Cube Route

Rating:
Summary: 4+ stars.
Review: Cube Route is the twenty-seventh novel in the Xanth series, following Up In a Heaval. In the previous volume, Umlaut completed his quest by delivering all the letters, so the Demoness Fornax lost Counter Xanth to the Demon Xanth and she has committed herself to an extended visit with the Demon Jupiter. Surprise convinced the Demons to allow Umlaut to continue his existence and even provided him with half her soul. The dragon girl Becka also convinced Brusque Brassie to visit with her for a while.

In this novel, Cue is a very plain girl, downright ugly in fact, who is called Cube because she is so square. Boys notice her face and figure, then glance aside. When she explains her desire to be beautiful to Demoness Metria, she is asked why she has not taken her Question to the Good Magician. Since she had not previously thought of doing so, Cube immediately sets off to the Good Magician's castle.

On the way, Cube meets Ryver Human and Karia Centaur. When the Good Magician declares that she must gather nine companions and follow the Cube Route to find a way to Counter Xanth, Cube decides to start recruiting with these two. Sofia Socksorter, the Magician's current designated wife, provides her with a magical pouch made from one of his old socks that can hold anything of any size in stasis. Cube is to use the pouch to contain her Companions whenever someone else might notice them, for the quest must not attact unfavorable attention.

When Metria shows up, Cube recruits her as the first Companion, then sends her to ask Karia to come to her. When they meet, Karia agrees to join the quest and they fly to Ryver's house. Although Ryver is disappointed that she is not yet beautiful, he finally agrees to join. They go next to Castle Roogna and recruit the Princesses Melody, Harmony and Rhythm. Then the Princesses conjure a magical thread that shows them the path that they must follow and they add Drek Dragon, the sidestepping Mundanes Cory and Tessa, and the dog Diamond to their band.

While they are searching for the Companions and even afterwards, strange things happen around them. Since the level of magic they are facing is extremely high, they conclude that the Demoness Fornax is interfering with the quest. When one of the interventions causes Cube to drop the pouch, with all her Companions within it, into a stream that soon carries it underground, Cube immediately finds a way to the castle of Nimby and Chlorine to ask for their help, which Nimby provides.

All throughout the quest, Cube is faced with situations and people for which she has to strain her abilities to handle properly. Although the route is extremely winding and indirect, the Companions believe that the path is preparing her for the final resolution of the quest. Cube is definitely having new experiences and learning new skills and insights.

This story has a running joke about fractional moments, the length of silences and other timespans. There are the usual puns and situational jokes aglore. Moreover, Cube gets the grand tour of Xanth and Ida's moons in addition to Mundania, Phaze and Counter Xanth. Of course, she completes her quest and becomes beautiful; however, the payoff is not quite what she expected.

Highly recommended for Anthony fans and for anyone else who enjoys comic fantasy with some basic humor and a humane message.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rating:
Summary: A Beauty Quest
Review: Cube Route is the twenty-seventh novel in the Xanth series, following Up In a Heaval. In the previous volume, Umlaut completed his quest by delivering all the letters, so the Demoness Fornax lost Counter Xanth to the Demon Xanth and she has committed herself to an extended visit with the Demon Jupiter. Surprise convinced the Demons to allow Umlaut to continue his existence and even provided him with half her soul. The dragon girl Becka also convinced Brusque Brassie to visit with her for a while.

In this novel, Cue is a very plain girl, downright ugly in fact, who is called Cube because she is so square. Boys notice her face and figure, then glance aside. When she explains her desire to be beautiful to Demoness Metria, she is asked why she has not taken her Question to the Good Magician. Since she had not previously thought of doing so, Cube immediately sets off to the Good Magician's castle.

On the way, Cube meets Ryver Human and Karia Centaur. When the Good Magician declares that she must gather nine companions and follow the Cube Route to find a way to Counter Xanth, Cube decides to start recruiting with these two. Sofia Socksorter, the Magician's current designated wife, provides her with a magical pouch made from one of his old socks that can hold anything of any size in stasis. Cube is to use the pouch to contain her Companions whenever someone else might notice them, for the quest must not attact unfavorable attention.

When Metria shows up, Cube recruits her as the first Companion, then sends her to ask Karia to come to her. When they meet, Karia agrees to join the quest and they fly to Ryver's house. Although Ryver is disappointed that she is not yet beautiful, he finally agrees to join. They go next to Castle Roogna and recruit the Princesses Melody, Harmony and Rhythm. Then the Princesses conjure a magical thread that shows them the path that they must follow and they add Drek Dragon, the sidestepping Mundanes Cory and Tessa, and the dog Diamond to their band.

While they are searching for the Companions and even afterwards, strange things happen around them. Since the level of magic they are facing is extremely high, they conclude that the Demoness Fornax is interfering with the quest. When one of the interventions causes Cube to drop the pouch, with all her Companions within it, into a stream that soon carries it underground, Cube immediately finds a way to the castle of Nimby and Chlorine to ask for their help, which Nimby provides.

All throughout the quest, Cube is faced with situations and people for which she has to strain her abilities to handle properly. Although the route is extremely winding and indirect, the Companions believe that the path is preparing her for the final resolution of the quest. Cube is definitely having new experiences and learning new skills and insights.

This story has a running joke about fractional moments, the length of silences and other timespans. There are the usual puns and situational jokes aglore. Moreover, Cube gets the grand tour of Xanth and Ida's moons in addition to Mundania, Phaze and Counter Xanth. Of course, she completes her quest and becomes beautiful; however, the payoff is not quite what she expected.

Highly recommended for Anthony fans and for anyone else who enjoys comic fantasy with some basic humor and a humane message.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rating:
Summary: This book is the root of goodness...
Review: Goodness....I enjoyed that book very well. I haven't had much time due to school, but I always have time for Xanth. If you get into the series, it is hard not to. Well, this book was very inspiring...I won't spoil anything for anyone. Whenever anyone starts to spoil things for me, I know I usually stop reading the review.

But anyways, this book is about Cube, and she is very ugly. This is a very unusual thing for Anthony to have...an ugly character. Almost all of the books focus on beautiful, sexy characters. And in those books, a large amount of the plot revolves around the characters using their sex appeal to get out of sticky situations. In this book, though, Cube must use her gumption and intellect to save herself. Her ugliness also adds to the wonderful inner beauty aspect of the book's morals

The puns in the book are wonderful as my main humor is pun-based. But, there were a few less puns than were needed...Maybe eight more puns in the book would have been good....maybe gr-eight...

Well, this book is feel-good, as all of the xanth books are. Though there are many major characters, the most characterization goes towards Cube. This is because of the fact that most of the characters are stuffed in a sock for the majority of the novel. This book covers most of the areas in Xanth: Mundania, Ida's Moons, The Isles, et cetera. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I hope others do. This book is enjoyed to the greatest capacity when preceeded by the other 26 books in the trilogy. But even non-xanth fans can appreciate this book as great literature...Alright, goodbye.

Rating:
Summary: I like fishes 'cause they're so delicious; this was good too
Review: Goodness...I enjoyed that book pretty well...I haven't had much time due to school, but I always have time for Xanth...who doesn't? Well, this book was very good...And don't worry, I won't spoil anything for none of ya's...Whenever anyone spoils stuff for me, I'm like, "Hey, stupid, you just spoiled that"...But anyways, this book is about Cube, and she is very ugly...It is a strange thing to read about a major character in Xanth that is ugly, because most of the characters are beautiful...So, in this book, don't expect too many nakeds...it is quite less naked than the other books...This book isn't too overloaded with puns, either...Maybe eight more puns could have been good....maybe gr-eight....ugh...that is something that you will read quite often, ugh....
Well, this book is feel-good, as all of these books are...Though there are many major characters, the most characterization goes towards Cube...This is due to the fact that most of the characters are stuffed in a sock for the majority...But Cube is a nice girl...This book really covers most of the areas in Xanth, also...Mundania, Ida's Moons, The Isles, et cetera...that is a person that Cube Meets, also...You will get to learn about many more moons of Ida.... Pretty cool...And this book has some pretty good morals, as all the books do...I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I hope others do too...Like sometimes people will read it and like it, then say, "Oh this was really stupid" and just say that to be all fancy...you know, they try and say they don't like something just to make them seem smart.....Like the book for what it is...all of these books are unique, and like them for the single book that it is...So, as a last comment, this book was very good and should be enjoyed by all Xanth fans...Non-Xanth fans might not understand, but that is understandable when they have skipped 26 novels of history...But anyways, goodbye...

Rating:
Summary: Xanth at its best
Review: In the land of Xanth Cube feels depressed and unwanted because as she knows that once you peel away a dimension from her what you have left is a wholesome usable but ugly square. In spite the warning labels, Cube desperately asks the Good Magician Humphrey to help her attain her wish of being beautiful for she thinks that will bring her happiness and contentment.

As is Humphrey's typical response that means nothing yet everything to anyone else but himself including the requestor (aside: is Humphrey a reincarnation of Professor Irwin Corey?), he tells her to search for the CUBE ROUTE. There he insists she will find her heart's desire. Thus, Cube begins a journey in which she does not understand the instructions, the objective, or the time it will take to complete (aside two: sounds like American nation building missions). Soon with a retinue of characters that can only live in Xanth, Phaze or Mundania, she treks towards the realm of Counter-Xanth where anything can change so just don't blink or miss the transformation.

As is usual with the Xanth tales (this is number twenty-seven), Piers Anthony uses puns and multiple entendres to satirize human frailty within a strong epic fantasy adventure. The story line is the usual epic quest of an individual, who this time seeks beauty. Mr. Anthony does a delightful job with Cube and company as she learns what the true essence of beauty is. Though clearly for fans of the author (can't just say the series as the crew travel to Phaze), CUBE ROUTE is a refreshing witty morality tale that lovingly escorts the audience across the complex Anthony galaxy.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Xanth at its best
Review: In the land of Xanth Cube feels depressed and unwanted because as she knows that once you peel away a dimension from her what you have left is a wholesome usable but ugly square. In spite the warning labels, Cube desperately asks the Good Magician Humphrey to help her attain her wish of being beautiful for she thinks that will bring her happiness and contentment.

As is Humphrey's typical response that means nothing yet everything to anyone else but himself including the requestor (aside: is Humphrey a reincarnation of Professor Irwin Corey?), he tells her to search for the CUBE ROUTE. There he insists she will find her heart's desire. Thus, Cube begins a journey in which she does not understand the instructions, the objective, or the time it will take to complete (aside two: sounds like American nation building missions). Soon with a retinue of characters that can only live in Xanth, Phaze or Mundania, she treks towards the realm of Counter-Xanth where anything can change so just don't blink or miss the transformation.

As is usual with the Xanth tales (this is number twenty-seven), Piers Anthony uses puns and multiple entendres to satirize human frailty within a strong epic fantasy adventure. The story line is the usual epic quest of an individual, who this time seeks beauty. Mr. Anthony does a delightful job with Cube and company as she learns what the true essence of beauty is. Though clearly for fans of the author (can't just say the series as the crew travel to Phaze), CUBE ROUTE is a refreshing witty morality tale that lovingly escorts the audience across the complex Anthony galaxy.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Cube Route
Review: The best book of the first Trilogy of Xanth. Not too many puns. Overall a good book.

Rating:
Summary: Cube Route
Review: The best book of the first Trilogy of Xanth. Not too many puns. Overall a good book.

Rating:
Summary: 4+ stars.
Review: Very enjoyable. Good characters. Great ideas and values.
One of his best efforts.