Customer Reviews (2)

Rather disappointing after Lilith
This is the second book in the Lords of the Diamond series. You must have read the first volume (Lilith, the Snake in the Grass) in order to understand what it's all about.

If, after Lilith, you think you knowquite well what the Warden Diamond's alike, you are mistaken. The physicsof Cerberus is completely different from Lilith's. Perhaps it's even moreobscure (Lilith somehow made more sense to me). Anyway, our friend is outthere with a different face, yet with the same mission, and you're in forsome real surprises.

I'm sorry to say that the book is by far not as goodas Lilith (which is one of my all-time favorites). Still, it's a seriesworth reading. It is imperative to read the books in the correct order(Lilith, Cerberus, Charon, Medusa), otherwise you'll be very confused andmiss most of the enjoyment.

This is the Best Book in the Four Worlds of the Diamond
This is a great Sci-Fi/Fantasy mix.The main character is dumped on a world blind, naked, and alone with the job of assinating the lord of Cerebrus.The plot is interesting with many twists and turns and keeps youreading all the way! This is a great book! ... Read more

Product Description
Mavra Chang had been a master criminal, notorious throughout the galaxy, but for years she has been trapped in a no-longer human body on the Well World - the Master Control planet for the universe. A supercomputer can restore her form, if only she can obtain a spaceship to reach it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not Free SF Reader
Well War 2.


Or, if you haven't read the second book in the Well World series, Exiles at the Well of Souls this book may not make anywhere near as much sense, as it follows on directly from that one to continue the conflict and problems that Mavra Chang and company find themsleves in because of the experiment in the earlier novel.

This one is still just as entertaining as the first part though.

Quest for the well of souls
This author has done it again, once you start reading you can not put it down. this is the 3rd. book in a series and if you have not read the others, I would recomend them, starting with midnight at the well of souls and then ghost of the well of souls.

The third book in the Saga of the Well World
This is a direct continuation of events begun in the second book of this series, Exiles at the Well of Souls.These two books, together, are called the War of the Well World.

It is difficult to describe the events of this book without substantially spoiling much of Exiles.

Essentially, the second phase of the war gets under way, and I can't say any more than that.

As the author puts it in his note in both books, "In an ideal world, Exiles should be read first."

If you have read Exiles, and found it a good book, this one is a must (it's really the second half).

Vol. 1: Midnight at the Well of Souls
Vol. 2: Exiles at the Well of Souls (Part 1: War of the Well World)
Vol. 3: Quest for the Well of Souls (Part 2: War of the Well World)
Vol. 4: The Return of Nathan Brazil
Vol. 5: Twilight at the Well of Souls ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Harrowing account
Just before this book came out, Jack and i talked at an SF convention, and he told me a few things.

According to him, at that time, Universal's plans for the next "Jaws" film were that it was to be a prequel, teeling the story of the "Indianopolis", with Quint being one of the survivors, thus setting up his lieflong hatred and fascination with sharks.

He also talked about how his research had revealed the shameful way that the Navy had treated the true heroes of the disaster, and that at least one person who had received a medal for his actions had, in fact, done something shameful and stupid that the Navy had covered up.And he said he named this person by name in the book."And, if he wants to sue, I have the documentation to prove every word I said," he said, obviously hoping that the guy would sue.

Been years since i read it, but as i recall, the early part of the book involves a visit from the FBI to the New York offices of publsiher Street & Smith, to question John W. Campbell, Jr, editor of "Astounding) Science Fiction" (later "Analog") about a piece published in the magazine that basically described with some accuracy the enriched-uranium atomic bomb that the Manhattan Project was even then developing in secret.

This is a true story.Writer Cleve Cartmill had, strictly as a theoretical exercise, worked out how such a device might operate ("atomic" bombs ahd been staples of SF for some time).(Campbell convinced them that ordering the magazine kept off news stands after subscribers' and library copies had already been mailed might well cause someone to wonder why and lead to calling attention to the very item the FBI were trying to suppress...)

A powerful account of a very important set of events of WW2.
This is a historical fiction account of the developement of the atomic bomb and the USS Indianapolis (the ship that delivered one of the bombs to the Pacific Theater).The author utilized all available historical recordsto add as much authenticity to the story as possible, and creates a veryplausible storyline.The story of survival near the end of the book isenough to make you think twice of being in the water.

Deep and incredibly interesting even though I never read it.
It sounds cool so I'll probably read it someday when I get stranded on an island.

Fantastic factual account from a master of fantasy
This book is a captivating portrayal of the largest secret operation that the us government has ever done and where it went wrong. This story leads you through the development, test, delivery and deployment of the first atomic bomb with its title referring to the warship that delivered it to the pacific theater of operations. ... Read more

Product Description

THE EVOLUTION OF TERROR

A hard-living reporter long past his Pulitzer Prize-winning prime, Chuck Vallone is about to meet a renowned geneticist who needs to clear his conscience. But when Vallone arrives at their rendezvous, he finds the D.C. hotel swarming with government agents. The scientist's room is now a grisly slaughterhouse splattered with blood--but no sign of a body.

Vallone knows he has the story of the century, especially when he receives a mysterious package filled with a computer disk and strange samples of DNA. Now he's determined to uncover the truth. But it's no brave new world Vallone will be exploring; rather, a deadly depraved one ruled by preeminent scientists. And this powerful cadre intends to make Vallone both eyewitness and executor of their final ferocious plan . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

FARCICAL CHUCKLES
What starts out like a comic strip Moreauville slowly draws the reader into a whirlpool dystopia--science gone mad. What happens when man develops intellectual, symbiotic relationships with genetically smart supercomputers? Chalker paints a computer, Ariel, who can design stem cells to either transform men into unique chimera animals or give them the forever sought after fountain of youth. The book leads the reader through some heavy plodding as the protagonists are pitted against some beasts from hades. The hoped for ending will not disappoint, however, if ever there was ever a contrived, spit in your eye, happy ending this is it.

PS: Congrats to Chalker for breaking sexual taboos in sci-fi by including the exploits of a bragging Italian Stallion and a Big Breasted Babe. Hopefully his crystal ball is smogged regarding the future thrills a church wedding can provide.

The Moreau Factor
I have been a J.L.C. reader for a very long time I have read everything that I could find from JackChalker.I was really disappointed in this book to put it simply it was boring I read the entire bookand I kept expectingit to get better but it never did sorry jack this one is a flop.

This one should make you think!
The Moreau factor is a beautifully written book with solid scientific footing.It contains most of the typical Chalkeresque elements his fans will crave, but it also cracks the door on what will in the future surelyprove to be the most wondrous and horrifying power the world has yet seen:genetic science.Although very fanciful, the issues Chalker presents arereal, and the strides current science is making and the ethical questionsthey raise are addressed in the book. The book proceeds at a comfortablepace and contains a pleasant balance of mystery and action.Unfortunately,the ending is a trifle abrupt for my tastes, but nonetheless the book isworth reading if for no other reason than to consider the futureramifications of genetic science. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the final book in the "Rings of the Master" series and describes the effort of Hawks, both to outwit the renegade pirates of the giant spaceship "Thunder" and to find the computer interface that explains the mystery of the five rings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great condition
The book was used, as advertised, but in great condition.Delivery wasn't as quick as hoped, but I did select standard delevery. Overall, I a pleased with the purchase and would buy from this source again.

Fun space opera!
I really enjoyed this series. I found it to be a fast fun space opera that's not too deep. However, it does delve into the whole "Man's inhumanity to man" idea quite a bit. It's reminds me of a mix of Star Wars, LOTR and Terminator.

This is the first series by Chalker that I have read, and I can't wait to read more by him.

Fun but still not as good as book two
In Masks of the Martyrs Jack Chalker brings his strangely fun space swashbuckler to a close.Hawks and his crew of pirates/revolutionaries must take the last two rings and shut down Master System all while dodging the tyranical computer's minions as well as those who would use the rings to rule humanity themselves.We find out more details about the pirates of the Thunder, Chalker again puts them in a really bizarre situation in order to get ring four, and there is lots of fun to be had in the heroics and space battles.

This book falls short in that the end was something of an anticlimax and I did not find myself really caring for the the characters I followed through the four books.Somewhere about halfway through I began to feel detached and a little bored at times.However, Chalker came through with some memorable moments and truly inventive situations that kept me going to the end.

Lots of fun!
This series may not have the deepest writing or characters, but the plot over the 4-book series is intricate and sustained ingeniously throughout.This is one of the few series I've read where the final book is actually satisfying and a great conclusion.It's a little like Star Wars meets The Terminator, where the protagonists have to fight terrible odds against an evil artificial intelligence which has taken over Earth.Highly recommended!

Great entertainment
The Rings of the Master books are the kind of science fiction that youlike to read over and over again.They are not particularly original -after all, there have been countless books written about computers being incontrol of humankind.But they're fun to read, the characters are great,and the aliens are as weird as aliens can be.And I have to say, the codethat the protagonists have to eventually figure out at the end is prettygenius - see if you can decipher it before they do!I give this seriesthree stars for content, five stars for enjoyment.Don't bother with it ifyou're in the mood for something really deep and earthshaking, but I stillnumber these four books among my favorites.Happy reading! ... Read more

Product Description
Fantasy Novel ... Read more

Product Description
Asmodeus Mogart was not a bad fellow, as demons go. Having gotten in trouble back in the home office, he had been assigned to duty on Earth. There he toiled, doing the kinds of things demons do and turning into something of a drunk.
Then a rogue asteroid threatened to crash into Earth and destroy all life on the planet -- demons included! There had to be a better way.
Mac Walters and Jill McCullough, holding a private wake for their world in a Reno bar, were more than startled when a strange-looking little drunk told them they could save the world.
All they had to do was enter five alternate universes and steal a demon-guarded jewel in each. Clearly, the man was crazy.
But they had nothing better to do than go along with the gag. Then they each found themselves, naked and alone, on a hostile alien world!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Means Just Don't Quite Justify the End
I found this book in a used book store and figured I could not go wrong after spending $2.48 for it.I enjoyed the book until the end.The ending was commonplace and it obliterated the entertaining buildup.The characters were well developed, especially Asmodeus Mogart!The imagery was vivid and the humor was always on time.The pacing was a little off-kilter: at some points the story would zoom by at breakneck speeds; but at odd moments it would slow down and give you a kind of "literary whiplash".

So had the ending not been so horrible, I would have given the book 3 stars.But as it were, the ending was so wretchedly unoriginal it destroyed the rest of the book.I got the impression that Chalker might have just been so tired of writing the book that he just wanted to end it ASAP . . .no matter how!

Notwithstanding the two stars, I would still recommend a glance at this book because the beginning and middle were quite amusing and the book is short enough to take the chance. . . but only if you are a forgiving person.You need to be to overlook the ending.If you are the type of person who absolutely cannot forgive a horrible ending, skip this book.

Engrossing, funny, and interesting characters
I first recieved this book as a gift when I was 6 or 7 years old. The cover of the devil scared me and I put it away in a drawer and forgot about it. Years later, as an early teen-ager, I read, and reread and reread it sooften, I wore out the cover.

Its a great sci-fi story about populatingdifferent worlds and energies, interesting characters, and humouroussituations. This is the one that got me into pop sci-fi. I think its hisbest, but that may be because it was the first one of his many I read.

Made me a sci-fi fan
This is the first book in this genre I ever read when I was a kid (12). It opened a whole new world to me and I still think it's number one of allthe books I've ever read.I wish there were parts 2, 3, 4....If you canever find this book, it is definitely worth reading.-Mindy

A marvelous yarn about a doomed planet
This is one of my all-time favorite books. An attempt to mine a passing asteroid has gone wrong, and the 'roid is now headed for earth (and this was written long before the current string of things-heading-for-earth disaster movies). As Earth prepares to die, a drunken demon summons two people to a bar in the middle of nowhere, and sends them on a series of impossible quests through alternate planes, in a desperate attempt to save the planet. But. . .it's always dangerous to make a deal with the devil. . . . ... Read more

Product Description
Paul Carlton Savage died on July 20, 1969, in Vietnam -- but that was only the start of his troubles! Approached by a mysterious entity called The Hunter, Savage was offered immortality in exchange for his services in The Hunter's continuing war against The Bromgrev. Suddenly, Savage found himself pitted against an enemy he had never seen, an enemy who could be anyone, anywhere, at any time . . . an enemy determined to destroy him and all who got in his way. And in this raging intergalactic war between Good and Evil, Savage discovered that he couldn't be sure whose side he was on . . . .
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fun Light Reading
It has been some time since I read A Jungle of Stars. It is one my favorites from Chalker. If you love a good space opra with lots of twists and turns, this one's for you. A uniquely interesting take on the"Good Vs. Evil" theme. ... Read more

Product Description
Vulture is a shapechanger capable of absorbing the body and memories of any organic being. Without the information only Vulture can collect, the rebels will never succeed in gathering the five rings necessary to defeat Master System. Now an unknown entity seems to be giving Vulture an unseen hand. But the question is -- whose side is it on?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

All set-up, readying to blow! Plot explodes!
Backtracking a bit, Book One was character inception and plot layer. The book was full of plot history and character development. The sheer richness of the beginning of the series was gorgeous. It seemed like it had unlimited possibilities. Then came Book Two. Here, the cast was still growing and the plot was still thickening... the stage was being set!

Now you come to Book Three... the curtain rises... and the stage explodes with everything thus far set-up. Idle idiosyncrasies and personal histories shape the plot is ways I never would have thought. The inter-personal relationships become more involved, also thus shaping the plot. Alternate-human cultures are explored is beautiful detail, as are the world in which the future humans live. Clever are the crew when confronted with difficulties on the ship, on the planet or between each other. Some lingering questions are answered about the rings mysteries.

Book Three is a definite confirmation that the Rings of the Master series is character driven. Book Three sets the bar QUITE high for Book Four.

Fun but not as compelling as the first two in the series
Hawks and his band of revolutionaries who call themselves pirates continue their plan to find the five rings and bring down Master System in this sci-fi thriller.They find two of the rings on the planets Janipur and Matriyeh, both of which present some really strange problems and solutions to stealing the rings.Chalker continues to reveal the pasts of his characters and takes us through some of the most bizzare situations I have read in all my years of reading sci-fi and fantasy.This book is definitely inventive.

However, despite the amazing situations the author puts his band of unlikely heroes through, I am starting to find the plot somewhat predictable; not the details.I won't spoil it for you so you'll have to read this to know what I mean.Hopefully this is just part of being a book that is a bridge to the climax awaiting us in the next book.Although a little slow at times and a tiny bit predictable this is a very fun read.I can't wait to see what weird things the crew of the Thunder has to do to get the last three rings and defeat Master System; if they defeat him. ... Read more

Product Description
MORTAL DILEMMA
An ancient evil was seeping forth from the Sea of Dreams: the Old Ones were rising from the depths to challenge both Heaven and Hell. Their assault boded ill for Earth, and worse for the magical land of Husaquahr, where magic was played by the Book. Under the Rules, only the Great McGuffin could stop that looming menace.
But the McGuffin was lost, somewhere in Hell....
Master wizard Throckmorton P. Ruddygore once again summoned a handful of heroes to stave off disaster. But Joe, the truck-driver-barbarian-turned-wood-nymph, was busy with his--or her?--own problems, so Ruddygore had to assign Marge, the changeling nymph, to shepherd an untried youngster on his first quest. Her new protégé was none other than Irving, Joe's human son: estranged, bitter--and irresistibly attractive!
Marge wanted to turn down the mission, but too much depended on it! Once in the dark realm, though, her good intentions began to erode. Could any nymph just say "no" to a son of Joe?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The storyline was one of the best I ever read!
I loved the plot, about a great hero who is stuck in the body of a luscious immortal wood nymph.And his son,Irwin, was very cool.I wish he had more magic, though!And we didn't hear much of Ruddigore, either.Why does he only show up at the beginning and end of every story to lick wounds and solve problems?And the Old Ones!I was all 'hyped' up for a confrontation, but they don't even find the real McGoo (or whatever), let alone a confrontation with evil.The whole Joe/immortal thing was too much like the second Well World saga.I still liked the book, though ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fun without substance
This is a truly enjoyable book - as long as you're not looking for serious science fiction, but rather the result of drunken sci-fi speculation.It has the authors parodying each other's common modus operandi (such as Resnick making fun of Chalker's occasional explorations into body-swapping), tales - probably true - of their infighting, all interwoven into a story so delightfully full of plot holes and MacGuffins that you soon learn to stop worrying and have fun with the next crazy alien to come onto the scene and mess everything up.

If you're into metahumor, this book was well ahead of its time.

Silly, Mostly Pointless Book
In "The Red Tape War", authors Jack L. Chalker, Mike Resnick, and George Alec Effinger have written a novel round-robin style, each taking turns to write a chapter. They start with a story idea and have at it; it quickly turned into a battle of who could end a chapter as absurdly as possible, leaving the next author a task to pick up where it leaves off.

Sounds fun.

For the first few chapters, it was.

But...it soon becomes a little tedious. In the end, this is a silly novel that should never have been released in hardcover (how I originally bought it as a big Chalker fan).

If you still care to know more, this is a novel set 6,700 years in the future and humanity is at the center of a Galactic Arm wide federation of 73 species and 1,786 worlds. Sound like a bureaucratic nightmare? That is the premise of the book. How absurd can a bureaucracy that large get? That was the point of the book.

>>>>>>><<<<<<<

A Guide to my Book Rating System:

1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.
2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.
3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.
4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.
5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.

Jack L Chalker's worst novel
This novel was terrible and I didn't find it funny at all.Instead, it is a constant parade of deus ex machina devices used by alternating authors until the plot was totally ground into the dust, and I hated the main character.

Don't buy this, don't even read it!

For a good story read anything else by Chalker, who is better than Resnick (though Resnick is still decent but more gritty).

Why? WHY?
They should have known better.I figure if three authors want to write a book in turns while getting pissed and trying to screw each other by writing the next into a corner, sure. They're big boys, right?Just don'tgo around and RELEASE the damn thing. Oy. This is bad. Painfully bad.IfI'd paid for it instead of being given it by a friend, I would haveprobably been angry instead of just dissapointed.

A writing duel
Three science fiction masters each take turns trying to write the other two into a hole.An epic space opera revolving around a bewildered human, several various and assorted aliens, and a buxom space cowgirl namedMarshmallow are pawns, riding the edge of one cliffhanger after another asChalker, Resnick and Effinger move them about an absurd verbalchessboard.

A truly unique concept in novelization, and completelyunconcerned with conventional storytelling, this is one of the funniest(and strangest) books to be written by an American in recent memory. ... Read more

Product Description
The Dreel was a hive-mind, composed of trillions upon trillions of virus-sized units, which infected intelligent beings like a disease and took over the mind of an occupied being, utterly. It had occupied planets throughout the galaxy, making their entire population its mind-slaves, and was on its way to conquering the entire galaxy-until a cop on the frontier planet of Parkatin discovered the truth. Those whose minds were still free fought back, using a weapon so powerful that it wrought havoc with the control of the Well World, the ancient planet-sized supercomputer that a vanished super-race called the Markovians built to recreate the entire universe, and maintain it in its present form. If the Well World's control of time and space could not be restored, the universe could vanish like a blown-out candle flame. Only a Markovian could go to the Well World and repair the damage, but only one Markovian was still known to survive. He had last been seen in human form, going by the name of Nathan Brazil. No one knew where he was now, what name he was using, or even if he still appeared human. Finding him, somewhere in the immensity of the galaxy, seemed an impossible task. So the task fell to someone who had done the impossible over and over: Mavra Chang, one of the few beings ever to escape from the Well World. And on that occasion, she had brought back with her a computer named Obie, who just might be the second most powerful computer in the universe, after the Well World itself. With those two on his trail, Nathan Brazil could run-but could he hide? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

I loved it 25 years ago and still love it today
Jack L Chalker was one of my favorite authors growing up, and this was my favorite series. An interesting premise and a well written tale, The whole original 5 books series was and still is fun and thought provoking. The later books were not so much. Jack L Chalker said that they would have to pay him a great big heap of money to write anymore books in the Well World series after the first 5 books and they did, but as much as I loved the author, he laughed all the way to the bank. Stick with the first 5 and you will have a good read and a great adventure.

Not Free SF Reader
Last Markovian Hunt.


Bad things are happening in the the universe.To stop in, they need the Well World. To get the Well World working, they need a Markovian.To get a Markovian your options are limited, given only Nathan Brazil is left.To get Nathan Brazil is very heard.Cue Mavra Chang and machine sidekick, anda fun chase and convince and hope to survive story.

Great pulp Sci-Fi.
Just to be clear, this is not Don Quixote.This is solid, fun, satisfying science-fiction/fantasy.

Also to be clear, do not read any of the "recent" Well World novels, they have little to redeem themselves.They are neither solid, fun or satisfying.

As noted by the other reviews this is the fourth of the original five part series.I say five part series, but really the series is a trilogy with both the second and third novels (Exiles/Quest) and this novel and the last novel (Twilight) counting as just one book each.

Of the series, the last part of the trilogy (this book and Twilight) remains my favorite.

I will not spoil any plot points, but I will say that if you like the genre, you will enjoy this book.

Book four of the Saga of the Well World
As a general warning, this is the fourth book of a tightly knit series.While the book is written to stand on its own, greater enjoyment can be found be reading the previous three novels: Midnight at the Well of Soul, Exiles at the Well of Souls, and Quest for the Well of Souls; before reading this one.

This book begins back at the same interstellar community where the previous novels begin (it's know as the Comworlds, or the Com for short).An alien race has arrived from another galaxy and is bent on conquest of ours, and since they're more advanced than the Com, they're winning.

Mavra Chang, survivor of the War of the Well World, has just returned to the Comworlds.

The true reality of the situation is far grimmer than they realize, and when they do catch up with Brazil, they regret it.

Overall, the series really starts to pick up steam here, and that after admitting that the previous novels are already good to begin with.

Vol. 1: Midnight at the Well of Souls
Vol. 2: Exiles at the Well of Souls (Part 1: War of the Well World)
Vol. 3: Quest for the Well of Souls (Part 2: War of the Well World)
Vol. 4: The Return of Nathan Brazil
Vol. 5: Twilight at the Well of Souls ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Competent and entertaining
The conceit of the Four Lords of the Diamond Series is that the Earth (and corresponding colonies) are ruled by a society which has everything regimented and controlled. Malcontents and criminals are sent to a planetary system infested by a virus which has different forms on each of the four planets, but which has in common on all that you cannot live without the virus in your system once you have been exposed.

In this second book, an agent is sent to assassinate the Lord of the second planet, Cerberus. On Cerberus, you can change bodies with others at will.

Like virtually every other Chalker book and series, the Four Lords series is concerned with issues of gender, sexuality and identity. In this book it is not irritating nor distracting from the plot. This is one of Chalker's better outings, I believe.

Excellent
This book is #2 of the series I recommendthat you read them in order (at least the first an last book) The series are amazing and this book is very good ... Read more

Product Description
When his mind is inexplicably transported into the bodies of other people, Victor Gonser learns that two alien races, who are fighting for control of the planet Earth, are responsible. Reissue. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

THE IDENTITY MATRIX
THIS IS VERY GOOD BOOK. BUT, IT VERY OLD WHEN IT COME OUT 1995. I HAVE BOUGHT IT, BUT, I LOST IT WHEN I MOVED. SO, I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE. IF YOU LIKE ABOUT SWITCH GENDER, SYFY, UFO, YOU WOULD LIKE THIS ONE. I READ IT ABOUT 5 TIMES.IT FUN AND YOU NEVER GEST THE STORY AND HOW IT END.

My introduction to Chalker -- No more, please.
This chaotic mess of a story will keep me away from his other works.Why?

The main character is not engaging at all.At no point do I actually care about him/her.At no point can I sympathize, or even emphasize.There is no connection to any of the main characters, as they have the real depth of manniquins.

The plot draaaaaaaaags.

There is even an epilogue in which it felt like the author was trying to explain to the reader why the story was secretly interesting, even though you didn't know it while you are reading it.

No more, please.

non responder
Placed the order and the seller did not respond to requests for information on the order.

This Is a good Book
I think this is a good book but not for younger readers. It has some inapproprate parts to it. Otherwise it is a great book.

BODY SWITCHING FUN & GAMES
If some alien should need your body in which to transport its jellyfish self, don't fight it.Chalker describes these body snatching aliens and also invents another black-budget FBI type organization, the IMC, to combat the aliens.Hoorah! The IMC develops computized techniques for placing one's identityon a matrix-cube for future use. Furthermore, the matrix-cube might be modified to control how a person thinks.

If you can follow and remember the body switching that goes on in this story you are a Chalker fan. The author was obviously just having fun when he switched the identity matrix of hisadult lesbian character into the body ofa 13 year old Indian gal. Is that child abuse?Obviously carried away by this body-identity switching, Chalker downloads the matrix of a middle age geek professor first into the the body of a young, chic blonde, and then finally replaces the professor's matrixwith that of a computer constructed nymphomaniac prostitute/stripper.If only real characters were so easy to construct. I think the story will be easier to follow (swallow) if you read the 8 page report at the end titled Operation Triple Play.

But the process or identity matrix construction, downloading and switching ID's was original to this reader. In answer to the ancient perplexing question of:where is the soul?Chalker gives an easy answer--in the ID matrix-cube. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good lite sci-fi
I read this book based on a recommendation by a friend of mine.I liked the story, although it was really more of a fleshed out short story or novella than a true novel.Enjoyable, easy reading without anything to really hurt your brain.It's very suited for a person who is exploring the genre and isn't ready to dive deep into the hard SF or the multi-book epics.Just don't set your expectations too high and you will enjoy this for what it is; fun, a bit goofy, and very easy going.

Decent read, but won't keep you up at night.
This variant on the explorer-in-over-his-head/alien invasion themes was a good enough read, but did not engage me as thoroughly as a Chalker book usually does.Explorer/Scout Bar Holliday comes upon an empty ancientcolony ship in orbit around a mysterious planet full of a race of herdanimals, but no humans.When Holliday lands to investigate, his life (andmankind's) is changed forever.With this book, Chalker appeared to betrying out a clever idea or two, rather than writing a straight aheadsci-fi adventure. ... Read more

Product Description
GO ASK ALICE
Time after time, life after life, Cory Maddox was being incarnated into worlds he found both familiar and strangely different. And only in this latest incarnation did Cory bring along knowledge, skills, and memories of his previous existence--memories of cold betrayal that promised nothing he saw or felt could be trusted. Nor could he trust his companions who, like himself, kept moving from life to life trying to escape the endless cycle.
But it was only with the help of those companions that Cory could develop the technological means to peer beyond the veil of reality--to the shadowy figures whom he was sure were manipulating reality . . . if what he was experiencing actually was reality.
Time was running out. His memories gave him an advantage over the others, but he would have to act quickly and surely if he were to discover the truth--before truth itself could no longer be trusted . . .
"A damn fine storyteller . . . Chalker is a master."
--Orson Scott Card
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Customer Reviews (5)

great scfi author
Thought provoking scifi that uses virtual reality to question the very nature of reality. Mindblowing. Recommend this book and anything else this author writes.

Solid Middle Book
In this second book of the Wonderland Gambit, Chalker carries the Cybernetic Walrus tale into wonderful new territories. Cory Maddox undergoes several major life changes. We begin to learn more and wonder even more about the conspiracies surrounding the Brand Box technologies. Maddox (well, sorta Maddox) discovers that he has access to unexpected resources--which he needs, given some of the bizarre twists in this novel.

Four stars for a good solid, middle-of-the-trilogy reality-shifting/questioning book. Well worth the money--provides an enjoyable read.

Interesting but Auk-ward
This book was a good continuation of the previous story, and certainly made me think.But while I applaud Chalker's work, I have to point out that there were several editing problems that should've been resolved andweren't--such as confusing switches back and forth between names(Maddox/Maddux, for instance) without explanation.

Fun, Quick and Thought Provoking Read
Chalker deals with a lot of interesting issues (the nature of reality, sex roles and biases, theology, good and evil, etc.) in a highly accessible and entertaining manner.Worth reading and worth recommending to your friends.

A fun to read fast story.
Jack has developed a wonderful bizarre world with twists and turns that are truly unexpected.The author stretches your imagination by sending the characters off in weird and unusual directions. This is a fun book to read ... Read more

Product Description
TRUMP CARD

Reality wasn't what it used to be. Life after life, as man, woman, and child, Cory Maddox was trapped in an endless cycle of ever-changing realities, on the run from his ruthless companions and from the shadowy figures that seemed to exist outside the increasingly unstable matrix.

As each new world proved increasingly bizarre, Cory wanted nothing more than to find the way home. Fragments of knowledge--a mysterious UFO crash, alien technology, glimpses of a computer that was controlling his fate--all pointed toward Matthew Brand, the virtual reality genius. But Brand had vanished long ago, into, or perhaps beyond, the borders of reality.

To break the cycle of cyber-reincarnation, Cory had to find Brand--before the actions of his enemies destroyed reality altogether . . .
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Customer Reviews (4)

Wrapped Up - but Why?
I enjoyed the first two books of the trilogy. I found this last one a bit more fantastic than what had come before. It almost moved into Piers Anthony territory, but without the puns. Yes, we encounter "realities" (Everything you think you know is wrong) where not just politics and technological evolution are different, but the "human" species has evolved differently, too. Fun to play with these speculative worlds, but not as entrancing (for me) as the ones that more nearly paralleled _this_ world.

And yes, the reader finally gets the Holy Grail in this novel, but is it really anything more than just another cup? It doesn't matter, the quest was a lot of fun. We even got a bit of character development in the process. The worst thing about this book is how hard it is to get ahold of. It took me three months to track one down. If you're contemplating reading the trilogy (a worthwhile endeavor), then make certain you have a copy of this book in your hands before you begin!

Ghost-written with the ghost of Philip Dick?
Actually, Chalker manages to incorporate his favourite themes: that stagnation leads to Hell, his fascination with how much power corrupts, and what some call an obsession with transformation. If nothing else, his"first world" in this book brilliantly analyses what would happenif women really did have power. David Brin did an equally good (albeitdifferent) job, and few others have avoided the standard clichés. As aconclusion to his most paranoid trilogy, the book is brilliant, up to thelast chapter. Fans of the late Phil Dick (of whom I am one) shouldrecognise it as the last chapter of Dick's own book UBIK. This lack oforiginality nonetheless fits in with one of the most paranoid trilogies Ihave ever read.

Chalker's best to date
This is fantastic stuff.I read through the whole series very quickly, always wanting to see what happened next.Chalker is a great storyteller, with excellent character development and retroactive exposition that willcontinue after you have finished the book, while you wonder just what the"real" reality is.BTW, I think "The Matrix" _did_steal heavily from this series.

Mind-twisting as usual.
I really enjoyed both this book and the series in general.It has been yet another fine work by Chalker, although, like most of his works, it quickly becomes very confusing if you aren't paying attention.Or sometimes if you are.I would have liked a better ending, but it was, at least, appropriate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

exiles at the well of souls
I Alredy received this book from you. initially, I was looking for information of the titles of this series in order to purchase them, which I am still in the process of doing.
I missed the series first time around.
Robert A. Maloney

Not Free SF Reader
Mavra Chang time.


The second book in the Well World series introduces a new character, Mavra Chang, basically an interstellar rogue.

She gets involved in something a lot more serious than just crime, as a scientist manages to reconnect with the Well World - and if he makes things go wrong there, it will be very very bad.

This leads Mavra and some others into a Well World adventure and all that such a journey entails.


3.5 out of 5

Sequel to Midnight at the Well of Souls
A continuation of the story started in Midnight at the Well of Souls, Exiles is the first of a two part subset within the five book series, and is paired with its own sequel, Quest for the Well of Souls; together they are called "The War of the Well World".

This story begins with a new character as the focal point of the story.Mavra Chang.Mavra is a sort of freelance thief, and she's been hired to steal something (or so she thinks).

It turns out that a physicist laboring away at his own vision of cosmology rediscovers the basics of the technology of the universe's parent race, the ancients who created The Well World (see my review under Midnight at the Well of Souls).Unfortunately, one of his underlings decides to take the awesome power for his own, and with it, blackmail the interstellar community.The underling invites an assortment of powerful people to a demonstration of the technology, and into this comes Mavra Chang.She's been sent by a third party who does not wish to get too close to what appears to be a trap.

Something goes wrong, though, and the entire experiment (computer and reality generator built into an asteriod) winds up accidentally connecting itself to The Well World computer, and teleports itself and all aboard to The Well.What's worse, it cannot disengage the computer link at all.Faced with eventual starvation, the passengers disembark in a pair of shuttles, bound for the surface of The Well World.

And when they land, suddenly, since the creation of the modern universe, there is now a way for those living on The Well to leave (The Well has a variety of programming built in that prevents the natives from ever building on their own any machine or system that might escape the gravity of The Well itself).

This novel deals with what happens to the passengers after they land, and what happens to them in their intial encounters, and what new races they are transformed into.

Vol. 1: Midnight at the Well of Souls
Vol. 2: Exiles at the Well of Souls (Part 1: War of the Well World)
Vol. 3: Quest for the Well of Souls (Part 2: War of the Well World)
Vol. 4: The Return of Nathan Brazil
Vol. 5: Twilight at the Well of Souls ... Read more