The tenth Myth Adventures book. Following immediately after its predecessor, M.Y.T.H. Inc. in Action, this book opens with Skeeve and the gang back in the kingdom of Possiltum, hanging fire while Skeeve frets over Queen Hemlock’s ridiculous “ultimatum” (marry her, or she will abdicate and give him the throne – which is (a) not Skeeve’s problem, (b) scarcely credible given what he knows about her power-hungry ways, and (c) an impotent threat even if carried out since he could just abdicate in turn, leaving her kingdom to some trusted ally).While Skeeve whines, his friends give him various bits of advice about marriage, and the drinking problem he seems to have developed. And there’s the usual tangents about such decidedly non-fantasy-setting themes as bookkeeping and, most incongruously, why it’s not so great to be a professional model. (Asprin will pad these books with dialogues on anything.) While it’s still amusing, in a groan-inducing kind of way due to wordplay, it lacks even the pretense of a plot, and with no action-related material of any kind, this is a rather low point in this by now moribund series. [Read three times: 8/4/94, 7/5/97, 1/25/12]
I found this on a recent book shopping expedition and snapped it up, excited to find out what happened next with Skeeve and his cohorts. While the books that focus on other members of M.Y.T.H., Inc. are less appealing to me, the action in this book centers around Skeeve and his decision to or not to get married. It's interesting to note from the introduction that Asprin wrote this volume of his M.Y.T.H. Adventures after a period of writer's block. In many ways, the writing seems fresh and invigorated, though the jokes are sometimes a little forced. Good ol' Asprin and his jokes. You gotta' love 'em. The cliff hanger ending is a bit much. But Asprin's handling of the turmoil Skeeve goes through in trying to reach the right decision is extraordinary and Sweet Myth-Tery Of Life is quite charming as a result. An excellent read.
What do You think about Sweet Myth-Tery Of Life (1994)?
This is NOT a collection of short stories, but a straightforward novel about Skeeve and it was (to my knowledge) not his last. Also, it is not the end of the Myth-series - there are luckily another TEN books and counting. See
—Transnet
While this was absolutely refreshing after the previous volume, it still wasn't a great read. It was made up of about 80% people explaining things to Skeeve interspersed with the occasional scene of activity. I grew very tired of listening to people talk through their philosophies of life rather than seeing something move the plot forward. It honestly felt like you could read the first 30 pages, then the last 30 pages, and catch 99% of what's necessary for any real plot or character development. The rest is talking and internal agonizing. One more quick note: The frequent turning of Skeeve's naivete into a joke got tiresome. It was mildly amusing the first time, but not the third.Just not Asprin's best work.
—Matthew Green
Grāmata ir par makroekonomiku, mīlestību un precībām. Ja par ekonomiku un finansēm autoram vēl ir laba nojausma. Tad par mīlestības un precību tēmu Skīvs tiek nostādīts bezpalīdzīga zīdaiņa lomā. Teiksim tā Blaumani šī tēma padadas daudz labāk. Visādi citādi sērija kļūst arvien švakāka no grāmatas uz grāmatu. Jā, citi tēli tiek vairāk piesaukti un ir ieguvuši savu vietu grāmatas pasaulē. Tomēr šī grāmata nedaudz atgādināja meksikāņu seriālu, ar galvenā varoņa nevēlēšanos izšķirties, precēties vai nē un kāpēc. Visai garlaicīgs pasākums, kuru glāba tikai finansistu jociņi (tie diemžēl ir ļoti maz. Tā kā arī šī grāmata beidzas pusratā, tad lieku vien 6 no 10 ballēm.
—Ints
