Books C (p. 1)

Transformation Stories List

List Format

Books C (p. 3)

Books: C (p. 2 of 3)

Chalker, Jack [SS] [AL] [BL] [BR]

On most/all his works (mentioned by {1,2,3,7,12,13,17,22,31,33,34,35,75,Ph}):

• Physical transformations until they get tedious. -2
• Many of [his] works have the transformation theme, although he's not a particularly good writer. -3
• I consider him a hack. -12
• I can think of one novel offhand written by Chalker that didn't involve physical or mental transformation. And a few short stories. (Well, one.) All the rest of it does to one degree or another. -13
• Warning, he likes to transform everybody (eventually) into beautiful nymphomaniac females with humongous breasts. While I have stopped reading his books due to this tendency, he can occasionally tell a good story. -31
• It seems like almost every one of his novels incorporates someone who is transformed or switches bodies with someone else or has their sex reversed or species changed. It might almost make a good contest to come up with a Jack Chalker novel that doesn't include at least one such individual however minor or seemingly irrelevant to the story line. -34
• Try almost anything by Jack Chalker...everything Chalker writes deals with the physical transformation of at least one, and sometimes all, of his protagonists. In fact, even his Demons at Rainbow Bridge has one character that gets changes, so I guess so far he's batting a thousand in the Transformation Sweepstakes. (He cheats, though, in Rings of the Master; there's no earthly reason the changes should be irreversible except he doesn't want the characters to be able to get away with it scot-free. -35
  • No, there were very good reasons for the transformations [in Rings of the Master] being irreversible. -75
• People seem to either like or hate Jack Chalker. Personally, I like him, in small doses. Several of his stories seem to be pretty much the same plotwise, though. But he does use transformation more than any other author I've seen. -Ph

And the Devil Will Drag You Under {//11,31} [BBT]

[Del Rey; 1982; 0345305043; $2.50] [BB]

• Rating: 4 Cause: AS Result: MX Significance: - Description: 0 Saturation: -. SF...only touches on transformations, rather than using that as a main theme. I just threw it in because it does include a few transformations (minor) and is one of his better books. -11
• There isn't much transformation, but there is a little, and some of it is interesting. -31

Changewinds series {/35/11} [BBT]

[When the Changewinds Blow: Ace; 1987; 0441880819; $3.50] [BB] [BBT]
[Riders of the Winds: Ace; 1988; 0441723519; $3.50] [BB] [BBT]
[War of the Maelstrom: Ace; 1988; 0441102689; $3.95] [BB] [BBT]
[omnibus volume: Baen; 1996; 0671877348; $15.00 softcover] [BB]

• Rating: 2 Cause: MA Result: MX/MT Significance: - Description: 0 Saturation: -... does deal some with physical transformations, but not as much as other series/stories. -11

Dancing Gods series {11/2,35,75,TG/} [BBT]

[1:The River of Dancing Gods: Del Rey; 1984; 0345345010; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]
[2:Demons of the Dancing Gods: Del Rey; 1990; 034530893X; $4.95] [BB] [BBT]
[1&2 together: Ballantine; 1996; 0345402464; $6.99] [BB]
[3:Vengeance of the Dancing Gods: Ballantine; 1990; 0345315499; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]
[4:Songs of the Dancing Gods: Del Rey; 1990; 0345347994; $4.95] [BB] [BBT]
[3&4 together: Ballantine; 1996; 0345407717; $6.99] [BB]
[?:Horrors of the Dancing Gods: Del Rey; 1995; 0345376927; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]

• Rating: 4 Cause: MA Result: LY(Random)/GC Significance: 0 Description: + Saturation: +... essentially humor/parody, and the first three books are rather fun. -11
• ...Certain characters transform into whatever creature that happen to be nearest to when the moon rises. -75

Downtiming the Nightside {11/TG/} [BBT]

[Tor; 1985; 0812532880; $2.95] [BB]
[Baen; 1993; 0671721704; $4.99] [BB]

• Rating: 1 Result: MT Significance: + Description: 0 Saturation: 0. SF; time travel... When time-traveling, the traveler must have a body to occupy at the destination, so one is made up--someone unimportant, usually lower class, and most often someone who had died young, but was now miraculously alive at the jump point. This is, IMHO, Chalker's worst work; unorganized, poorly written, and clunky. -11

Four Lords of the Diamond series {11/7,13,TG/} [BBT]

[Lilith: A Snake in the Grass: Ballantine; 1983; 034529369X; $2.50] [BB] [BBT]
[Lilith: A Snake in the Grass: Ballantine; 1981; 0345344200; $?] [BB]
[Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold: Ballantine; 1982; 0345293711; $2.50] [BB] [BBT]
[Charon: A Dragon at the Gate: Del Rey; 1989; 0345293703; $3.95] [BB] [BBT]
[Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail: Del Rey; 1983; 034529372X; $2.95] [BB] [BBT]
[Omnibus volume?: Ballantine; 1991; 0345352475; $?] [BB]

• 4 books - some of his better work. -7
• Rating: 3 Cause: VI Result: MT/SC/GC Significance: + Description: + Saturation: +. SF; virus. -11

The Identity Matrix {11,TG//} [BBT]

[Pocket; 1992; 0671698540; $4.99] [BB]

• Rating: 5 Cause: AS Result: MU/GC Significance: + Description: + Saturation: +. SF; Alien ability and advanced science. -11

The Messiah's Choice {/3/} [BBT]

[TOR; 1986; 0812532902; $3.50] [BB]

• [Cause: AS.] ...Has a few transformations, done by a computer... -3

Quintara Marathon series {/3,35,75/11} [BBT]

[1:Demons at Rainbow Bridge: Ace; 1990; 0441699928; $3.95] [BB] [BBT]
[2:The Run to Chaos Keep: Ace; 1992; 0441693482; $4.99] [BB] [BBT]
[3:The 90 Trillion Fausts: Ace; 1992; 044158103X; $4.99] [BB] [BBT]

• [Cause: AM/NT/VI Result: BM/MT.] IMO Chalker's best books so far. There is some transformation by various means, nanotechnology or viruses, I've forgot which, and by mind transfer, and by surgery, and mental/moral transformation (some of it in the presence of the god-alien Mizlaplan); but less of it than in his earlier books. What there is of it is very central to the plot. -75
• [The Run to Chaos Keep] has pretty much no transformations, and [The 90 Trillion Fausts] has some at the end. (I think they're supposed to be nanotech). Nothing too major. -3
• SF; Rating: 3 Cause: GM/NT Result: MT Significance: - Description: - Saturation: -. OK, I've only read the first book so far (have to leave time for them to make the used book stores, you see... B^), but Demons at Rainbow Bridge has no transformations. Oh, OK, there are some mental transformations (mostly off- screen), some genetically engineered beings, and the creation of a cyborg, but nothing to compare with a typical Chalker novel. -11

Rings of the Master series {11/2,35/} [BBT]

[1:Lords of the Middle Dark: Del Rey; 1986; 0345325605; $3.50] [BB] [BBT]
[2:Pirates of the Thunder: Del Rey; 1987; 0345325613; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]
[3:Warriors of the Storm: Del Rey; 1988; 0345325621; $4.95] [BB] [BBT]
[4:Masks of the Martyrs: Del Rey; 1988; 0345343093; $3.95] [BB] [BBT]

• Rating: 3 Cause: AS Result: BX/GC Significance: + Description: + Saturation: +. SF; Advanced science and natural ability. -11

Soul Rider (Flux and Anchor) series {11/1,2,17,TG/} [BBT]

[Spirits of Flux and Anchor: Tor; 1984; 0812532759; $2.95] [BB] [BBT]
[Empires of Flux and Anchor: Tor; 1984; 0812533291; $3.95] [BB] [BBT]
[Masters of Flux and Anchor: Tor; 1985; 0812532813; $2.95] [BB] [BBT]
[The Birth of Flux and Anchor: Tor; 1985; 0812532848; $3.50] [BB] [BBT]
[Children of Flux and Anchor: Tor; 1986; 0812532864; $3.50] [BB] [BBT]

• ...Deal with people being transformed via spells into all types of creatures and variations of creatures, both willingly and unwillingly. -1
• Rating: 4 Cause: AS Result: MX/BX/GC Significance: + Description: + Saturation: +. SF; conversion mass -> energy -> mass. -11

Web of the Chozen {/11,22/} [BBT]

[Ballantine; 1987; 0345339592; $2.95] [BB]
[Ballantine; ?; 0345273761; $?] [BB]

• Rating: 2 Cause: VI Result: BX Significance: 0 Description: 0 Saturation: -. SF; virus. -11

Well World (Well of Souls) series {11/1,13,17,35,TG/} [BBT]

[Midnight at the Well of Souls: Ballantine; 1989; 0345324455; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]
[Exiles at the Well of Souls: Del Rey; 1988; 0345324374; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]
[Quest for the Well of Souls: Ballantine; 1995; 0345324501; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]
[The Return of Nathan Brazil: Ballantine; 1990; 0345341058; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]
[Twilight at the Well of Souls: Ballantine; 1991; 0345344081; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]

• The Well World books basically have big holes in space where humans sometimes fall in. They are then transported to the Well World, where they are transformed into one of 800+ different species. -1
• Rating: 4 Cause: AS Result: BX/GC Significance: + Description: - Saturation: +. SF; machine. -11

Watcher of the Well of Souls series {78//} [BBT]

[Echoes of the Well of Souls: Del Rey; 1994; 0345386868; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]

• [Cause: AS Result: BX/GC.] Reasonably good continuation of the Well of Souls series... If you liked the rest, you will probably enjoy this one. -78

[Shadow of the Well of Souls: Del Rey; 1994; 0345388461; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]

• Rating: 4 Cause: AS/AM Result: BX Significance: + Description: + Saturation: +. Second book in three book trilogy. Those familiar with the Well Wrold series would probebly enjoy this. In the spirit of that series, two opposing groups are in a flight for the Well and control over the Well Computer. -78

[Gods of the Well of Souls: Del Rey; 1995; 034538850X; $5.99] [BB] [BBT]

• Rating: 4 Cause: AS/AM Result: BX Significance: + Description: + Saturation: 0. Conclution of the Watcher series. All of your questions are answered(maybe). Not much transformation until the end. -78

Chalker, Jack; Resnick, Mike; Effinger, George

The Red Tape War {//11} [RR] [BBT]

[Tor; ?; 0312851510; $17.95 hardcover]* [BB]

• Rating: 2 Result: MU/GC Significance: - Description: - Saturation: -. SF; Silly round-robin story, with no plot, little action, and barely enough humor to get by. -11

Chandler, A. Bertram [AL]

Frontier of the Dark {/87/} [??] [BBT]

[Ace; 1984; 0441255043; $?] [BB]

• [Cause: AS Result: LY.] Man's faster-than-light drive aggravates lycanthropy. Fairly good. -87

Charles, Stephen [??]

Nightmare Session {/154/} [??] [BBT]

[Pocket; 1986;  0671603256; $?] [BB]

• [Result: LY.] Lycanthropy. Private School series, #1.  -154 (98/02/13)

Charrette, Robert

Secrets of Power trilogy {/42/} [BBT]

[1: Never Deal with a Dragon: Roc; 1990; 0451450787; $4.95] [RR] [BB] [BBT]

• [Cause: MA Result: BX/SC.] Set in the universe of the Shadowrun game, but surprisingly readable. Some of the characters are shapechangers. In addition some are humans who came down with a disease which causes them to be transformed into Orcs or Elves or whatever. -42

Cherryh, C. J. [AL] [BL] [BR]

Cyteen {//42} [BBT]

[New English Library; 1990; 0450500861; $4.99?]! [BB]
[Warner; 1995; 0446671274; $14.99 softcover] [BB]

• [Cause: AS.] One book in hardcover, three in paperback. This is actually the opposite [of the Morganie series]. Essentially, it's a study of what constitutes identity and, secondarily, what constitutes genius. The book centers on an attempt to reproduce a genius by cloning her and raising her in an identical environment to the original. A superb book, though I'm not sure it's 'on topic'. -42

Morganie series {/42/}

[Exile's Gate: DAW; 1995; 0886772540; $5.50] [BB] [BBT]
[Fires of Azeroth: DAW; 1995; 0886773237; $4.50] [BB] [BBT]
[Gate of Ivrel: DAW; 1995; 0886773210; $4.50] [BB] [BBT]
[Well of Shiuan: DAW; 1995; 0886773229; $4.50] [BB] [BBT]

• [Result: MU.] Sword and not-much-sorcery, except that the baddies have the technology to transfer to new bodies when theirs wear out. Which is too bad for the occupants. -42

Voyager in Night {//45} [BBT]

[DAW; 1984; 0879979208; $2.95] [BB]
[DAW; 1986; 0886771072; $?] [BB]

• [Cause: AS/AX Result: BM.] I'm not sure if this qualifies... A computer-run alien ship takes in some humans after the crash. Two out of three humans die, but the computer has taken templates (?) of them and can copy them at will. These copies then mutate in quite different directions. I liked this book a lot. -45

Chesbro, George C.

The Beasts of Valhalla {/168/} [BBT]

[Athenium; 1985; 0689115164; $?] [BB]
[Dell; ?]

• [Rating: 5 Cause: AM? Result: BM/AN.] It's the fourth in the Mongo mystery series. By the end of the first hundred pages, both he and his brother have been injected with a serum which begins dragging them down the evolutionary chain. His brother is slowly becoming a lower primate, and he is becoming reptillian. Under this unusual gun, they embark on a series of efforts to find both a cure, and the true reasons for the serum being developed in the first place. It's among the ten best books I can recall reading, combining a solid mystery, good SF, plot twists, unexpected returns of characters from previous books, and more. It also couches reasonable sociopolitical analysis within the story, and is well written. The only negative aspect is that his later works pale in comparison to the first six books in the series. -168 (98/03/18)

The Fear in Yesterday's Rings {/99/} [BBT]

[Mysterious Press; 1991; 0892963964; $?] [BB]
[Warner; 1992; 0446401021; $?] [BB]

• [Result: LY?.] Murder/mystery centered around a circus. Killers may or may not be werewolves (telling would be a spoiler). -99

(Continued...)

Where to from here?

Books C (p. 1)

Transformation Stories List

List Format

Books C (p. 3)

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