The magical land of Xanth is in peril in this follow-up to Board
Stiff by New York Times-bestselling author Piers Anthony.
"It occurs to me that you folk are no ordinary group," the troll said.
"We're on a special mission to eliminate the last of the anti-pun
virus. We are a bit unusual."
Astrid Basilisk-Cockatrice is the daughter of anonymous parents who
whiled away a dull minute by generating her on a warm compost pile, then
went their own deadly ways, never to see her or each other again. She
found herself a soul, but her gaze is fatal and her touch is toxic.
That's not so strange in the Land of Xanth, where everyone has a unique
magical talent, and charms, curses, and enchanted puzzles lie around
every corner.
Now, Astrid and her companions are finishing the cleanup of a virus that
ravaged the puns of Xanth, and new Quests are already popping up. For
instance, Astrid is attempting to fulfill her mission in life, if only
she can figure out what that is. And then there's the missing Question
from the Good Magician's Book of Answers. Not to mention the small
matter of a Demon Wager regarding the impending destruction of Xanth.
But it's nothing Astrid and her motley crew of lovely maidens and
strapping men can't handle . . . they hope.
Piers Anthony delivers another tale set in the bestselling world of
Xanth, filled with magic, surprises, adventure, and a few puns. Here's
what the author has to say about his new book:
"Five Portraits is a kind of sequel to Board Stiff in that it picks
up where the other leaves off, with the same characters. Apart from
that, it's one of my favorites within the series. There's something
about Astrid Basilisk that appeals to me: a very pretty girl whose very
glance is deadly, yet she's a nice person whose selfless effort to save
five difficult children from future Xanth is thoroughly worthy. I also
like the theme of the power of unlikely friendship. Not just Xanth, but
Mundania, too, would be better if there were more such friendships."
