What do you think?
Rate this book
Saga of the Well World #7
Ghost of the Well of Souls
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 a vengeful entity who is able to clone any person or object with a single touch--and mete out death just as swift . . .
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 a vengeful entity who is able to clone any person or object with a single touch--and mete out death just as swift . . .
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 4, 2000
27 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Jack L. Chalker
132 books356 followersBesides being a science fiction author, Jack Laurence Chalker was a Baltimore City Schools history teacher in Maryland for a time, a member of the Washington Science Fiction Association, and was involved in the founding of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Some of his books said that he was born in Norfolk, Virginia although he later claimed that was a mistake.
He attended all but one of the World Science Fiction Conventions from 1965 until 2004. He published an amateur SF journal, Mirage, from 1960 to 1971 (a Hugo nominee in 1963 for Best Fanzine).
Chalker was married in 1978 and had two sons.
His stated hobbies included esoteric audio, travel, and working on science-fiction convention committees. He had a great interest in ferryboats, and, at his wife's suggestion, their marriage was performed on the Roaring Bull Ferry.
Chalker's awards included the Daedalus Award (1983), The Gold Medal of the West Coast Review of Books (1984), Skylark Award (1985), Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award (1979), as well as others of varying prestige. He was a nominee for the John W. Campbell Award twice and for the Hugo Award twice. He was posthumously awarded the Phoenix Award by the Southern Fandom Confederation on April 9, 2005.
On September 18, 2003, during Hurricane Isabel, Chalker passed out and was rushed to the hospital with a diagnosis of a heart attack. He was later released, but was severely weakened. On December 6, 2004, he was again rushed to hospital with breathing problems and disorientation, and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and a collapsed lung. Chalker was hospitalized in critical condition, then upgraded to stable on December 9, though he didn't regain consciousness until December 15. After several more weeks in deteriorating condition and in a persistent vegetative state, with several transfers to different hospitals, he died on February 11, 2005 of kidney failure and sepsis in Bon Secours of Baltimore, Maryland.
Chalker is perhaps best known for his Well World series of novels, the first of which is Midnight at the Well of Souls (Well World, #1).
He attended all but one of the World Science Fiction Conventions from 1965 until 2004. He published an amateur SF journal, Mirage, from 1960 to 1971 (a Hugo nominee in 1963 for Best Fanzine).
Chalker was married in 1978 and had two sons.
His stated hobbies included esoteric audio, travel, and working on science-fiction convention committees. He had a great interest in ferryboats, and, at his wife's suggestion, their marriage was performed on the Roaring Bull Ferry.
Chalker's awards included the Daedalus Award (1983), The Gold Medal of the West Coast Review of Books (1984), Skylark Award (1985), Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award (1979), as well as others of varying prestige. He was a nominee for the John W. Campbell Award twice and for the Hugo Award twice. He was posthumously awarded the Phoenix Award by the Southern Fandom Confederation on April 9, 2005.
On September 18, 2003, during Hurricane Isabel, Chalker passed out and was rushed to the hospital with a diagnosis of a heart attack. He was later released, but was severely weakened. On December 6, 2004, he was again rushed to hospital with breathing problems and disorientation, and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and a collapsed lung. Chalker was hospitalized in critical condition, then upgraded to stable on December 9, though he didn't regain consciousness until December 15. After several more weeks in deteriorating condition and in a persistent vegetative state, with several transfers to different hospitals, he died on February 11, 2005 of kidney failure and sepsis in Bon Secours of Baltimore, Maryland.
Chalker is perhaps best known for his Well World series of novels, the first of which is Midnight at the Well of Souls (Well World, #1).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 12, 2023
Back in the early '80s I discovered the Saga of the Well World series by American Sci-Fi author Jack L. Chalker. Between 1977 and 1980, he published the 5 books that made up this fascinating series. The Well World (or Hex World) was created by some species and it consisted of hundreds of smaller hex worlds where species grew and developed. They were then out to the galaxies to populate worlds. The Well World retained the core of each of these varied species. If you went through a hex gate you would be transformed into a specific species and live in that hex. Hexes could interact, some were hi-tech, some medium, some low - tech. The five books basically told the story of a certain Nathan Brazil and companions who had adventures on the hex World. It was all very interesting.
A few years back, I discovered a related series, a trilogy about The Watchers of the Well of Souls. I can't tell you much more about it, except it dealt with a new threat to the Well World and how Nathan Brazil once again saved it.
So, onto the latest. Two more books were published to complete the Well World series, The Sea is Full of Stars in 1999 and this one, Ghost of the Well of Souls in 2000. I recently finished the first late 2022 and enjoyed it. A group of people are once again sent through a hex gate and this time end up in the watery Southern hemisphere. One, Josich, a mad world killer, wants to find the parts of a Straight Gate, one that can link between the Well World and the outer universe, so he can conquer both. The others in the group, a computer named Core, a master criminal, Jules Wallinchky, Ming and Ari (whose two minds have been placed in one body), Jaysu, a priestess who is transformed into an Angel, Genghis O'Leary, a space cop after Jules Wallinchky and Kincaid, a man on a mission of vengeance to kill Josich, as Josich destroyed his home planet and his wife and children.
So there you go. We've got disparate groups trying to find the pieces of the Straight Gate before Josich can. Otherwise if he (now a she) gets them, he will maybe destroy the Hex World and also try to take over the universe. Yup, he's (she's) a megalomaniac. The journeys of the various people through the hexes is, as always, very interesting, somewhat confusing, but always entertaining. The interactions with friends and enemies makes the story more interesting, of course. And the urge to see how it all resolves keeps you turning page after page. The ultimate ending was slightly pat, but acceptable. Chalker has created a fascinating, unique world and his view of what's out there is so interesting. Check out the series. I hope it hooks you. (3.5 stars)
A few years back, I discovered a related series, a trilogy about The Watchers of the Well of Souls. I can't tell you much more about it, except it dealt with a new threat to the Well World and how Nathan Brazil once again saved it.
So, onto the latest. Two more books were published to complete the Well World series, The Sea is Full of Stars in 1999 and this one, Ghost of the Well of Souls in 2000. I recently finished the first late 2022 and enjoyed it. A group of people are once again sent through a hex gate and this time end up in the watery Southern hemisphere. One, Josich, a mad world killer, wants to find the parts of a Straight Gate, one that can link between the Well World and the outer universe, so he can conquer both. The others in the group, a computer named Core, a master criminal, Jules Wallinchky, Ming and Ari (whose two minds have been placed in one body), Jaysu, a priestess who is transformed into an Angel, Genghis O'Leary, a space cop after Jules Wallinchky and Kincaid, a man on a mission of vengeance to kill Josich, as Josich destroyed his home planet and his wife and children.
So there you go. We've got disparate groups trying to find the pieces of the Straight Gate before Josich can. Otherwise if he (now a she) gets them, he will maybe destroy the Hex World and also try to take over the universe. Yup, he's (she's) a megalomaniac. The journeys of the various people through the hexes is, as always, very interesting, somewhat confusing, but always entertaining. The interactions with friends and enemies makes the story more interesting, of course. And the urge to see how it all resolves keeps you turning page after page. The ultimate ending was slightly pat, but acceptable. Chalker has created a fascinating, unique world and his view of what's out there is so interesting. Check out the series. I hope it hooks you. (3.5 stars)
March 1, 2025
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 a vengeful entity who is able to clone any person or object with a single touch--and mete out death just as swift . . .
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 a vengeful entity who is able to clone any person or object with a single touch--and mete out death just as swift . . .
January 3, 2024
Finished Dec. 28
The book is a continuation of The Sea is Full of Stars. A reader can easily read these 2 books if they haven't read the first 5 books, they're their own standalone story on the same planet.
Though I do recommend reading at least the first 2 or 3 books to get a good idea of what the series is about before starting The Sea is Full of Stars and Ghost of the Well of Souls
The book is a continuation of The Sea is Full of Stars. A reader can easily read these 2 books if they haven't read the first 5 books, they're their own standalone story on the same planet.
Though I do recommend reading at least the first 2 or 3 books to get a good idea of what the series is about before starting The Sea is Full of Stars and Ghost of the Well of Souls
July 19, 2023
Sadly disappointed that two books were spent building up this threat and plot, only for it to be hastily resolved and tied up in just a few pages at the end. Felt rather cheated, because I had been enjoying this closing chapter of the Well World saga!
March 27, 2018
Delivered very well in the entertainment department. Slightly disappointed by the ending though.
Read
April 26, 2020it wasn't as good as the one before this.
December 5, 2023
This book was a little faster than the last book, but still had some parts that stalled. The ending was like hittong the brakes at 70mph. Sudden and jarring. It's an ok book overall.
January 11, 2026
A Complete first step in a spectacular start
August 10, 2020
[August 2020] bumped a star even though I think Chalker was a tired when he wrote this. Too many times when he used a word at least twice in the same paragraph (wallowing is one example), which is not a problem though definitely against convention. And he had a main character use the phrase “form a human wall”, spoiler alert - that character wasn’t and never was (read the series if you haven’t) human and would never say that! Anyway...
[2013] A fitting end to the Well World stories. Slow at first and then accelerating to a frantic end with multiple loose ends being tied up in rather short order.
[2013] A fitting end to the Well World stories. Slow at first and then accelerating to a frantic end with multiple loose ends being tied up in rather short order.
February 28, 2009
All of the well of souls books explores the strong social problems of our own world in a tale of science fiction. Social injustice, prejudice, close-mindedness - all are some of the common problems that plauge the inhabitants of the strange worlds and cause their problems and lead to the wars between species. Its just like our own world, except instead of different species we have different races or nationalites. Chaulker, like Clarke, explores terrestrial human issues thru extrterrestrial worlds.
August 24, 2016
Book 10, the final Well World book. Chalker wanted to explore the possibilities of sentient life in the water hexes, but he didn't confine us to them. Only one of the master criminals is a water life form. Jeremiah Kincaid shares his honors with priestess Angel Kobe, which means not all the bad guys die. It's rather sad to hear Angel say that some day she may be able to fly again, but we trust her to make her sacrifice worth while.
October 20, 2013
This is the second in a series of two books and concludes another Jack Chalker story. I am in two minds with this one the basic story outline is similar to two of the previous stories but without Nathan Brazil or Marva Chang. The build up was good but the ending was quieter than I expected. Still it was an interesting read.
May 20, 2018
I am including a review of _The Sea is full of Stars_ here as well, as they are one story in two books. The Well World was a great concept and I loved the first five novels. Chalker returned here to add another story set in Well World and it was fun as usual. Witty and at times, almost profound, Chalker's expose into human subjectivity rises to the fore.
March 14, 2015
An Enjoyable easy read. I made the mistake of reading this before "The Sea Is Full Of Stars", but the story wasn't that difficult to pick up. My only complain would be that the ending was a little too pat and unsatisfying.
Read
October 19, 2011excelent book
June 22, 2017
After 8 excellent volumes, and one pretty good one, this one just wasn't the conclusion I was looking for. I enjoyed it, but the last two were weak relative to the whole.
June 14, 2016
I did not like this book at all. It was a slog getting through it. I wish Chalker had just left the Well World alone and not diminished it with this book.
October 8, 2017
This story just really didn't work for me. I really like Chalker's Well World Series but this one and its predecessor - The Sea is Full of Stars - just never really caught my interest that much. To add to the lack of a good story development Chalker kept making continuity errors with the previous books.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews