Xone of Contention

Follows three couples, including Xanth's Demon Nimby and his consort Chlorine, who swap bodies with human game designers Edsel and Pia to save Xanth from a climate catastrophe via the O-Xone, a magical computer network, forcing them to navigate each other's worlds and solve the greenhouse effect problem without their usual powers, exploring mature themes like divorce and technology.

All Breanna of the Black Wave and her newfound love, Justin Tree, want is a little time to get to know each other better, but a climatic catastrophe is causing a massive meltdown that threatens to inundate the ancient forests of Xanth.

The only way to avert this dire disaster is to undertake a voyage into the distant mists of the past, to find the moment when this ghastly greenhouse effect began. And the only people who can safely make that journey are those unaffected by Xanth’s magic—normal, ordinary humans from our own world.

So Breanna and Justin turn to the Demon X(A/N)th (a.k.a. Nimby) and his lovely consort Chlorine for help. Together, they devise a daring plan. Making use of the O-Xone, a magical computer network that links show more the worlds of Xanth and Earth, Nimby and Chlorine make contact with a young couple from Earth who are working on a Xanth game, and arrange to exchange bodies with them. But an unexpected surprise awaits them on their arrival . . . show less

The Xanth books by Piers Anthony were one of the first SciFi/Fantasy series I ever read. I love puns so I have always enjoyed them. Upon re-reading them I can see that they have some weaknesses but overall they stand the test of time. They are a fun and fast read that keeps me amused without any deep thinking required.

#23-- Dug the Mundane & the demon Xanth get another adventure

" Dug, the Mundane who had had an adventure in Xanth through the Companions of Xanth computer game, is now happily married to Kim. His friend Edsel on the other hand is on the rock with his marriage to Pia, Dug's old girlfriend, who wants a divorce. Edsel, not wanting to lose her strikes a deal with her, they take a two week vacation in Xanth, switching with Nimby and Chlorine who want to learn about Mundania, and if she doesn't change her mind, he won't fight it."

Lots of clever puns. He does a better job at funny fantasy than, say, Robert Asprin.