Lilith: A Snake In The Grass (1981) - Plot & Excerpts
An enjoyable piece of ‘80s pulp science fiction. Actually I think it would be more accurately described as science fantasy, not only because most of the book takes place on a planet where technology can’t exist, but also because the science that is actually discussed is far closer to magic than science. However, so long as you don’t examine that science too closely this is an enjoyable adventure that owes much to Edgar Rice Burroughs. The story is well placed and has plenty of twists and turns, though the big reveal was pretty obvious very early on in the book and I suspect I already know the essence of how the series will end. However I do have quite a few complaints about the writing.Despite being rather pulpy this was still an interesting idea that could have made an excellent story but it was let down by thin characterisations – only the main character was really fleshed out and he was pretty two dimensional – and some very sloppy writing. I don’t know if I’m particularly fussy when it comes to inconsistencies in a book, maybe I am, but I am always noticing them (particularly in older sf including most ‘golden age’ sf) and they always wrench me out of the story with a “hang on a minute, didn’t he say … a few pages/chapters back?” This book suffered from some very bad examples of this. Here’s one of the worst that doesn’t even go back a page the inconsistency is within the one paragraph: “…a young woman emerged. She was tall and thin and had an almost aristocratic bearing about her. Years ago she’d probably been a really pretty woman, but she was now well into middle age…” Later in the book the same woman is referred to as an “elderly matron!” Elsewhere a particular kind of death is referred to as “causing an ugly and painful, although mercifully swift, death.” And then just a few pages later the same death is described as “…you died, too—painfully and slowly, in horrible agony.” I’m sorry but these things just bug me!The author also seems to be struggling with an understanding of the size of particles. One of the main topics of the book is an organism (this is the word used in the book) called the Warden organism: “ …an alien organism, microscopic beyond belief and acting in colonies within the cells.” So just how small is this organism? Surely it must be made up from molecules of some sort? And yet we have this description later: “Consider the number of molecules that go into its [the planet’s] composition. A colony of Wardens for every molecule.” So it seems we have multiple Warden organisms for every molecule of solid matter on the planet. So either these organisms are somehow smaller than molecules or we have an infinite recursion in describing them. Maybe I’m being picky but if you’re going to include technical details in your book then you really need to get them right or at least logical. Or instead just leave them vague. Make them precise and wrong and it’s just clumsy.My most serious complaint however was with the relationship between Cal, the main protagonist, and a girl who has been manipulated so that she has the face and mind of an “eleven- or twelve-year-old” child on top of an adult body, and with whom, despite initial reservations, Cal proceeds to have a sex and eventually falls in love. ‘80s or not, I found this very disturbing.So it’s an enjoyable ‘80s pulp science fantasy read that doesn’t bear close examination very well. There are three other books in the series which I may read for a bit of light entertainment but my concern is that I suspect they are largely the same story just set on different planets.
I heard about this series via a science fiction blog I follow and someone praised all four books highly. Because I love science fiction but also find it hard to find sci-fi titles that I actually really love and would re-read, I thought I'd give it a shot.The best thing about this book is that it doesn't feel dated - the technology is amorphous enough and the allusions to Earth society are vague enough that there is a timeless quality to the book. It doesn't necessarily feel as if it were written 30ish years ago. However, the main sci-fi premise of the world is that gifted people can "read" the "pattern" of the Warden Organism and then rewrite it; this parallels the 80s technological craze of "cracking the code" of DNA. It's a thin line separating the Warden Organism from Magic. The premise seems kind of silly.Another way to gauge when a book was written is to look at the portrayal of women. In advanced societies, are they still no better than concubines or furniture?Women are given equal footing in this book - when the main character lands on the planet Lilith, the first person he meets is a woman. cool! As the novel progresses, Ti and Sumiko O'Higgins (wtf is up with her name?) are the most important female characters but neither feels particularly fleshed out (also, Ti is portrayed as ditzy and spends most of the novel in a semi-coma.); however, it's not misogyny that keeps the females from being nuanced, none of the male characters feel fleshed out either - including the main character, Cal Tremon.Thus, the biggest issue I had with the book was that all of the characters felt like plot devices, only there to hit the beats of the already plotted action. None of the characters were compelling which made the whole story feel very impersonal. All in all, it's not a particularly engaging book because of the lack of connection with the characters and the rushed, clunky storytelling. As a reader, I never felt as if I were inhabiting the world or that I knew any of the characters particularly well. They were like props in a weird faux science fiction universe that could have just used magic and cardboard cutouts to achieve the same ending.
What do You think about Lilith: A Snake In The Grass (1981)?
Lilith: A snake in the grass; now, I'm not an expert, but I'd hazard a guess and say most books don't ave a qualifier in the title. Then again, most books aren't as good as volume one of Jack Chalker's Four Lords of the Diamond series. The book starts us off with an alien robot of superior technology than the human race infiltrating and stealing critical information from a Confederacy military base. The Confederacy, man's interstellar government, won't stand for it, and put together a plan of action. Realizing the aliens must have inside help, they turn to the only place the aliens could go for help: the Warden worlds. The Warden worlds are a system of four prison planets from which no one can escape. A microscopic organism begins to invade your cells the moment you enter the planet's atmosphere. It creates a symbiotic relationship with every cell in the body, and actually prevents sickness and promotes fast recoveries over many injuries. The only catch; once you get a certain distance from the system the organism dies, taking its host with it. So a master plan is devised to infiltrate the world, find the alien presence, and take out the Lord of the word through whom the aliens are dealing, all without compromising any agents. The Confederacy just takes their best assassin and imprint his mind into a new body. He can complete the mission without every leaving the safety of home. In his new body, their agent, who becomes know as Cal Tremon, quickly ascended through the ranks of the feudal government system that dictates the world. He begins his final assault on his enemy's fortress when he discovers his allies aren't on his side at all! He had been used and played for a fool, and he thought all was lost as he watched the Lord of Lilith take off in his private shuttle. However, the ending may catch even the most acclaimed plot guessers off guard. Full of twists, turns, and a struggle one might not expect, as well as an ending that I certainly didn't, Lilith: A Snake in the Grass is a fine start to the series, and well worth a read. ttttttttttttttttttttttt
—Santova
So, what is this thing in classic science fiction about people being naked? It's like some theme that pops up (sorry) amongst the alien landscapes and ray guns for no reason at all. Anyone who has read The Martian Chronicles knows what I mean. In Princes of Mars, Boroughs actually says something like, "...and they were all naked, because, why not?" Challenges of the Martian landscape not withstanding I guess. I don't get it. Chalker comes up with a much more inventive excuse. It's actually central to the plot, the reason people are running around naked. It also makes it much more convenient to have recreational sex with an over-developed, under-aged girl. But that's another of those themes. Anyone who has read Belinda knows what I mean. I really freaking loved this book. It's a fun ride, you can sense the 80's cultural cloud around if if you try and know what to look for and care. If you don't, it might as well have been written yesterday. It has a respectable relation to old pulp too if I'm not mistaken, as well as a good shot of literary testosterone.
—Jeff Goodman
This book has a special place in my heart, for it is the book that started my love of reading. unlike most avid readers, I did not read for pleasure during my school years. I found this book on a table while on "fire watch" during my AIT school in the army in 1984. with nothing better to do I picked it up, and before I knew it my watch was done. that weekend I went to the post book store and bought the rest of the series, and have been an avid reader ever sense. as for the book itself, a fun and interesting take on body switching, though the series does get a bit repetitive as it goes on.
—Jeffrey
