What can I say? This was an absolutely appallingly bad book. I'm new to fantasy, and was really excited for this series. By five pages in, I was regretting that decision. By page thirty, I was openly laughing.

There's an interesting idea at play here (more interesting in 1983, I daresay, than in our world where "guy becomes Death" has been done to, well, death). But unfortunately, I'd assumed this was adult fantasy, whereas this is written like a youth book - in fact the prose reminds me specifically of the lesser "Choose Your Own Adventure" works. Zane, the central character, has the thought processes of a 13-year-old boy, and as a result, we're punished by having to endure every single mundane thought he has. (Without a trace of irony, one line of narrative voice says "This was unreal!")

It's clear that Piers Anthony has a lot of good ideas but has no way of expressing them. At one point, he describes a watch: "It was mechanical, but had a way of magic about it". Describe how Zane could sense this magic, Mr. Anthony. Or show us some glimmer or spectral presence, rather than just tell us that. This is fifth-grade writing at best. The world Zane inhabits, similarly, is not in the least appealing. Winged horses in this world? Are known as "air-horses". It's like a bad "Futurama" parody. (Note to Mr. Anthony: we didn't call aeroplanes "air-cars", nor did we call cars "metal-horses". This is not how the world works.)

Perhaps if I'd got further into the book, this would have been revealed as an elaborate literary device to show us Zane's simplistic surfer dude brain patterns, but somehow I doubt it. I'd only recommend this to fifth-graders, but even then, I'm sure they can find something better to read. ( )

The review by Kate: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/276144296#comment_list
captures my feelings perfectly -- loved this series as a youth, am appalled by the sexist stereotyping as an adult, prefer to remember it fondly and not re-experience it. Alas. ( )

The 1-star is there only because I can't rate it a zero. Oh my goodness this is one of the worst books & biggest letdown in ages. Some truly AWFUL sexism that makes you go - WTF? And then go throw up - constantly. And beyond that the pretty cool premise gets totally ruined by the obvious fixation of Christian theology. I could go on and on, but you get the point. Truly a terrible book and wasted potential. Leave it alone. ( )

Re read after like 20 years and still enjoyed it. Am re reading as I haven't read the full series, and will this time. Thank you Kindle :-) ( )

Tedious ( )