I just finished Another Fine Myth, by Robert Apsrin. The Myth series was an important part of my reading journey growing up, so I’ll give a little backstory.

In Schenectady, then Onondaga Hill, then Manlius we lived close enough that I was able to walk or ride my bike to the local library. But when we moved to Liverpool when I was in 7th grade, that was no longer an option – it would have been an hour and a half walk to either of the two libraries, which were the Liverpool or Baldwinsville Public Libraries. Baldwinsville was a little closer, so I would have my mother drive me there. I can’t remember now what she might have been doing while I browsed, but I would just go to the fiction section and scour the shelves for that little unicorn spine label the library used to mark fantasy novels.

It was at the Baldwinsville Public Library that I discovered comic fantasy. I think the first book I read in the sub-genre was Majyk By Accident, by Esther Friesner. I was immediately hooked and sought out other comic fantasy, which led me to Robert Apsrin.

The Myth series made reading easier and more fun than ever and I went through as many as I could get. Along the way I tried every other author I could find including Piers Anthony’s Xanth novels, Terry Brooks’ Landover series, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels, and more.

Shifting focus back to the present – the book was ok! Perfectly suited to a young adult audience. The extremely brief story made any problems totally forgivable, but I definitely would have been OK with the line “Isstvan is up to his old tricks again” appearing zero times instead of what felt like twenty.

Aprin’s magic system consists of visualizing and manipulating energy from leylines, which seems better considered than many I’ve encountered.