Relics of the Markovians had been found by humanity, but nothing more. We learned (and this will include spoilers if you have not read Midnight at the Well of Souls) that the Markovians were at one time the masters of the universe so to speak and had obtained a virtual utopia, being able to transform the inherent energy of the cosmos into matter at a thought thanks to their massive quasi-organic supercomputers. Nonetheless, the somewhat cliff hanger ending induces a need to continue the series! Exiles has a brand new cast of characters, albeit a few holdovers from the first in the series. After several more weeks in deteriorating condition and in a persistent vegetative state, with several transfers to different hospitals, he died on Februof kidney failure and sepsis in Bon Secours of Baltimore, Maryland.Ĭhalker 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).Įxiles takes place quite awhile after the first installment and has a definite 'place holder' feel about it. Chalker was hospitalized in critical condition, then upgraded to stable on December 9, though he didn't regain consciousness until December 15. 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.

He was later released, but was severely weakened.

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 posthumously awarded the Phoenix Award by the Southern Fandom Confederation on April 9, 2005. Campbell Award twice and for the Hugo Award twice. He had a great interest in ferryboats, and, at his wife's suggestion, their marriage was performed on the Roaring Bull Ferry.Ĭhalker'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. His stated hobbies included esoteric audio, travel, and working on science-fiction convention committees. He published an amateur SF journal, Mirage, from 1960 to 1971 (a Hugo nominee in 1963 for Best Fanzine).Ĭhalker was married in 1978 and had two sons. He attended all but one of the World Science Fiction Conventions from 1965 until 2004. Some of his books said that he was born in Norfolk, Virginia although he later claimed that was a mistake. Besides 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.

Well of souls chalker