Message-ID: <115@utflis.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Mar-85 21:53:58 EST
Article-I.D.: utflis.115
Posted: Mon Mar 11 21:53:58 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 12-Mar-85 05:08:25 EST
Reply-To: chai@utflis.UUCP (Henry Chai)
Organization: FLIS, University of Toronto
Lines: 23
Keywords: Xanth, Piers Anthony, sexist


Yes folks, Xanth #8 has hit the bookstores already. 
This ones is called "The Crewel Lye" (the cruel lie) 
and features Jordan the ghost as the central character.
I refuse to buy it; I stopped buying after the 6th.
I'll just wait for the public libraries to get it, but meanwhile if
any of you die-hard Xanth fans out there would like to tell me what
you think of it, just mail me; I'll be gald to hear from you.

BTW, does anyone find the Xanth novels sexist? I do.
The women characters are (almost) always of the pretty, buxom, not-too-bright
type, who loved nothing more than to show off their legs or 
to look for husbands.  (Princess Irene is a prime example)
The comparison between women and nymphs is also rather degrading 
to the female sex.
However, there is very little sexism in the other Piers Anthony novels,
so I wonder whether he did it tongue-in-cheek or not?

___________
Henry Chai                                        o.-
Faculty of Library and Information Science        \_/
U of Toronto
{decvax, ihnp4, allegra}!utcsri!utflis!chai

Article-I.D.: orca.1405
Posted: Sun Mar 17 16:04:33 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Mar-85 02:20:33 EST
References: <115@utflis.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 25


	"Yes folks, Xanth #8 has hit the bookstores already.  This ones
	is called "The Crewel Lye" (the cruel lie) and features Jordan
	the ghost as the central character.  I refuse to buy it; I
	stopped buying after the 6th.  I'll just wait for the public
	libraries to get it, but meanwhile if any of you die-hard Xanth
	fans out there would like to tell me what you think of it, just
	mail me; I'll be gald to hear from you."

"Crewel Lye" is as good as many of the Xanth novels, and better than
the last couple.  But it's certainly not more than a "light read".

	"BTW, does anyone find the Xanth novels sexist? I do."

In this respect, "Crewel Lye" has a refreshing twist.  Anthony
introduces one his biggest, dumbest, "all-male" heroes yet, then brings
on another luscious female ... then, through the evil magic of a foe,
they switch bodies and start raising their consciousnesses.  I liked it.

On the other hand, my wife finds it to be offensively sexist.  So if
the earlier Xanth books really bothered you, this one probably will,
too.

  -- Andrew Klossner   (decvax!tektronix!orca!andrew)       [UUCP]
                       (orca!andrew.tektronix@csnet-relay)  [ARPA]