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Jack L. Chalker

Born

in Baltimore, Maryland, The United States

December 17, 1944

Died

February 11, 2005

Website

http://www.jackchalker.com

Genre

Science Fiction & Fantasy

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Besides 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, a Besides 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). ...more

Combine Editions
Jack L. Chalker’s books

Average rating: 3.86 · 51,031 ratings · 1,823 reviews · 119 distinct works • Similar authors

	Midnight at the Well of Souls (Saga of the Well World, #1) 3.97 avg rating — 5,020 ratings — published 1977 — 43 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The River of Dancing Gods (Dancing Gods #1) 3.82 avg rating — 2,736 ratings — published 1984 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Quest for the Well of Souls (Saga of the Well World, #3) 3.98 avg rating — 2,582 ratings — published 1978 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Exiles at the Well of Souls (Saga of the Well World, #2) 3.98 avg rating — 2,469 ratings — published 1978 — 24 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Twilight at the Well of Souls (Saga of the Well World, #5) 4.06 avg rating — 2,170 ratings — published 1980 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Return of Nathan Brazil (Saga of the Well World, #4) 4.03 avg rating — 2,093 ratings — published 1979 — 19 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lilith: A Snake in the Grass (The Four Lords of the Diamond, #1) 3.90 avg rating — 2,058 ratings — published 1981	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold (The Four Lords of the Diamond, #2) 3.94 avg rating — 1,770 ratings — published 1981 — 19 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Charon: A Dragon at the Gate (The Four Lords of the Diamond, #3) 3.95 avg rating — 1,601 ratings — published 1982	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail (The Four Lords of the Diamond, #4) 3.97 avg rating — 1,521 ratings — published 1983	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Jack L. Chalker…

Series by Jack L. Chalker

Well World (12 books)
by

Jack L. Chalker

3.97 avg rating — 18,163 ratings

Saga of the Well World (7 books)
by

Jack L. Chalker

3.99 avg rating — 15,836 ratings

The Four Lords of the Diamond (5 books)
by

Jack L. Chalker

3.95 avg rating — 7,246 ratings

Dancing Gods (4 books)
by

Jack L. Chalker

3.80 avg rating — 5,611 ratings

Rings of the Master (4 books)
by

Jack L. Chalker

3.87 avg rating — 4,289 ratings

More series by Jack L. Chalker…

Quotes by Jack L. Chalker (?)

“Just because your whole life is going to hell doesn't mean you have to walk there.”
― Jack L. Chalker, The River of Dancing Gods

20 likes

“...it is in the very fundamentals of evil that one always condemns it when they see it but rationalizes it when they do it.”
― Jack L. Chalker, The Ninety Trillion Fausts

tags: evil

11 likes

“You can’t be a non-conformist if you don’t wear the proper uniform.”
― Jack L. Chalker

tags: humor

7 likes

See all Jack L. Chalker's quotes »

Polls

January SCIENCE FICTION -- The following poll decides which two selections will go on to the final round for Science Fiction BOTM for January 2018.

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

14 votes, 23.0%

The Fireman by Joe Hill

14 votes, 23.0%

Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker

12 votes, 19.7%

The Cold Between by Elizabeth Bonesteel

9 votes, 14.8%

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

7 votes, 11.5%

Dauntless by Jack Campbell

5 votes, 8.2%

61 total votes

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Jack L. Chalker’s Followers (359)

Jack L. Chalker

Combine EditionsJack L. Chalker’s books

Series by Jack L. Chalker

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Jack L. Chalker’s books