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Myth Adventures #14
Myth Alliances
When the sheepish Wuhses are taken advantage of by the overbearing Pervects, Skeeve teams up with Zol Icty--self-help expert and bestselling author of Imps Are from Imper, Deveels Are from Deva --on a mythion in personal empowerment.
275 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
9 people are currently reading
1259 people want to read
About the author
Robert Lynn Asprin
224 books1,069 followersRobert (Lynn) Asprin was born in 1946. While he wrote some stand alone novels such as The Cold Cash War, Tambu, and The Bug Wars and also the Duncan & Mallory Illustrated stories, Bob is best known for his series fantasy, such as the Myth Adventures of Aahz and Skeeve, the Phule's Company novels, and the Time Scout novels written with Linda Evans. He also edited the groundbreaking Thieves' World anthology series with Lynn Abbey. Other collaborations include License Invoked (set in the French Quarter of New Orleans) and several Myth Adventures novels, all written with Jody Lynn Nye.
Bob's final solo work was a contemporary fantasy series called Dragons, again set in New Orleans.
Bob passed away suddenly on May 22, 2008. He is survived by his daughter and son, his mother and his sister.
Bob's final solo work was a contemporary fantasy series called Dragons, again set in New Orleans.
Bob passed away suddenly on May 22, 2008. He is survived by his daughter and son, his mother and his sister.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
January 31, 2021
A silly, humorous comedy of mistaken intentions, a race of wusses, or rather, Wuhses, and a serious SPENDING problem.
A VERY light comedy but better than the previous one, becoming a comedy of commerce, weak politics, and great ideas that go very wrong.
I consider it a palate cleanser. Nothing meaty about it. Just light fantasy that pokes holes in a more innocent modern life.
A VERY light comedy but better than the previous one, becoming a comedy of commerce, weak politics, and great ideas that go very wrong.
I consider it a palate cleanser. Nothing meaty about it. Just light fantasy that pokes holes in a more innocent modern life.
January 4, 2023
Since I got so used to the tight, single POV-per-storyline max. style of the preceding 13 books this one felt out and out bloated as it shuttled between spending time with Skeeve and fly on the wall 3rd person narrative scenes with the "Pervect 10". Sometimes less is more, though- I couldn't help but think back to the Big Bad of Another Fine Myth, Isstvan, who really only appears at the end after being built up as a threat via mentions and the actions of henchmen.
Very mid-2000s CGI Cover Art, too.
This was a different kind of story, of course, delving into myth-understandings, corporate malfeasance and a magic-powered version of the internet(?) that very much placed it in the mid-2000s when it was written. I will carry on to #15, of course, but I am sincerely hoping it is a return to the tried-and-tested.
Very mid-2000s CGI Cover Art, too.
This was a different kind of story, of course, delving into myth-understandings, corporate malfeasance and a magic-powered version of the internet(?) that very much placed it in the mid-2000s when it was written. I will carry on to #15, of course, but I am sincerely hoping it is a return to the tried-and-tested.
January 10, 2013
While Myth Alliances is a better book than Something M.Y.T.H. Inc., it is merely a continuing demonstration of the disintegration of the Myth Adventures. Nye's collaboration with Asprin drew him out of the tailspin that the series had entered, but there is not enough upward motion to make it worthwhile.
The tenor of the book is far different from the original seven or eight volumes, which is perhaps the greatest disappointment. Asprin had managed in those old novels to blend a sense of playfulness and crisis. Here, the crisis is present, but the playfulness is not. That is not to say that there is no humor. There are numerous attempts at it, and many of them succeed, but with a different feel. Some are simply subtler such as the inclusion of "Wensely" and "Gouda", which would normally be fine were it not for the fact that the Myth series has heretofore been entirely blunt. You don't go in looking for subtle. Other jokes simply entered into realms that felt awkward for Asprin's characters and universe such as pushing Tananda from the role of occasional seductress into wholly uninhibited vamp. Skeeve, meanwhile, continues to evolve from earnest, thoughtful, and naive hero caught in something greater than his world to generic bumbling hero, a step that strips a first-person narrative from its sympathetic and amusing overtones.
The plotting felt random at times, moving from dimension to dimension and introducing a new obstacle only out of sheer need to keep the storyline going, and while the narrative was good enough to keep me reading, it wasn't enough to cover up this pacing flaw. There were also moments, particularly in the last twenty pages, where I was utterly lost as to what was happening because the description of the action was too confusing, but I had no interest in studying it more closely in order to comprehend. The wrap-up also seemed unrealistic in that where there should have been cries for blood and vengeance, everyone suddenly became relatively understanding and amiable toward one another. The characters of the supposed antagonists were altered in order to satisfy the conclusion of the plot.
Still, the narrative, as noted, was relatively satisfying, and the jokes, if not the usual kind for the series, were generally amusing. Had this been the only book in the series I'd read, however, I wouldn't pick up another, which brings in the question again of whether or not it is worth continuing. I am significantly leery and will end it for now, but might try the next on a lark one day.
The tenor of the book is far different from the original seven or eight volumes, which is perhaps the greatest disappointment. Asprin had managed in those old novels to blend a sense of playfulness and crisis. Here, the crisis is present, but the playfulness is not. That is not to say that there is no humor. There are numerous attempts at it, and many of them succeed, but with a different feel. Some are simply subtler such as the inclusion of "Wensely" and "Gouda", which would normally be fine were it not for the fact that the Myth series has heretofore been entirely blunt. You don't go in looking for subtle. Other jokes simply entered into realms that felt awkward for Asprin's characters and universe such as pushing Tananda from the role of occasional seductress into wholly uninhibited vamp. Skeeve, meanwhile, continues to evolve from earnest, thoughtful, and naive hero caught in something greater than his world to generic bumbling hero, a step that strips a first-person narrative from its sympathetic and amusing overtones.
The plotting felt random at times, moving from dimension to dimension and introducing a new obstacle only out of sheer need to keep the storyline going, and while the narrative was good enough to keep me reading, it wasn't enough to cover up this pacing flaw. There were also moments, particularly in the last twenty pages, where I was utterly lost as to what was happening because the description of the action was too confusing, but I had no interest in studying it more closely in order to comprehend. The wrap-up also seemed unrealistic in that where there should have been cries for blood and vengeance, everyone suddenly became relatively understanding and amiable toward one another. The characters of the supposed antagonists were altered in order to satisfy the conclusion of the plot.
Still, the narrative, as noted, was relatively satisfying, and the jokes, if not the usual kind for the series, were generally amusing. Had this been the only book in the series I'd read, however, I wouldn't pick up another, which brings in the question again of whether or not it is worth continuing. I am significantly leery and will end it for now, but might try the next on a lark one day.
December 12, 2016
I resisted going this far into the Myth Adventures series. Even when I was younger, I felt like the books became less and less charming as they went along, and after so many years had passed and Asprin returned to the series with a co-writer, I felt like the magic would be gone. But I'm a sucker for an unfinished series, and someone did tell me these books were better than I would think. What I should have done was reflect on how bad I thought they would be and ask if they could be worse.
Well, it turns out my initial thoughts were correct. This book doesn't even feel like Myth Adventures book. I expect that Nye wrote the bulk of the book based off of Asprin's notes, because nothing about the book feels anything like the older ones. The last two books in the solo Asprin books were a let-down, but they still read and felt like Myth Adventures books. Myth Alliances feels like someone trying to pick up someone else's series and hoping for the best. Which, I guess, is exactly what it is.
How could this book go so wrong? Well, Skeeve makes a gross assumption about the antagonists who aren't really antagonists, the plot and jokes feel forced, and the dialogue falls flat. It doesn't help that the illustrations don't have the whimsical nature of Phil Foglio's, partly because they're computer generated, but mostly because they look remarkable lifelike (well, the humans do, at least; you can see how bizarre the Pervects on the cover look). The story is boring, since the entire thing hinges on the fact that the conflict is a big misunderstanding on Skeeve's part. It's one thing when it's not quite clear from the get-go, but the story meanders from Skeeve as the narrator to a third-person omniscient narrator to get the Pervects' points of view, so we know from about the third chapter what's going on. The entire thing feels frustrating, and worse, pointless.
The authors manage to pull everything together for the ending, but maybe I was just so happy to see the end of the story that I mixed up the source of my emotions. It's definitely the worst of the bunch so far, and it's an inauspicious start to reading the second half of the series. I'm still planning on finishing out the series (I already bought the dang books), but so far my feeling is that fans should just stick with books one through twelve (omitting the eleventh one).
Well, it turns out my initial thoughts were correct. This book doesn't even feel like Myth Adventures book. I expect that Nye wrote the bulk of the book based off of Asprin's notes, because nothing about the book feels anything like the older ones. The last two books in the solo Asprin books were a let-down, but they still read and felt like Myth Adventures books. Myth Alliances feels like someone trying to pick up someone else's series and hoping for the best. Which, I guess, is exactly what it is.
How could this book go so wrong? Well, Skeeve makes a gross assumption about the antagonists who aren't really antagonists, the plot and jokes feel forced, and the dialogue falls flat. It doesn't help that the illustrations don't have the whimsical nature of Phil Foglio's, partly because they're computer generated, but mostly because they look remarkable lifelike (well, the humans do, at least; you can see how bizarre the Pervects on the cover look). The story is boring, since the entire thing hinges on the fact that the conflict is a big misunderstanding on Skeeve's part. It's one thing when it's not quite clear from the get-go, but the story meanders from Skeeve as the narrator to a third-person omniscient narrator to get the Pervects' points of view, so we know from about the third chapter what's going on. The entire thing feels frustrating, and worse, pointless.
The authors manage to pull everything together for the ending, but maybe I was just so happy to see the end of the story that I mixed up the source of my emotions. It's definitely the worst of the bunch so far, and it's an inauspicious start to reading the second half of the series. I'm still planning on finishing out the series (I already bought the dang books), but so far my feeling is that fans should just stick with books one through twelve (omitting the eleventh one).
December 9, 2021
The later books in the Myth series, once Jody Lynn Nye teamed up with Robert Asprin unfortunately are far less entertaining than the first 12 books. On the surface, Myth Alliances seems to fit the same mold of comic adventures earlier books in the series has. The Great Skeeve is still learning to be the mighty magician that his reputation has established, but his heart and verve still serve him well and set him apart from the more cutthroat competition. But at the same time, the nature of the situations he finds himself in seem to be more silly and designed to deliver more and more puns, than previously, rather than dealing more with the humor of the situation (and just a little bit of puns). It doesn't help that the puns simply aren't all too funny and come across as forced.
As for the specific story, Skeeve has isolated himself to actually study magic, on his backwater homeworld. Despite that plan, he's interrupted by a desperate petitioner, seeking the Great Skeeve's help. A timid goat like humanoid, a Wuhse. (get it - they're timid and wusses, the puns just write themselves...they just aren't funny ones really). Skeeve naturally wants to help and calls up some of the old gang he left behind (a mere few pages ago at the end of the previous book), gathers who he can to help, and somehow also gains a new companion, the completely silly self-help writer who everyone but Skeeve has heard about, and who's advice isn't in any way helpful.
So off Skeeve goes, scouting out the problem, learning that while yes, there's a ruthless group of creatures who've taken over the dimension of Wuhs, and they're formidable, the bigger problem is the Wuhses themselves being unable to really help themselves from their foolish nature. But plans are made, a few fail, a few have limited success, and eventually everyone becomes friends and is happy. That's pretty much it - there's the introduction of computers and some mild social commentary on commercialism, but it's not really worth it, and having computers and technology in the magical multiverse of the Myth series is a big let down. The fun and magic of the series is what's inviting, it doesn't need or benefit from the introduction of technology like this.
As for the specific story, Skeeve has isolated himself to actually study magic, on his backwater homeworld. Despite that plan, he's interrupted by a desperate petitioner, seeking the Great Skeeve's help. A timid goat like humanoid, a Wuhse. (get it - they're timid and wusses, the puns just write themselves...they just aren't funny ones really). Skeeve naturally wants to help and calls up some of the old gang he left behind (a mere few pages ago at the end of the previous book), gathers who he can to help, and somehow also gains a new companion, the completely silly self-help writer who everyone but Skeeve has heard about, and who's advice isn't in any way helpful.
So off Skeeve goes, scouting out the problem, learning that while yes, there's a ruthless group of creatures who've taken over the dimension of Wuhs, and they're formidable, the bigger problem is the Wuhses themselves being unable to really help themselves from their foolish nature. But plans are made, a few fail, a few have limited success, and eventually everyone becomes friends and is happy. That's pretty much it - there's the introduction of computers and some mild social commentary on commercialism, but it's not really worth it, and having computers and technology in the magical multiverse of the Myth series is a big let down. The fun and magic of the series is what's inviting, it doesn't need or benefit from the introduction of technology like this.
November 25, 2015
This was the first new book in the Myth Adventure series for a long while, and marks the start of the collaboration between Robert Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye. Despite the usual characters being present the style of the book is a marked contrast to the earlier ones in the series. Normally most are from Skeeve's point of view, but this was a bit of a jumble with regards whose viewpoint is being used at different stages in the story.
There are some welcome additions to the usual characters, and some have been briefly met in the collection of short stories (Myth Told Tales). Initially the book was quite slow and cumbersome, maybe the co-writers were feeling their way, and it took until about halfway for the tale to begin unfolding.
Some might say that this was a welcome addition to the series, but others may well argue that it is a pale imitation. For me it was a book to enjoy, and to see how things evolve.
There are some welcome additions to the usual characters, and some have been briefly met in the collection of short stories (Myth Told Tales). Initially the book was quite slow and cumbersome, maybe the co-writers were feeling their way, and it took until about halfway for the tale to begin unfolding.
Some might say that this was a welcome addition to the series, but others may well argue that it is a pale imitation. For me it was a book to enjoy, and to see how things evolve.
May 9, 2020
I just really like these characters. Not a whole bunch of new territory covered its still funny and genuine
August 3, 2022
MYTH INC and Me
A million years back, my older brother picked up a fantasy comedy novel, one that he heard was pretty good, and in typical fashion right after he finished it, I picked it up, and then our younger brother. Our parents loved when we did this, and then discussed and debated the books endlessly. This kept on with this one series until years later, when the writer kinda went into more depressing territory and the books became less fun, more of a chore.
So I stopped reading them, while my brothers kept going, and I had no clue how many books were coming out. But a year or so back I grabbed most of the rest of the series from them and plunged back in.
Now this was an experience.
So what I am babbling about is The Myth Inc Series by the late author Robert Asprin, a fantasy comedy which starts off a medieval place called Klahd, which is pronounced Clod, and a young man named Skeeve who is being trained as a magician. His master pulls a trick, and is then promptly assassinated, and suddenly Skeeve is left to deal with a green scaly demon man his master conjured up. Turns out, he is an old friend of the wizard, and has been left powerless by the trick. Aahz, which is pronounced Oz and is no relation, agrees to team up as Master and Apprentice with Skeeve.
Thus begins an interesting partnership, as Skeeve and Aahz get a pet dragon, fight a war for a kingdom, join the mob but do no moblike stuff, hop from dimension to dimension, meet vampires, play dragon poker, and meet a ton of new allies who fast become friends. We get the sexy Tanda the assassin, her brother Chumley the troll, Guido and Nunzio Skeeve’s mob bodyguards, and even more and more as the series progresses. And we get pun filled titles like Myth Conceptions and Little Myth Marker. By the time we reach M.Y.T.H. Inc Link, Asprin decides to switch the narrator from Skeeve to all sorts of the rest of the cast. It is a nice switch up for the series, but could not stop the mountains of subplots spinning everywhere and how stuff had become depressing in some places.
However one thread that was a bright spot all along was the occasional cartoon, showing scenes from the story, in the trade paperbacks by Phil Foglio, who also did the comics adaptation of the first book.
Where I exactly left off from decades ago was my first challenge, and a reread of M.Y.T.H. Inc In Action reveals I left this one two chapters short of finishing. The re-invasion of the kingdom has been settled, largely thanks to Guido and Nunzio joining the army and sabotaging it from the inside.
With a whole bunch of subplots resolved, we move into my first completely new read of the series this century, Sweet Myth-tery of Life, where Skeeve has brought Aahz back from his dimension of Perv after they had a big falling out. Now Skeeve has received a marriage proposal from Queen Hemlock and goes back to wondering about love. Oh, and he needs to fix the kingdoms finances. And more subplots get resolved. But it is also gets kinda repetitive.
Which leads to Something M.Y.T.H. Inc, where the multiple narrator shtick is back as the kingdom is in rebellion against the tyrant who raised taxes, that evil one time Court Magician Skeeve! The Myth gang set out to quell the insurrections, who are remarkedly like Zorro and Robin Hood, and not let Skeeve know what is going on. This one takes place at the same time as the last one. And this one starts off really really good, then falls apart. And all the subplots get figured out and Skeeve moves into a new place in life, so that the series can rebuild, which leads to….
Myth-Ion Improbable, a flashback tale to Skeeve and Aahz and Tanda going on a treasure hunt in a far off dimension. It is cute at best. And the big relaunch happens with….
Myth-Told Tales. Or not. Asprin gets an official co-writer here with Jody Lynn Nye, and the many narrators idea is back, but it is really just short stories. It is a mixed bag, like any collection, and still like treading water until whatever the new reality is. Methinks Asprin and Nye may not have hit it off right away, and this format was a compromise just to keep the Myth series going. Nye has a track record as a writer before this book, and I believe a real affection for these characters, so I kinda wish Asprin would just hand the series over to her, since he seems not so into it.
Myth Alliances is a Skeeve without Aahz book, where Skeeve and Bunny, his sexy and super smart assistant, have to free the dimension of Wuhses from a group of Perv business women who have become dictators. Or have they? This one starts very promising, then keeps going on and on, but still gives a pretty spectacular ending.
This leads to the Aahz centered book Myth-Taken Identity, where he finds out someone has stolen Skeeve’s id and is wrecking his good name in the mall dimension. No one does that to his former apprentice and good friend! This one is just like the last one, starts off well, meanders quite abit, then finishes strong.
It feels like Nye takes over more with Class Dis-Mythed, where Skeeve is asked by various people to teach a whole bunch of apprentices in magic. It is a learning curve for Skeeve, and one for the students, and we get a whole bunch of cameos from other characters from the series, some being very very surprising. Their is a secret the students are keeping through, which leads to the surprise ending chapters. I really dig the new characters and hope they make reappearances in future books.
So it seems like whatever Asprin and Nye got working, is really working, and Myth-Gotten Gains is proof of that. Aahz finds a magic talking sword in a bazaar and is promised money AND getting his powers back if he helps find his family of magical objects. Turns out they are The Golden Hoard, an ancient and all powerful group who don’t really get along. Aahz and Tanda travel all over, find the Flute and the Purse and the Book and the Crystal Ball. And Aahz and Tanda are completely driven crazy by the Hoard’s constant bickering and insults and attitude. I loved these new additions and their banter read in my head like a Monty Python skit.
This new groove moves us into Myth-Chief, where Skeeve comes back to adventuring and his Myth Inc aren’t all happy. So eventually Skeeve and Aahz have a contest with two competing but not so competing goals, to save a kingdom from financial ruin. Unfortunately, this one backslides to being too long, unfocused, and only one part of the ending making sense. Their is hope, since the new dynamic of Myth n Inc is finally in place here.
This is also the last one my brothers got, but Asprin and Nye gave us one more with Myth-Fortunes, and then suddenly Asprin passed away. Nye continued on with Myth-Quoted and Myth-Fits. I have no idea what happens in these volumes, or how these go generally with Nye fully in charge.
Even with the mixed results of this catchup, I am still glad I did it. It was nice to see how these old friends were doing, and seeing that they were in good hands with Nye. I think Asprin would be happy. And my brothers and I can debate this endlessly as well.
Scoopriches
A million years back, my older brother picked up a fantasy comedy novel, one that he heard was pretty good, and in typical fashion right after he finished it, I picked it up, and then our younger brother. Our parents loved when we did this, and then discussed and debated the books endlessly. This kept on with this one series until years later, when the writer kinda went into more depressing territory and the books became less fun, more of a chore.
So I stopped reading them, while my brothers kept going, and I had no clue how many books were coming out. But a year or so back I grabbed most of the rest of the series from them and plunged back in.
Now this was an experience.
So what I am babbling about is The Myth Inc Series by the late author Robert Asprin, a fantasy comedy which starts off a medieval place called Klahd, which is pronounced Clod, and a young man named Skeeve who is being trained as a magician. His master pulls a trick, and is then promptly assassinated, and suddenly Skeeve is left to deal with a green scaly demon man his master conjured up. Turns out, he is an old friend of the wizard, and has been left powerless by the trick. Aahz, which is pronounced Oz and is no relation, agrees to team up as Master and Apprentice with Skeeve.
Thus begins an interesting partnership, as Skeeve and Aahz get a pet dragon, fight a war for a kingdom, join the mob but do no moblike stuff, hop from dimension to dimension, meet vampires, play dragon poker, and meet a ton of new allies who fast become friends. We get the sexy Tanda the assassin, her brother Chumley the troll, Guido and Nunzio Skeeve’s mob bodyguards, and even more and more as the series progresses. And we get pun filled titles like Myth Conceptions and Little Myth Marker. By the time we reach M.Y.T.H. Inc Link, Asprin decides to switch the narrator from Skeeve to all sorts of the rest of the cast. It is a nice switch up for the series, but could not stop the mountains of subplots spinning everywhere and how stuff had become depressing in some places.
However one thread that was a bright spot all along was the occasional cartoon, showing scenes from the story, in the trade paperbacks by Phil Foglio, who also did the comics adaptation of the first book.
Where I exactly left off from decades ago was my first challenge, and a reread of M.Y.T.H. Inc In Action reveals I left this one two chapters short of finishing. The re-invasion of the kingdom has been settled, largely thanks to Guido and Nunzio joining the army and sabotaging it from the inside.
With a whole bunch of subplots resolved, we move into my first completely new read of the series this century, Sweet Myth-tery of Life, where Skeeve has brought Aahz back from his dimension of Perv after they had a big falling out. Now Skeeve has received a marriage proposal from Queen Hemlock and goes back to wondering about love. Oh, and he needs to fix the kingdoms finances. And more subplots get resolved. But it is also gets kinda repetitive.
Which leads to Something M.Y.T.H. Inc, where the multiple narrator shtick is back as the kingdom is in rebellion against the tyrant who raised taxes, that evil one time Court Magician Skeeve! The Myth gang set out to quell the insurrections, who are remarkedly like Zorro and Robin Hood, and not let Skeeve know what is going on. This one takes place at the same time as the last one. And this one starts off really really good, then falls apart. And all the subplots get figured out and Skeeve moves into a new place in life, so that the series can rebuild, which leads to….
Myth-Ion Improbable, a flashback tale to Skeeve and Aahz and Tanda going on a treasure hunt in a far off dimension. It is cute at best. And the big relaunch happens with….
Myth-Told Tales. Or not. Asprin gets an official co-writer here with Jody Lynn Nye, and the many narrators idea is back, but it is really just short stories. It is a mixed bag, like any collection, and still like treading water until whatever the new reality is. Methinks Asprin and Nye may not have hit it off right away, and this format was a compromise just to keep the Myth series going. Nye has a track record as a writer before this book, and I believe a real affection for these characters, so I kinda wish Asprin would just hand the series over to her, since he seems not so into it.
Myth Alliances is a Skeeve without Aahz book, where Skeeve and Bunny, his sexy and super smart assistant, have to free the dimension of Wuhses from a group of Perv business women who have become dictators. Or have they? This one starts very promising, then keeps going on and on, but still gives a pretty spectacular ending.
This leads to the Aahz centered book Myth-Taken Identity, where he finds out someone has stolen Skeeve’s id and is wrecking his good name in the mall dimension. No one does that to his former apprentice and good friend! This one is just like the last one, starts off well, meanders quite abit, then finishes strong.
It feels like Nye takes over more with Class Dis-Mythed, where Skeeve is asked by various people to teach a whole bunch of apprentices in magic. It is a learning curve for Skeeve, and one for the students, and we get a whole bunch of cameos from other characters from the series, some being very very surprising. Their is a secret the students are keeping through, which leads to the surprise ending chapters. I really dig the new characters and hope they make reappearances in future books.
So it seems like whatever Asprin and Nye got working, is really working, and Myth-Gotten Gains is proof of that. Aahz finds a magic talking sword in a bazaar and is promised money AND getting his powers back if he helps find his family of magical objects. Turns out they are The Golden Hoard, an ancient and all powerful group who don’t really get along. Aahz and Tanda travel all over, find the Flute and the Purse and the Book and the Crystal Ball. And Aahz and Tanda are completely driven crazy by the Hoard’s constant bickering and insults and attitude. I loved these new additions and their banter read in my head like a Monty Python skit.
This new groove moves us into Myth-Chief, where Skeeve comes back to adventuring and his Myth Inc aren’t all happy. So eventually Skeeve and Aahz have a contest with two competing but not so competing goals, to save a kingdom from financial ruin. Unfortunately, this one backslides to being too long, unfocused, and only one part of the ending making sense. Their is hope, since the new dynamic of Myth n Inc is finally in place here.
This is also the last one my brothers got, but Asprin and Nye gave us one more with Myth-Fortunes, and then suddenly Asprin passed away. Nye continued on with Myth-Quoted and Myth-Fits. I have no idea what happens in these volumes, or how these go generally with Nye fully in charge.
Even with the mixed results of this catchup, I am still glad I did it. It was nice to see how these old friends were doing, and seeing that they were in good hands with Nye. I think Asprin would be happy. And my brothers and I can debate this endlessly as well.
Scoopriches
August 26, 2016
Re-read in December 2013 as part of my self-prescribed MYTH-marathon. Myth Alliances was new to me, because (in the interest of honesty) I had given up on the series the first time around after Myth-ion Improbable.
This is clearly a Jody Lynn Nye-novel if you look at the structure, narrator's voice and other style elements.
Is it bad (because Robert Asprin had obviously little to do with it)? Not at all. It's different, but MYTH could/can use new ideas at this stage. However, it's longer than an Asprin MYTH-novel, and that is a major weakness of this particular title: Nye's timing does not work (yet) and this long form does not work well for this type of humour (again, yet - maybe it will in her future Myth-novels).
The puns are - as always - mostly heavy-handed (Wuhses, Gouda & Wensley[dale]) just like fans of the series seem to prefer it, but there are also some subtle ones: Just compare the physical description of the author of "Imps Are From Imper, Deveels Are From Deva" with the name of the author of the nonsense it is modelled on ... and add to that the meaning of the word Zol in South Africa ...
"Myth Alliances" does have its flaws, but (again) I'm quite surprised to see so many negative reviews. Come on, guys ... to misquote W.C. Fields: Give a Sucker an Even Break.
On to the next one.
This is clearly a Jody Lynn Nye-novel if you look at the structure, narrator's voice and other style elements.
Is it bad (because Robert Asprin had obviously little to do with it)? Not at all. It's different, but MYTH could/can use new ideas at this stage. However, it's longer than an Asprin MYTH-novel, and that is a major weakness of this particular title: Nye's timing does not work (yet) and this long form does not work well for this type of humour (again, yet - maybe it will in her future Myth-novels).
The puns are - as always - mostly heavy-handed (Wuhses, Gouda & Wensley[dale]) just like fans of the series seem to prefer it, but there are also some subtle ones: Just compare the physical description of the author of "Imps Are From Imper, Deveels Are From Deva" with the name of the author of the nonsense it is modelled on ... and add to that the meaning of the word Zol in South Africa ...
"Myth Alliances" does have its flaws, but (again) I'm quite surprised to see so many negative reviews. Come on, guys ... to misquote W.C. Fields: Give a Sucker an Even Break.
On to the next one.
December 8, 2012
After 12 short novels and a small short story collection, you'd think I'd be tired of the Myth books. I'll be honest, I'm not sure why I'm not. Maybe because I've read them over the past 12 years, I dunno. They're a little formulaic, but not so much as to make me really notice it while reading. The characters and their interactions make me smile, and I guess that's the important thing.
The first novel Asprin co-written with Nye, I think this felt like a decent Myth book. The series has always been more of a cute, pun-oriented romp than laugh-out loud funny satire. This time, a strange race of sheep-people have to cow-toe to a group of 10 females Perverts (er, Pervects) with no small magical prowess of their own. Throw in his cohorts (a female troll (a trollop), a baby dragon, a femme fatale accountant, and the Impish author of Imps Are From Imper, Deveels Are From Deva), and you've got the recipe for a Myth tale. I can't say this was one of my very favorites, but I enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the next.
The first novel Asprin co-written with Nye, I think this felt like a decent Myth book. The series has always been more of a cute, pun-oriented romp than laugh-out loud funny satire. This time, a strange race of sheep-people have to cow-toe to a group of 10 females Perverts (er, Pervects) with no small magical prowess of their own. Throw in his cohorts (a female troll (a trollop), a baby dragon, a femme fatale accountant, and the Impish author of Imps Are From Imper, Deveels Are From Deva), and you've got the recipe for a Myth tale. I can't say this was one of my very favorites, but I enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the next.
November 4, 2010
I really, really wanted to love this book. I've been a fan of Skeeve and Aahz since Steve introduced them to me 20+ years ago. To me, the writing often felt forced, and there was a lot more attention paid to the 'antagonists' than I've previously seen in this series. The pace felt a bit slow until the climax, and then the ending seemed somewhat abrupt.
That said, it was still enjoyable, but I think if this were my introduction to the Mythadventures series I'd not have read all the books.
I'll give the Asprin/Nye team a few more shots. They deserve it. The characters are extremely entertaining.
That said, it was still enjoyable, but I think if this were my introduction to the Mythadventures series I'd not have read all the books.
I'll give the Asprin/Nye team a few more shots. They deserve it. The characters are extremely entertaining.
August 29, 2016
Sadly this was not the fun read I have come to expect from Myth Adventures. Skeeve is his usual naiive and good natured self, but almost all the other players are annoyingly dislikeable and unreliable. Skeeve puts trust in the wrong people and doesn't listen to his own instincts once to often and thus creates more damage than help. This wouldn't have been a huge problem if the story read faster or there had been more laughs, but as it was it was just some clever ideas strewn into a lot of boring content.
Sorry to say that.
This is the first of many collaborations so hopefully the others turned out better.
Sorry to say that.
This is the first of many collaborations so hopefully the others turned out better.
August 12, 2013
Totally readable, and a shade of the characters from earlier in the series remains. But somehow the magic was gone... the plot of this never quite congealed. All the characters in it are kind of unlikeable and, frankly and above all, stupid. As other reviews have pointed out, the book seemed to have a lot of different things it was trying to satirize, but not enough of the blows landed. A shame ... if you're a fan of earlier books in the series, no harm in reading this, and it seemed to set up some structural elements for later work.
May 7, 2007
I don't know why I keep reading this series. Nostalgia I guess. The book was, as usual, a fast read. And it had some good puns. But the plots are very simplistic and the characters are mere caricatures. The series was fun as a young teen, and maybe still is for that age group even though I no longer meet that description.
July 6, 2019
The Myth Inc. journey continues, sort of.
At least Skeeve, Tananda, Bunny, and Gleep were out dimension hopping and problem solving in this adventure. The rest of the cast remained in the background (more like beginning and end of the book for continuity purposes.)
It was enjoyable, somewhat, to be along for the ride. However, this time out seemed more (in scope, story size, and # of characters) and yet less in character, perhaps depth or maybe even development.
Tried and true puns were in full force throughout from the helpless Wuhs (a sheep like race) in need of assistance, to computer-esque naming conventions and technologies. Maybe a little too on the nose for me.
I had more concern with the lack of storytelling and character development from the perspective of the Pervect Ten. A group of ten business minded Pervects that are also sisters. But when the best descriptions for this many, dare I say, "bad guys", is at best the following:
Caitlin – youngest by 20 years, data analyst, smallest
Charilor – stocky young female
Niki - technophile
Oshleen – tall willowy, wears a floor length silk gown
Tenobia – shorter than Oshleen
Loorna – dressed in black
Paldine – rational? Pristine and elegant with a two piece skirt suit with a flower scarf pinned at the shoulder (sales brochure preparer/marketer)
Vergetta -elderly (dress and cane, speaks like an old New Jersey grandmother -ish)
Nedira – plump, short
Monishone – oldest Pervect, best magician, slender delicate built, blue silk robes clashed with green scales (technophobe)
But this was (after going back and re-reading) the best for each of these characters, and you, as the reader, get to judge accordingly as to how to visualize and treat said characters within this misdirected collaboration of authors. The idea of a "perfect 10"(pun intended) was welcome but vastly underdeveloped and didn't enhance the story, rather than hinder the pacing and relevance. Perhaps a numerical shout out to Myth-ians.
Another attempt to expand non-Myth Inc. characters was Zol Icty, self help author, invited to assist Skeeve and company. Although, he was also used to introduce the techno aspect, and related puns, Zol just seemed to be the counter punch to how a normal person would react situationally, thus causing storyline confusion. Nothing bad about Zol, I just tired of his celebrity-ness rather quickly. "I have read all of your books." said too many people in this story. I am more intrigued as to the real world basis for this character could be. First guess, comes as John Gray, based on the variation of his "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" book title, as shown on the novel cover as "Imps are from Imper, Deveels are from Deva". Yet the naming convention is more eye catching, as if there is a pun or anagram of some sort.
I am invested in the Myth Family as created by Aspirin and greatly enjoyed these characters to date, and will continue to read of their exploits as told by Aspirin & Nye through Myth-Chief. I am grateful that Myth Inc. was reinvigorated at least in the interim but know full well that time is fleeting.
At least Skeeve, Tananda, Bunny, and Gleep were out dimension hopping and problem solving in this adventure. The rest of the cast remained in the background (more like beginning and end of the book for continuity purposes.)
It was enjoyable, somewhat, to be along for the ride. However, this time out seemed more (in scope, story size, and # of characters) and yet less in character, perhaps depth or maybe even development.
Tried and true puns were in full force throughout from the helpless Wuhs (a sheep like race) in need of assistance, to computer-esque naming conventions and technologies. Maybe a little too on the nose for me.
I had more concern with the lack of storytelling and character development from the perspective of the Pervect Ten. A group of ten business minded Pervects that are also sisters. But when the best descriptions for this many, dare I say, "bad guys", is at best the following:
Caitlin – youngest by 20 years, data analyst, smallest
Charilor – stocky young female
Niki - technophile
Oshleen – tall willowy, wears a floor length silk gown
Tenobia – shorter than Oshleen
Loorna – dressed in black
Paldine – rational? Pristine and elegant with a two piece skirt suit with a flower scarf pinned at the shoulder (sales brochure preparer/marketer)
Vergetta -elderly (dress and cane, speaks like an old New Jersey grandmother -ish)
Nedira – plump, short
Monishone – oldest Pervect, best magician, slender delicate built, blue silk robes clashed with green scales (technophobe)
But this was (after going back and re-reading) the best for each of these characters, and you, as the reader, get to judge accordingly as to how to visualize and treat said characters within this misdirected collaboration of authors. The idea of a "perfect 10"(pun intended) was welcome but vastly underdeveloped and didn't enhance the story, rather than hinder the pacing and relevance. Perhaps a numerical shout out to Myth-ians.
Another attempt to expand non-Myth Inc. characters was Zol Icty, self help author, invited to assist Skeeve and company. Although, he was also used to introduce the techno aspect, and related puns, Zol just seemed to be the counter punch to how a normal person would react situationally, thus causing storyline confusion. Nothing bad about Zol, I just tired of his celebrity-ness rather quickly. "I have read all of your books." said too many people in this story. I am more intrigued as to the real world basis for this character could be. First guess, comes as John Gray, based on the variation of his "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" book title, as shown on the novel cover as "Imps are from Imper, Deveels are from Deva". Yet the naming convention is more eye catching, as if there is a pun or anagram of some sort.
I am invested in the Myth Family as created by Aspirin and greatly enjoyed these characters to date, and will continue to read of their exploits as told by Aspirin & Nye through Myth-Chief. I am grateful that Myth Inc. was reinvigorated at least in the interim but know full well that time is fleeting.
October 15, 2022
Very obviously written by Nye, except for the chapter quotes. Pretty dull story about a dimension called Wuhs, where the denizens are like sheep and can’t say no to anything. The Pervect Ten, a group of female pervects, have been hired to help the Wuhs’ get out of financial trouble but the Wuhs’ changed their minds and want them to leave. So it goes back and forth between Skeeve in the first person and then the PT in the third person and right away you find out the PT are just doing their jobs and the Wuh’s just suck. So literally all Skeeve would’ve had to do was just talk to them, but no, we need a whole book of Bunny following Skeeve around and gazing at him adoringly (literally!!! She even “coos” at him at several points); Tananda just fucking everything she sees, and Skeeve being full of himself while simultaneously patting himself on the back for not being full of himself. But Gleep’s in it a lot (he saves them all by farting), and Skeeve keeps coming back to Klah to check on his animals, so that’s a saving grace. Here’s notes I made while I was reading it
s Gleep green or blue???? Fucking pick one
Given the fact that Aahz was stunned when Tananda gave him a D hopper in one of the first books and they’re apparently quite rare, it seems like everyone has one and they’re no longer special.
List of things Skeeve doesn’t know despite knowing about them in previous books:
Shark
“Tied up”
Television
Computers
“I’ll paint her wagon just before I fix it for good!” How…how is that a threat? I mean, my wagons been broken for nigh on a month; I’d love it if you painted it and fixed it up for me; that’s really thoughtful of you
“That’s the vitners, and that’s the healers…very helpful after you’ve been to the vitners…” I looked it up and it’s a type of potato chip they sell in Chicago. Just in case you weren’t sure that Nye pretty much wrote the entire thing
I hate that there’s coMputers and other “real” technology. That’s not why I read fantasy.
So he’s in a place where his magic doesn’t work, therefore the translator pendant doesn’t work, yet he can understand everyone? Even after it was pointed out that the translator pendant doesn’t work?
All the crap with the pervect ten needs to go. It adds nothing to the story.
s Gleep green or blue???? Fucking pick one
Given the fact that Aahz was stunned when Tananda gave him a D hopper in one of the first books and they’re apparently quite rare, it seems like everyone has one and they’re no longer special.
List of things Skeeve doesn’t know despite knowing about them in previous books:
Shark
“Tied up”
Television
Computers
“I’ll paint her wagon just before I fix it for good!” How…how is that a threat? I mean, my wagons been broken for nigh on a month; I’d love it if you painted it and fixed it up for me; that’s really thoughtful of you
“That’s the vitners, and that’s the healers…very helpful after you’ve been to the vitners…” I looked it up and it’s a type of potato chip they sell in Chicago. Just in case you weren’t sure that Nye pretty much wrote the entire thing
I hate that there’s coMputers and other “real” technology. That’s not why I read fantasy.
So he’s in a place where his magic doesn’t work, therefore the translator pendant doesn’t work, yet he can understand everyone? Even after it was pointed out that the translator pendant doesn’t work?
All the crap with the pervect ten needs to go. It adds nothing to the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
After not being that fond of the short stories that preceded this, I was happy to find that it was a good novel. There is a noticeable difference from the Asprin-only books, but it's not a bad change. It felt a little more fleshed out than Aprin's books but it still read quickly and easily with a lot of laughs and charm. What kind of grated on me, though, was the Pervects suddenly throwing Yiddish around. I realize that Nye is likely Jewish and nothing bad was intended, but I wish she'd thought a little harder about hanging markers of Ashkenazic culture off of a species that represents a number of the more negative stereotypes about our people.
May 4, 2019
Skeeve's self-imposed 'sabbatical' to improve his magic is disrupted when a sheepish demon knocks on his door and asks for help. His dimension is being enslaved by ten female Pervects, he claims, and he's come to beg Skeeve to free his people.
This remains a fun series. I see no obvious, or at least glaring difference between these later books and the earlier ones written by Asprin alone. This one goes back on my shelf for another possible future reread when the mood strikes me.
This remains a fun series. I see no obvious, or at least glaring difference between these later books and the earlier ones written by Asprin alone. This one goes back on my shelf for another possible future reread when the mood strikes me.
July 22, 2024
Book 13 of the Myth Adventures. This for once in a while was a Skeeve adventure. He is not the lead character for nothing and this has all the charm, adventure, sexual innuendo, and hilarity of the books so far. With all the misunderstanding of an episode of Three’s Company there is a strong lesson of how two people can see the same thing and form two different conclusions. This was a classic must not miss.
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
November 12, 2024
This was probably the worst MYTH book I've read.
Aazh was only in it at the very end for like a page or 2. I didn't realize it, or maybe I just didn't remember that he's integral to the MYTH books.
The Wuhses were the most boring character and very annoying, too!
TBH, the only reason I bothered to finish the book at all was because I've read so many of them, and I'm hoping they get better again.
Aazh was only in it at the very end for like a page or 2. I didn't realize it, or maybe I just didn't remember that he's integral to the MYTH books.
The Wuhses were the most boring character and very annoying, too!
TBH, the only reason I bothered to finish the book at all was because I've read so many of them, and I'm hoping they get better again.
December 10, 2023
Definitely not as good as the first parts of this series. Much too much back and forthing without much fun. Getting tired of some of the characters not moving on as well. All still stuck at the first stage of relationships even after all this time.
I'll keep reading, because it's a silly escape, but if I had started here I likely wouldn't.
I'll keep reading, because it's a silly escape, but if I had started here I likely wouldn't.
December 21, 2019
Эээээм. А почему явно читающегося недотраха стало больше, когда появилась соавтор?
А еще стало скучнее. Гораздо. В теории у меня есть еще четыре книжки из серии, но пока что я не уверена, что я смогу дочитать.
А еще стало скучнее. Гораздо. В теории у меня есть еще четыре книжки из серии, но пока что я не уверена, что я смогу дочитать.
July 6, 2022
Fantasy Adventure
This adventure revealed too much, too early.
With all that was revealed, this maybe should've have been written as part 1 & part 2 (different perspectives) leading to a final dual chapter.
This adventure revealed too much, too early.
With all that was revealed, this maybe should've have been written as part 1 & part 2 (different perspectives) leading to a final dual chapter.
February 13, 2024
My main issue with this was the length, could have been much shorter. My second issue is that Skeeve seems more like an idiot than usual, all the character growth he made in book 11 and 12 seem to have gone out the window.
Read
March 3, 2024I have a hard copy of this book, with a copy write of 1984. This is not the same book, but with the same title. My copy has the three books; Myth-ing persons, Little Myth Marker and M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link. I have no idea how two different books, by the same author have the same title.
March 16, 2025
Three and a half stars rounded up to four. Humorous fantasy with lots of painful puns. It's one of the series that I read, when I want a break from more serious fiction. It's the start of a new sub-series within the overall series and features many of the characters in the previous novels.
May 8, 2017
It's a good continuation with hilarous and big misunderstandings, feel a bit sorry for the Pervect Ten.
June 16, 2018
Mildly amusing, but kind of slow plot wise.
November 2, 2018
By the author of the Phule books, joined by a co-author here. If you like one of his books, you'll probably like this.
January 3, 2019
You could see part of what is coming but not how well it all turned out. I did not get into it at first but I am glad I finished it. Another Fine Myth.
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