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Mavra Chang was once a master criminal, notorious throughout the galaxy. But for eleven long years she has been trapped in a nonhuman body on the Well World-the master control planet for the universe, where untold numbers of strange races exist, separated by barriers erected by the mysterious, vanished race that built the Well World billions of years ago. Orbiting the planet is a planetoid concealing Obie, a supercomputer that could restore Mavra Chang to her original form-if she can reach show more it. Unfortunately, the only spaceship on the planet is hidden in the northern hemisphere, a place no living creature can survive. She soon learns that her enemies are plotting to eliminate her, steal the ship, and escape from the Well World. But many others have planned her demise before, and Mavra Chang is still alive and well-which is more than can be said of those who once wished her ill. show lessTags
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Mavra Chang is trapped in a partially transformed, non-human body on the Well World, a planet of 1,560 unique, specialized ecosystems. She fights to reach a northern ship to control a powerful computer.
Mavra Chang is held as a partially transformed beast of burden by the Olborn in the Glathriel hex, having suffered for years with no escape. Competing factions learn of a second wrecked ship in the inhospitable Northern Hemisphere. The prize is controlling Obie, the reality-altering supercomputer that manages the Well World,
Mavra Chang is held as a partially transformed beast of burden by the Olborn in the Glathriel hex, having suffered for years with no escape. Competing factions learn of a second wrecked ship in the inhospitable Northern Hemisphere. The prize is controlling Obie, the reality-altering supercomputer that manages the Well World,
Sort of a combination of Riverworld and Ringworld, the inhabitants of the Well World are a random mess of alien creatures, all fighting for control, or to leave. There's a ton of opportunity for adventure and strange meetings, and Chalker is one of the best at making such things happen.
A great conclusion. But wait! there's more.
Great book
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Author Information
107+ Works 25,184 Members
Jack L. Chalker was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 17, 1944. He received a B. A. degree in English from Towson University and a graduate degree in English and history from Johns Hopkins University. Before becoming a full-time writer in 1978, he taught history and geography in the Baltimore public school system. He founded a publishing show more house, The Mirage Press, Ltd., which produces nonfiction and bibliographic works on science fiction and fantasy. He was the author of several science fiction series including the Well World series, the Dancing Gods series, and the G. O. D. Inc. series. He received numerous honors including the Dedalus Award in 1983, the Gold Medal of the West Coast Review of Books award in 1984, the Skylark Award in 1980, and the Hamilton-Brackett Memorial Award in 1979. He died of kidney failure and sepsis on February 11, 2005. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Goldmann Science Fiction (23348)
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1978-11 (First US Edition) (First US Edition); 1982-07-29 (First UK Edition) (First UK Edition)
- People/Characters
- Mavra Chang; Obie
- Dedication
- And for the dead as well...
John W. Campbell, Jr. who taught me to write stuff
August W. Derleth who was always interested
Clark Ashton Smith who dreamed strange, infectious dreams
Seabury Quinn wh... (show all)o cared as much for his friends as they did for him
Edmond Hamilton a wonderful man who liked the Well
Ron Ellik who should have lived to see this
H. Beam Piper who was never too busy
and to those two incongruous, ghostly specters, H.P. Lovecraft and Stanley G. Weinbarum, who have haunted this field since before I was born. - First words
- A dark road is dangerous anywhere; but here, on the Well World, in a nontech hex whose diurnal creatures literally became comatose after sundown, it was moreso.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Partners!" Obie shouted joyfully.
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- Reviews
- 5
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- Danish, English, German, Italian
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 18
- ASINs
- 6
