Looking for a book

[Cosmo_ac]

I know this is a longshot, but I've gotten help from people here before, so I thought I would try.

Basically, I'm looking for a book series that I remember from my youth. Now, I never read this series, but I remember seeing it at the library, and for some reason it just jumped out. However, I never got to read the books. Not sure why, maybe I just didn't see them again and forgot about them?

Because I never read the books, I don't have much to go on, which is probably why it's so hard to find them. I'll try my best to say what I remember.

I believe that this series (I'm not sure how long it was but I could swear I remember at least two books) is a fantasy setting. It's possible it's sci-fi, but I remember the clothing looked pretty fantasy like. The main character was I believe a human male, and (this is the big one) I believe his teacher or friend was some sort of green skinned person. Not a human though. The closest thing I can think of is that he looked kind'a like Piccolo from DBZ. Humanoid, but not exactly human. And finally, these books would have likely been no older then mid 1990's. I would hazard a guess at 1980's, but can't back that up.

I know, I know. Not much to go on. I guess I'm just hoping that somebody read these books at some point and remembers them.

Anyhow, thanks for the read if you made it this far.

 

[TMF Jeff]

Could it have been Another Fine Myth?

 

[Cosmo_ac]

Yes, yes it is. I really need to use this place more often for this stuff.

Thanks. How did you find it? Was it something you read in the past, or did you do some Google-fu?

 

[TMF Jeff]

It's something I read in the past, I was pretty sure I recognized it from your description of the cover 🙂

 

[FrenzyTickles]

Never read that, but loved many of the following, ages ago - You'd probably like these, especially the Xanth novels by Piers Anthony.
Really imaginative, incredible world, and every person has a magical "talent." I also read most of his "Apprentice Adept" series, long ago.
(I got maybe 5 pages into Bio of a Space Tyrant, nixed that. Nope).
Didn't remember that he apparently wrote "Total Recall" also. He's quite versatile!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/similar/1417626-another-fine-myth

A librarian gave me a printout from this site, and it's uber handy! Lists authors' series in order, etc., so organized:

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/piers-anthony/

Also loved whatever I read of the Vlad Taltos/Jhereg series by Steven Brust
(The main character is very shady, supposedly involved with people who do some horrible things,
but he never seems to be directly involved in any of that; his affiliation was more self-preservation...
He is an assassin, however, so I guess that's shady enough!) I love the originality of Brust's fantasy world also, obviously, anyway!
And if you ever wanted a pet dragon.... 🐉

 

[TMF Jeff]

Total Recall was actually written by Phillip K Dick as "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" He also wrote, as either novels or short stories -

Blade Runner as "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"
The Man in the High Castle
Minority Report
Paycheck
A scanner Darkly
Next
and The Adjustment Bureau, as The Adjustment Team


I highly recommend him as an author, he writes really fascinating stories about questioning reality and conspiracies.

 

[FrenzyTickles]

Thank you, that's so strange because that Fantastic Fiction website basically never screws up, but nobody's "totally" perfect.

Unless Piers Anthony had some input into the screenplay, I don't know. (Probably not.) Thanks again for the correction & reading list!

 

[TMF Jeff]

I dug a little deeper into it, and Piers Anthony wrote the novelization of the movie - https://www.amazon.com/Total-Recall-Piers-Anthony/dp/0688052096

 

[FrenzyTickles]

Thank you again! (I'm slipping... : P ) Good to know FantFict isn't losing it, but I wish there was further notation included...
Appreciate the clarification!

 

[Cosmo_ac]

I did actually read the Xanth series, but gave it up after like, book twenty. It just wasn't doing to for me anymore, and just seemed to get more silly as it continued. I enjoyed the first 7 the most, if I remember right. I didn't realize Piers did the adaption of the Total Recall movie into book form, though I did read that book many years ago.