Another Fine Myth / Myth Conceptions

Myth Adventures #1-2

by Robert Lynn Asprin

Another Fine Myth - Skeeve's master is murdered, and now this apprentice magician must deal with Aahz, a powerless demon summoned by the old magician as a joke.
Myth Conceptions - Skeeve auditions for court magician of Rodrick and, unfortunately, gets the job.

Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Comedy, Magic, Dragons

395 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Robert (Lynn) Asprin was born in 1946. While he wrote some stand alone novels such as The Cold Cash War, Tambu, and The Bug Wars and also the Duncan & Mallory Illustrated stories, Bob is best known for his series fantasy, such as the Myth Adventures of Aahz and Skeeve, the Phule's Company novels, and the Time Scout novels written with Linda Evans. He also edited the groundbreaking Thieves' World anthology series with Lynn Abbey. Other collaborations include License Invoked (set in the French Quarter of New Orleans) and several Myth Adventures novels, all written with Jody Lynn Nye.

Bob's final solo work was a contemporary fantasy series called Dragons, again set in New Orleans.

Bob passed away suddenly on May 22, 2008. He is survived by his daughter and son, his mother and his sister.

Reviews

[Ieva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tīra izklaide un labs humors (joki līmenī tieši pa vidu skalā starp "saproti, ka joks, bet tikai pasmaidi" un "smejies skaļā balsī").
Žēl, ka drukas kļūdu gan gaužām daudz, nu tā ka pat pamana tāds ātrlasītājs kā es.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic! Totally love this series!
Ought to be a television program.

[Huhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein Doppelband mit den ersten beiden Romanen um Skeeve und Aahz. Die ganze verkorkste Geschichte beginnt mit Skeeves altem Lehrer Garkin, der seinen Schüler beeindrucken will, indem er einen waschechten Dämon beschwört. Betrüblicherweise ereilt ihn während der Beschwörung ein unerwarteter Tod und so sitzen nun Skeeve und der beschworene Dämon (kurz für Dimensionsreisender) Aahz gleichermaßen in der Patsche. Aahz kommt vorerst nicht in seine Dimension zurück und Skeeve braucht einen neuen Lehrmeister. Da hilft nur eins: Aahz wird natürlich Skeeves neuer Meister.

Ich habe den Sammelband schon mehrfach gelesen und giggele immer wieder darüber. Der Spruch: "Äh, Aahz ..." geht einfach immer. Die nachfolgenden Bände mochte ich vor einigen Jahren nicht so (ich glaube, den letzten besitze ich nicht einmal), aber diese ersten beiden sind recht lesenswert.

Aus heutiger Sicht ist mir aber aufgefallen, wie viele Fehler in dieser Ausgabe enthalten sind, sowohl einfache Tippfehler als auch unglückliche oder falsche Übersetzungen. Eieiei.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 to 3.5 stars. This is an omnibus edition of the first two installments of the Myth Adventures series, Another Fine Myth and Myth Conceptions. See my review for each individual installment, but overall this is an enjoyable, light-hearted series that is certainly worth trying.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will be myth-ing in action for reading these books. The first two in the series are very good.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad my friend recommended this book because I had never heard of it before. It is a really fun read. It kind of reminds me of William Goldman or Douglas Adams (maybe even a subtler Christopher Moore) in it's blending a serious and absurdist tone at the same time. There are serious moments and dangerous moments but then a goat shows up and it's all good. Okay, not really, but that kind of thing could happen. I enjoyed this book because it doesn't take itself seriously and that's enough. There are some low-hanging fruit jokes in the book, but most of the humor is subtle even if it's absurd. I appreciate how it makes fun of medieval times-ish fantasy tropes but also clearly loves them. That loving hand makes for a lot more enjoyable fun.

Reading this book feels a bit like reading a Terry Gilliam movie like Time Bandits or the Fisher King. So if that is not your brand of humor/entertainment though, this might not be the series for you.

[Marco Massari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It only took 3 months but I finished my 2-in-1 silly buffer book!

I think the aspect of these myth books that I love is that the conflicts faced by Skeeve and Aahz aren’t always resolved in conflict but rather outsmarting their opposition.

It’s a refreshing change of pace from the cgi clusterfuck that tends to be fantasy/fiction films nowadays, it makes me wanna think harder for solutions. Not everything- rather- seldom anything in this book is as it seems. Even the resolution of the second book had me scratching my head and ready to drop a star in my rating untillll I read on and let the protagonists unveil their plan to me instead of shaking my fist in the air to Aspirin’s ghost.

Huge recommend to anyone trying to get back into reading just for the fun of it, and then that way I can like… talk to someone about this… just like lmk.

[Jessica Connelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The four stars is for Aahz being a sarcastic shit and Gleep being the cutest dumbest dragon and for the single female character that was written actually having a personality and being competent. An actual fantasy book that doesn't take itself seriously

[Lindsey Bross · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who wants a quirky, low stakes fantasy romp, I cannot recommend this more!

[D.L. Morrese · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of a young magician's apprentice becomes amusingly complicated when his mentor is assassinated soon after summoning a 'demon.' The assassin fares no better than his target, vaporized by the magician's fireball. The summoned demon remains unscathed, other than for losing his magic. As they say, those who can't do, teach, so he becomes the apprentice's new mentor. These first two books of the Myth Adventures series are better than I remembered. Actually, It's been so long since I first read them that I didn't remember much about them at all. Obviously, I must now put all the others in the series on my TBR list for this year. :-)

[Kristina Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Puiki knyga, priverčianti juoktis praktiškai kiekviename puslapyje. Aišku, jei neturi nieko prieš fantasy žanrą bei satyrą ir absurdo humorą :)
Veiksmas knygoje, kurią sudaro dvi pirmos R. Asprin "Myth Adventures" serijos dalys, sukasi aplink pagrindinių herojų - aštrialiežuvio demono ir jo mokinio, jauno nepatyrusio burtininko, nuotykius. O nuotykių netrūksta - tai reikia gelbėti magijos pasaulį nuo piktadario burtininko, tai ginti karalystę nuo priešų. Būtų klasikinė pasaka, jei ne herojai, kurie švelniai tariant nėra klasikiniai, ir absurdiškos situacijos, į kurias jie vis įsivelia. O viską papildžius ironiškais ir aštriais dialogais bei humoru, gaunasi puikus skaitinys.

R. Asprin puikiai pavyko sukurti spalvingą magišką pasaulį su ekscentriškais ir simpatiškais personažais bei visą tai sujungti su geru humoru. Jei patiko Terry Pratchett "Discworld" serija, tikrai turėtų patikti ir ši. Ir atvirkščiai, jei patiko R. Asprin humoras, imkit ir T. Pratchett'ą :)

[Seth Galbraith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magicians. Demons. Vampires. Comedy. Worker Cooperatives.

I grew out of corny fantasy genre humor (i.e. Piers Anthony) in Junior High. Now I pride myself in only reading the hard stuff*. So when a friend drops his complete Robert Asprin collection in my lap, I was surprised to find something new that I could relate to and enjoy.

* i.e. Terry Pratchett - try to keep up with me here.

You will miss some jokes if you aren't into old movies and fantasy/sci-fi genre geek culture, but Asprin seems to have synthesized the cross-genre, character-centered fantasy subgenre that most of us are now familiar with through Buffy and WoW, which leaves very few people who won't get what he's talking about when he starts in with "interdimensional travel" and the like.

If you can digest the cheese the series gets better and better after the first book.

[Bert Edens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a fan of Asprin's "Phule's" series, but never having delved into the "Myth" series, I had high hopes for the first two books in the series... and I wasn't disappointed.

The books are carried in the same light but active way, keeping the reader interested while sprinkling in a handful of puns, as if a lite version of Piers Anthony. Of course, he leaves the story open for many sequels, of which there are a bounty.

Definitely recommended for anyone who enjoys light sci-fi/fantasy books.

[rachelrox69 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series specifically is probably the best example I could think of for what I'm talking about when I say I love the lighthearted 80's fantasy genre. The characters are so well written and the plot is easy to follow. You really get to know the characters as if you know them personally. After the first two books, I can't wait to read the rest of the series. My only criticism is that it's very predictable. They seem to always find a way out of situations without much struggle. Even when you think there's no way Skeeve and Aahz will make it, based on past events and the fact that there's a whole series left, you know they'll find a way. It's not that big of a deal because I read it for the characters and lightheartedness, but it does kind of ruin the suspense.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Fine MYTH: 4.5
I love this series. Skeeve, the main character, is a little annoying but it just makes him a better protagonist. However, his skill level increases seemingly out of nowhere in this book which makes the story less enticing.

Myth Conceptions: 5
This book is great. If you're not interested in reading the whole series this the the one I'd recommend. All of the characters are at their best and the story keeps you on your toes.

[Durinfsfolk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used book stores can be wonderful places.

Aspirin's "Another Fine Myth" is a gentle send-up of the fantasy genre, without mockery. It's a kind of funny love letter to more serious fantasy authors.

The characters, the world-building right down to names of characters and "races" will bring a chuckle. Myth Conceptions was a little weaker. Some of the first volume's strength comes from being a different take fantasy storytelling.

[David Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that I loved back in the 1980s. A young apprentice with a demon (dimension traveler) as a mentor. Throw in plenty of humor and puns, this book showed me how humor could be married with fantasy.

It’s a book I will re-read from time to time for the nostalgia. Great book for teenagers. Some mild cursing and adult humor, but nothing that teens don’t see on tv every day.

[Kate H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed fantasy novels and I have a fond place in my heart for campy pun filled fantasy and Robert Asprin definitely writes books that fit the bill. His books remain good although they do not quite stand up to the test of time.

[KathleenB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and kinda entertaining, but gets monotonous sometimes. 3.5 stars.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a few plot holes, but overall I enjoyed this light hearted adventure story.

[Gail Gawlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

These 2 books are clever & fun, with lots of wacky characters and tricky predicaments for our guys to figure out. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these. So funny.

[athena · Rating 4 out of 5]

reread this for the second time and hilarious as ever

[Georgen Charnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, funny, lightweight. 3.5 stars.

The characters didn't really make me feel invested in them, but then I don't think it was trying to! It was trying to be cute, funny, and lightweight.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a return to a book from my childhood. It's a fluff read, but it's a fun, comfortable fluff read. Sometimes you just need that.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

A light-hearted comedy yarn featuring a clumsy magic student and a reluctant demon mentor, among other things... It's been done before and will be done again.

[Anete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slaista un Āza piedzīvojumi patīkami izklaidē lasītāju. Diezgan asprātīgs humors. Varētu iedalīt pie "omulīgās" fantāzijas.

[Andre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy adventure with good humor.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book introduced my brother and I to the fantasy genre. Probably where i got my stupid humor from. I have read every book in the series and highly recommend especially for someone just getting started into fantasy.

[Mark Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over a decade ago I stumbled on a copy of "Another Fine Myth" at a home at which I was visiting for an extended period, and started reading it. At first it seemed to be a typical "I played D&D" fantasy, with a young thief apprenticing to an aged wizard; then things started to change. Near the beginning of the second chapter, the "demon" summoned from another dimension introduces himself to the young apprentice as "Ahz"; the apprentice Skeeve echoes the name as "Oz", to which Ahz replies, "No relation"--and I was hooked by the book's quirky sense of humor. It plays word games smoothly within the context--"demon" is apparently a blanket term, short form for "dimensional traveler", and many of the supernatural monsters are simply the ordinary denizens of various other worlds. Imps come from Imper, Devils (or Deveels) from Deva. Ahz comes from Perv, but is very offended when anyone says that means he's a Pervert--he claims the correct designation is "Pervect". Skeeve, the ordinary human in the story, comes from Klah, which makes him a Klahd. Each chapter is headed by a misquote of one sort or another, such as Ulysses giving travel advice or Marie Antoinette suggesting that in times of crisis it is important always to keep your head.

The humor is laced into a fun story. Skeeve's teacher, Garkin, summoned Ahz to impress his pupil with the value of magic, but at the same time was paying Ahz back for a practical joke by stealing the pervect wizard's powers for a year. Unfortunately, at that moment an imp assassin kills Garkin with a heat-seeking crossbow bolt (as Garkin reacts with a stream of fire that leaves the assassin a charred mass). This means that Skeeve has no teacher and Ahz has no power, no ability to return to his own dimension. Thus Ahz takes Skeeve as apprentice, and together they begin seeking Garkin's killer--that is, the villain who sent the assassin. They become involved with quite a few interesting characters along the way, and ultimately defeat a would-be world conqueror with a handful of helpers.

The concept of magic in this world suggests that there are force lines in the ground and sky, and that wizards learn to draw power from these and focus them into desired tasks. In that sense it is less like supernatural magic and more like the Force in Star Wars, a natural energy that simply exists for those able to tap it. Some Christians prefer such "natural force" conceptions of magic, and others find them dangerous ideas. Since I don't take the book too seriously I'm not uncomfortable with "something like magic" existing in another universe. Skeeve's world is medieval, low technology, but fearful of magic; it also lacks anything recognizable as religion, which raises questions of why magic would be feared--but again, it is more a caper story, a humorous adventure with a faux-medieval setting.

I never finished the book back then, but perhaps a decade later found this two-book volume and several others in the series, which I acquired and read, and am now re-reading (or perhaps re-re-reading, I know I've been through the two-book volume at least twice before). The second story begins where the first ends, with Skeeve and Ahz living in what had been the isolated headquarters of their vanquished foe, with Skeeve's baby dragon Gleep and Buttercup the war unicorn they acquired in the first book. Skeeve is invited to apply for the position of court magician at the nearby kingdom of Possiltum, and Ahz insists that he do so because court magician is generally a cushy and lucrative job. He gets the job, and then learns that the reason Possiltum has decided it needs a court magician is that the largest invading army ever fielded is sweeping across the land devouring kingdoms in its wake, and it figures a magician is the only hope they have of stopping it. On top of this, the general of Possiltum's army will kill him if he succeeds because this is a black eye for armies everywhere, and the chancellor will kill him if he fails because he's staked his career on this idea of hiring a wizard. It appears, though, that a dimension-traveling friend from the first book recommended them for the job and shows up to help, and before they know it they've recruited a half dozen unique characters and started looking for ways to stop the army.

That they succeed is a comic story in itself.

Part of me felt that Asprin missed an opportunity, that the remote country inn which was the base they took from the villain Isstvan would have made a good location for another adventure. Nor did I feel the second story was quite as good as the first--but I did like several of the characters. I believe I have the first ten books in various collections, and will undoubtedly return to read more of them; they make good light reading, particularly when I recognize the sometimes obscure quote references in the chapter headings.