It's been at least a decade since I last read any of the Mythadventures books. Luckily, I've read the series at least twice (probably three times) so reading this book was like getting reacquainted with old friends, especially since it takes place between books three and four (there are twelve total). Here's the plot in a nutshell: our hero Skeeve, his grumpy mentor Aahz, and their lovely ex-assassin friend Tananda find a treasure map that leads them to a dimension of vegetarian cowboys who fear something that comes out at night. It's a silly and somewhat convoluted story, as all the Myth books are, but a bit more disposable by virtue of having been written out of order. I can't fault Asprin for this; he admits in the Author's Note that this was written as a way of easing back into the characters after a seven-year hiatus. In short, I would not recommend this book on its own (though it does a fine job of filling in quite a bit of the backstory), but definitely as part of the series. The Myth books remain some of my favorite fantasy comedies of all time, and it was nice to finally revisit them. ( )

PACING: fast paced, but not as compelling as others; quick read; CHARACTERIZATION: important; eccentric quirky; roguish; series characters; strong secondary characters; predictable; STORYLINE: important; romp; action-driven; character-centered; resolved ending; plot twists; episodic; community-centered; FRAME: humorous; magical; melodramatic; upbeat; word play ( )