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Saga of the Well World #3
Quest for the Well of Souls
Welcome to the Well World: a construct of an ancient defunct race known as the Markovians. The Well World acts both as the controller of and the gateway to 1560 worlds created by the Markovians at the end of their time.
Exiles at the Well of Souls left Mavra Chang captured by the Olborn and partially converted into a beast of burden. Twenty-two years later, Chang has tried to escape numerous times, failing each time...each attempt leading to greater despair.
Moreover, one of two tiny hopes has already been destroyed. Two ships had crashed into the Well World: hers in the south and another in the inhospitable Northern Hemisphere. The attempt to recover her ship has ended in the destruction of that ship.
But a possible method of traveling to the North may offer a final hope and it ignites a new race between Mavra and her enemies...with the winner poised to gain control of Obie...the super-computer that can manipulate the very fabric of existence.
Quest for the Well of Souls is the third book set in the Well World universe.
Exiles at the Well of Souls left Mavra Chang captured by the Olborn and partially converted into a beast of burden. Twenty-two years later, Chang has tried to escape numerous times, failing each time...each attempt leading to greater despair.
Moreover, one of two tiny hopes has already been destroyed. Two ships had crashed into the Well World: hers in the south and another in the inhospitable Northern Hemisphere. The attempt to recover her ship has ended in the destruction of that ship.
But a possible method of traveling to the North may offer a final hope and it ignites a new race between Mavra and her enemies...with the winner poised to gain control of Obie...the super-computer that can manipulate the very fabric of existence.
Quest for the Well of Souls is the third book set in the Well World universe.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1978
37 people are currently reading
640 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 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 5, 2022
As Chalker mentions in a brief introduction, the Quest for the Well of Souls is really the second half of a novel he called Wars of the Well, the first part being Exiles of he Well of Souls, with Midnight at the Well of Souls being a prequel. Whew. Chalker (or his editor) did try to make this something of a standalone, but only by having the first 30 pages or so being large info dumps concerning the first part of the original novel Wars.... I mentioned in my review of Exiles... that is just ended rather than reaching a conclusion and now it makes sense.
Quest picks up about 22 years after the first part of the novel, that is, after the failure of two Southern alliances to reclaim the engine module of the crashed shuttle. There is still the shuttle that crash landed in the Northern area, but it landed in a non-tech zone and the North (Hexes of non-carbon based life forms) is off limits to the Southern species, which are all carbon based. After 22 years, however, some folks in the South finally found a way to retrieve the last ship. If they can get it, and fly it to New Pompeii, they will be able to control Well World, and therefore, the universe.
This parallels the first half of the planned novel, with two alliances both trying to get to the ship first. Yet, the North is a different kettle of fist from the South, and the political intrigue is upped a notch or two. Mavra Chang, sequestered in her deformed state on an island, is still one of the only pilots on Well World who can fly the shuttle, but she wants no part of it and foments an escape plan, so much of the novel is her escape and the two rival alliances coming into being. A fun novel, and would have been better without the info dumps at the start. 3.5 stars, rounding up!
Quest picks up about 22 years after the first part of the novel, that is, after the failure of two Southern alliances to reclaim the engine module of the crashed shuttle. There is still the shuttle that crash landed in the Northern area, but it landed in a non-tech zone and the North (Hexes of non-carbon based life forms) is off limits to the Southern species, which are all carbon based. After 22 years, however, some folks in the South finally found a way to retrieve the last ship. If they can get it, and fly it to New Pompeii, they will be able to control Well World, and therefore, the universe.
This parallels the first half of the planned novel, with two alliances both trying to get to the ship first. Yet, the North is a different kettle of fist from the South, and the political intrigue is upped a notch or two. Mavra Chang, sequestered in her deformed state on an island, is still one of the only pilots on Well World who can fly the shuttle, but she wants no part of it and foments an escape plan, so much of the novel is her escape and the two rival alliances coming into being. A fun novel, and would have been better without the info dumps at the start. 3.5 stars, rounding up!
August 23, 2020
Pleased sigh. Such a satisfying conclusion to this half of the story. Life, death, love, sacrifice, double-crosses, triple-crosses... so good.
As the saying goes, a book is different each time you read it, not because the book has changed, but because you have. Just as I didn’t twig to the fact that Yulin was a Muslim of Middle Eastern descent, it never occurred to me that the supercomputer Obie, who can manipulate the mathematics of the universe to change anything in something else, is, in effect, a genie. And like a djinn of old, you really, really have to be careful what you ask for.
Another cool thing: the number 117 has followed me around my entire life. I could go on for pages (and ages) about the weird coincidences that have turned it up repeatedly. I’ve found in my rereads of favorite books of my youth that the number shows up time after time. For instance, in the Terran Trade Authority book Spacecraft: 2000-2100 AD, which I read the very same month as I read this book back in 1978, the very first spaceship is numbered 117. (See it here: https://thetrove.net/Resources/_GM%20...)
A 117 turns up here, too. This is how the number works in my life.
As the saying goes, a book is different each time you read it, not because the book has changed, but because you have. Just as I didn’t twig to the fact that Yulin was a Muslim of Middle Eastern descent, it never occurred to me that the supercomputer Obie, who can manipulate the mathematics of the universe to change anything in something else, is, in effect, a genie. And like a djinn of old, you really, really have to be careful what you ask for.
Another cool thing: the number 117 has followed me around my entire life. I could go on for pages (and ages) about the weird coincidences that have turned it up repeatedly. I’ve found in my rereads of favorite books of my youth that the number shows up time after time. For instance, in the Terran Trade Authority book Spacecraft: 2000-2100 AD, which I read the very same month as I read this book back in 1978, the very first spaceship is numbered 117. (See it here: https://thetrove.net/Resources/_GM%20...)
A 117 turns up here, too. This is how the number works in my life.
December 19, 2022
This was another series that really got good as it went on. I really enjoyed it, but it was a slow build.
Bulk input day.
Bulk input day.
October 25, 2022
Just utter disappointment from beginning to end.
September 27, 2017
OK, that's enough for me.
January 26, 2024
More horrifying than any of the near-Human Centipede level transformation shit in this series, is that I'm almost starting to enjoy it.
In a reverse of the previous book, there's adventure first, trying to get back to where it all started, and prevent Obie from being used for evil and possibly even destroying the universe. For reasons unknown I found the locations more compelling this time, and the intersecting conspiracies were entertainingly messy. Chalker also avoided too much deus ex machina in the resolution this time, with the end mostly being accomplished via the previously established abilities of the protagonists and antagonists.
In a reverse of the previous book, there's adventure first, trying to get back to where it all started, and prevent Obie from being used for evil and possibly even destroying the universe. For reasons unknown I found the locations more compelling this time, and the intersecting conspiracies were entertainingly messy. Chalker also avoided too much deus ex machina in the resolution this time, with the end mostly being accomplished via the previously established abilities of the protagonists and antagonists.
August 10, 2019
I first read this ages ago and found it to be fascinating. I was young. I've been trying to get through it but it's been a bit of a slog. Have to give up on it.
In short, godlike beings beta test new races on this one planet and then seed the galaxy with them. The betas remain since the gods are seemingly gone.
It's a fantasy story with science fiction trappings. My biggest issue with it is the pace. Things move along exceedingly slowly. Whole passages of time take place off-screen but what we do see moves at a snail's pace.
I'm not saying the book is bed. I got a lot of enjoyment out of it in my youth. I'm not saying it's only for young readers. The whole plot is interesting. Maybe at some point I'll return to it but not right now.
In short, godlike beings beta test new races on this one planet and then seed the galaxy with them. The betas remain since the gods are seemingly gone.
It's a fantasy story with science fiction trappings. My biggest issue with it is the pace. Things move along exceedingly slowly. Whole passages of time take place off-screen but what we do see moves at a snail's pace.
I'm not saying the book is bed. I got a lot of enjoyment out of it in my youth. I'm not saying it's only for young readers. The whole plot is interesting. Maybe at some point I'll return to it but not right now.
February 11, 2025
This book was the third book set in the Well World universe. I have not read the first two books Marva Chang was a pilot and has been transformed into many different life forms. She is in a race to recover a ship that crashed into the Northern Hemisphere of Well World. Marva and her enemies want to gain control of Obie a super-computer. I found this book in my home and decided to read it as I had known Mr. Chalker through the conventions I attended. I liked his descriptions of the hexes and the entities that existed in each one. I the ending of the book and almost wish, I could see what happened afterward. This book was published in 1982, but I would tell others that it is one you can pick up and read chapters at a time as I did.
December 15, 2025
I originally read this book about 35 years ago. I remember always being disturbed by it for it's treatment of Mavra Chang (one of my favorite ever Sci-Fi characters) and the hell she goes through in this book. Re-reading it now it brought it all back to me and her journey as a character is still just as powerful as ever.
The Well of Souls books are known for exploring fascinating different alien worlds and races and this book definitely doesn't disappoint. This time round we even get to spend time in the mysterious Northern Hemisphere, where the aliens are not even carbon based life-forms but things that are even more alien and inexplicable.
This book brings together lots of the different threads from the first 2 books in the series, in a satisfying conclusion.
The Well of Souls books are known for exploring fascinating different alien worlds and races and this book definitely doesn't disappoint. This time round we even get to spend time in the mysterious Northern Hemisphere, where the aliens are not even carbon based life-forms but things that are even more alien and inexplicable.
This book brings together lots of the different threads from the first 2 books in the series, in a satisfying conclusion.
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April 27, 2021I kept waiting through two books to find out what happened to Nikki, and I was disappointed. I thought she would have gone through the Well and grown up into one of the awesome characters we had got to know. It was twenty-some years after all! but no, she never got to become a character at all, just fat daughter and then villain's brainwashed love slave. BOO.
The brainwashed love slave thing is creepy AF. I get that it's the villain being villainous, but jeez.
The brainwashed love slave thing is creepy AF. I get that it's the villain being villainous, but jeez.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2023
Whilst better than the previous entry, it actually retroactively made the prior book even worse, since it follows almost the exact same plot - multiple competing groups race to get to a remote and treacherous location in order to gain control of the MacGuffin that will get them off the Well World - except done better. Less (though still some) name-dropping of numerous species and characters, better action, and an actual conclusion. The Well World novels are back on track!
November 3, 2020
More like a 3.5, its a good book but suffers from the fact that it was supposed to be part of a single book with the preceding one. This caused a bit of redundancy, over explanation and the like but other than that its pretty good. I'm not sure about continuing the series but I fear it will drag and die like too many series kept alive to keep the author fed.
October 7, 2017
Excellent 'guilty pleasure' SF.
I liked other Chalker books because the ideas an universes he created gave me a fresh perspective. As this is his third Well book those effects are less in this one. The story telling is page turny enough though.
I liked other Chalker books because the ideas an universes he created gave me a fresh perspective. As this is his third Well book those effects are less in this one. The story telling is page turny enough though.
April 8, 2022
As per usual for the Well of Souls series, the writing style and editing aren't very good, but the story, characters, and world building are so entertaining, I don't mind. Also, love it or hate it, that cover is unforgettable.
December 8, 2022
I grew up with this book. This is probably the 5th or 6th time I've read it in my life. As I age, the meanings in this book become more apparent to me. Its a good book and I think more people should read it.
March 4, 2025
Odd characters and races this time reminded me of the Oz books. Accepting differences, and persevering in life were positive themes that resonate today nearly 50 years later. The gender portrayal is a bit stereotypical however.
September 9, 2025
Once again, amazing world building with so many societies...just a lot to remember from hop to hop. The ending wasn't quite what I expected and will give props for how some characters ended. Decent little series overall, better to read straight through as opposed to taking some breaks as I do.
August 7, 2018
Just a heads-up: this gets really rape-y toward the end.
August 11, 2019
I really enjoy Chalker's works and this book was fantastic.
January 24, 2020
Read this as a kid. I don't remember much about it, but I must have liked it since I read the whole series.
June 17, 2022
Basically just the author's weird hobbies.
April 29, 2024
Good story.
June 22, 2025
Quest
Another terrific Well Word novel! jack Chalked is a master story teller with a universe wide canvas to paint on.
Another terrific Well Word novel! jack Chalked is a master story teller with a universe wide canvas to paint on.
December 3, 2025
A pulpy, zany and wild sci-fi adventure with some dark elements. I absolutely love the world building in this series, an absolute blast to read truly
November 15, 2014
Jack L. Chalker's "Quest for the Well of Souls" is the third book in his seven volume "Well World Saga." It's also the second book of a two book sub-series introducing Mavra Chang. And, even though the rating shows up here as 4 stars out of 5, I'm really rating it at 3-1/2 stars out of 5. Regarding style and content, there are no surprises here: it's Chalker through and through, it's the Well World, and it nicely ties up where we were left hanging at the end of "Exiles at the Well of Souls" 22 story years ago. One thing that had me wondering if I ought to drop my rating all the way down to 3 stars is the way Chalker has mixed up the teams of characters. Instead of having a team of good guys and a team of bad guys, we've got multiple teams of both good and bad guys. It sort of makes it hard to root for the home team when it's not really your home team. Still, it's worth reading if only to tie up the loose ends from the previous book.
The books in Jack L. Chalker's "Well World Saga" are:
1. Midnight at the Well of Souls (Well World Saga: Volume 1)
2. Exiles at the Well of Souls (Well World Saga: Volume 2)
3. Quest for the Well of Souls (Well World Saga: Volume 3)
4. The Return of Nathan Brazil (The Well of Souls Book 4)
5. Twilight at the Well of Souls: The Legacy of Nathan Brazil
6. The Sea Is Full of Stars (The Well of Souls)
7. Ghost of the Well of Souls
The books in Jack L. Chalker's "Well World Saga" are:
1. Midnight at the Well of Souls (Well World Saga: Volume 1)
2. Exiles at the Well of Souls (Well World Saga: Volume 2)
3. Quest for the Well of Souls (Well World Saga: Volume 3)
4. The Return of Nathan Brazil (The Well of Souls Book 4)
5. Twilight at the Well of Souls: The Legacy of Nathan Brazil
6. The Sea Is Full of Stars (The Well of Souls)
7. Ghost of the Well of Souls
March 1, 2025
Welcome to the Well World: a construct of an ancient defunct race known as the Markovians. The Well World acts both as the controller of and the gateway to 1560 worlds created by the Markovians at the end of their time.
Exiles at the Well of Souls left Mavra Chang captured by the Olborn and partially converted into a beast of burden. Twenty-two years later, Chang has tried to escape numerous times, failing each time...each attempt leading to greater despair.
Moreover, one of two tiny hopes has already been destroyed. Two ships had crashed into the Well World: hers in the south and another in the inhospitable Northern Hemisphere. The attempt to recover her ship has ended in the destruction of that ship.
But a possible method of traveling to the North may offer a final hope and it ignites a new race between Mavra and her enemies...with the winner poised to gain control of Obie...the super-computer that can manipulate the very fabric of existence.
Quest for the Well of Souls is the third book set in the Well World universe.
Exiles at the Well of Souls left Mavra Chang captured by the Olborn and partially converted into a beast of burden. Twenty-two years later, Chang has tried to escape numerous times, failing each time...each attempt leading to greater despair.
Moreover, one of two tiny hopes has already been destroyed. Two ships had crashed into the Well World: hers in the south and another in the inhospitable Northern Hemisphere. The attempt to recover her ship has ended in the destruction of that ship.
But a possible method of traveling to the North may offer a final hope and it ignites a new race between Mavra and her enemies...with the winner poised to gain control of Obie...the super-computer that can manipulate the very fabric of existence.
Quest for the Well of Souls is the third book set in the Well World universe.
July 11, 2008
Chalker has spun an exciting sci-fi tale set on a strange world made up of an endless number of hex-shaped zones, each one containing a totally different species. While the numerous descriptions of each succeeding alien race might get a little dizzying, even monotonous at times, the action speeds along at a furious pace to an exciting conclusion. There are cliffhangers-a-plenty and after I got past the first chapter or two (which contained a lot catch-up info intended for those who haven't read the first book) I couldn't put the book down. As inferred, this is the second book in a two-part novel, and while it's not entirely necessary, I would suggest reading the first book, Exile at the well of Souls, first. I didn't and often wished I had.
March 29, 2013
Like another reviewer here on GoodReads, I initially read this series out of order. The title "The Return of Nathan Brazil" grabbed my attention one day in my first year of college. Luckily, all but the last two books in the series can be read independently of the rest. Once I had gobbled up "Return", I quickly tracked down the rest of the five. I've been rereading them ever since.
This is one of few examples of an author who can sustain an interesting storyline over five titles. Most lose steam as they attempt to complete a basic trilogy. Although I eventually began to find Chalker's themes repetitive in his other series, these five books will always rank as one my top favorites in Science Fiction storytelling.
This is one of few examples of an author who can sustain an interesting storyline over five titles. Most lose steam as they attempt to complete a basic trilogy. Although I eventually began to find Chalker's themes repetitive in his other series, these five books will always rank as one my top favorites in Science Fiction storytelling.
August 3, 2024
[2024] When I started this reread with Exiles, I wanted some Marva Chang to lighten the doom. Now that the orange guy and ilk are running scared, well, less doom. And as was six years ago, still a great (re)read. I’ve got a couple of ARCs to finish and more than a few in the queue before I think about Return… at least that’s my story and I may or may not stick to it.
[2018] These number among what I call "comfort" books. People have comfort food, pillows, what have you...I have comfort books. Still a great read after all these years. And will be a gain someday.
[My 2012 "review"] A great conclusion. But wait! there's more.
[2018] These number among what I call "comfort" books. People have comfort food, pillows, what have you...I have comfort books. Still a great read after all these years. And will be a gain someday.
[My 2012 "review"] A great conclusion. But wait! there's more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews