History Literature / SoulRider

''Soul Rider'' is a ScienceFantasy series by Creator/JackLChalker. The series takes place on a future half-failed colony world divided between the chaotic "flux" and LadyLand "anchors", which preserved technology and civilization by turning them into WomensMysteries.

* FutureImperfect: World has several examples of this. In one case, the secret holy name of Firbasforten passed on by the Holy Mother Church is actually [[spoiler:the colony's original designation, "Forward Fire Base Fourteen"]]. This also tends to happen a ''lot'' in World's religious practices; the original tradition of looking up at the sky to pray (in part because Muslims among the original colonists couldn't agree on which direction Mecca would be) eventually evolved into the Mother Church's believers praying to the brightest non-solar object in that sky as their Goddess. [[spoiler:The object is actually a nearby gas giant.]]

* SlaveBrand: At the start of the series, anyone who’s been outcast by the Paring Rite receives a tattoo on the rump as one sign of their new status as property. By ‘’Masters of Flux and Anchor,’’ the male-dominated society of New Eden has adopted the practice for all new Fluxgirls, women bound into slavery (and perpetual ignorance) by magic.

* SlaveBrand: At the start of the series, anyone who’s been outcast by the Paring Rite receives a tattoo on the rump as one sign of their new status as properly. By ‘’Masters of Flux and Anchor,’’ the male-dominated society of New Eden has adopted the practice for all new Fluxgirls, women bound into slavery (and perpetual ignorance) by magic.

* SlaveBrand: The male-dominated society of New Eden tattoos the rump of all new Fluxgirls, women bound into slavery (and perpetual ignorance) by magic.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A deep-cover agent of the Seven, having lived under severely monastic conditions for two years to spy on Sister Kasdi, tells her wizard handler that in repayment she wants to be gorgeous, have men lusting after her and never have to worry about anything again. In response, the wizard [[ExactWords wipes her memory, turns her into a brainless beauty who’s completely ruled by her urges and sends her to a brothel.]]

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A deep-cover agent of the Seven, having lived under severely monastic conditions for two years to spy on Sister Kasdi, tells her wizard handler that in repayment she wants to be gorgeous, have men lusting after her and never have to worry about anything again. In response, the wizard [[ExactWords wipes her memory, turns her into a [[BrainlessBeauty Brainless Beauty]] who’s completely ruled by her urges and sends her to a brothel.]]

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A deep-cover agent of the Seven, having lived under severely monastic conditions for two years to spy on Sister Kasdi, tells her wizard handler that in repayment she wants to be gorgeous, have men lusting after her and never have to worry about anything again. In response, the wizard [[ExactWords wipes her memory, turns her into a BrainlessBeauty who’s completely ruled by her urges and sends her to a brothel.]]

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A deep-cover agent of the Seven, having lived under severely monastic conditions for two years to spy on Sister Kasdi, tells her wizard handler that in repayment she wants to be gorgeous, have men lusting after her and never have to worry about anything again. In response, the wizard [[ExactWords wipes her memory, turns her into a BrainlessBeauty who’s completely ruled by her urges and sends her to a brothel.]]

* BroughtDownToNormal: Former KnightTemplar Cass/Sister Kassdy agreed to give up all of her flux powers as part of becoming TheAtoner. Ironically, this actually results in her becoming even more badass since the mechanism involved also makes her totally immune to those powers, tuning her into every flux manipulator's worst nightmare: a ferocious MamaBear who cannot be injured--or even detected--by their powers. Given that most of the heroes are members of her extended family she is thus a person much to be feared. Fortunately for the bad guys the heroes tend to keep 'Grandma' in reserve until the absolutely last moment because she can't be healed by magic either.

* ShamefulStrip: This happens to Cassie twice. The first time, she's been caught spying around a temple and is placed naked in a cell, told that if she resists, there will be chains and a gag, too. The second time, she's been abducted by the male-dominated society of New Eden, waking up from unconsciousness to find herself naked, gagged and handcuffed. The abduction is a prelude to an extended period of "re-education".

** On the other hand when something similar happens to another character in the same series (castrated then given a woman's vulva as a replacement) he decides to use his [[{{Transsexual}} officially female status]] to [[LadyLand gain access to the corridors of power.]] Unfortunately he dies in battle before he can put this plan into action.

* PyrrhicVictory: The wizard Mervyn, one of the mightiest Fluxlords on World and the leader of the Nine Who Guard, eventually faces off against his opposite number, Zelligman Ivan, in ''Masters of Flux and Anchor.'' [[spoiler:The two fight until both are completely unrecognizable and depleted of energy, reduced to fighting with fists and teeth. The victor -- still unrecognizable -- barely manages to croak "I won!" over the body of his dead opponent before also dying himself.