Centaur Aisle (Xanth Book 4) (original 1982; edition 2002)

by Piers Anthony (Author)

Series: The Magic of Xanth (04)

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Fantasy. Fiction. Thriller. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:The magic of Xanth was useless in Mundania�until Dor tried honesty! Dor was having troubles growing up to be the next Magician-King of the magic Land of Xanth. He wanted no part of running the Kingdom. But now the Good King Trent was leaving on a trade mission to non-magical Mundania, home of such weird beasts as horses and bears, so Dor had to take over as King for a week. A week passes. No Trent. Then three weeks. King Trent still hasn't returned. Surely, something terrible had happened; he was apparently held captive in some foul dungeon, unable to escape. Dor was left with the burden of ruling�and with Irene, who was entirely too willing to be his Queen! His only hope was to enter Mundania and free King Trent. But how could it be done without the powers of magic? Nevertheless, he started forth bravely�together with Irene, a golem, a centaur, and a young ogre�heading for the far south of Xanth. The entrance to Mundania, of course, lay to the north.… (more)

▾Book information

Member:	chkreiker
Title:	Centaur Aisle (Xanth Book 4)
Authors:	Piers Anthony (Author)
Info:	Del Rey (2002), Edition: Reprint, 304 pages
Collections:	Your library
Rating:
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Work Information

Centaur Aisle by Piers Anthony (Author) (1982)

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librisissimo | Sep 2, 2024 |

Xanth is basically Oz for Adolescents. The plot arcs are thinly connected fantasy incidents, usually improbable, and characters are not profound, but the stories are generally fun to read and there is an underlayer of morality lessons; despite frequent bawdiness and juvenile humor, there are no actual sexual incidents.
Lessons include fellowship, courage, duty, and relationship skills, although some of those are not always the best role models.
Full of Anthony's trademark puns and improbably good (or bad) luck, but it lives up to the genre of escapist fiction.
The POV is very much in tune with the Progressive Seventies zeitgeist. (

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librisissimo | Aug 30, 2024 |

A long time ago when I was tweenish, I loved this series. I know it won't survive a re-read, so I'm noting it and letting it go.

jennybeast | Mar 2, 2024 |

Xanth is a great and very quirky series and this is my favorite book of the entire series. I think the earlier Xanth books were the best and this one was always great with its hints of romance and puns. Love this book. (

)

KateKat11 | Sep 24, 2021 |

Dor was having troubles growing up to be the next Magician-King of the magic Land of Xanth. He wanted no part of running the Kingdom. But now the Good King Trent was leaving on a trade mission to non-magical Mundania, home of such weird beasts as horses and bears, so Dor had to take over as King for a week.

A week passes. No Trent. Then three weeks. King Trent still hasn't returned. Surely, something terrible had happened; he was apparently held captive in some foul dungeon, unable to escape. Dor was left with the burden of ruling—and with Irene, who was entirely too willing to be his Queen!

His only hope was to enter Mundania and free King Trent. But how could it be done without the powers of magic? Nevertheless, he started forth bravely—together with Irene, a golem, a centaur, and a young ogre—heading for the far south of Xanth.

Gmomaj | Jul 25, 2021 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Anthony, Piers	Author	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Whelan, Michael	Cover artist	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

Belongs to Series

The Magic of Xanth (04)

Belongs to Publisher Series

Bastei Science Fiction Fantasy (20065)

Pocket (5466)

Science Fiction Book Club (6360)

Is contained in

The Continuing Xanth Saga by Piers Anthony

Xanth Series #1-6 by Piers Anthony

Xanth Series #1-9 by Piers Anthony

Xanth Series #1-10 by Piers Anthony

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Balrog Awards (Nominee – Novel – 1982)

Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire (Winner – Prix Jacques Chambon de la traduction – 1993)

Locus Award (Nominee – Fantasy Novel – 1983)

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▾Common Knowledge

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Canonical title

Centaur Aisle

Original title

Centaur Aisle

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1982

People/Characters

Important places

Xanth

Good Magician Humfrey's Castle

Centaur Isle

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

The author thanks Jerome Brown for the notion of the "Spelling Bee" used in the first chapter, and the many other fans whose letters of encouragement have caused the Xanth trilogy to be expanded.
May those who feel Xanth is sexist have pleasure in this novel, wherein Mundania is shown to be worse.

First words

Dor was trying to write an essay, because the King had decreed that any future monarchs of Xanth should be literate.

Quotations

Last words

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Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

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Original language

Information from the German Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.

Englisch

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Canonical LCC

▾References

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Centaur Aisle

File:Centaur Isle cover.jpg

▾Book descriptions

Fantasy. Fiction. Thriller. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:The magic of Xanth was useless in Mundania�until Dor tried honesty!
Dor was having troubles growing up to be the next Magician-King of the magic Land of Xanth. He wanted no part of running the Kingdom. But now the Good King Trent was leaving on a trade mission to non-magical Mundania, home of such weird beasts as horses and bears, so Dor had to take over as King for a week.
A week passes. No Trent. Then three weeks. King Trent still hasn't returned. Surely, something terrible had happened; he was apparently held captive in some foul dungeon, unable to escape. Dor was left with the burden of ruling�and with Irene, who was entirely too willing to be his Queen!
His only hope was to enter Mundania and free King Trent. But how could it be done without the powers of magic? Nevertheless, he started forth bravely�together with Irene, a golem, a centaur, and a young ogre�heading for the far south of Xanth.
The entrance to Mundania, of course, lay to the north.

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Book description

INTO DARKEST MUNDANIA

Dor was having troubles growing up to be the next Magician-King of the magic Land of Xanth. He wanted no part of running the Kingdom But now the Good King Trent was leaving on a trade mission to non-magical Mundania, home of such weird beasts as horses and bears, so Dor had to take over as King for a week.

A week passes. No Trent. Then three weeks. King Trent sill hadn't returned. Surely, something terrible had happened; he was apparently held captive in some foul dungeon, unable to escape. Dor was left with the burden of ruling - and with Irene, who was entirely too willing to be his Queen!

His only hope was to enter Mundania and free King Trent. But how could it be done without the powers of magic? Nevertheless, he started forth bravely - together with Irene, a golem, a centaur, and a young ogre - heading for the far south of Xanth.

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