A：根據文法規則，good 的後面的確需要 as (不是 than) 來構成 as good as 的比較型態。然而，as good or better than、as bad or worse than 以及其他類似的「as + 原級形容詞 + or + 比較級形容詞 + than」結構，是英文的習慣用法，至少在口語是這樣用的。儘管如此，這種在英文中被稱為「雙重比較」(dual comparison) 的結構卻是一種有瑕疵的平行結構 (faulty parallelism)，屢遭正統人士批評，因此在書面或正式英文中應盡量避免這樣用。
以問題中的句子為例，為了平行對稱，我們應將之改為 His second novel is as good as or better than his first. (他的第二本小說跟第一本一樣好，甚至更好)。不過，在較長的句子中，當我們恢復 as 時，若加上逗點來隔開，句子反而變得比較複雜，如 He is as handsome and well-mannered as, or even handsomer and better-mannered than, his older brother. (他跟他哥哥一樣英俊、有禮貌，甚至更英俊、更有禮貌)。
比較聰明的作法是將比較級放在句子較後面的地方，如 His second novel is as good as his first or better.；John was as crazy as Michael, probably more so. (約翰跟麥可一樣瘋狂，甚至可能有過之)。 dual comparison, faulty parallelism, as good or better than, as bad or worse than