Time Turner Tuesday ~ Wielding a Red Sword

*Book source ~ My home library

Title ~ Wielding A Red Sword

Series ~ Incarnations of Immortality, #4

Author ~ Piers Anthony

Publisher ~ Del Rey

Published ~ 12 September 1986

Genre ~ Fantasy

Pages ~ 249

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Mym is a Prince who stutters. Since he has an older brother who will inherit the throne he finally runs away to join a traveling circus. He starts out doing menial labor, but soon works up to being one of the main attractions as Mym the Mime. He and Orb Kaftan, the musician main attraction, fall in love, but just as they are happily making plans for their life the royal guards show up. They inform Mym his brother is dead and he is to inherit the throne. He promises Orb he will get things settled with his father and come back for her. But the Rajah has other plans for his son. Mym is stuck between his duty to his country and his love for Orb. What will he do?

Oh, boy. How utterly frustrating for Mym. First he deals with a severe stutter all his life and then he’s denied the woman he loves and a life he’s happy living. He’s forced into a marriage agreement he doesn’t want and then when the political winds change he’s forced on yet another woman. When the Red Sword comes to him giving him the option to become Mars, well, who can blame him for taking it? I wouldn’t. His dad should have just let him marry Orb. But in taking the sword his trials haven’t ended. Not by a long shot. Now, he has to stay a step ahead of Satan and as the newbie Incarnation he’s at a disadvantage as Satan is going to do what he can to get around Mym and fulfill his evil plans. Will Mym have what it takes to defeat the Father of Lies? All I’ll say is it’s an excellent journey and the final act is sheer brilliance.

Time Turner Tuesday ~ With A Tangled Skein

*Book source ~ My home library

Title ~ With A Tangled Skein

Series ~ Incarnations of Immortality, #3

Author ~ Piers Anthony

Publisher ~ Del Rey

Published ~ 12 September 1985

Genre ~ Fantasy

Pages ~ 263

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Niobe is 21 and her father finally puts his foot down and arranges a marriage for her to 16-yr-old Cedric Kaftan. No matter how much she cries and argues her father doesn’t waver in his stance, so she ends up married to Cedric. After a rocky beginning they make a go of the marriage before Cedric is shot and killed. Niobe finds out that Cedric had taken the bullet meant for her due to an evil plan of Satan. Satan should have left things alone because now Niobe is out for revenge. Even if she has to assume an aspect of Fate she intends to make the Devil pay for taking away the man she loved.

Niobe’s life is certainly an interesting one. From her marriage to Cedric to her role as Clothos and beyond, she has a definite link to a woman who will foil Satan’s ultimate plan. No wonder he tried to take her out when she was younger. However, if he hadn’t tried to have her killed then her husband wouldn’t have taken her place and she wouldn’t have assumed the office of Clothos. Oh, what a tangled web he tries to weave…and weaving is the province of Fate. He should have just left it all alone.

This story is interesting from beginning to end and Niobe has a long long life. I did get a bit confused at the end when she has to navigate the maze, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book on the whole. I can’t say any more without giving away key plot points, but I can say it’s not a dull moment. I love seeing all of the Incarnations coming together to foil Satan’s Big Plan. I’m looking forward to revisiting Book 4 which is about Mars.

Time Turner Tuesday ~ Bearing an Hourglass

*Book source ~ Home library

Title ~ Bearing an Hourglass

Series ~ Incarnations of Immortality, #2

Author ~ Piers Anthony

Publisher ~ Del Rey Books

Published ~ August 1984

Genre ~ Fantasy

Pages ~ 281

My Rating ~ 4 bites and a nibble out of 5

One day when Norton is out camping he meets a ghost, Gawain. Gawain is from a noble family with a long lineage, but he died slaying a dragon (well, he thought it was a dragon) before he could marry and father an heir. So his parents arranged a ghost marriage for him and he’s wandering the Earth looking for a suitable man to get his wife pregnant. It is this meeting that changes Norton’s life in a really big way though he doesn’t know it yet.

Book 2 in one of my favorite series is actually my least favorite book because of the Time thing. When Norton becomes Chronos he starts living his life backwards. This is the part where I get lost and no matter how many different times it’s explained by various people throughout the book, I still don’t get it or precisely how the hourglass works. I didn’t get it the other times I read it and I had hoped, now that I’m older, I might understand it, but nope. Ah, well. Except for that fact, I did enjoy the story. I love Norton/Chronos. He’s a great character and so well-detailed he feels like a real person. Sning is my next favorite character. I’d love to have a ring like him!

When Satan’s plan is foiled by Death in Book 1, he tries his shenanigans with the new Chronos. Chronos shouldn’t have been so gullible, but who isn't a bit unsure in a new job? And being Chronos was way more than just any ol’ job. Whew! Anyway, despite the whole Time and paradox thing I once again enjoyed Norton’s story very much. 

Time Turner Tuesday ~ On A Pale Horse

Title ~ On A Pale Horse

Series ~ Incarnations of Immortality, #1

Author ~ Piers Anthony

Publisher ~ Del Rey

Published ~ 1 September 1983

Genre ~ Fantasy

*Book source ~ My home library

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Zane is a mediocre man that has led a less than stellar life. After purchasing a worthless Wealthstone from a magic shop he decides he’d be better off dead. Having acquired a gun by chance he decides to aerate his head. However, right before he pulls the trigger Death walks through the door startling Zane. Zane turns the gun on Death and kills him instead. The door opens again and Fate walks in to tell him that since he killed Death he must now fill the office. Zane’s life is about to get weird.

Back in 1997 a friend gave me a copy of this book. I had no idea what it was about or that I would devour it and all subsequent sequels with a veracity little seen. I was fascinated with the idea that Death is an office held by a living person. Not just Death, but Time, Fate, War and Green Mother as well as God and Satan though their offices were a tad different than the others. Also, the setting is interesting, where science and magic live side-by-side. How cool would that world be?

It was interesting watching Zane struggle to fulfill his office to the best of his ability. He may have been a loser in life, but he wanted to do a good job as Death. There were times he wanted to give up (not possible while his soul was in balance) and times when the rules frustrated him. So he changed some of them to suit his purpose hoping that when his trial time was up he would get a good report.

Among all the things Zane has to learn about the job there is a much larger plot going on behind the scenes and it has to do with a woman he meets through a powerful magician client. Her name is Luna and he falls in love with her. But Satan has other plans for her and it becomes a battle between Satan and Death, a battle Zane is determined to win.

The subject matter got a little weighty at times, but it really didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book. Since 1997, I have read this book several times and have enjoyed it each and every time.