This Xanth novel builds on the previous one, like they all do, but also starts off in a new direction, mostly with new characters and a completely new story line. IF you are a Xanth fan, its still a must read book, but otherwise, not every exceptional. ( )

Crewel Lye is much slower then I remember it being, but I like the voice of the main character, Jordan, very much. However, I just can never get into this book. The contest that drives the story along is not interesting to me, and I do not like the main female character at all. I'd recommend the earlier Xanth books to anyone looking to relive this series. ( )

This was the first book by Piers Anthony that I ever read, and I think it's a great introduction to the world of Xanth, especially if you don't want to try to start from the beginning of the series. While it is written in a way that presumes the reader has some knowledge of the world, I don't think such knowledge is absolutely necessary. As one might expect from the title, there's quite a bit of punny-ness to the book, so if you're not into word-play and outright puns, I wouldn't recommend this book (nor any other Xanth novel). I would definitely call this a traditional fantasy adventure type of book: the main characters quest about, fight monsters, etc. Anthony has created a very vivid world, and if you can suspend your disbelief enough to join him in it, I think you'll find this book an engaging little treat. ( )