Books: Myth-Ion Improbable and Something M. Y. T. H. Inc. by Robert Asprin
I've been meaning to start keeping track of the books I read. Longer story later setting this up, right now I want to get these reviews out of my brain.
Robert Asprin has written or edited several series of books. I started reading the Myth series in the late 80's, when they were still being produced every year or two. In fact, I have some of the trade paperback, Phil Foglio-illustrated editions. So I was glad to hear that the humorous adventures of the Magikal Skeeve and his dimension traveling friends had continued.
I re-read books 1-10 in anticipation, as sometimes the story lines are useful to know. Then, after hearing from some other people (like redpram) that the new ones weren't as good, I checked them out of the library.
Something M. Y. T. H. Inc.
This is book 11 of the series, published after or at the same time as Myth-Ion Improbable. It actually happens at the same time as Sweet Myth-tery of Life, and then brings the stories together. Sweet Myth-tery was the last book Bob finished before he got his writer's block or tax problems or whatever. Both of these books are written in less of an active style, and more of the narrator explaining what was happening/what he was thinking/etc. This style didn't bother me since I wanted to hear what was happening; however, it might not be interesting to other people.
I liked the way this book finished up loose ends; I liked the solution to Skeeve's unhappiness; but I wouldn't rate it as one of the best Myth books. I don't mind Guido's narration, but there were some strange passages written in a completely different style, and they didn't fit in. And the story was mostly patchwork. This book made me think I would like to find the follow up books in the library, but that I would look for them.
Myth-Ion Improbable
This book is number 3.5 in the Myth series. Apparently Bob wrote it to clear up the writer's block, and get back in the Skeeve/Aahz style. Fine. So this fits in the middle, when they still needed money and adventure, but didn't have a lot of power, or a lot of friends that followed them everywhere. Skeeve, Aahz, and Tananda head off following a galactic treasure map.
The idea is good, some of the bits are good, but the whole was uninspiring and boring. I had trouble finishing the book, kept looking ahead to see if it got more interesting. I liked some of the Aahz/Skeeve/Tananda interplay, but there wasn't enough of it to support a whole book. Same with some of the magic ideas. I would tell people not to bother reading this one unless they are completionists (like me).
Hopefully, with Judy Lynn Nye's help, the later books will get back to the old style all the time. Rumor has it that he doesn't write a lot of his co-authored books, I will be interested to see. If the books are at the library.
Robert Asprin has written or edited several series of books. I started reading the Myth series in the late 80's, when they were still being produced every year or two. In fact, I have some of the trade paperback, Phil Foglio-illustrated editions. So I was glad to hear that the humorous adventures of the Magikal Skeeve and his dimension traveling friends had continued.
I re-read books 1-10 in anticipation, as sometimes the story lines are useful to know. Then, after hearing from some other people (like redpram) that the new ones weren't as good, I checked them out of the library.
Something M. Y. T. H. Inc.
This is book 11 of the series, published after or at the same time as Myth-Ion Improbable. It actually happens at the same time as Sweet Myth-tery of Life, and then brings the stories together. Sweet Myth-tery was the last book Bob finished before he got his writer's block or tax problems or whatever. Both of these books are written in less of an active style, and more of the narrator explaining what was happening/what he was thinking/etc. This style didn't bother me since I wanted to hear what was happening; however, it might not be interesting to other people.
I liked the way this book finished up loose ends; I liked the solution to Skeeve's unhappiness; but I wouldn't rate it as one of the best Myth books. I don't mind Guido's narration, but there were some strange passages written in a completely different style, and they didn't fit in. And the story was mostly patchwork. This book made me think I would like to find the follow up books in the library, but that I would look for them.
Myth-Ion Improbable
This book is number 3.5 in the Myth series. Apparently Bob wrote it to clear up the writer's block, and get back in the Skeeve/Aahz style. Fine. So this fits in the middle, when they still needed money and adventure, but didn't have a lot of power, or a lot of friends that followed them everywhere. Skeeve, Aahz, and Tananda head off following a galactic treasure map.
The idea is good, some of the bits are good, but the whole was uninspiring and boring. I had trouble finishing the book, kept looking ahead to see if it got more interesting. I liked some of the Aahz/Skeeve/Tananda interplay, but there wasn't enough of it to support a whole book. Same with some of the magic ideas. I would tell people not to bother reading this one unless they are completionists (like me).
Hopefully, with Judy Lynn Nye's help, the later books will get back to the old style all the time. Rumor has it that he doesn't write a lot of his co-authored books, I will be interested to see. If the books are at the library.