Jack L. Chalker

//Jack L. Chalker
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  • Book III of The Quintara Marathon. Three galactic empires existed in uneasy proximity. Each was led by completely different life forms with only one thing in common - demons. Each had a legend of humanoid creatures with hooves and horns, representing supernatural power and unspeakable evil. The similarity of the legends across the galaxy had led some to theorise that they had some basis in fact. Unfortunately, they were right; an expedition exploring an uncharted planet discovered, sealed in transparent cells, two horned creatures, gigantic in stature, perfectly preserved and very much alive. The three empires sent rescue missions which arrived too late to help the expedition members, slaughtered by the demons - but not too late to pursue the demons through a gate into another space-time continuum. The three missions have fought each other all the way but now they must help each other against the menace of the re-awakened demons - not just for their survival, but the survival of the 90 trillion Fausts, 90 trillion beings in danger of losing their souls. Fortunately - although the demons have proven themselves invulnerable to any weapon known in the three empires - the beings of the mission are about to discover that they have very unusual allies. After all, if demons - why not angels? Cover art by Darrell K. Sweet.
  • Book I of The Dancing Gods. Life had not been kind to Joe and Marge.  Now, according to the stranger who met them on a road that wasn't there, they were due to die in nineteen minutes and eighteen seconds. But the ferryboat that waited to take them across the Sea of Dreams could bring them to a new and perhaps better life. There lay a world where fairies danced by moonlight and sorcery became real. Joe could become a mighty-thewed barbarian warrior. Marge could be beautiful and find her magical self.  But there was much more than they realised to this magical land. This was a world where Hell still strove to win its ancient war and demon princes sent men into battles of dark magic. It was a world where Joe and marge must somehow help prevent the coming of Armagdeddon.
  • Book IV of Saga Of the Well World. The Dreef was a hive-mind, composed of trillions of virus-sized units which infected intelligent beings like a disease, taking over their minds.  It was on its way to conquering the entire galaxy - until those with still-free minds fought back, using a weapon so powerful that it wrought havoc with the Well World: the ancient planet sized super-computer that the vanished, god-like  super-race the Markovians had built to maintain the form of their entire universe. 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 there was only one Markovian still known to survive - last seen in human form and going by the name of Nathan Brazil.  But no-one knows where he is in the immensity of the galaxy - or if he's even still in human form.  The task of finding Nathan falls to she who has done the impossible over and over again - Mavra Chang, one of the few beings ever to escape from the Well World and owner of Obie, possibly the second most powerful computer in the Universe. With those two on his trail, Nathan Brazil could run - but can he hide? Cover art by Clyde Caldwell.
  • Book II of The Dancing Gods. In Husaquahr, the world of magic beyond the Sea of Dreams, the battle had been won. All seemed peaceful. But Throckmorton P. Ruddygore, master sorcerer, knew better. Far to the south, on the River of Dancing Gods, the Dark Baron plotted with the Demon Prince to wage the final war that would bring about Armageddon. Someone had to make the dangerous journey into the unknown to spy on the conspirators. And so Ruddygore called again on the services of his erstwhile human helpers - Joe, who had become a superbarbarian hero with an enchanted sword, and Marge, now changed into a flying fairy woman. But could two fragile people from Earth Prime - even with some magic ingredients - survive in this new bitter struggled of good versus evil?
  • Book I of The Rings Of The Master. Across the galaxy and beyond, the Master System ruled. Once the product of human intelligence, it now far surpassed its creators.  All understanding of it was lost and any attempt at rediscovery ruthlessly suppressed.  The rule of the Master System was unchallenged.  Yet there was a key, long forgotten, that would break that control - and it happened by chance that two people, an American and a Chinese woman stumbled across the secret of the five gold rings that were the key. Now their only hope lay in finding the rings themselves - for the Master System was at their backs, hunting them down...
  • G.O.D. Inc II. Brandy and Sam Horowitz are private eyes who handle cases for G.O.D. Inc, who run the Labyrinth, the inter-world railway that connects the infinite, alternative Earths.  G.O.D. is worried - there's a new drug in town, coming from off-Earth.  It's instantly addictive and it takes over the brain - and what it wants, the user does. Brandy and Sam have to stop the drug reaching the client's home world.  But the opposition got fake Sams and Brandys already set up on the two worlds that might hold any leads: one a world that's never heard of civil rights, and one ruled by Nazis. Which is really bad news for a black, Jewish couple!
  • Book III of The Rings Of The Master. 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? Cover art by Darrell K. Sweet .