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The Wonderland Gambit #2
The March Hare Network
Go Ask Alice
Time after time, life after life, Cory Maddox was being incarnated into worlds he found both familiar and strangely different. And only in this latest incarnation did Cory bring along knowledge, skills, and memories of his previous existence—memories of cold betrayal that promised nothing he saw or felt could be trusted. Nor could he trust his companions who, like himself, kept moving from life to life trying to escape the endless cycle.
But it was only with the help of those companions that Cory could develop the technological means to peer beyond the veil of reality—to the shadowy figures who he was sure were manipulating reality . . . if what he was experiencing actually was reality.
Time was running out. His memories gave him an advantage over the others, but he would have to act quickly and surely if he were to discover the truth—before truth itself could no longer be trusted . . .
Time after time, life after life, Cory Maddox was being incarnated into worlds he found both familiar and strangely different. And only in this latest incarnation did Cory bring along knowledge, skills, and memories of his previous existence—memories of cold betrayal that promised nothing he saw or felt could be trusted. Nor could he trust his companions who, like himself, kept moving from life to life trying to escape the endless cycle.
But it was only with the help of those companions that Cory could develop the technological means to peer beyond the veil of reality—to the shadowy figures who he was sure were manipulating reality . . . if what he was experiencing actually was reality.
Time was running out. His memories gave him an advantage over the others, but he would have to act quickly and surely if he were to discover the truth—before truth itself could no longer be trusted . . .
323 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 7, 1996
2 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Jack L. Chalker
132 books357 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 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 19, 2020
This is not as good as the first one in this series.
The book gets a bit plodding in the middle, as though exegesis is needed, but then the pace slows to a crawl. Too much is happening offstage of which we get snippets. Perhaps that was meant to keep suspense going as to what is really going on, but if so it fails.
Even at his worst, and this is close to it, Jack Chalker is a good technical writer. So the book is easy to read and mostly well constructed as to events. But the narrative is just that bit lacking in structure.
I would say read it. But if it was a stand alone it would not pass muster, and books, even when part of a series should stand alone. So yes read it, but only if you intend to read the whole trilogy.
The book gets a bit plodding in the middle, as though exegesis is needed, but then the pace slows to a crawl. Too much is happening offstage of which we get snippets. Perhaps that was meant to keep suspense going as to what is really going on, but if so it fails.
Even at his worst, and this is close to it, Jack Chalker is a good technical writer. So the book is easy to read and mostly well constructed as to events. But the narrative is just that bit lacking in structure.
I would say read it. But if it was a stand alone it would not pass muster, and books, even when part of a series should stand alone. So yes read it, but only if you intend to read the whole trilogy.
September 2, 2017
So this second part of this series was better than the first, in terms of interesting twists and action. It's apparently out of print, so I had to order a used paperback via Amazon. Chalker plays some interesting mind games with body transfer stuff. Anything more would require spoilers. Finished this on vacation, now starting on the conclusion.
August 13, 2017
Enjoyed this one, more than the first. Probably due to liking the female protagonist more than the male protagonist. But the action and situations that the characters go thru are more exciting than the previous book.
November 10, 2007
A confusing mix of Alice in Wonderland and cyberpunk. Second book of 3. Everything you know is wrong. This applies especially for this book, because whatever you thought you knew in the first volume, in this one, everything is different. Intrigues and manipulations are first beginning.
February 7, 2026
I’m stalling writing a few reviews of other books and this was hanging out there as the next in a pretty weird trilogy. Like most middle books, it was just filler until about 3/4 through. Definitely trippy. And I wonder if the Wachowskis read any of the series before The Matrix.
October 5, 2014
This book somewhat parallels the second book of the Quintara Marathon. Not much additional stuff revealed.
May 12, 2015
Love this series, going to read again
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews