Myth-Ion Improbable

Rating:
Summary: Myth-Ion Improbable Just as good as any other myth book!
Review: Although this book is #11 in the Myth Adventures series, the story is set in time between books #3 and #4 (Myth Directions and Hit or Myth). In this book, Asprin returns to what is really the heart of the series, "buddy" adventures involving Skeeve and Ahz. This adventure takes them on a treasure hunt following a tricky magical map and the shifty advice of a shape shifter. They end up in Kowtow, a dimension full of spooky (and deadly) cows and some nervous humans. Skeeve and Ahz end up with more gold than you can swing a shovel at, but not everything turns out as expected. This books is a delightful break from the complicated (but interesting) storyline that emerges in Myth-ing Persons and continues over the last five books of the series.

Rating:
Summary: For a Myth book, it's not much...
Review: Don't get me wrong, please; I'm a HUGE fan of Asprin's Myth series, and I was happier than anyone else to see a new Myth book! Unfortunately, though, it's not MUCH of a Myth book. Many of the characters suffer in this work, but Aahz seems especially flat and unconvincing. Asprin explains in his introduction that he needed to ease himself back into the series after such a long hiatus, and I certainly appreciate his artistic need to do so - but the book just isn't very good. Collectors, die-hard fans, and those with lots of cash could invest in a personal copy, but I would reccomend that the casual reader check a copy out of their local library.

Rating:
Summary: Silly and fun
Review: I don't get theez folks who cut down on RLA and his new book...if I could, I'd ask them what drew them to the MYTH series in the first place--if they can't see the originality and humor in Myth-ion Improbable...This book kicks, I swear....

Rating:
Summary: ??What happened??
Review: I found this book by accident while browsing, I've read and enjoyed the whole Myth series so far but it's been a long time since Asprin has written a new Myth book so I was pleasantly surprised to see this guy.

In the intro, Asprin explains that he tried to write the next Myth Inc book but couldn't get the feel of it, so he decided to write a simpler adventure tale (this book) to regain his form. I guess this helps explain why this book doesn't work.

If you've never read this series, it's lighthearted fantasy where the plot often parodies cliches like "the apprentice takes on the master sorcerer", "the big game/heist", or "the small band vs. an army". The books are generally funny, fun, with a variety of nice characters that interact with our protagonist. I recommend "Another Fine Myth" (the first book in the series) to the first time reader who's interested. Then we come to this book. The first thing I noticed is that the characters don't sound like themselves, and I couldn't recognize them anymore. Their dialogue is awkward and labored, and the flow and humor of the series is gone.

This book reads as if it were written by someone else (as if Asprin licensed his characters and world so others could churn out novels), and perhaps more importantly it isn't written very well. As a stand alone book, this book is boring and weak. As part of the Myth series, this book borders on fraud! Fans have basically been robbed by this dull changeling that has been disguised to look like a Skeeve/Aahz book. I'm amazed that the author let this thing be published, and I would advise any potential buyer to read the first chapter or two before plunking down your money. Buyer beware!

Rating:
Summary: A welcome return to form
Review: I have been disappointed with the last few books in this series - and especially with the last one, Sweet Myth-tery of Life which hit the lowest point in the saga. It was bad enough that that book was poorly written and not at all funny, but to make things worse, the book ended on a clifhanger and then Mr Asprin didn't continue the series for about seven years. I, for one, was convinced that Mr. Asprin had finished with these characters and their stories and was moving on.

So, I was very happy to see this book listed on Amazon. However, it DOESN'T pick up where the cliffhanger of the last volume left off. In an introduction, Mr. Asprin explains that it has so long since he wrote a Myth-Adventure, he had really lost the feel for the characters. So, before he tackled the complex story he had planned, he decided to do a "prequel." If you were numbering in order, this book would be Number 3.5 in the series.

For the most part, Mr. Asprin's experiment is successful. Skeeve and Tanda are in fine form, and Aahz, while a lot grumpier than in past volumes, still shows flashes of his old self. The adventure is fun and (mostly) quite exciting, aside from a few gaping plot holes that I won't go into here because they'd spoil the ending.

(And the ending is pretty anti-climactic. There's a build up for a big showdown and the showdown never happens, which is a shame.)

I did have a few problems, though, with the book itself. The illustrations are not very attractive. The B&W drawings in the book are kind of ugly, and the cover design looks like something a home-publisher would do on an old graphics program. (I sure do miss Phil Folgio's art!) And I'm a little grumpy that Meshia Merlin Publishing sees fit to charge $... for a 180 page book that fans will tear through in an afternoon.

All in all, it's a fun book and a welcome return by Robert Asprin and a much beloved series.

Rating:
Summary: We Mythed the Series Too Much
Review: It's been many, many years since I finished the last page of the last Myth book, reeling from the cliffhanger ending. As the years went by, the whole series faded into dim memory. So, when I began to read Myth-Ion Improbable I found myself trying to compare it to . . . what? Was the Myth series really as good as I remember it being? Ultimately, I gave up trying to fit this one into the rest of the series and decided to evaluate it on its own merits, such as they are.

Asprin gives us an interesting, if poorly developed, plot involving cow vampires in a Western-style universe (sort of a spoiler there, but it's fairly obvious well before Skeeve figures it out). There are some amusing bits here, but only a few rise to the level of actual knee-slapping. What we end up with is a short novel that can be read in a couple of hours without in any way energizing or taxing the brain cells. Pure, mindless, harmless fluff.

If you haven't read any of the Myth books, don't start with this one as you'll be left wondering what the big deal is. If you're a huge Myth fan, avoid this one, too; you will no doubt end up enraged like so many other reviewers. If, however, you remember the Myth series fondly but not passionately you could do much worse than this one.

Rating:
Summary: weakest in the series
Review: Myth-ion Improbable is the weakest of the Myth books. That's not saying much though, since the series as a whole is such a great collection of books. This is the only one that I give four stars to. I think it is because it had been so long since Asprin had written a Myth book, and he had to refind his rhythm. And this book interrupts the sequence (it is book 11, but it takes place between 3 & 4). Asprin seems to have to stretch a little with this episode, which he hasn't had to do in any of the others. But don't let me give you the impression that this is a substandard book, because it isn't. It's a great book too. And I'm glad he wrote it.

Rating:
Summary: Return to the World of MYTH
Review: MYTH-ion Improbable marks Robert Asprin's long-awaited return to the worlds of his popular MYTH series. Although he doesn't exactly pick up where the story left off some years ago, he takes us back to simpler times to spin a yarn from the early days of the series. This book takes place between books three and four of the original series and takes Skeeve, Aahz, and Tananda on a wild treasure hunt through some interesting dimensions we haven't seen before. I for one like the idea of Asprin going back to earlier times in the series. For one thing, I didn't like the direction Sweet MYTH-tery of Life was taking the story and characters. It just wasn't fun anymore. This book returns a sense of fun to the series.

The only real issue I have with this novel is that Asprin never really seems to nail his characters as they were established in the past. Skeeve comes off as being a bit too assertive and sure of himself, when at this point in the series he was still just learning magic and the ways of the world. Aahz and Tananda never really come through with the personalities they once had. Tananda especially just seems to be along for the ride.

Overall this is a fun return to the world of the MYTH series. It's a light, quick read and I recommend it to any fans of Robert Asprin or followers of the MYTH series.

Rating:
Summary: I would rather have not ever read it
Review: Yes, it really IS that bad! It's a total aberration amongst a group of great books that I really love.

Rating:
Summary: I would rather have not ever read it
Review: Yes, it really IS that bad! It's a total aberration amongst a group of great books that I really love.