I don't need to explain my 5 stars to you lot.

Just kidding! I just really enjoyed this book. It was so captivating that it kept me turning the pages all through the night.

The story was engaging from start to finish, and I was completely hooked.

What I really appreciated was the respect given to fungal species.

The author did a great job of highlighting their importance and unique characteristics.

It made me look at fungi in a whole new light.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in nature, science, or just a good read.

It's definitely one that I will be adding to my favorites list.

I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!

The planet Nacre is a fascinating world that serves as the abode of three sentient space mushroom species. One of these species is herbivorous, feeding solely on the plant life of the planet. Another is an omnivore, having a more diverse diet that includes both plants and other organisms. The third species is a carnivore, preying on other living beings for sustenance.

One day, three Earth spacemen visit this strange planet. Among them, one is a vegetarian, adhering to a diet that excludes meat. Another is a normal person with a regular diet. The third spaceman, however, suffers from a severe iron deficiency. While on the planet, they somehow get stranded far from their base and embark on a long and arduous adventure to find their way back. Along the journey, they have numerous interactions with the mushroom people, which leads to a series of interesting events and experiences.

When they finally manage to return to Earth, they are immediately under investigation by the government. The government agent assigned to the case is a super man with a Vulcan-like focus. He possesses extraordinary physical and intellectual skills, which he must utilize to extract answers from the three spacemen. The spacemen, having endured a great deal during their adventure, are severely damaged psychologically and are not easily forthcoming with answers to perfectly logical questions. The final spaceman, in particular, leads the agent on a wild goose chase with some Timothy Leary-inspired psycho-babble and ultimately engages in a final showdown with the Shroom of Doom.

This story is a classic example of 1960s scientifiction, filled with super-powered humans, strange aliens, and the drug-induced hippie psychology of the era. There is a great deal of spurious rambling throughout the narrative, seemingly attempting to explain a perfectly obvious scientific process that is, in fact, the real danger. However, this overly complicated explanation may not be entirely necessary, as the average reader may not be able to anticipate what is coming unless they happen to be a mushroom doctor. And if they were, they would likely be very afraid. Of mushrooms. With eyes.

It is truly interesting to consider that this was written 40 years ago. Many of the issues that were foretold in it are actually happening right now. When I read it in high school, I'm not sure I fully "got" many of the references. However, I do clearly remember really liking the book.

Now, moving on to the next two...

Actually, after reading this and "Macroscope", I'm sorry to admit that the "Xanth" series has somewhat soured me on this author. But perhaps I should go back and unearth any non-"Xanth" works of his. Because when he is not churning out the pulpy stuff, he is really quite good.

IMHO of course.

**07/27/19**

On this particular day of 07/27/19, many events could have been taking place around the world.

Perhaps in some cities, people were going about their daily routines, going to work, school, or running errands.

In others, there might have been special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, or festivals being celebrated.

The weather could have varied from place to place, with some areas experiencing sunny skies and warm temperatures, while others might have had rain or even thunderstorms.

Maybe there were important meetings or conferences happening in the business world, where decisions were being made that could have an impact on the future.

Overall, 07/27/19 was just another day in the calendar, but it was filled with countless possibilities and activities that made it unique.

I absolutely loved it.

It presented very cool perspectives that truly made me think and view things from a different angle.

The inventive characters were another aspect that I adored. They were so unique and full of personality, each with their own distinct traits and qualities.

Their actions and decisions drove the story forward in the most interesting and engaging way.

Overall, it was a truly remarkable piece that left a lasting impression on me.

I can't wait to explore more works that offer such cool perspectives and inventive characters.

It's like opening a door to a whole new world of imagination and creativity.

This short first-contact novel is, indeed, quite well-written and highly compelling. Especially considering it was written in 1968, it holds up remarkably well in the realm of science fiction. It presents some truly interesting ideas and concepts. The alien lifeforms discovered on Nacre are truly unusual and are excellent fictional creations. They add a unique and captivating element to the story.

However, the peculiarities of the main human characters seem somewhat contrived. Their behaviors and traits don't always feel natural or believable. Additionally, I find myself disliking the way the story concludes. It comes across as both unconvincing and uncongenial, leaving me with a sense of dissatisfaction.

Nonetheless, it is quite a memorable book. It has certain aspects that stick in the mind long after reading. But it is not one of my absolute favorites. I must admit that I prefer it more at the beginning than at the finish.

Piers Anthony clearly has ability as a writer. However, he also seems to be a rather peculiar man himself. Although I don't know a great deal about him and haven't read many of his books, there is something about his writing style and the way he portrays characters that gives me this impression.

A minority of readers have accused this book of sexism. But I don't think the issue here is exactly sexism. In this book and its sequels, the male and female characters interact on a more or less equal basis. However, their interrelationships are rather awkward, and they seem overly preoccupied with sex, despite hardly ever engaging in it. I believe the author simply isn't very adept at depicting human relationships. Like some other science fiction authors, he appears to be more comfortable dealing with other species than with humans.

Piers Anthony is a highly accomplished author who truly knows how to write engaging and captivating stories. His works are a testament to his talent and creativity.

One of his notable contributions to the literary world is in the genre of classic sci-fi adventure. His stories take readers on thrilling journeys through distant galaxies, filled with unique and imaginative characters, and exciting plot twists.

Whether it's exploring new planets, encountering strange alien species, or facing off against powerful enemies, Piers Anthony's sci-fi adventures have it all. His ability to create vivid and detailed worlds makes it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the story and become fully invested in the characters' fates.

Overall, Piers Anthony's classic sci-fi adventures are a must-read for any fan of the genre. His writing style is engaging, his stories are exciting, and his imagination knows no bounds. If you're looking for a thrilling and unforgettable reading experience, look no further than the works of Piers Anthony.

This book, which was written in 1968, indeed reveals its age through the rather sexist tone it adopts.

For instance, the one female character seems to remove her shirt quite frequently, almost for any reason. However, it should be noted that Piers Anthony presented an interesting scientific quandary and managed to write about it in a way that is understandable to the readers.

I have had the first book of this series sitting in a box in the basement for at least 15 years. So, I suppose it was about time that I finally got around to reading it.

Based on this experience, I might consider picking up the other books in this series at some point in the future, provided that I can locate them at the library.

The combination of the outdated tone and the engaging scientific concept makes this book a somewhat unique read, and I am curious to see how the other installments in the series might fare.

Omnivore, published in 1968, was the first volume in Piers Anthony's Of Man and Manta trilogy. I delved into this series as a teenager in the 1970s, along with his Battle Circle trilogy. At that time, he was commencing the publication of the Xanth series, which appears to have been a dominant part of his output over the years. However, I was disappointed by the first Xanth books and didn't read more by him. Now, I've chosen to reread at least Omnivore, the Piers Anthony book I enjoyed the most, to see how it has endured over the years. My 1977 Corgi edition of the book features stunning wrap-around cover art by Peter Andrew Jones, which makes it perhaps the best among the many editions of Omnivore.

I nearly abandoned the book within the first few pages. The opening scene, depicting loggers engaged in some sort of ritual mass fisticuffs and beer-drinking, was rather cringeworthy. Fortunately, I persisted, as the ideas in the book are truly interesting.

The planet Nacre is dominated by the fungi, life's Third Kingdom. Among them, three types have evolved motility. The slime molds on our own planet move slowly, so the idea isn't too far-fetched. The Nacre mantas, in particular, have achieved fast and flexible movement by highly efficiently utilizing a single foot and being able to change their body shape to almost fly over the terrain. These mantas are sentient carnivores, armed with a sharp tail as a weapon. Of the other two motile species, the fungoid omnivores prey on the fungoid herbivores. The mantas "farm" the herbivores and in turn prey on the omnivores. The herbivores, so to speak, are used by the mantas as bait to catch omnivores.

Humans, of course, are omnivores and struggle to earn the respect of the carnivorous mantas as a result. However, regarding the main three human protagonists, one is a vegetarian, one eats both meat and vegetables, and one needs to drink blood to survive. These three humans thus parallel the motile fungoid lifeforms of Nacre. It's a clever concept. Somehow, the relationships between the humans mirror the relationships between the herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores of Nacre.

Anthony's comparison between the three kingdoms of life on Earth is also thought-provoking. Plants are creative in that they convert sunlight and minerals into life, and plant life seems to arise from nothing. The fungi and bacteria are essential for breaking down dead lifeforms into their constituent minerals; otherwise, there would be no cycle of life and a biosphere couldn't exist. The animals, who eat plants, fungi, and other animals, corresponding to "omnivores" in the tripartite scheme, are not essential for a cyclical biosphere, which only requires creators and destroyers. Further parallels exist between the three kingdoms of life on Earth, the three motile types of fungus on Nacre, and the main three human protagonists. The mantas, it turns out, pose a massive threat to all life on Earth.

Omnivore is excellent science fiction due to its ideas, which seem much more recent than the 1960s. I can't think of any other science fiction book from then or since that features intelligent fungi. However, Anthony's writing isn't uniformly good in Omnivore. As I already mentioned, the opening scene is very strange, and there are jarring moments here and there throughout the book. Nevertheless, perhaps I'll read the other two books in the trilogy, Orn and 0X, just to learn more about these fascinating mantas.

An imaginative alien ecosystem serves as the backdrop for this captivating four-cornered character study that forms the core of this tightly-knit narrative.

At first, the story focuses on a limited cast of characters. However, when Anthony embarks on an exploration of the extraterrestrial "culture," the number of characters begins to expand.

This expansion, unfortunately, soon leads to the departure of a primary character, adding an element of drama and uncertainty to the plot.

Despite this setback, the book remains a classic. With 226 pages in this edition, it stands out as the best in this three-volume series.

Readers are sure to be enthralled by the unique world-building, complex characters, and engaging storyline that this book has to offer.

It is quite curious to hear a layman talking about biological evolution, using concepts that he surely learned from popular science books that were probably not very new when he read them. So we have an alternative evolution story told in 1968, on a planet where the "third kingdom" predominates. The characters are empty, and the action doesn't really exist. A whole bunch of flashback jumps really muddles up the story. These days, it would be very cliché, with contact between very different species, followed by a brutal destruction of contaminating aliens on Earth. The concept of the mantas as intelligent super-fungi is quite interesting. Piers Anthony surely has more to offer than the silliness of Xanth.

It's rather discursive and disjointed, making it not truly enjoyable. However, when it hits the mark, it is very good indeed.

The evolving explanation of the mantas and their relationship with humans is told in a well-crafted manner. It's a shame that it's all chopped up in some sort of science fictional post-modernism.

Moreover, there is the added issue of the cheap and dismissive sexism within. This detracts from the overall quality of the work.

Despite these flaws, there are still aspects that can be appreciated. The concept of the mantas and their connection to humans has the potential to be quite interesting.

If only the presentation were more cohesive and the sexist undertones were removed, it could have been a truly great piece. As it stands, it is a somewhat flawed but still somewhat engaging work.