Myth Directions

Last updated
Cover of the first edition (published by Starblaze. Art by Phil Foglio. MythDirections.jpg
Cover of the first edition (published by Starblaze. Art by Phil Foglio.

Myth Directions is a 1982 fantasy novel by American writer Robert Asprin, the third novel in the MythAdventures series.

Contents

Plot synopsis

Tananda wanted to get Aahz a birthday present, so she decides to rope Skeeve in to help find her a unique present for Skeeve's mentor. After travelling through several dimensions Skeeve hasn't managed to eat anything on the journey so Tananda takes him to Jahk, a dimension where the people are either too skinny or are overweight. When they arrive in Jahk they find themselves in the middle of a celebration, which they later find out that Ta-hoe (the city where they are) has recently won "The Big Game". When Tananda sees the trophy she has a eureka moment and decides to steal it. But everything is not all that it seems. When they implement their plan they find the trophy gone and the alarms sounded! Skeeve manages to escape back to Klah (his home dimension) but, Tananda gets captured. After a brief explanation to Aahz the two of them head to Jahk to rescue Tanda.

They arrive back in Jahk and with the help of a native guide called Griffin they found out what happened to the trophy. The preparations for the upcoming war between Tahoe and Veygus (the city who Ta-hoe competes against in "The Big Game") seemed stupid to Skeeve, but Aahz was showing more respect than seemed imaginable towards the Jahks. They also found out that the magician who was holding Tananda captive. was actually Quigley (from Another Fine Myth ). Unfortunately Skeeve makes a rash promise which makes escape for Tananda a lot harder.

After that, Aahz and Skeeve went to Veygus to steal the trophy back. They went to the Veygus magician Massha to see what the security was like for the trophy. When they found out that they could only steal the trophy when it was on parade they created a diversion to make sure no-one was around when the stole the trophy.

After stealing the trophy Skeeve finally told Aahz why they tried to steal the trophy in the first place. When Aahz finds out he becomes very reluctant to part with it, but it gave him a plan. They beat the Jahks at their own game... literally.

After pulling a team together they play "The Big Game" against Ta-hoe and Veygus. In the game after Aahz "gets knocked out cold" Skeeve manages to get Tananda to play so they win 1 and a half to 1 and a half to 1.

Reception

Dave Langford reviewed Myth Directions for White Dwarf #40, and stated that "It's a harmless and quite likeable little book, and undemanding fantasy romp: Asprin does seem to be improving." [1]

Reviews

Related Research Articles

Fantasy comedy or comic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that is primarily humorous in intent and tone. Typically set in imaginary worlds, fantasy comedy often involves puns on, and parodies of, other works of fantasy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Asprin</span> American science fiction and fantasy author (1946–2008)

Robert Lynn Asprin was an American science fiction and fantasy author and active fan, known best for his humorous series MythAdventures and Phule's Company.

<i>Foundations Edge</i> 1982 novel by Isaac Asimov

Foundation's Edge (1982) is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the Foundation Series. It was written more than thirty years after the stories of the original Foundation trilogy, due to years of pressure by fans and editors on Asimov to write another, and, according to Asimov himself, the amount of the payment offered by the publisher. It was his first novel to ever land on The New York Times best-seller list, after 262 books and 44 years of writing.

<i>The Colour of Magic</i> 1983 Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett

The Colour of Magic is a 1983 fantasy comedy novel by Terry Pratchett, and is the first book of the Discworld series. The first printing of the British edition consisted of only 506 copies. Pratchett has described it as "an attempt to do for the classical fantasy universe what Blazing Saddles did for Westerns."

<i>The Integral Trees</i> 1984 science fiction novel by Larry Niven

The Integral Trees is a 1984 science fiction novel by American writer Larry Niven. Like much of Niven's work, the story is heavily influenced by the setting: a gas torus, a ring of air around a neutron star. A sequel, The Smoke Ring, was published in 1987.

<i>Thieves World</i> Shared world fantasy series by Robert Asprin

Thieves' World is a shared world fantasy series created by Robert Lynn Asprin in 1978. The original series comprised twelve anthologies, including stories by science fiction authors Poul Anderson, John Brunner, Andrew J. Offutt, C. J. Cherryh, Janet Morris, and Chris Morris.

<i>The Anubis Gates</i> 1983 time travel fantasy novel by Tim Powers

The Anubis Gates is a 1983 time travel fantasy novel by American writer Tim Powers. It won the 1983 Philip K. Dick Award and 1984 Science Fiction Chronicle Award. The plot concerns an English professor, who participates in a time travel experiment and ends up trapped in the 19th century. The novel was influenced by Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor and, to a lesser degree, the works of Charles Dickens.

<i>On a Pale Horse</i> 1983 fantasy novel by Piers Anthony

On a Pale Horse is a fantasy novel by Piers Anthony, first published in 1983. It is the first of eight books in the Incarnations of Immortality series. The book focuses on Zane, a photographer about to commit suicide who instead kills Death and must assume his office. The book spawned a five-issue comic series, released by Innovation Publishing from 1991 to 1993, but Innovation went out of business before releasing the sixth and final issue. It was also the inspiration for the television series, Dead Like Me, which worked on the premise that there are multiple Grim Reapers working the planet.

MythAdventures or Myth Adventures is a fantasy series created by Robert Lynn Asprin. After twelve novels by Asprin, published 1978 to 2002, he and Jody Lynn Nye continued the series with seven more books that they wrote together. After his death in May 2008, Nye has continued the series on her own.

<i>Another Fine Myth</i>

Another Fine Myth is a 1978 fantasy novel by American writer Robert Lynn Asprin, the first book in the Myth Adventures series.

<i>Sector General</i> (collection)

Sector General is a 1983 science fiction story collection by author James White and is part of the Sector General series. The book includes four stories.

<i>The Magicians of Caprona</i> 1980 childrens fantasy novel by Diana Wynne Jones

The Magicians of Caprona is a children's fantasy novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones published by MacMillan Children's Books in 1980. It was the second published of seven Chrestomanci books.

<i>Bimbos of the Death Sun</i> Book by Sharyn McCrumb

Bimbos of the Death Sun is a 1987 mystery novel by Sharyn McCrumb.

<i>X Stands for Unknown</i> Book by Isaac Asimov

'X' Stands for Unknown is a collection of seventeen nonfiction science essays written by Isaac Asimov. It was the seventeenth of a series of books collecting essays from The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, these being first published between January 1982 and May 1983. It was first published by Doubleday & Company in 1984.

<i>The Medusa Frequency</i>

The Medusa Frequency is a 1987 novel by Russell Hoban. Written in a lyrical, often magic realist style, it crosses a number of genres including comedy and fantasy. It uses the story of Orpheus to "meditate on art and reality and love and fear and fidelity and betrayal".

<i>Thieves World</i> (role-playing game) Fantasy tabletop role-playing game supplement

Thieves' World is a role-playing game supplement published by Chaosium in 1981, based on the Thieves' World series of novels. It was notable for including rules and statistics allowing for its use with nine different fantasy and science-fiction RPG gaming systems.

Wizards is a supplement for fantasy role-playing games published by Mayfair Games in 1983.

Myth Conceptions is a fantasy novel by American writer Robert Lynn Asprin published in 1981.

<i>Lyonesse</i> (novel) 1983 fantasy novel by Jack Vance

Lyonesse is a novel by Jack Vance published first in 1983.

<i>Sanctuary</i> (board game) Board game

Sanctuary is a board game published by Mayfair Games in 1982 that is based on Thieves' World.

References

  1. Langford, Dave (April 1983). "Critical Mass". White Dwarf . No. 40. Games Workshop. p. 15.
  2. "Title: Myth Directions".

Sources

  1. http://www.mythadventures.net/
  2. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/robert-asprin/myth-directions.htm