Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker (2002, Paperback, Reprint)

The first book in the saga of the Well World by Jack L. Chalker

If you have never read a book by Chalker this is a great one to start with. The book introduces the character of Nathan Brazil. Brazil is the only remaining member of a long dead civilization that once ruled the entire galaxy. They created the Well World as a portal to expand different 'race experiments' into the galaxy.

The Well World consists of a series of hexagonal zones that are actually completely separate living areas for the races that are in them, those races include just about anything you can imagine from centaurs, mermaids and huge talking inscets, to your wildest imagination. Each zone is subject to the same conditions that exist on one or more planets throughout the universe.

This series is full of adventure and suspense and the character of Nathan Brazil turns out to be the cornerstone for 11 more books by Chalker.

As this story opens, Nathan Brazil is taking a group of passengers and cargo when he hears a distress call. When he arrives at the planet where the call originated from they become stranded and the only way out is to enter a portal that leads to the Well World.

This book is a great introduction to the world of the well and you will want to read the rest of the series.