommend it for all ages, and there is no need to read the other Xanth books to fully get immersed in this one!
I originally read this book when I was a freshman in high school on a long drive to South Dakota to visit family in the summer. We stopped at a used book store and the cover (I know, I know, never judge a book by its cover) was so intriguing to me that I picked up the book without having ever entered the beloved world of Xanth previously. I loved the story so much, that I read it at least three times again afterwards in that same summer. Now it is over 15 years later and I went through a re-read of this book that I loved so much. As Goodreads didn't exist then, I felt it was time for a proper review of the book... here it goes....
You are first introduced to Tandy, a teenage half nymph/half human girl that lives underground with her nymph mother. Her father is a soldier that spends the majority of his time working for the King above-ground at Castle Roogna. Unfortunately, in her exploring of the underground caves, she was discovered by a demon who has now taken a fancy to her. Inexperienced with men of any sort besides her father, she was understandably terrified. Her mother, being the type of nymph that she was, was unable to offer her any sort of assistance when away at work, and refused to believe that any demon would act out so maliciously. So Tandy had to figure out a way to get herself out of the situation.
She plans on finding her father, and rides a nightmare to the surface. Having no experience with the surface, she tells the nightmare that she will release her if she drops her off at Castle Roogna. By the time the sun starts to appear, she is dropped off at a castle...but the wrong one!
Next you meet Smash, a half human/half ogre male that reacts as though he is fully ogre... for the most part. Having grown up around humans, he tends to stay away from the eating of humans lest he ruin his friendships. For some reason, he is not satisfied with his life and makes a trip to Good Magician Humphrey for an answer. When he gets there, he cannot even find enough intelligence to ask his question! However, Good Magician Humphrey decides that his answer is to escort Tandy (who has been serving her year for her question she asked when dropped off at the castle) throughout Xanth. Both Smash and Tandy are confused by this turn of events, but roll with the punches anyways.
Tandy has no experience above-ground and it is up to Smash to teach her what is good and what is to be avoided in Xanth. However, Tandy has a heart of gold that wants to help all creatures, and soon Smash ends up escorting 7 different females of different species across Xanth to find what they are looking for as well. There is no end to the excitement, Smash becomes super intelligent when he stumbles into an Eye Queue vine, has to fight for his soul in a hypnogourd, fights dragons, tangle trees and other ogres just to save his newly found female friends.
Without spoiling anything else in the book, it is a great read about not judging a person by their looks, but instead by their hearts. I recommend it for all ages, and there is no need to read the other Xanth books to fully get immersed in this one!
January 2, 2016
It is hard to believe that I used to be so dedicated to these books. Man, these were the gateway drug that led me to a life of reading fantasy, and now I can barely force myself to read them.
Where do you want to start? The blatant sexism? The preposterous premises? The hamhanded plot construction?
I fell out of love with this series around book #8 or so, when I realized that these books were constructed according to a very predictable, cookie-cutter type plot: an outcast character goes to the Good Magician Humphrey, passes a series of tests to get the answer to a question, does not understand the answer and must go on a quest for whatever reason, interacts with other magical creatures (one of whom will eventually be this character's love interest even though they obviously do not belong together), get through their quest due to their natures and/or lucky happenstance, have some philosophical understanding of the world and their place in it, and the end. Next cookie cutter, please.
Maybe I am being unfair in only rating this book 2 out of 5 stars. Maybe what I am rating this on is my own disappointment with what I remember being so wrapped in as a teenager. I know my friends and I waited eagerly for the next book to come out. I remember how much we enjoyed the puns (some of which I did not get then but do now, so that was nice). I just ...I think my senses have matured beyond this. And I think society's senses have increased as well. I don't think today's teen will get as engrossed in this series as we did because there's just so much more out there to read and appreciate. So as much as I want to give this 3 stars, it really is only worth 2. Even that feels like generosity.
The question I have now is this: Will I read the next book? I had planned to re-read the ones I had already ready and then read the other ones that came out after. But this book was a real chore, so ... I just don't know.
Where do you want to start? The blatant sexism? The preposterous premises? The hamhanded plot construction?
I fell out of love with this series around book #8 or so, when I realized that these books were constructed according to a very predictable, cookie-cutter type plot: an outcast character goes to the Good Magician Humphrey, passes a series of tests to get the answer to a question, does not understand the answer and must go on a quest for whatever reason, interacts with other magical creatures (one of whom will eventually be this character's love interest even though they obviously do not belong together), get through their quest due to their natures and/or lucky happenstance, have some philosophical understanding of the world and their place in it, and the end. Next cookie cutter, please.
Maybe I am being unfair in only rating this book 2 out of 5 stars. Maybe what I am rating this on is my own disappointment with what I remember being so wrapped in as a teenager. I know my friends and I waited eagerly for the next book to come out. I remember how much we enjoyed the puns (some of which I did not get then but do now, so that was nice). I just ...I think my senses have matured beyond this. And I think society's senses have increased as well. I don't think today's teen will get as engrossed in this series as we did because there's just so much more out there to read and appreciate. So as much as I want to give this 3 stars, it really is only worth 2. Even that feels like generosity.
The question I have now is this: Will I read the next book? I had planned to re-read the ones I had already ready and then read the other ones that came out after. But this book was a real chore, so ... I just don't know.
September 10, 2021
Xanth, Xanth, magical Xanth.
Wierd as always, this was a pretty alright adventure in the land of Xanth. It was a bit lower on the Piers Anthony 'Pervy Scale', that I'm now coining, too, so that was alright. The puns where solid mostly, sometimes it felt like he forgot that's the point, but it's alright, they made me chuckle when they were supposed to. The message of the book I thought was pretty nice, generic "believe in yourself", but the way it was presented was kind of cute.
I was really hoping the authors daughter insert character, Tandy, wouldn't hook up with the Ogre by the end of the story, so that was kind of a let down, but I think it was lead up to convincingly enough I guess, I just think it's weird. Cuz now I have to picture an Ogre and a Nymph.. Yknow and that's rough.
Not all of the women characters where very flushed out, but they were interesting. Tandy was kind of boring although I liked her tantrum talent. The Siren and Chem centaur were probably the best characters in the book, caring and thoughtful, but John the fairy and Blythe where kind of funny and interesting side stories.
I don't think women would like this book. I didn't mind the characterization, personally, but definitely recognize problems with some of the portrayals and side comments throughout.
Still not done with Xanth yet!
Wierd as always, this was a pretty alright adventure in the land of Xanth. It was a bit lower on the Piers Anthony 'Pervy Scale', that I'm now coining, too, so that was alright. The puns where solid mostly, sometimes it felt like he forgot that's the point, but it's alright, they made me chuckle when they were supposed to. The message of the book I thought was pretty nice, generic "believe in yourself", but the way it was presented was kind of cute.
I was really hoping the authors daughter insert character, Tandy, wouldn't hook up with the Ogre by the end of the story, so that was kind of a let down, but I think it was lead up to convincingly enough I guess, I just think it's weird. Cuz now I have to picture an Ogre and a Nymph.. Yknow and that's rough.
Not all of the women characters where very flushed out, but they were interesting. Tandy was kind of boring although I liked her tantrum talent. The Siren and Chem centaur were probably the best characters in the book, caring and thoughtful, but John the fairy and Blythe where kind of funny and interesting side stories.
I don't think women would like this book. I didn't mind the characterization, personally, but definitely recognize problems with some of the portrayals and side comments throughout.
Still not done with Xanth yet!
July 21, 2010
Intelligence.
July 15, 2025
Proving once again that when your world is made entirely of puns, there’s no room left for feminist ethics – but hey, at least the ogre learns not to eat his friends.
Read
October 14, 2025Tandy the nymph and Smash the ogre travel Xanth and meet up with many other female Xanth residents each with a quest of his or her own in this 5th Xanth novel. Smash even gains intelligence a few different timesvia the Eye Queue vine and encounter dragons, loan sharks, demons, other ogres and face numerous challenges and hilarious situations since it is an Anthony Xanth book after all. Nice to see a focus on Smash and see character growth with him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2023
A wonderfully funny and punny story of adventure with people finding their true purpose in life along the journey of searching. Also, it has a fun similar story of a monster becoming a man through the relationship with a woman like Enkidu in the Epic of Gilgamesh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2022
A cute young adult-type fantasy read. The characters and events were fun and clever. I especially liked all the word puns and symbols that are such a great part of Piers Anthony's Xanth novels. However, some of the travels, places and events, seemed repetitive and the same old same old.
December 21, 2025
I really love the ending.
December 24, 2016
This book is were Xanth finally grows a beard (to mention a trope). Although it certainly follows the Xanth formula (which I mentioned in my review of A Spell for Chameleon):
"As a general rule, Xanth novels are about a protagonist who doesn't really fit in and has no idea what their purpose in life is or what group they would fit in with. That is, they are a normal young adult. They decide to go on a Quest and over the course of said Quest they discover who they are, where they belong, and fall in love."
It also fundamentally changes the books for the better. In the previous books, the hero is a standard hero type but in a very different world from most fantasy series. He's strong, charismatic, good looking, and intelligent. He was always male and always of Magician calibre.
But Smash, although male and strong (he's an ogre) is not the hero type. Perhaps what makes this book is that the author (word of god) identifies with him. Smash shares his quest with 7 women who are all far more intelligent and talented than he. Instead, he acts as the muscle and simply protects them (more often simply scares away any threats).
In this way, the protagonist fits most male's ideal of a hero. There is also that extra level of deeper meaning in this book. Smash is of mixed origin (his father was an Ogre and his mother a Curse Fiend) and finds that he doesn't fit in with either culture. Tandy, the female protagonist is half-human and half-nymph and was the victim of child molestation.
Their quest has them map the upper half of Xanth while finding mates or places for each of the other persons (all female) that they encounter.
"As a general rule, Xanth novels are about a protagonist who doesn't really fit in and has no idea what their purpose in life is or what group they would fit in with. That is, they are a normal young adult. They decide to go on a Quest and over the course of said Quest they discover who they are, where they belong, and fall in love."
It also fundamentally changes the books for the better. In the previous books, the hero is a standard hero type but in a very different world from most fantasy series. He's strong, charismatic, good looking, and intelligent. He was always male and always of Magician calibre.
But Smash, although male and strong (he's an ogre) is not the hero type. Perhaps what makes this book is that the author (word of god) identifies with him. Smash shares his quest with 7 women who are all far more intelligent and talented than he. Instead, he acts as the muscle and simply protects them (more often simply scares away any threats).
In this way, the protagonist fits most male's ideal of a hero. There is also that extra level of deeper meaning in this book. Smash is of mixed origin (his father was an Ogre and his mother a Curse Fiend) and finds that he doesn't fit in with either culture. Tandy, the female protagonist is half-human and half-nymph and was the victim of child molestation.
Their quest has them map the upper half of Xanth while finding mates or places for each of the other persons (all female) that they encounter.
April 23, 2013
There were a lot of peculiar half-breed creatures in Xanth, and Smash the half-ogre is one of these. (He's half ogre, half human.) Looking for a plot to keep himself busy apparently, Smash goes to the magician Humfrey (like most Xanth protagonists do to get a plot coupon), and he's told to go hang out with the ancestral ogres to seek what he wants. Oh, and he has to be the guard for a half-nymph (there's that "half" thing again). Her name is Tandy. She's described a lot. Surprised?
Ogres are supposed to be dumb, so Smash is annoyed when he's attacked by a pun--the Eye Queue Vine--and it makes him smart. Then he starts meeting a bunch of female characters who all need something and all have their needs met by something Smash helped do. It bugged me that his enhanced intelligence was so heavily depended upon but apparently none of the women could figure anything out without him. A lot of the problems they had to solve had really stupid wordplay solutions. Maybe I just don't like riddles (well, I know I don't), but they often seemed to defy reasonable time to solve.
What I did like about this book was the rather original premise of Smash giving his soul to "the gourd" in the book. I liked something about the feeling of that plot element. But balancing that is the annoyance I feel for half-breed creatures in fantasy stories essentially "choosing" which half of their heritage to embrace. I really prefer when they can find a nice mix, and Smash deciding to push his human side--heavily influenced by wanting to have sex with Tandy--is kind of annoying to me.
Ogres are supposed to be dumb, so Smash is annoyed when he's attacked by a pun--the Eye Queue Vine--and it makes him smart. Then he starts meeting a bunch of female characters who all need something and all have their needs met by something Smash helped do. It bugged me that his enhanced intelligence was so heavily depended upon but apparently none of the women could figure anything out without him. A lot of the problems they had to solve had really stupid wordplay solutions. Maybe I just don't like riddles (well, I know I don't), but they often seemed to defy reasonable time to solve.
What I did like about this book was the rather original premise of Smash giving his soul to "the gourd" in the book. I liked something about the feeling of that plot element. But balancing that is the annoyance I feel for half-breed creatures in fantasy stories essentially "choosing" which half of their heritage to embrace. I really prefer when they can find a nice mix, and Smash deciding to push his human side--heavily influenced by wanting to have sex with Tandy--is kind of annoying to me.
May 17, 2016
"When a Nymph rides a Night Mare, Ogre beware!" the tagline reads, certainly grabbing my interest as the night mare Mare Imbrium is my most fave character. In this novel, Smash the Ogre and Tandy, are part of the second generation of the original Xanth characters. It has been rewarding seeing the characters mature, grow and have children in the magical world. I think that the land itself is receiving more canon and is being more fleshed out, and with that will come unlimited inspiration. I know that the fans love it and have started writing Piers with all their punny suggestions. Wouldn't that be a cool feather in one's bucket list! Getting a shout out from Piers at the end of his novels!
Starting out the novel, Jewel and Crombie's daughter Tandy escapes a demon. She then rides a Night Mare to Magician Humphrey's castle where she stays. Crunch the Ogre & a human curse-fiend's son, Smash, comes to the castle a year later. In lieu of the required year's service, he agrees to escort Tandy on her search of Xanth. While adventuring they really get to know each other. Along the way, they join with a few characters that become traveling companions such as a centaur, a goblin, & a faerie. I love the way that the ogres talk all rhymes; it is HIL-arious! Piers even writes in Smash getting temporary intelligence! Now if he can just not be such a sexist pig! Oh glory! Puns and magic ensue in the brilliant fifth Xanth book!
Starting out the novel, Jewel and Crombie's daughter Tandy escapes a demon. She then rides a Night Mare to Magician Humphrey's castle where she stays. Crunch the Ogre & a human curse-fiend's son, Smash, comes to the castle a year later. In lieu of the required year's service, he agrees to escort Tandy on her search of Xanth. While adventuring they really get to know each other. Along the way, they join with a few characters that become traveling companions such as a centaur, a goblin, & a faerie. I love the way that the ogres talk all rhymes; it is HIL-arious! Piers even writes in Smash getting temporary intelligence! Now if he can just not be such a sexist pig! Oh glory! Puns and magic ensue in the brilliant fifth Xanth book!
July 15, 2015
Ogre Ogre is another pun filled tale taking place in the land of Xanth.
Smash is half Ogre and half Curse-fiend but he considers himself an Ogre. Finding himself at the Magician Humfrey's castle Smash receives an answer for a question he does not ask. Baffled Smash agrees to travel with Tandy as protection. Their travels across Xanth cause the group to grow and Smash finds himself surrounded by girls he feels the need to protect. Since Smash considers himself an ogre and ogres have little intelligence you see Smash second guessing himself a good deal along with Smash wondering if he is thinking clearly on how to handle situations.
Tandy is half nymph and half human whose magical power is to throw a tantrum. Despite her ability to protect herself a demon torments her relentlessly so Tandy seeks the help of the Magician Humfrey. After staying in the castle as a guest of the Magician Tandy is set out with Smash despite her protests. Since little of the story is told from Tandy's point of view it is hard to know what she is thinking but you do see some growth in her as a character. Tandy learns courage and caution alike.
Ogre Ogre continues the typical style of previous Xanth books in being written in pun with lots of descriptive details.
Smash is half Ogre and half Curse-fiend but he considers himself an Ogre. Finding himself at the Magician Humfrey's castle Smash receives an answer for a question he does not ask. Baffled Smash agrees to travel with Tandy as protection. Their travels across Xanth cause the group to grow and Smash finds himself surrounded by girls he feels the need to protect. Since Smash considers himself an ogre and ogres have little intelligence you see Smash second guessing himself a good deal along with Smash wondering if he is thinking clearly on how to handle situations.
Tandy is half nymph and half human whose magical power is to throw a tantrum. Despite her ability to protect herself a demon torments her relentlessly so Tandy seeks the help of the Magician Humfrey. After staying in the castle as a guest of the Magician Tandy is set out with Smash despite her protests. Since little of the story is told from Tandy's point of view it is hard to know what she is thinking but you do see some growth in her as a character. Tandy learns courage and caution alike.
Ogre Ogre continues the typical style of previous Xanth books in being written in pun with lots of descriptive details.
September 9, 2015
Quirky, funny, heartwarming, and satisfying. If you’re looking for the best that Piers Anthony has to offer, look no further than the fourth book in the Xanth series.
With the adventures of Smash the Ogre we really see a great writer hitting his stride. This is the sort of book that introduces you to the puntastic world of Xanth in a way that is meaningful and well crafted. While some of the previous novels felt as if the writer fell in love with a pun and simply let himself get sucked into the Void, Ogre, Ogre is a tight story that leads to a very satisfying conclusion.
Smash’s journey is a rambling one, in the tradition of the other Xanth novels, but at no time did you feel as if the writer himself were lost. Every character (and to list them would spoil more of this story than I wish to) seems fleshed out, and each has a purpose to being on this adventure with Smash. In helping Smash learn his true purpose in life, these characters also find what they need most.
If anyone is wanting an introduction to Piers Anthony, this is definitely the book to start with. It’s the best of the Xanth series, and will definitely make you fall in love with the world of Xanth. Just watch out for the tanglers along the way and you’ll do just fine.
With the adventures of Smash the Ogre we really see a great writer hitting his stride. This is the sort of book that introduces you to the puntastic world of Xanth in a way that is meaningful and well crafted. While some of the previous novels felt as if the writer fell in love with a pun and simply let himself get sucked into the Void, Ogre, Ogre is a tight story that leads to a very satisfying conclusion.
Smash’s journey is a rambling one, in the tradition of the other Xanth novels, but at no time did you feel as if the writer himself were lost. Every character (and to list them would spoil more of this story than I wish to) seems fleshed out, and each has a purpose to being on this adventure with Smash. In helping Smash learn his true purpose in life, these characters also find what they need most.
If anyone is wanting an introduction to Piers Anthony, this is definitely the book to start with. It’s the best of the Xanth series, and will definitely make you fall in love with the world of Xanth. Just watch out for the tanglers along the way and you’ll do just fine.
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