Chthon

Chthon was Piers Anthony's first published novel in 1967, written over the course of seven years. He started it when he was in the US Army, so it has a long prison sequence that is reminiscent of that experience, being dark and grim. The author regards this as perhaps the most intricately structured novel the science fantasy genre has seen. Aton's crime was simple. He loved a minionette. All worlds despised and feared this almost mythical siren but no creature anywhere could tell him why. In the brutally hot, subterranean garnet caves of chthon to which he had been condemned, Aton sought an answer. And when he could not find it--he determined to seek it elsewhere. No man had ever escaped Chthon and lived. But the minionette called. Aton had to have his answer. So did Chthon A Nebula and Hugo Award Finalist: The first novel by the New York Times–bestselling author of the Xanth series.Chthon was Piers Anthony's first published novel in 1967, written over the course of seven years. He started it when he was in the US Army, so it has a long prison sequence that is reminiscent of that experience, being dark and grim. It features Aton Five, a space man who commits the crime of falling in love with the dangerous, alluring Minionette and is therefore condemned to death in the subterranean prison of Chthon. It uses flashbacks to show how he came to know the Minionette, and flash-forwards to show how he dealt with her after his escape from prison. The author regards this as perhaps the most intricately structured novel the science fantasy genre has seen. Chthon was Piers Anthony’s first published novel in 1967, written over the course of seven years. He started it when he was in the US Army, so it has a long prison sequence that is reminiscent of that experience, being dark and grim. It features Aton Five, a space man who commits the crime of falling in love with the dangerous alluring Minionette and is therefore condemned to death in the subterranean prison of Chthon. It uses flashbacks to show how he came to know the Minionette, and flashforwards to show how he dealt with her after his escape from prison. The author regards this as perhaps the most intricately structured novel the science fantasy genre has seen. It was a contender for awards, but not a winner. From back cover Berkley paperback September 1984: It was a new word for Hell. An escape-proof prison mine, where the worst criminals in the Universe were condemned to perpetual suffering in the ruby darkness. Aton had committed the unpardonable crime. He was condemned to Chthon for loving the minionette, the sensuous siren-spirit no man was allowed to possess... or even desire. And to find out who she was and why she was forbidden, Aton had to do what none before him had ever done. Escape from Chthon! Four hundred years after the invention of interstellar travel Aton Five, of the planet Hvee, makes the mistake of falling in love with the dangerous and alluring siren-spirit Minionette and is sent to a subterranean escape-proof prison called Chthon where the worst criminals in the universe are kept. He stages an impossible escape in order to find out why loving Minionette has doomed him