Xanth


Xanth, also known as The Magic of Xanth, is a series of fantasy novels by author Piers Anthony. The novels are set in the fantasy world of Xanth, a peninsula on which magic exists and every human has a magical talent. The books have been noted for their extensive use of wordplay and puns.
Anthony has stated that he has kept the series going as long as he has because the Xanth novels are "just about all that publishers want" from him.
Since the peak of its popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, the series has been criticized by many scholars and reviewers for what they characterize as misogynist and pedophilic undertones; one reviewer has called it the "most divisive non-media publishing enterprise in all of fantasy". Anthony has downplayed these critiques.
The series was optioned in 2017 for a film and TV series.

Setting

Inhabitants and talents

Each human character in Xanth is born with a unique magical ability, called a talent. With the exception of the curse fiends, the winged centaurs, and the child Surprise Golem, these abilities never repeat exactly in individuals throughout the entire history of Xanth. Though many talents are limited in scope, the series focuses mainly on individuals with "Magician" caliber abilities.
In addition to the human characters, Xanth is populated by elves, centaurs, demons, dragons, fauns, gargoyles, goblins, golems, harpies, merfolk, naga, nymphs, ogres, rocs, zombies, curse fiends and other fictional beasts. Though initially introduced as obstacles to the human characters, some individuals from those groups become main characters in later books of the series.
As the series progresses, some of the half-human species are discovered to have the potential to possess magical talents. The centaurs of the primary centaur community, Centaur Isle, exile any centaurs who demonstrate a magical talent ; however, they tolerate talents in "lesser" races such as humans. Goblins and harpies are shown to have the potential to possess half-talents, the complementary half existing in a member of the other species, ; the hostility between goblins and harpies proved a major obstacle to any serious effort by them to work together to develop these potential talents. Other non-human species are also known to possess talents, for example: Sesame Serpent and Claire Voyant. Visitors from other dimensions with talents retain their talents after arriving in Xanth.
A common feature in most of the novels is that the "Good Magician" Humfrey, who's magical ability is "information", agrees to answer one question from the story's protagonist in return for one year of service, which is tied into the motivation for the character's quest.

Geography

Geographically, modern Xanth resembles the state of Florida in the United States in shape, but has landmarks that mimic well-known geographical features from around the world. One major example of this is the Gap Chasm, an enormous canyon a mile wide which completely bisects the country, paralleling the DMZ of the Korean Peninsula. The position of the Chasm could also correspond with the Cross Florida Barge Canal, which, similar to the chasm, is generally forgotten except for those who stumble upon it. The Gap is guarded by a resident dragon, known as Stanley Steamer, and is crossed by means of treacherous bridges. Many of Xanth's other geographical features are puns on those of Florida. The Florida Keys also exist, though they are, in Xanth, actual keys. Other punning feature names include the Isle of View and Mount Ever-Rest. The moon is close enough that flying creatures may land there; the back side is sweet and honeyish, the visible side has turned sour and become curdled cheese, due to observing what has happened on Earth and Xanth. Plants may bear fruit of all descriptions or they may be carnivorous, making travel in Xanth risky.
Xanth has a connection with the normal world, which is referred to as "Mundania"; its people are called "Mundanes". Although any citizen of Xanth can enter Mundania at any time through an isthmus in the northwest, Mundanes enter the isthmus in Xanth from random geographic locations and time periods throughout history. In other words, Xanth does not have a fixed location or time in the mundane world; and the timeline between Xanth and Mundania seems to jump backwards and forwards. For example, within the lifetime of a normal citizen of Xanth, an American Mundane from and an Egyptian Mundane from 3000 BC could both walk across the isthmus. However, Mundanes seem to have trouble finding Xanth on a consistent basis, making any travel to Xanth a somewhat rare occurrence. Despite these seeming difficulties, Xanth was colonized in several waves by groups of invaders and nomads from Mundania over the course of several centuries.

Adult Conspiracy

First mentioned in Crewel Lye, the Adult Conspiracy is one of the prominent features of the Xanth world. In an interview with Moira Allen, Piers Anthony referred to the "Adult conspiracy to keep interesting things from children" as a literary device "parodying current societal conventions". Nearly all subsequent books contain references to the Conspiracy and its effects, particularly those novels in which the main characters are children.
At its core, the Adult Conspiracy seeks to protect children from knowledge that could bring them to great harm. The precise age for entering into the world of adults is age 18, corresponding to the age of majority in most places. The primary principle that inducts children into the Conspiracy is the understanding of the secret of "summoning the stork". In Xanthian terms, "summoning the stork" literally means to put out a call to summon a stork which will deliver to the couple a child. In Isle of View, it is revealed that summoning the stork will release an "ellipsis" into the air to fly off to the stork. This is a play on the joke that all the "adult" things happen after a paragraph ends in an ellipsis. Most inductees actually discover the specifics of the act "by accident" after marriage, or under the influence of a love spring.
Other faculties of the Adult Conspiracy include:
  • Censorship of foul language – All foul words contain the ability to cause various effects, removal of curse burrs. These are automatically bleeped when said in the presence of someone who has yet to be inducted.
  • Visual access to underwear – Because underwear is so closely tied to sexuality, men become automatically "freaked out" when they view panties. This is made a common joke, most prominently in the novel The Color of Her Panties, and is often used by women to gain advantage over men. Panties only carry their effects when worn, but because of their nature, they are forbidden to be shown to children.
  • Inability to have childish fun – Children believe that once they join the Adult Conspiracy, they will no longer have pillow fights, eat sweets and drink "tsoda popka", or want to have fun. While this belief is exaggerated, the entry to the Conspiracy does cause the couple to lose their bed monster, inadvertently creating the appearance of losing all childhood spirit under the responsibility of Adulthood.
It is important to note that there have been occasions when children gained access to the Adult Conspiracy prematurely. Jenny Elf, Che Centaur, and Gwenny Goblin had to be given access to the Adult Conspiracy when Gwenny received a pair of contact lenses that corrected her poor eyesight while giving her the ability to see others' dreams. In one rare instance, a little girl was born with the magic talent of immunity to the magical censorship of Adult Conspiracy, causing her family much distress. This was remedied with magician Sherlock's talent of reversal and a vial of lethe water which erased her memory.

Novels

As of 2025, there are 48 published novels.
TitlePublisherDateISBN
1A Spell for ChameleonDel Rey BooksSeptember 1977
2The Source of MagicDel Rey BooksFebruary 1979
3Castle RoognaDel Rey BooksJuly 1979
4Centaur AisleDel Rey BooksDecember 1981
5Ogre, OgreDel Rey BooksOctober 1982
6Night MareDel Rey BooksJanuary 1983
7Dragon on a PedestalDel Rey BooksOctober 1983
8Crewel Lye: A Caustic YarnDel Rey BooksJanuary 1985
9Golem in the GearsDel Rey BooksFebruary 1986
10Vale of the VoleAvon BooksOctober 1987
11Heaven CentAvon BooksOctober 1988
12Man from MundaniaAvon BooksOctober 1989
13Isle of ViewWilliam MorrowOctober 1990
14Question QuestWilliam MorrowOctober 1991
15The Color of Her PantiesWilliam MorrowSeptember 1992
16Demons Don't DreamTor BooksFebruary 1993
17Harpy ThymeTor BooksJanuary 1994
18Geis of the GargoyleTor BooksFebruary 1995
19Roc and a Hard PlaceTor BooksOctober 1995
20Yon Ill WindTor BooksOctober 1996
21Faun & GamesTor BooksOctober 1997
22Zombie LoverTor BooksOctober 1998
23Xone of ContentionTor BooksOctober 1999
24The DastardTor BooksOctober 2000
25Swell FoopTor BooksOctober 2001
26Up in a HeavalTor BooksOctober 2002
27Cube RouteTor BooksOctober 2003
28Currant EventsTor BooksOctober 2004
29Pet PeeveTor BooksOctober 2005
30Stork NakedTor BooksOctober 2006
31Air ApparentTor BooksOctober 2007
32Two to the FifthTor BooksOctober 2008
33Jumper CableTor BooksOctober 13, 2009
34Knot GneissTor BooksOctober 12, 2010
35Well-Tempered ClavicleTor BooksOctober 11, 2011
36Luck of the DrawTor BooksDecember 24, 2012
37Esrever DoomTor BooksOctober 22, 2013
38Board StiffOpen RoadDecember 17, 2013
39Five PortraitsOpen RoadOctober 21, 2014
40Isis OrbOpen RoadOctober 18, 2016
41Ghost Writer in the SkyOpen RoadApril 18, 2017
42Fire SailOpen RoadNovember 5, 2019
43Jest RightOpen RoadJuly 14, 2020
44Skeleton KeyOpen RoadFebruary 9, 2021
45A Tryst of FateOpen RoadOctober 19, 2021
46Six Crystal PrincessesOpen RoadMay 31, 2022
47Apoca LipsOpen RoadJanuary 31, 2023
48Three Novel NymphsOpen RoadMay 13, 2025