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Soul Rider #5
Children of Flux and Anchor
Chalker, Jack L.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
3 people are currently reading
231 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 - 11 of 11 reviews
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November 10, 2019The final work in the Soul Rider series of five novels. The actual series finished with volume three, and the fourth book was a prequel. Chalker claims this work includes some elements that he couldn't work into the original series, but at least one reviewer has found it a mere rehash of previously explored material. Not remembered.
July 25, 2018
Not bad, entertaining. Not as captivating as the first soul rider books though. Still worth reading.
September 28, 2018
Excellent.
August 12, 2012
Reasonably enjoyable read, if you liked the first three books. The ending was a doozy, for Chalker.
What I basically mean, by that, is he ended it quite philosophically, in terms of the human condition. Always pegged him as an extreme pessimist about the human condition. Pretty much all of his books involve slavery in some fashion or another. Also, 99 out of 100 characters who have power in his books abuse it horribly. Anyway, with that in mind, I was rather shocked in the way he ended the book. He still seems to believe it's likely humanity will destroy itself, but it still ended on a pretty happy/optimistic note. Well, that's not true, but more optimistic than I ever expected Chalker to ever be. :)
What I basically mean, by that, is he ended it quite philosophically, in terms of the human condition. Always pegged him as an extreme pessimist about the human condition. Pretty much all of his books involve slavery in some fashion or another. Also, 99 out of 100 characters who have power in his books abuse it horribly. Anyway, with that in mind, I was rather shocked in the way he ended the book. He still seems to believe it's likely humanity will destroy itself, but it still ended on a pretty happy/optimistic note. Well, that's not true, but more optimistic than I ever expected Chalker to ever be. :)
January 20, 2008
Another originally unplanned addition to the series. The author claims this book arose because there were additional elements that he couldn't fit into the main series, but as far as I can see it is just a rehash of the other books.
As a teenager reading this series I was like "ooh, a cool adventure in an unique world" but now I think "hmm, what a waste of a unique world".
As a teenager reading this series I was like "ooh, a cool adventure in an unique world" but now I think "hmm, what a waste of a unique world".
October 20, 2015
Wonderful ending to the series.
June 16, 2011
Grade C+. Book Sr5.
February 25, 2013
Strange in places, a little more disjointed than the others, interesting ending.
July 24, 2025
I have read these so many times in the last 40 years and I still love them.
July 3, 2016
Glad I got this done. Seems too drawn out
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September 26, 201218
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews