The Source of Magic

Title: The Source of Magic
Author: Piers Anthony
Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Bink's now a married man, and Chameleon is going to have a baby... and she's in her "smart" phase, meaning she's grumpy. When Bink's talent causes trouble, King Trent sends Bink to find the source of Xanth's magic. With Bink are Bink's friends, Chester the centaur (who's wife is also having a baby, which is a foal in the centaur's case), and Crombie the soldier (he's not having baby trouble, since he HATES women). Trent even turns Crombie into a griffin for this quest. The Good Magician Humfrey also joins them, though he knows something: the quest could possibly destroy the magic of Xanth!
But a hidden enemy hounds them during their quest. Bink's magic and the others' abilities help them to survive, but will they defeat this hidden enemy?
Even if their quest succeeds, will finding the source of magic really doom the land of Xanth?

Rockin' Review:
Interesting pattern here. I read a really rockin' book, then an only-average book. Up... then down. At least this wasn't a one-guitar! It helps me see why the Xanth series stayed around. This is book #2 in that series.
The book only really grabbed your attention at the end. You know... big showdown, the big choice, and trying to fix the new major problem. Big stuff at the end. But, while the the rest wasn't terrible, it wasn't the greatest. That's why this is a three-guitar book.
And then the very end had a problem. We see Bink have all sorts of problems with love and women, but him staying loyal to Chameleon. We see his growing desire to return to his wife, and his child. While we learn of the baby's birth and talent, we never saw the baby or Chameleon at the end! That's not fair! Mr. Anthony gets us all warmed up to re-see Bink's family, and wanting to see them ourselves, and never lets us see them! That was not a good move! It left a hanger, and I don't like that!
This is a book you only want to read if you have time.