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G.O.D. Inc. #1
The Labyrinth of Dreams
Meet the Horowitzes. Sam and Brandy are private eyes, finding no business, going dead broke - or maybe just dead! A missing person case may save find Martin Whitlock, a hotshot banker who skipped town with over two million in laundered drug money. Whitlock's trail led from a posh mansion to a hick burg in Oregon, and the G. O. D. Inc., those geeks who hawk overpriced garbage on late-night TV. They found their man(?); in fact, they found three of him(?). One was female. One was dead. The third was just plain dangerous. They found themselves involved with a mob far more powerful and vicious than the Mafia. McInerny, Oregon wasn't just off the map. It was off the Earth! It was the entrance into the Labyrinth of Dreams
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1987
6 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
Jack L. Chalker
132 books354 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).
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 6, 2017
I read this ages ago and something made me remember how bad it was. I thought I had blocked it out of my mind, but alas, no. It might hold up better with an older eye, but at the time I read this, at the time it came out, I was alternately bored to death and amazed how badly a crossover of styles could be pulled off.
Of course, with the advent of UF, it shows just how much I know. :)
Of course, with the advent of UF, it shows just how much I know. :)
April 3, 2018
A pair of down at the heels PIs are hired to trace a banker who skipped town with two million dollars. Eventually, they find not one, but three of the guy, and are introduced to the infinite worlds.
It didn't really hit me, but maybe I wasn't in the mood for it.
It didn't really hit me, but maybe I wasn't in the mood for it.
August 13, 2017
I'm fairly certain I read this back in '88, but couldn't remember the ending to save my backside. Turns out I may have given up back then. This is 2017 though, and I tend to stick it out now.
The first half of the book read quickly and Chalker gave us two fleshed out protagonists very quickly. Sam and Brandy are a married, detective duo ready to pack it in for a life in the suburbs/semi-retirement community. On what is literally their last day, their version of the case of the Maltese Falcon comes strolling in. The next 150 pages were full-speed ahead.
The next 50 really slowed down the book as Chalker explained what our intrepid couple finds themselves in, neck-deep. Fortunately, the rest of the book picked up, but I can see why my younger self may have put it aside.
Despite all that, GOD Inc. #1 is a book you should read. Besides a good sci-fi/mystery, it is a nice look into race relations and how one mixed-race couple dealt with the world around them.
Find it. Read it.
The first half of the book read quickly and Chalker gave us two fleshed out protagonists very quickly. Sam and Brandy are a married, detective duo ready to pack it in for a life in the suburbs/semi-retirement community. On what is literally their last day, their version of the case of the Maltese Falcon comes strolling in. The next 150 pages were full-speed ahead.
The next 50 really slowed down the book as Chalker explained what our intrepid couple finds themselves in, neck-deep. Fortunately, the rest of the book picked up, but I can see why my younger self may have put it aside.
Despite all that, GOD Inc. #1 is a book you should read. Besides a good sci-fi/mystery, it is a nice look into race relations and how one mixed-race couple dealt with the world around them.
Find it. Read it.
May 25, 2020
Less "out there" then other Chalkers. Still entertaining SF - with a very strong detective story line.
Interesting: thinking through consequences and possibilities of parallel realities and moving between them could mean.
Note: one of the characters has a monologue with an interesting take on morality (crime is just filling a demand) I seem to recall from earlier Chalkers.
Interesting: thinking through consequences and possibilities of parallel realities and moving between them could mean.
Note: one of the characters has a monologue with an interesting take on morality (crime is just filling a demand) I seem to recall from earlier Chalkers.
October 3, 2021
I didn’t finish this book. It is sort of a crazy story that kept getting more strange. It is not bad but it isn’t great either, but then I noticed the book had a misprint with some pages unreadable and in a mystery story that can make a big difference. So I decided my time would be better spent on reading something else.
July 5, 2025
Did Not Finish - gave up at page 160 of 320.
Things got boring, I couldn't tell what was going on, the plot got lost, and had wanted sci-fi but didn't really have any by the point I gave up.
I am still surprised how much I enjoyed pages 20 to 140, as I am not big on detective stories. the plot during those points at least moved along enough to keep me engaged.
Things got boring, I couldn't tell what was going on, the plot got lost, and had wanted sci-fi but didn't really have any by the point I gave up.
I am still surprised how much I enjoyed pages 20 to 140, as I am not big on detective stories. the plot during those points at least moved along enough to keep me engaged.
May 24, 2017
Sci-fi meets whodunnit in Chalker's book. A good way to pass a commute, although I wouldn't necessarily set aside time to make sure you read it cover to cover.
March 8, 2025
I tried this book on whim and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it: an entertaining and somewhat unusual combination of American detective story and science fiction. The sf side of it felt more familiar to me: I read sf, and have read sf of approximately this kind before, but I don’t normally read American detective stories.
The main characters are likeable enough, although their behaviour is somewhat implausible at times. The plot is frankly too complicated for me to follow, but I got the gist of it and didn’t try to understand all the details.
I think I’ve read only one other book by Jack Chalker: Midnight at the Well of Souls, which I read long ago, didn’t much like, and haven’t read again. This one I wouldn’t rave about, but I liked it better.
The main characters are likeable enough, although their behaviour is somewhat implausible at times. The plot is frankly too complicated for me to follow, but I got the gist of it and didn’t try to understand all the details.
I think I’ve read only one other book by Jack Chalker: Midnight at the Well of Souls, which I read long ago, didn’t much like, and haven’t read again. This one I wouldn’t rave about, but I liked it better.
September 14, 2022
I am very attached to this book since it practically kept me company throughout my hospitalization. I read around 13 books there and this was the ONLY one that actually interested me. Maybe it is because I finished the book at 5AM (I assume since we did not have clocks) but I don't think I really understood the end. I still enjoyed reading it even if I practically put reading it off like CONSTANTLY.
It was a paperback of the book too and it was pretty damaged to be honest but hey, I didn't have to pay for it so I'm good. It is probably since the book was pretty old since it looked like a paper box that had been stepped over and been ripped apart but oh well. Quite a nice storyline I must admit and one of my favorite books in general.
Sadly, having found and read this book 2 years ago and mostly reading it in almost pitch darkness I cannot recall many lines from this book but I do remember that I genuinely really liked this book.
It was a paperback of the book too and it was pretty damaged to be honest but hey, I didn't have to pay for it so I'm good. It is probably since the book was pretty old since it looked like a paper box that had been stepped over and been ripped apart but oh well. Quite a nice storyline I must admit and one of my favorite books in general.
Sadly, having found and read this book 2 years ago and mostly reading it in almost pitch darkness I cannot recall many lines from this book but I do remember that I genuinely really liked this book.
December 12, 2014
An interesting detective story that starts out in the 80s and ends up in deep in science fiction. Took a long time until the premise for the trilogy was revealed, but the detective story was engaging enough to more than compensate.
January 5, 2008
I hate that so many of Jack Chalker's books are now out of print. My in-laws got me this from a library book sale and I was never able to find any more of the GOD inc books.
July 21, 2009
Interesting idea. A private eye couple get trapped in a miniuniverse while on a case..
September 19, 2009
A fun read. Second time through, but it's been a few years and I still enjoyed the metaphysical playing.
May 5, 2010
Has the distinction of being the only Chalker series I didn't dislike to only be read once.
January 9, 2012
Grade C+. Book Gi1.
Read
September 26, 201210
November 10, 2013
This is a fun start to one of the lightest alternate reality series. Not to heavy, but light romance, adventure and mystery.
Want to read
November 21, 2008TBR
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews