Chalker, Jack L.

Average customer rating:

Strong ending for a great trilogy
Fun read, but don't expect much depth
Excellent plot!
A v.good blend of science fiction and speculative theology.

The Quintara Marathon 3: Ninety (Chalker, Jack L//Quintara Marathon)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Ace Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Balshazzars Serpent

ASIN: 0441699936

Customer Reviews:

Strong ending for a great trilogy.......2006-08-22

Read "The Demons at Rainbow Bridge" and "The Run to Chaos Keep" first, or you won't understand what is going on.

The true threat and power of the Quintara are revealed, and the remnants of the teams running the Marathon must fight the devils or join them.

Chalker kept me turning pages constantly by throwing plot curveballs. If you as a reader feel weird about some of the revelations, you really identify with the characters who agree with you. Rarely I have identified as much with characters inside a science fiction novel.

Chalker spins religion into sci-fi in a way that suprised me. I hate being general, but I hate spoilers more. Unless you as a person are religiously intolerant, you'll like this book. You might even smile and say 'Wow!' at the ending, like I did.

Fun read, but don't expect much depth.......2001-07-31

As the characters spiral their way down through the depths of hell and toward the ultimate destiny of a fragmented humanity, so we as readers spiral through revelation and enjoyable action sequences in an exciting mix of horror, sci-fi, and myth. It tells the tale of three teams from rival empires. Their quest is one of discovery- to uncover the secrets of a race of Demons. Their only clues along this journey are the myths and beliefs of their own cultures that must have experienced the Demons first hand thousands of years in the past. The twist of this story is it's challenge of religious beliefs by the standards of science fiction. While Chalker strips away shrouds of biblical dogma, he quickly replaces it with sci-fi rationale. While this does have the effect of revealing the wizard as an old man behind a curtain, it validates the underpinnings of religion by giving substance to human myths. Whether you are deeply religious, anti-religious or just plain neutral on the subject like me, I think you'll enjoy the author's attempt to create a fantasy world where the tensions between science and theology can be bridged with rational observation. As we grow up in a s Le grand atlas géographique et encyclopédique du monde

Le grand atlas géographique et encyclopédique du monde

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Ghost of the Well of Souls (Well World)
The Return of Nathan Brazil (The Well World)
Exiles at the Well of Souls
Midnight at the Well of Souls
Echoes of the Well of Souls (Watchers at the Well, Book 1)

ASIN: 0345394860
Release Date: 1999-12-07

Book Description

This exciting, action-packed novel marks Jack Chalker's triumphant return to his celebrated multivolume saga: The Well World. The Sea Is Full of Stars explores an unknown interstellar civilization, stars an all-new cast of characters, and reveals fresh secrets. But of course, The Well remains . . .

After three passengers--Ming, Ari, and Angel--embark on an elite starship journey into the Realm, they unwittingly become ensnared in one man's bloodthirsty vendetta that will alter their very beings. That man is Jeremiah Wong Kincaid. He vows to destroy Josich Conqueror Hadun, the evil genius who has wreaked unspeakable havoc throughout the universe. It is an obsession that will take him to lands of demons and strange races--and into a deadly new cyberworld where humans are mere pawns of the godlike computers they have created.

But it is only after Kincaid and his unwitting fellow travelers enter Well World and discover the water hexes that he confronts the mad tyrant--and learns their universe is threatened by something far, far worse . . .

Customer Reviews:

FANTASTIC.......2005-08-05

Must read the other Well World Series by Jack Chalker to appreciate this book. I think this series is one of the greatest works in the Sci Fi field. Unfortunately, Jack Chalker has passed away so there will not be anymore books in this series. If you liked the Well World series you will enjoy this one also.

Deja Vu.......2001-02-25

An interesting variation of the same original well world series. The first book is only an introduction to the second book. The characters are well disguised remakes of his previous characters. Almost all Well World series have Drug Lords with their planet fortresses, Evil Conquerors ( and their guilt ridden proteges ), body swapping and its psychological repercussions. But then thats what we all like about the well world series. So if you are a fan, go ahead and make your day.

His Best In Years!.......2000-05-28

I have been Chalker fan since the publication of the first Well World novels, and have read every book he has ever written. That being said, I have found the recent attempts to revive the Well World to be sorely lacking. Until The Sea Is Full Of Stars, that is. I have found this to be the most enjoyable book that Chalker has written in years (I found Watchers At The Well to be less than satisfying). This book, however, seems to capture the spirit and adventure of the original novels. Which makes it all the more unfortunate that the second book does not live up to its potential

WELL WORLD!.......2000-03-20

If for no other reason, Jack Chalker deserves his place in science fiction for having invented the Well World. [Side note: I'd never write a Star Wars or Star Trek novel, but if Chalker ever asked me to write a Well World novel, he wouldn't have to ask twice.] Every Well novel has been brilliant; the last three were superior, but read much like variations on the original theme. Now he has integrated new scientific & technological knowledge into the Well mythos AND done something completely new with the concept. Besides that, virtually no one besides Chalker of whom I know has done so well in making aliens both understandable to us and at the same time so clearly not like us at all. I am awaiting the sequel.

Classic Well-World Novel, But..........2000-03-05

This is classic Chalker at his best. If you enjoyed the original Well World series then you have to read this.

My only disappointments are that it takes the whole book to get to know the characters and to get to the Well World, and the final couple of chapters are all that's left to wind up the novel -- a bit of an anti-climax. In fact, you will have to buy the next one to find out how the story really ends as this is just an episode in a bigger plot. So, it is not really a stand alone novel at all.

Songs of the Dancing Gods: (#4)
Average customer rating:
Songs of the Dancing Gods: (#4)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Vengeance of the Dancing Gods

River of Dancing Gods

March Hare Network (#2) (The Wonderland Gambit , No 2)

The Sea Is Full of Stars (Well World)

ASIN: 0345347994
Release Date: 1990-07-14

Book Description

The evil Dark Baron has escaped and joined forces in the far North with the Master of the Dead to theaten all of Husaquahr with enslavement. Only Joe can stop them -- but Joe is no longer quite himself. In fact, he's not sure who he is!

Echoes of the Well of Souls (Watchers at the Well, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

The New Watchers at the Well Trilogy Almost Lives Up to the Original Series
Fantastic!
The best of the best...a must for all sci-fi fans.
WOW!
Read this book with an open mind, and you may never return.

Echoes of the Well of Souls (Watchers at the Well, Book 1)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Shadow of the Well of Souls (The Watchers at the Well, Book 2)
The Sea Is Full of Stars (Well World)
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Exiles at the Well of Souls
Midnight at the Well of Souls

ASIN: 0345386868
Release Date: 1993-12-29

Book Description

Nathan Brazil had been the guardian of the Well of Souls, where the Well World's master control lay. But now the universe faced a threat more grave than mere destruction: An unnamed and utterly alien entity had somehow been released from its ancient prison and was bent on the corruption of the Well World itself. If successful, it would cause chaos beyond mortal understanding....

Customer Reviews:

The New Watchers at the Well Trilogy Almost Lives Up to the Original Series.......2007-02-03

Jack L. Chalker's return to the Well World u Coffret Histoire, de la Préhistoire à la Renaissance : La Préhistoire ; Les Pharaons d'Egypte ; L'Antiquité ; Le Moyen Age ; La Renaissance

Coffret Histoire, de la Préhistoire à la Renaissance : La Préhistoire ; Les Pharaons d'Egypte ; L'Antiquité ; Le Moyen Age ; La Renaissance

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ringtone88.com ial research project on virtual reality.

Customer Reviews:

Not much like "The Matrix" at all.......2004-05-13

I tracked down a copy of this book after reading the comments suggesting that "The Matrix" appropriated some of Chalker's ideas.

Although "The Matrix" does begin in a way that is superficially similar to Chalker's novel -- a mysterious woman prods a computer programmer to realize his world is a virtual-reality illusion -- it quickly diverges into a wildly different story.

I'd be more sympathetic if Chalker wasn't such a mediocre writer. His prose is cliche-ridden and meandering, and his narrative is completely devoid of any tension or momentum; he takes 50 tedious pages just to get the story rolling. Characterization ranges from minimal to nonexistent. It's hard to believe that the Wachowskis would even bother to slog through this.

In his self-indulgent introduction, Chalker says this is an homage to Philip K. Dick. Too bad he didn't emulate Dick's crisp, clear prose style.

I Guarantee You Will Love This Book.......2004-04-18

If you are naturally curious, like interesting plot twists and rich environments, then you are going to love this book.

I tend to agree with other reviewers that this work is the inspiration for the movie "The Matrix" and in many ways is a superior work. The ideas in Chalker's work are much more developed than in The Matrix and does a much better job of keeping it's integrity throughout.

First get a good grip on Reality.......2002-09-11

Jack L. Chalker's theory of existence was spelled out in Book I, P. 223: "... Sometime, somebody, in a world we otherwise know nothing about but which has to be far more advanced than the one we now knew, built a vast computer for some reason and put tremendous knowledge and capability into it. Something went wrong, or so it seemed. A group, a small group, of people from that original place, that true universe, had come into the system and gotten lost, then trapped, in an ever-increasing series of exquisitely detailed virtual universes.. [Brand] was the only hope of getting everybody together again and back to reality. ..."
Chalker wrote, "All reality is programming. We cannot know the real: we are trapped in an endless series of simulations, all of us, and some, like myself, in simulations within simulations. ...." He uses an IT, a thing, a faceless one or a gray ancient to speak these lines, rather than a flesh and blood character. This device implied a para-programmer, one outside the mind of man. This invented God is in control not only of the author outside the story's pages but in control of all the characters within the pages of the book.
Reality now has a counterpart, virtual reality. The characters, en mass, stare into the mirror of their own minds and realize that they had no measuring rod with which to gauge their own realities. The mind is self reflective. The mind has no outer objective way to measure either its input or output. The characters reveal the dead end of human thought. The fact that the tactile nerves register solidity reveals little regarding production or projection of such solidity. There is no way to distinguish whether the neurons fire due to sensory input rather than from say drugs or computer generated inputs. Reality, thus loses its previous foundation.
Chalker posits an Existence Computer with limitless memory able to fill in a separate reality for each and every mind. Everyone gets their own set of individual mental constructs. With this god-like computer unlimited universes to surround each person's set of ideas could be created. (P. 211 BK II). Taking this idea one step further, each person is a circuit on the mother board of the universe. Every solid item that surrounds a person is created within another little circuit. The whole universe is the giant circuitry, the mother board of existence. We are all but chips, powered from this hidden source of energy that we call existence. Chalker names his god character Matthew Brand. Brand understands the circuitry and power of the Existence Computer enough to become part of it. Brand was able to join with the energy reactor in order to control the energy flow into the mother board of the Existence Computer.

Good 13th Floory Fun.......2001-05-12

I know! Thirteenth Floor wasn't based on this novel (or the series, either), but that movie kept coming to mind as I read the first part of Cybernetic Walrus. Chalker is original and creative in this book, though, and it's much more satisfying than the "What Is Real?" movies out there. A thoroughly enjoyable book, stands as an adventure in its own right, but also beckons the reader on to the rest of the trilogy.

The protagonist, Cory Maddox undergoes plenty of transformation in this story, running through several life "phases" while trying to sort out who to trust. One of the enjoyable features of this series is that the reader is never quite certain who he should trust, either. Often, I found myself wanting to urge Cory & Riki to trust the wrong (in hindsight) characters.

Plenty here for either the SF or fantasy fan. Thoroughly enjoyable--Chalker knows how to entertain while stretching the mind and imagination. Perhaps the worst feature of this book is that the 3rd book of the trilogy is so difficult to obtain.

A solid four-star rating: great fun, but not absolute genius.

One of the best cyberspace series yet!.......1999-12-20

Jack Chalker continues his tradition of unique ideas and perspectives in the Wonderland series. What starts out as a classic cyberspace story quickly turns in unexpected directions. This book will definitely get you thinking about the true nature of reality. If you liked the movie, "The Matrix," get this book! The movie stole Chalker's ideas without giving credit, and the book explores the ideas to a greater depth. Too bad Del Rey is so short-sighted and has not reprinted the 3rd book in this series.

March Hare Network (#2) (The Wonderland Gambit , No 2)

Average customer rating:

Solid Middle Book
Interesting but Auk-ward
Fun, Quick and Thought Provoking Read
A fun to read fast story.

March Hare Network (#2) (The Wonderland Gambit , No 2)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ringtone88.com hor

Are we living someone else's dream?

My second favorite series.

Dancing Gods: Part One (Dancing Gods Part 1)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Songs of the Dancing Gods: (#4)
Vengeance of the Dancing Gods
River of Dancing Gods

ASIN: 0345402464
Release Date: 1995-10-30

Book Description

BEYOND THE SEA OF DREAMS
Life had never been kind to Joe and Marge. Now, according to Throckmorton P. Ruddygore--a stranger who met them on a road that wasn't there--they were due to die in nineteen minutes. But across the Sea of Dreams lay a new and perhaps better life, in a place where fairies danced by moonlight. Joe could become a mighty-thewed barbarian warrior. Marge could be beautiful and find her magical self.
It was just as Ruddygore had promised, plus a great deal more. For this was a world where Hell still strove to win its ancient war, where demon princes sent men into battles of dark magic, and where Joe and Marge must somehow help prevent the coming of Armageddon!

Customer Reviews:

a favorite fantasy novel from a great author.......2006-08-15

Jack L. Chalker is best known for his "Lost Souls," series but "River of the Dancing Gods," is one of my favorite fantasy novels. Imagine on your worst day finding a new world full of adventure. That's how the story begins for Joe and Marge.

Are we living someone else's dream?.......2004-07-04

Have you ever wanted to just BE in another world or universe? All the wonderful fantasy books have to come from somewhere. What if they actually happened somewhere. That is what this book is about. This is the first book in a wonderful series. Maybe we can just get away from it all even if it is by reading this book. This is an easy feel good book. It is a little predictable in the main plot twists but it is the little things that keep you on your toes. This book is easily read in one or two sittings on a weekend. When you need an outlet to a new land pick this up and continue with the rest of the series.

My second favorite series........1998-07-28

The is my second favorite series by Jack L. Chalker. My first favorite series is the "Well of Souls." Whether you are a Jack L. Chalker reader or not, you will enjoy these series. His character development and vivid descriptions are a great read.

The Return of Nathan Brazil (The Well World)

Average customer rating:

Great pulp Sci-Fi.
Book four of the Saga of the Well World

The Return of Nathan Brazil (The Well World)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Exiles at the Well of Souls
Midnight at the Well of Souls
Twilight at the Well of Souls (The Well World)
The Sea Is Full of Stars (Well World)
Echoes of the Well of Souls (Watchers at the Well, Book 1)

ASIN: 0743499018

Book 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?

Customer Reviews:

Great pulp Sci-Fi........2005-02-19

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.......1998-06-04

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

Average customer rating:

The storyline was one of the best I ever read!

Horrors of the Dancing Gods
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass M L'encyclopédie mondiale des camions de pompiers

L'encyclopédie mondiale des camions de pompiers

L'encyclopédie mondiale des camions de pompiers
Authors: Neil Wallington, Gisèle Pierson
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Publisher: Manise
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ringtone88.com the Well of Souls

Echoes of the Well of Souls (Watchers at the Well, Book 1)

ASIN: 0345394852
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Book Description

Jack Chalker's Well World epic occupies an honored place among the classics of science fiction. Now this boldly imagined, intricately plotted new novel takes us deeper into the Well World than ever before . . .

On the mysterious Well World, the evil tyrant Josich and his dark agents search desperately for the eight scattered pieces of the fabled Straight Gate. Whoever possesses the Gate will wield enormous power, travelling between universes at the speed of light and wreaking havoc across galaxies.

Opposing Josich is a small band of travelers new to the Well World. There is Core, once a machine, now flesh and blood; Ming and Ari, two minds sharing a single body; Jaysu, an angel; and Genghis O'Leary, a lizard being. Unbeknownst to them, they have an unlikely ally: a vengeful entity who is able to clone any person or object with a single touch--and mete out death just as swift . . .

Customer Reviews:

The Best of the Well World Series.......2005-04-29

Along with the Sea is Full of Stars, I found these two books the best of all the books. Perhaps it was because there was no Nathan Brazil or Mavra Chang who can not lose due to the Well World itself aiding them. Having Kincaid as a "bogey-man" in the background actually fit his personality and characterization. Each major character had their purpose and part and if one looks at the theme of these books with some detachment from the earlier books, the story is actually very different.

Not as good as the rest of the Well World Saga.......2002-11-19

I read the reviews before I bought and figured that the negatives were "I miss Nathan Brazil". I was wrong.

The only character I grew to like had her mind wiped pretty much right away, so I didn't really care about her later.

The plot was so convoluted and confusing, and by the end the threat so unclear, that by the end of the second book I hardly cared who won.

You know, if you read this Jack, I cared about Renard, Nicki, Wu Julie, Asam, Marquoz, Serge Ortega, Gypsy and Prof. Zinder, every one of them more than I cared about any of these characters. What made the previous books great was caring about the characters.

Also, the underwater people were just wet land people. They thought and acted like they were just land people trying to dom the things that land people do with the "problem" of all that water being in the way. A water people would LIKE being in the water, and their entire culture would reflect that.

Something Else?.......2001-06-07

As soon as I read Chalker's introduction to this duology - the newest addition to the increasingly large Well World series - I decided to give it a try. So it wasn't a part of the normal canon, as he put it, but instead a book about Something Else. Well and good, I'm always ready to try something new from an established story teller.

Two books and about 700 pages later, I still don't know what he was talking about. I'm also extremely perplexed: just what happened to Chalker's writing? His prose, plotting, character development - even his humor - don't match up with the previous work that bears his name. This duology provided such a lackluster story that I am at a complete loss to explain its existence in print. I'm tempted to visit Chalker's web site and write him an email asking, "Why?" The only possible answer I can derive comes from Chalker's shameless introductory statement that he didn't plan to return to the Well World until someone fronted a sizeable sum. Apparently, this offer didn't provide enough impetus for Chalker to return to form.

Page 1 of the first novel, "The Sea is Full of Stars," starts with the strong, confident narrative voice I remember from Chalker's earlier novels. Unfortunately, this turns out to be the sole shining moment for the entire series. I almost wish that Delrey hadn't plugged these into the original Well World saga as books 6 and 7. They don't belong in the same category as the originals.

The five-minute fix invades the Well World.......2001-04-21

Well, hmmm. I would have liked to have liked this book -- I've always enjoyed the Well World books -- but this one was somewhat disappointing. It seemed very rushed, and plotlines that were introduced in the previous book were downplayed or ignored entirely. For instance, the whole "The Avenger must triumph not for revenge" plotline suggested in first book was never really used, and Kincaid's role throughout both books is reduced to that of a rarely-seen bogey-man -- in fact, he turns out to be a totally unimportant character, whose role could have been filled by any other character. The other "pivotal" character, Angel, gains extraordinary powers in order to ultimately become -- the world's most powerful librarian. Josich is present only in the last 20-pages or so of the book, and this makes the whole ending seem rather rushed. None of the actions of the characters preceding the denoument actually has any meaningful impact on the climax of the story, and the only unpredictable parts come when Chalker changes the rules on us (with hand-waving as to why Brazil & Chang might have not been called, and glossing over why the Well World didn't take more action to protect itself earlier on). Furthermore, it's as if I've seen these characters before. Granted, even in the non-Well books, the signature of all of Chalker's writing is to take characters and mangle them physically and emotionally, but even beyond that, Core is largely synonymous with Obie, Kincaid is Brazil without the screen time, Angel is a weird mix of Wuju and Vardia, and Jules is a near dead-ringer for Hain. (I will admit, however, to getting a real chuckle when O'Leary and his group actually swallow some of the bad guys... :-)

Twenty pages from the end, it appeared to me like we'd need a whole other book to finish this story, which I was thoroughly engrossed in. Instead, we get a 5-minute fix as if it were some Star Trek cliffhanger, and I was left saying, "What....?"

Well oh Well.......2001-01-10

I have followed and reread all of the Well's 10 books several times. I find this series as well as the Flux and Diamond series to be the best works of scifi written since Asimov. Some readers have written their displeasure due to the limited use of the most interesting character; however, even in the original Well series, Nathan (God) only dominated a portion of the series (including the book with his name on the cover). Sometimes, less is more. The ending of this book leaves a huge door open to sequals and a new possible mixture of the foundling empires of the "real" galaxy with a mixture of the Well and it's inhabitants. I guess the other readers just miss Obie (or were overly hot for Mavra).

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