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Dancing Gods #1-2
The Dancing Gods, Part 1: River of the Dancing Gods / Demons of the Dancing Gods
BEYOND THE SEA OF DREAMS
Life had never been kind to Joe and Marge. Now, according to Throckmorton P. Ruddygore--a stranger who met them on a road that wasn't there--they were due to die in nineteen minutes. But across the Sea of Dreams lay a new and perhaps better life, in a place where fairies danced by moonlight. Joe could become a mighty-thewed barbarian warrior. Marge could be beautiful and find her magical self.
It was just as Ruddygore had promised, plus a great deal more. For this was a world where Hell still strove to win its ancient war, where demon princes sent men into battles of dark magic, and where Joe and Marge must somehow help prevent the coming of Armageddon!
Life had never been kind to Joe and Marge. Now, according to Throckmorton P. Ruddygore--a stranger who met them on a road that wasn't there--they were due to die in nineteen minutes. But across the Sea of Dreams lay a new and perhaps better life, in a place where fairies danced by moonlight. Joe could become a mighty-thewed barbarian warrior. Marge could be beautiful and find her magical self.
It was just as Ruddygore had promised, plus a great deal more. For this was a world where Hell still strove to win its ancient war, where demon princes sent men into battles of dark magic, and where Joe and Marge must somehow help prevent the coming of Armageddon!
529 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 30, 1995
1 person is currently reading
35 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 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 11, 2023
As far as fantasy books go, this has to be one of the BEST! I cut my teeth on fantasy books. After the Wizard of Oz series, my brother gave me the MYTH series and then Terry Pratchett's disc world and I was off to the "races". This one was in his bookcase when he died and I was told "Take what you want" so I did. It took me a while to be able to read any of his books because he wasn't/isn't there to talk about the books. But finally, I began reading some of the books he left and this one was the first one so I figured I had better review it! :)
The first book titled Part 1: the River of the Dancing Gods deals with a trucker named Joe who picks up a hitchhiker named Marge who are traveling on Death's Highway. Before they are killed in a vehicle accident, they are rescued by a wizard named Throckmorton P. Ruddygore who, coincidentally, looks like Santa Claus. Joe and Marge are taken to the world of Husaquahr. Supposedly, Husaquahr was the prototype for Earth though it doesn't explain how only the species living on our Earth were the only ones carried over and all the fantasy creatures and races went to Husaquahr.
Joe becomes a fighter of Barbarian proportions with a magnificent magical sword he names Irving after his son on Earth. Marge becomes a beautiful Elven Witch. They each get a brief training period and then set off with their companions to fight the "Baron" who is set on overtaking Earth by using Husaquahr as a stepping stone to get there. Along the way are several adventures helping to warm the group up for the "final" battle.
The fantasy in this book is what I would call real fantasy because it has elves, witches, fairies, unicorns, dragons, etc. If you love fantasy I'm pretty sure you will love this 5 book series. I know I did though I did not know there was more than 2 books!
The first book titled Part 1: the River of the Dancing Gods deals with a trucker named Joe who picks up a hitchhiker named Marge who are traveling on Death's Highway. Before they are killed in a vehicle accident, they are rescued by a wizard named Throckmorton P. Ruddygore who, coincidentally, looks like Santa Claus. Joe and Marge are taken to the world of Husaquahr. Supposedly, Husaquahr was the prototype for Earth though it doesn't explain how only the species living on our Earth were the only ones carried over and all the fantasy creatures and races went to Husaquahr.
Joe becomes a fighter of Barbarian proportions with a magnificent magical sword he names Irving after his son on Earth. Marge becomes a beautiful Elven Witch. They each get a brief training period and then set off with their companions to fight the "Baron" who is set on overtaking Earth by using Husaquahr as a stepping stone to get there. Along the way are several adventures helping to warm the group up for the "final" battle.
The fantasy in this book is what I would call real fantasy because it has elves, witches, fairies, unicorns, dragons, etc. If you love fantasy I'm pretty sure you will love this 5 book series. I know I did though I did not know there was more than 2 books!
March 24, 2025
I love this series, the characters are very relatable. The humor is great and the story keeps getting better with every book.
October 5, 2014
Excellent fantasy. Very original take on a fantasy world governed by rules. Almost as if Dungeons and Dragons were turned into a real world.
July 18, 2016
read while in jail. Actual rating: 2.5
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews