# Old book series

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 17, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139 "2017-10-17T17:51:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tom\_Terrific](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tom_terrific/32/342_2.png) [@Tom\_Terrific](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Terrific)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139/1 "2017-10-17T17:51:33Z")

</div>

My question is what fantasy series had two worlds next to another but in different dimensions. In certain places you could pass from one to another. One world was normal, there were the rich and the slaves. The other world was magical.

They were at least 25 to 30 years ago. I enjoyed them but I can’t muster the google-fu to find them or the author. Help please. I’ll prob. go back to reread them if I can find them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cblackhand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@cblackhand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cblackhand)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139/2 "2017-10-17T18:00:53Z")

</div>

Sounds like the Apprentice Adept series by Piers Anthony

> **[Apprentice Adept](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apprentice_Adept)**
>
> Apprentice Adept is a heptalogy of fantasy and science fiction novels written by English American author Piers Anthony. The series takes place on Phaze and Proton, two worlds occupying the same space in two different dimensional planes. Phaze is a lush planet of magic, where Proton is a barren mining planet of science. As the series opens, each person born on Phaze and Proton has an alternate self living on the other world. But if a person on either world lacks a duplicate (for instance if a Prot...

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139/3 "2017-10-17T18:00:57Z")

</div>

I think this is the Apprentice Adept series by Piers Anthony, first volume being Split Infinity.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tom\_Terrific](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tom_terrific/32/342_2.png) [@Tom\_Terrific](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Terrific)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139/4 "2017-10-17T18:06:28Z")

</div>

Thank you both, that is it!!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139/5 "2017-10-17T18:12:34Z")

</div>

FYI Your best bet is to stop after the third book.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-book-series/799139/6 "2017-10-18T13:54:05Z")

</div>

> [@Quimby](#):
>
> FYI Your best bet is to stop after the third book.

AKA “The Piers Anthony Rule”