Xanth is a magical country shaped like Florida whose northern border touches Mundania, a place without magic. Some of Xanth's significant places, such as Lake Ogre-Chobee and Ogre-Fen-Ogre-Fen, both in Florida, are suggested by the real Lake Okeechobee and the Okefenokee Swamp.

The quest taken by Tandy and Smash runs south to north in Xanth's magic kingdom and south to north in a dimly perceived Florida. The imaginary creatures encountered and the magical places sometimes spring from myth, as do the griffin and harpy, but more often than not creatures and places spring from language itself, as does the loan shark, who tries to take a bite out of Smash and the rest of the company.

Not surprisingly, considering Anthony's interest in science fiction, many of his creatures have the same relation to their environments that aliens do in science fiction. Each of the adventures of Tandy and...