Dreamsnake — Vonda N. McIntyre

The Hugo and Nebula Award�"winning novel from the New York Times�"bestselling author of The King's Daughter.
 
On an Earth scarred by nuclear war, Snake harnesses the power of venom to cure illnesses and vaccinate against disease. The healer can even ease patients into death with the power of her dreamsnake. But she is not respected and trusted by all, and when she tries to help a sick nomad child, the frightened clan kills her dreamsnake.
 
Ashamed of being misjudged and grieving the loss of her dreamsnake, Snake has one choice to maintain her livelihood: she must travel to the city, which jealously guards its knowledge. And before she faces the prejudices and arrogance of the people there, Snake must make her way across a barren desert, surviving storms and radiation poisoning, helping those she can -- all while a madman stalks her every move . . .
 
“[Dreamsnake] is filled with scenes as suspenseful as anyone could wish . . . but most of all it addresses the humanity in all of us.” -- The Seattle Times
 
“A haunting, rich, and tender novel that explores the human side of science fiction in a manner that's all too uncommon.” -- Robert Silverberg
 
“A splendid tale, combining the sensitivity and attention to mood of the new generation of SF writers with a gripping and well-worked-out adventure . . . The novel is rich in character, background and incident -- unusually absorbing and moving.” -- Publishers Weekly
 
“Instead of kicking butt, the lead character is dedicated to saving lives. . . . Snake's blighted world is expertly drawn, and her encounters with dysfunctional societies can be bracing and challenging reading.” -- The Guardian
 
“This is an exciting future-dream with real characters, a believable mythos and, what's more important, an excellent, readable story.” -- Frank Herbert, author of the Dune series