Myth-Ing Persons [Paperback]

Myth-Ing Persons (1984) is the fifth Fantasy novel in the Myth series, following Hit or Myth. In the previous volume, Skeeve settled the problems in Possiltum. Aahz conceived a devious plan to foil the Mob on Deva. And Don Bruce made an agreement with Skeeve.

In this novel, Skeeve is the representative for Mob on Deva. He is also receiving a retainer from the Devan Merchants Association to keep the Mob out of the Great Bazaar. Skeeve still doesn't know how to travel between dimensions without using a D-hopper.

Aahz is a Pervect from the Perv dimension. He had been a master magician, but lost his magical powers due to a practical joke. Now he is Skeeve's partner and mentor.

Massha is a mechanic from an unknown dimension. She uses devices to produce her magic. Now she is learning real magic from Skeeve as his apprentice.

Chumley is a Troll from the Trollia dimension. He is also the big brother of Tananda. He uses the Crunch persona to hide his shyness.

Tananda is a Trollop from the Trollia dimension. She has green skin and hair and a very voluptuous body. She is Chumley's little sister and an assassin.

Guido is a senior gangster in the Mob. He is now the personal bodyguard of the Great Skeeve.

Nunzio is Guido's cousin and is also a senior gangster. He is now another personal bodyguard of Skeeve.

In this story, Skeeve is returning to their tent when a kind soul warns him about the person who lives there. He is earnestly told about the strange doings of the Great Skeeve. After playing dumb for a while, Skeeve finally tells the Deveel his name and he runs screaming from the area.

Then Skeeve is confronted by Nunzio. Skeeve is not supposed to go out without his bodyguards. Skeeve apologizes, but gets Nunzio to admit that he and Guido would only slow down any magical assaults.

Then Skeeve goes upstairs to break up an argument between Guido and Aahz. It seems that Aahz believes that Guido has lost them some clients. Guido explains that he left them downstairs and they were gone when he returned.

Then Aahz and Skeeve let Guido know that there is another way out of the reception room. They run downstairs and find that the backdoor has been opened. They have kept it locked because they don't know where it leads.

The tent is much larger on the inside than it looks from the outside. It is actually the entrance to another dimension. Skeeve and his friends have been using their small portion of that dimension, but they have never checked out with whom they are sharing the place.

Then representatives of the Devan Merchants Association -- their landlords -- show up and demand the persons of three con artists. The "clients" were running a scam within the Great Bazaar and now they have escaped through the backdoor.

The Deveels insist on the return of the scammers, a full refund of the ill-gotten loot, or the banishment of Skeeve from the Bazaar. Naturally Aahz doesn't want to refund the money. So Skeeve asks for a little time to locate the con artists.

Skeeve insists on following the two men and a woman through the door. Aahz thinks he should go alone. When Skeeve keeps arguing, Aahz cold cocks him and leaves alone.

After Skeeve awakes, his first impulse is to rush after Aahz. But he decides to wait for a reasonable length of time. After a few days without word from Aahz, reasonable is looking closer.

Then a woman knocks on the backdoor and tells them that Aahz has been arrested for murder. Skeeve panics and starts issuing orders. Guido finally attracts his attention to mention that the young lady was one of the trio. When they look out the door, she is gone from the area.

Nunzio is left behind to explain to Chumley and Tananda when they return. Skeeve, Massha, and Guido leave within an hour. They step into a dim day.

This tale brings Skeeve and his friends into a dimension inhabited by vampires. The vampires usually get their blood from bottles, but they still have fangs and can turn into bats. For some reason, the vampires are very afraid of humans.

This story has the usual twists and turns and a few surprises. The next installment is Little Myth Marker. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Asprin fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of simple magic, unusual vampires, and a young magician. If anyone has not previously read this series, the initial volume is Another Fine Myth.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Interdimensional search silliness.

The Myth gang, in this, the fifth book of the series are now working out of the Bazaar of the Dimensions. Thanks to the Deveels Aahz goes looking for someone in another dimension, and doesn't reappear. Guess who has to go find him? Where he actually is means the usual things that Skeeve can rely on aren't going to work for him, so more fun and games to be had.

The Myth Adventures series is one of my favorites. One of the better fantasy series out there (in my opinion even better than the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series) they are a quick read and are good for a ton of non-stop laughter. The reading level is not very advanced, as a 4th grader could easily pick up the book and know exactly what is going on. However this does not detract from the enjoyment an adult can receive from this hilarious novel. The modern jokes and references that might be missed by a child are sure to be appreciated and enjoyed.

All of the old characters are back as well as a few new ones to mix things up. Robert Asprin brings together a brilliant cast of diverse characters that are sure to make you smile and rush out to buy the next book in the series just to find out what happens next.

Myth-Ing Persons is a must read for any Robert Asprin fan as well as any fan of fantasy as a whole. His unique style guarantees enjoyment for all who read it. Also if you like Myth-Ing Persons you will love Robert Asprin's other books in the series as well as his Thieves' World Series, which is also very good.