This is the third novel in a row to use the formula of following a character's travels through Xanth and meeting a host of familiar and new people. The meandering nature of Clio's quest can get tedious if this isn't your favorite motif--that was my case. Other readers may enjoy it just fine. Metria is always a delight, and now the half demon children Monica and Ted are proving just as amusing. We even get a flash of the old Xanth when Getaway Golem enters the book. He's Grundy all over again.Sadly, the ending fell flat. We finally find out what started this whole adventure, and it's not a bad idea, but it was presented so late and briefly in the book as to seem more like an afterthought than a driving force. We get two endings, one false and then the real one. I couldn't help wishing for a blend of the two that would have combined the best of both alternatives.In all, this was an ok installment. It's not the worst in the series, but it also isn't the best.
