The Apprentice Adept series is a seven-book fantasy and science fiction series by PiersAnthony. The series takes place on two worlds occupying the same space in two different dimensional planes: Phaze - a MagicalLand in MedievalStasis and [[TheMagocracy more or less ruled by the Adepts]], the strongest magic users, each specilizing in a separate aspect, and Proton, a barren mining planet of high technology, ruled by the Plutocratic Citizens (who control the immense wealth of the Protonite mines). The worlds are divided by The Curtain, an energy field only visible to those capable of crossing it (someone without a doppleganger on the other side)

The first trilogy (''Split Infinity'', ''Blue Adept'', and ''Juxtaposition'') starred Stile, a Proton serf who, after an mysterious assassination attempt, becomes the central figure in an ancient prophecy to SaveBothWorlds from destruction, or ensure said destruction.

The second trilogy (''Out of Phaze'', ''Robot Adept'', and ''Unicorn Point'') featured Bane and Mach, the sons of Stile and Stile's opposite number, Blue, and their efforts to keep the previous impending doom from happening all over again.

The seventh and final book, ''Phaze Doubt'' the newly-merged worlds dealing with an alien invasion, and the XanatosGambit meant to deal with it and prevent future ones.

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This title contains examples of:

* AIIsACrapshoot: In this case, [[spoiler: it's an AntiVillain for the first two-and-a-half books, and indirectly responsible for most of the crap Stile goes through.]]
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer -- the unicorn Neysa is an outcast because of her small size and horse-normal coloration.
* AllYourPowersCombined -- Anyone with the Book Of Magic gains the ability to use every school of Phaze magic.
* BlessedWithSuck -- Al - a half-vampire who's allergic to blood.
* BizarreAlienBiology -- The Amoebans are [[TheBlob gelatinous masses]] who eat through their skin in their normal forms.
* BookOfShadows -- The Book Of Magic
* ColorCodedWizardry
* CoolHorse -- The Unicorns
* DepravedBisexual -- Tania, in the second trilogy (at first), a good chunk of Photon's decadent Citizen class
* DoesNotLikeMen -- the Red Adept
* FreakyFriday -- Mach and Bane's accidental swap which sets off the events of the second trilogy.
* FusionDance -- Happens at the end of ''Unicorn Point'', in a BIG way.
* GoodIsDumb
* GreenRocks -- Phazite, used to power the various spells.
** Which, when taken to Photon, becomes the energy bearing Photonite.
* HappinessInSlavery -- Many Proton Serfs will do anything they can to stay on Proton.
* HerHeartWillGoOn -- Subverted. A prophecy foretells that [[spoiler:Lady Blue will give birth to Stile's child, so he puts off romancing her until after the big battle to ensure his safety]].
* HeroicSacrifice -- [[spoiler:Stile's other self, Blue]], though we don't know it until much later.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard -- Tan and Purple's power grab (after their side had basically ''won'') gave the good guys the opening to play their trump card.
* HonorBeforeReason -- Comes up so regularly, the bad guys start to [[BatmanGambit count on it]].
* InevitableTournament -- nearly every major conflict is settled, once and for all, via the Great Game (or a variant, in Phaze).
* ItOnlyWorksOnce -- Any specific Adept spell can only be used once, then variations have to be used.
* LawfulStupid
* LiteralGenie
* LivingLieDetector -- unicorns can test the truth of a person's words by spearing them with their horns. If the person spoke truly, they are left unharmed.
* MagicalIncantation -- Stile's magic.
* MagicAIsMagicA -- Phazian magic has some very specific rules.
** MutuallyExclusiveMagic -- But those rules are pretty much the only thing the various Adepts have in common.
* MagicMusic -- Stile's magic must be invoked via rhyme and is strengthened by the use of music.
* MagicVersusScience -- Only magic works in Phaze; only technology in Proton.
* MeaningfulRename -- Several characters choose their names from events and objects of personal importance (Stile, Rifleman, Clef)
* MixAndMatchCritters -- A unicorn can take up to three forms (unicorn, human, and a third of their choosing, usually a bird or some sort of predator). Some native Phazites also have animal heads on human bodies.
* MorphWeapon -- The Platinum Flute
* NoNameGiven -- The real/birth names of most of the human cast are never revealed. Also, serfs are required by Proton law to call Citizens "Sir", unless given ''explicit'' permission for other forms of address.
* OneJudgeToRuleThemAll -- How Stile won his harmonica duel against Clef, despite being clearly outplayed.
* PlotArmor -- Stile uses ''other people's'' Oracle prophecies to ensure his own survival.
* PsychicLink -- Mach and Bane, Flach and Nepe (Stile and Blue presumably can do the same but choose not to find out)
* RetCon -- The third generation protagonists get their nature and power level changed radically between when they were background and major characters.
* RidiculouslyHumanRobots -- intentionally so.
* RhymesOnADime -- How Style's magic works
* SexAsRiteOfPassage -- A werewolf gains adult status only after a ritual First Mating.
* SeriousBusiness -- In a world where losing a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors can mean getting booted off the planet, ''everything'' possibly included in the Great Game is treated as Serious Business. Also, oaths on Phaze (which are magically enforced).
* SmugSnake -- the Purple Adept
* SoulJar -- Stile's harmonica
* TheAce -- Rifleman, from ''Juxtaposition''
* TheBigGuy -- Hulk
* TheManBehindTheCurtain -- Brown, in her first appearance.
* ThePromise -- Several, made via oaths or the Splash of Truth
* TheRedSonja -- Brown (though it's only a crush), Merle, Neysa, Tania
* TheScottishTrope -- The "Triple Thee" (a binding and powerful love-oath in Phaze)
* TheVamp -- Merle, Yellow (after a youth potion)
* TookALevelInBadass -- Chip (from exiled male in ''Juxtaposition'' to Herd Stallion in ''Out Of Phaze'')
* TournamentArc -- Most of ''Blue Adept'' and part of ''Juxtaposition'' involves Stile's journey through the Great Game.
* TruthSerum -- when someone swears something's true in Phaze, and they ''really mean'' it, a wave of rainbow light radiates from them.
* TykeBomb -- Flach and Nepe
* {{Unobtainium}} -- Phazite/Photonite
* UnknownAssailant: [[spoiler: The Red Adept]]
* VoluntaryShapeshifting
* WhatKindOfLamePowerisHeartAnyway - Tan's Evil Eye grants absolute mind control; nifty but it's something several other Adepts can do, along side a million other things.
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman -- The unicorns, werewolves, and other shifters on Phaze, the self-aware machines on Photon
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Flach and Nepe
* WordOfGod -- That Red wasn't a PsychoLesbian, but an asexual Psycho [[DoesNotLikeMen Misandrist]].
* XanatosGambit -- Would probably count as a XanatosRoulette, except that one of the principals actually ''could'' see the future.

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