Ogre, Ogre [Paperback]

When a Nymph rides a Night Mare, Ogre beware!

Smash knew all about ogres. After all, despite his having a human mother, Smash was an ogre himself. Ogres were not only huge and horribly ugly, as Smash was; they were also so stupid they could hardly speak, and they spent most of their time fighting, destroying, and eating young girls.

So what was he doing here with seven assorted females looking to him to guide them and save them? Even in Xanth, where magic made anything possible, why should Tandy the Nymph trust him and seem fond of him? And how could all that high-flown conversation be coming out of his mouth?

But that, it seemed, was what he got for going to Good Magician Humfrey for an Answer—before he even knew what the Question was!Piers Anthony, sometimes called Pier Xanthony, is the pseudonym of a Mundane character who was born in England in 1934, came to America in 1940, was naturalized in 1958, and moved to Xanth in 1977. His first story was published in 1963, and his first novel,Chthon,in 1967. His first Xanth novel,A Spell for Chameleon,won the August Derleth Fantasy Award as the best novel for 1977, and his fantasy novels began placing on theNew York Timesbestseller list withOgre, Ogre. He shifted from writing in pencil to writing on the computer, andGolem in the Gearswas his first novel created on the machine; naturally, the computer found its way into Xanth.Chapter 1. Nightmare
 
Tandy tried to sleep, but it was difficult. The demon had never actually entered her private bedroom, but she was afraid that one night he would. This night she was alone; therefore she worried.
 
Her father Crombie was a rough soldier who had no truck with demons. But he was away most of the time, guarding the King at Castle Roogna. Crombie was fun when he was home, but that was rare. He claimed to hate women, but had married a nymph, and tolerated no interference by other males. l³'