My first Xanth novel was "Board Stiff". I loved the opening
chapter. The puns were exellent.
I like Piers -- he personally connects with the reasder..
..his puns in Xanth gets lame & expected after awhile,.
but his attachment & 4th wall usage in using them is
funny.
4th wall?
As in theatre: when the characters address the audience directly. (There's a presumed "4th wall" besides the 3 you see wheb looking forward, between the stage & the audience. To break this wall is to address the audience directly (in or out of character, scripted, or adlibbed)
In Board Stiff, he made the punnery part of solving the mystery
that the character encountered. That was clever.
He does that in many of his books in that series -- I love it! Each pun is a clue that leads to the next & ultimately provides everything needed to do the task/quest.
I'vesent himas few puns -- haven't seen my name mentioned yet, but I think I'm behind on the Xanth series now.
I still get a chuckle at this part at the beginning:
"... I'm actually a smart girl who would make any man an
excellent wife. But no man sees that. No man is interested in
my mind or personality, just my whatevers. So here is my wish:
I'm board stiff. I want Adventure, Excitement, and Romance."
Now the ripples made her reflection shimmer. She definitely had
the wishing well's attention. "I searched all over for a
suitable offering," she continued. "It occurred to me that how
you look is governed by the sand on your bottom. It is frankly
sort of dull. So I found a pretty colored stone that should add
interest. Here it is: my offering, and I hope you like it." She
brought out the stone, which was like a faceted blue diamond,
sparkling all over. She dropped it into the well. Something
happened. A sudden whirlwind surrounded her, lifting her up and
ripping off her clothing. She was changing, somehow. Then she
fell flat on the ground. Literally. She had been transformed
into a flat, stiff board with two knotholes for eyes."
Was this one who later became a Princess, through a Sorceror's intervention/powers?
Ui do recall that scene.
I get a kick asrt how he maintains his G-rating by invoking The Adult Conspiracy in such a way, olderfolk have no interruption in understanding what's happening, & younger ones will just get peeved at this Conspiracy!
I one of his latter books in the series, he began creeping into PG territory, but sly & subtly & punnily(of course)
Some of his series are meant to be more adult in concepts & language, 'though he's not one for gratuitous vulgarity.
I find that people who say that they don't read CAN be made
interested in non-fiction: biographies, history, politics,
books on medical topics, cookbooks, etc..
Same thing with kids. Kids who can't seem to bear struggling
with Harry Potter, can be fascinated by the Guiness World
Record books, encyclopedias, game manuals, field guides, maps.
My son went straight to encyclopedia type books, & still hasn't gained much interest in Fiction. He read a couple series wshen younger & would giggle like a Luna's Tick while reading them (one was the Dog Man series, IIRC)
I read both equally voraciously as a child -- usually had 6+ books open & going at once -- as my mood changed, I'd switch to another (like thinking of a question I had abnout the next step/chapter)
This taught me well to absorb multiple data points & keep exch straight in its own context. Ten years later, I could quote any book I'd read to that point, name the characters & plot, too. In grade school, I read my textbooks in the first couple weeks, then never opened them again, unless commanded to, in class, & I still got straight As. Yup, I was not Mr. Popular for that!
Fifty years of life's distractions & chemical abuses (only in the first 20 or so) and a major stroke has killed off that skill among others. :'(
I miss them! Oh well, luckily along the way I've learned how to fake some of it & get acceptable results within a desired range.
For my job, I've talked with doctors for long phone calls, multiple times & they are all surprised to learn I'm not a doctor or any kind of medically trained person, when something came up that triggered then to ask.
In earlier times, before the guilds, I'd've been a doctor just fine. . . Surgeries I'd refer to my buddy the barber for a referral fee. . . :D
--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)