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Plague of Pythons
The pythons had entered into Mankind. No man knew at what moment he might be Possessed!
On Christmas the world's freedom died. Every man, woman and child lay in the grip of fear, for no one knew at what moment his nearest friend or a casual stranger might suddenly be possessed by some brutal mind ... and begin to murder and destroy. For Chandler it was worse than for most. He was both victim and executioner. He had suffered himself, and he had committed a violent crime while under the strange domination. Accusing of hoaxing he was driven from his home. He wandered the world and found it smashed like a spoiled child's plaything―now Chandler was in the very presence of the destroyers! But what could one person do against such power?—the power of gods!
On Christmas the world's freedom died. Every man, woman and child lay in the grip of fear, for no one knew at what moment his nearest friend or a casual stranger might suddenly be possessed by some brutal mind ... and begin to murder and destroy. For Chandler it was worse than for most. He was both victim and executioner. He had suffered himself, and he had committed a violent crime while under the strange domination. Accusing of hoaxing he was driven from his home. He wandered the world and found it smashed like a spoiled child's plaything―now Chandler was in the very presence of the destroyers! But what could one person do against such power?—the power of gods!
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1965
20 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
Frederik Pohl
1,111 books1,047 followersFrederik George Pohl, Jr. was an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years. From about 1959 until 1969, Pohl edited Galaxy magazine and its sister magazine IF winning the Hugo for IF three years in a row. His writing also won him three Hugos and multiple Nebula Awards. He became a Nebula Grand Master in 1993.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 15, 2019
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Lord Acton’s quote was as true then as it is now and serves as the fundamental theme of Frederik Pohl’s 1965 publication, Plague of Pythons.
As the story begins, there has been some global calamity whereby people are possessed and can be made to do horrible acts including mass murder, rape, arson and all sorts of crimes against humanity. The world Pohl depicts is post-apocalyptic where people are still coming to grips with the situation. People can be forgiven for their acts if it appears clear that they were possessed when the act occurred, but if it is determined that they were faking possession to carry out the act on their own, then they are branded as a “hoaxer” and a capital “H” is set on that person’s forehead.
From here Pohl describes a bleak, hopeless landscape with depictions of graphic, nonsensical violence that may actually be too much for some readers. When the protagonist discovers the source of the possessions, Pohl has created an interesting and unique morality play best suited for a sci-fi audience. Pohl illustrates how fragile is our civilization and how quickly the worth of humanity can be lost.
Somewhat dated (written fifty years ago) and with some structural inconsistencies, and some very weak characterization, this is still good science fiction and a good read for fans of 60s pulp.
Lord Acton’s quote was as true then as it is now and serves as the fundamental theme of Frederik Pohl’s 1965 publication, Plague of Pythons.
As the story begins, there has been some global calamity whereby people are possessed and can be made to do horrible acts including mass murder, rape, arson and all sorts of crimes against humanity. The world Pohl depicts is post-apocalyptic where people are still coming to grips with the situation. People can be forgiven for their acts if it appears clear that they were possessed when the act occurred, but if it is determined that they were faking possession to carry out the act on their own, then they are branded as a “hoaxer” and a capital “H” is set on that person’s forehead.
From here Pohl describes a bleak, hopeless landscape with depictions of graphic, nonsensical violence that may actually be too much for some readers. When the protagonist discovers the source of the possessions, Pohl has created an interesting and unique morality play best suited for a sci-fi audience. Pohl illustrates how fragile is our civilization and how quickly the worth of humanity can be lost.
Somewhat dated (written fifty years ago) and with some structural inconsistencies, and some very weak characterization, this is still good science fiction and a good read for fans of 60s pulp.
May 15, 2009
An underrated book. The premise is that a device has been invented which allows the user to assume control of other people's bodies at will: electronically mediated possession, in effect. Pohl explores the consequences unflinchingly.
There are a couple of extremely memorable and disturbing sequences. Here's the one I think of most often. The hero is being introduced to the mind control device by a female character that he's rather attracted to. She says she'll show him how much fun it is. So they head off into mindspace, and after they've looked around a bit they locate a hot couple. She takes control of the girl, he gets the guy. They're on a boat, somewhere warm.
The hero thinks he understands what she's intending, but she brushes away his advances. Not yet, she says. OK, he can wait. The boat has diving equipment. They put on masks, oxygen tanks and flippers, and head off into the ocean. She seems to know where she's going.
Suddenly, he notices that there are several large sharks, quite close to them. He wonders what to do. She gestures to him to hand over his shark knife. He does so.
She uses the knife to cut through his air hose, then her own. She pulls off both their masks. With the point of the knife, she slashes a thin line down her body, then his. Blood streams out into the water.
As the sharks close in, and he starts to black out from lack of air, she wraps herself around him and kisses him passionately.
It would be nice to think that this just showed the author was a sick fuck. Unfortunately, I find it all too easy to believe it's what would actually happen. People can't deal with having too much power, and Pohl found a great way to dramatize that.
There are a couple of extremely memorable and disturbing sequences. Here's the one I think of most often. The hero is being introduced to the mind control device by a female character that he's rather attracted to. She says she'll show him how much fun it is. So they head off into mindspace, and after they've looked around a bit they locate a hot couple. She takes control of the girl, he gets the guy. They're on a boat, somewhere warm.
The hero thinks he understands what she's intending, but she brushes away his advances. Not yet, she says. OK, he can wait. The boat has diving equipment. They put on masks, oxygen tanks and flippers, and head off into the ocean. She seems to know where she's going.
Suddenly, he notices that there are several large sharks, quite close to them. He wonders what to do. She gestures to him to hand over his shark knife. He does so.
She uses the knife to cut through his air hose, then her own. She pulls off both their masks. With the point of the knife, she slashes a thin line down her body, then his. Blood streams out into the water.
As the sharks close in, and he starts to black out from lack of air, she wraps herself around him and kisses him passionately.
It would be nice to think that this just showed the author was a sick fuck. Unfortunately, I find it all too easy to believe it's what would actually happen. People can't deal with having too much power, and Pohl found a great way to dramatize that.
March 27, 2022
If you had god-like powers would you use them for good or evil? Or just fulfill your every fantasy?
Five years before, back in the old days before the demons came, when he was helping design telemetry equipment for the Ganymede probe. Chandler would not have believed his life would be at stake in a witchcraft trial. Not even that. He wasn't accused of being involved in witchcraft. He was about to go on trial for his life for the far more serious crime of not being involved in witchcraft.
Unknown demons had taken over the world. People could be possessed and made to obey the creature in their head. And all against their will.
The real enemy had struck the entire world in a single night. One day the people of the world went about their business in the gloomy knowledge that they were likely to make mistakes but with, at least, the comfort that the mistakes would be their own. The next day had not such comfort. The next day anyone, anywhere, was likely to find himself seized, possessed, working evil or whimsy without ever having formed the intention to do so... and helplessly. Demons? Martians? No one knew whether the invaders of the soul were from another world or from some djinn's bottle. All they knew was that they were helpless against them.
Possession begins and brings the destruction of the world
It had happened at Christmas, and the first sign was on nationwide television. The old President, balding, grave and plump, was making a special address to the nation, urging good will to men and, please, let's everyone remember to use artificial trees because of the fire danger in the event of H-bomb raids. In the middle of a sentence twenty million viewers had seen him stop, look dazedly around and say, in a breathless mumble, what sounded like:
"Disht dvornyet itgt." He had then picked up the Bible on the desk before him and thrown it at the camera.
For the President's seizure was only the first and most conspicuous. "Disht dvornyet ilgt." C.I.A. specialists were playing the tapes of the broadcast feverishly, electronically cleaning the mumble and stir from the studio away from the words to try to learn, first, the language and second what the devil it meant; but the President who ordered it was dead before the first reel spun, and his successor was not quite sworn in when it became his time to die. The ceremony was interrupted for an emergency call from the War Room, where a very nearly hysterical four-star general was trying to explain why he had ordered the immediate firing of every live missile in his command against Washington, D.C.
These were the first cases of possession seen by the world in some five hundred years, since the great casting out of devils of the Middle Ages. A thousand more occurred in the next few days, a hundred in the next hours.
A time line of possession and destruction
8:27 PM, E.S.T.: President has attack on television.
8:28 PM, E.S.T.: Prime Minister of England orders bombing raid against Israel, alleging secret plot (not yet carried out).
8:28 PM, E.S.T.: Captain of USN Ethan Alien, surfaced near Montauk Point, orders crash dive and course change, proceeding submerged at flank speed to New York Harbor.
9:10 PM, E.S.T.: Eastern Airlines four-engine jet makes wheels-up landing on roof of Pentagon, breaking some 1500 windows but causing no other major damage (except to the people aboard the jet); record of this incident fragmentary because entire site charred black in fusion attack two hours later.
9:23 PM, E.S.T.: Rosalie Pan, musical comedy star, jumps off stage, runs up center aisle and vanishes in cab, wearing beaded bra, G-string and $2500 headdress. Her movements are traced to Newark airport where she boards TWA jetliner, which is never seen again.
9:50 PM, E.S.T.: Entire S.A.C. fleet of 1200 jet bombers takes off for rendezvous over Newfoundland, where 72% are compelled to ditch as tankers fail to keep re-fueling rendezvous. (Orders committing the aircraft originate with S.A.C commander, found to be a suicide.)
10:14 PM, E.S.T.: Submarine fusion explosion destroys 40% of New York City. Analysis of fallout indicates U.S. Navy Polaris missiles were detonated underwater in bay; by elimination it is deduced that the submarine was the Ethan Alien.
10:50 PM, E.S.T.: President's party assassinated by Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare; Secretary then dies on bayonet of Marine guard who furnished the grenade.
10:55 PM, E.S.T.: Satellite stations observe great nuclear explosions in China and Tibet.
11:03 PM, E.S.T.: Heavily loaded munitions barges exploded near North Sea dikes of Holland; dikes breached, 1800 square miles of reclaimed land flooded out.. .
And so on. The incidents were countless. But before long, before even the C.I.A. had finished the first play-through of the tapes, before their successors in the task identified Disht dvornyet ilgt as a Ukrainian dialect rendering of, My God, it works!
Under possession Chandler is flown to Hawaii where he meets one of the men-become-gods who can control his body.
He glanced around and, from a huge soft couch beside a desk, a huge soft body stirred and, gasping, sat up. It was a very fat old man, almost bald, wearing a coronet of silvery spikes.
He looked at Chandler without much interest. "Vot's your name?" he wheezed. He had a heavy, ineradicable accent, like a Hapsburg or a Russian diplomat. Chandler recognized it readily. He had heard it often enough, from his own lips.
The man's name was Koitska, he said in his accented wheeze. If he had another name he did not waste it on Chandler . He took as few words as possible to order Chandler to be seated and to be still.
Chandler works for Koitska building a back-up controlling broadcast station. He also becomes a play-thing for Rosalie Pan, another mind goddess.
He seizes his chance to save the world, but will he fall into temptation?
Enjoy!
Five years before, back in the old days before the demons came, when he was helping design telemetry equipment for the Ganymede probe. Chandler would not have believed his life would be at stake in a witchcraft trial. Not even that. He wasn't accused of being involved in witchcraft. He was about to go on trial for his life for the far more serious crime of not being involved in witchcraft.
Unknown demons had taken over the world. People could be possessed and made to obey the creature in their head. And all against their will.
The real enemy had struck the entire world in a single night. One day the people of the world went about their business in the gloomy knowledge that they were likely to make mistakes but with, at least, the comfort that the mistakes would be their own. The next day had not such comfort. The next day anyone, anywhere, was likely to find himself seized, possessed, working evil or whimsy without ever having formed the intention to do so... and helplessly. Demons? Martians? No one knew whether the invaders of the soul were from another world or from some djinn's bottle. All they knew was that they were helpless against them.
Possession begins and brings the destruction of the world
It had happened at Christmas, and the first sign was on nationwide television. The old President, balding, grave and plump, was making a special address to the nation, urging good will to men and, please, let's everyone remember to use artificial trees because of the fire danger in the event of H-bomb raids. In the middle of a sentence twenty million viewers had seen him stop, look dazedly around and say, in a breathless mumble, what sounded like:
"Disht dvornyet itgt." He had then picked up the Bible on the desk before him and thrown it at the camera.
For the President's seizure was only the first and most conspicuous. "Disht dvornyet ilgt." C.I.A. specialists were playing the tapes of the broadcast feverishly, electronically cleaning the mumble and stir from the studio away from the words to try to learn, first, the language and second what the devil it meant; but the President who ordered it was dead before the first reel spun, and his successor was not quite sworn in when it became his time to die. The ceremony was interrupted for an emergency call from the War Room, where a very nearly hysterical four-star general was trying to explain why he had ordered the immediate firing of every live missile in his command against Washington, D.C.
These were the first cases of possession seen by the world in some five hundred years, since the great casting out of devils of the Middle Ages. A thousand more occurred in the next few days, a hundred in the next hours.
A time line of possession and destruction
8:27 PM, E.S.T.: President has attack on television.
8:28 PM, E.S.T.: Prime Minister of England orders bombing raid against Israel, alleging secret plot (not yet carried out).
8:28 PM, E.S.T.: Captain of USN Ethan Alien, surfaced near Montauk Point, orders crash dive and course change, proceeding submerged at flank speed to New York Harbor.
9:10 PM, E.S.T.: Eastern Airlines four-engine jet makes wheels-up landing on roof of Pentagon, breaking some 1500 windows but causing no other major damage (except to the people aboard the jet); record of this incident fragmentary because entire site charred black in fusion attack two hours later.
9:23 PM, E.S.T.: Rosalie Pan, musical comedy star, jumps off stage, runs up center aisle and vanishes in cab, wearing beaded bra, G-string and $2500 headdress. Her movements are traced to Newark airport where she boards TWA jetliner, which is never seen again.
9:50 PM, E.S.T.: Entire S.A.C. fleet of 1200 jet bombers takes off for rendezvous over Newfoundland, where 72% are compelled to ditch as tankers fail to keep re-fueling rendezvous. (Orders committing the aircraft originate with S.A.C commander, found to be a suicide.)
10:14 PM, E.S.T.: Submarine fusion explosion destroys 40% of New York City. Analysis of fallout indicates U.S. Navy Polaris missiles were detonated underwater in bay; by elimination it is deduced that the submarine was the Ethan Alien.
10:50 PM, E.S.T.: President's party assassinated by Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare; Secretary then dies on bayonet of Marine guard who furnished the grenade.
10:55 PM, E.S.T.: Satellite stations observe great nuclear explosions in China and Tibet.
11:03 PM, E.S.T.: Heavily loaded munitions barges exploded near North Sea dikes of Holland; dikes breached, 1800 square miles of reclaimed land flooded out.. .
And so on. The incidents were countless. But before long, before even the C.I.A. had finished the first play-through of the tapes, before their successors in the task identified Disht dvornyet ilgt as a Ukrainian dialect rendering of, My God, it works!
Under possession Chandler is flown to Hawaii where he meets one of the men-become-gods who can control his body.
He glanced around and, from a huge soft couch beside a desk, a huge soft body stirred and, gasping, sat up. It was a very fat old man, almost bald, wearing a coronet of silvery spikes.
He looked at Chandler without much interest. "Vot's your name?" he wheezed. He had a heavy, ineradicable accent, like a Hapsburg or a Russian diplomat. Chandler recognized it readily. He had heard it often enough, from his own lips.
The man's name was Koitska, he said in his accented wheeze. If he had another name he did not waste it on Chandler . He took as few words as possible to order Chandler to be seated and to be still.
Chandler works for Koitska building a back-up controlling broadcast station. He also becomes a play-thing for Rosalie Pan, another mind goddess.
He seizes his chance to save the world, but will he fall into temptation?
Enjoy!
February 10, 2011
Great little SF gem. Spooky and definitely not for the squeamish. It would have been all but impossible to adapt for film when it was published in the early 60's but in today's ultra violent video culture it would be quite the cinematic wild ride. Great premise; well realized. Give it a read.
February 28, 2021
This is one of Pohl's underrated short novels from the mid-1960s. It's a mind-control book along the lines of of Eric Frank Russell's Sinister Barrier or Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters, with the main difference being that the monsters are people. It's a simple morality story (absolute power corrupts absolutely), but it's very well told, with interesting characters and situations. Pohl revised it a couple of decades later and it was published under a different title from a different publisher (Demon in the Skull), but I think this original version is superior.
July 6, 2013
A plague of pythons takes place in the near future, in a world where possession is normal. Huh? Possession? Yes, really. Nobody really knows who is doing the possessing or why. All that is known is that it started from one day to the next, people were getting possessed and performed unspeakable acts without being able to stop it. Possession became so common that it is now a common defense at trials: I did it, but it wasn't my fault, because I was possessed. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for Chandler, since he raped and murdered a girl while in a pharmaceutical plant, and everyone knows hardly anyone ever gets possessed in places that have anything to do with pharmaceuticals, so he must be lying. He only narrowly manages to escape his fate, but he does get exiled. This starts a journey in which he tries to find ways to prevent possession and to find its cause.
The style of this book is relatively rational, but even though its not overly emotional, it is still quite engaging and mysterious. The writing is easy-going and doesn't distract from the story. Mostly, you want to find out what will happen to Chandler and what is going on with all these possessions. In the end, the story is all about power, and what it does to people. I thought this book was excellent. I was afraid it would disappoint, it being a bit old and science fiction to boot (I usually read fantasy), but there was no need to worry. It didn't feel outdated or stuffy (this is the feel I get from some of the older SF works). I reminded me a bit of John Wyndham's work, so if you liked that, you might want to give this a try too.
The style of this book is relatively rational, but even though its not overly emotional, it is still quite engaging and mysterious. The writing is easy-going and doesn't distract from the story. Mostly, you want to find out what will happen to Chandler and what is going on with all these possessions. In the end, the story is all about power, and what it does to people. I thought this book was excellent. I was afraid it would disappoint, it being a bit old and science fiction to boot (I usually read fantasy), but there was no need to worry. It didn't feel outdated or stuffy (this is the feel I get from some of the older SF works). I reminded me a bit of John Wyndham's work, so if you liked that, you might want to give this a try too.
June 16, 2019
Dated? Sure. Uncomfortable? Oh, yeah. The way it illustrates the old saw about absolute power corrupting absolutely, though, is masterful. In context, the very last line: “And he knew that he lied.” is almost horrifying.
June 21, 2019
Pohl is developing into a fine author here. By 1962, he had published many short stories, just short of a dozen, either on his own or in collaboration with Kornbluth, Lester Del Rey and Jack Williamson. As for this one, I would not consider it a master piece of the genre, but is does break some ground. It is a "Body Snatcher" type story, but unlike Finney's classic and Heinlein's "Puppet Masters", this is more a hijacking of one's body by a society of elites that have come up with a technology that makes it possible, rather than a complete mind and body takeover. There is some dark humour here and some rather disturbing events for its day.
June 2, 2015
Sometimes I wonder why I continue to read "junky" science fiction books. This novel came out in 1965, almost 50 years ago. I think the main reason is that I like old-fashioned storytelling and sometimes I come across real surprises (good ones) such as this. For most of the book this really reads as a horror story of demonic possession - worldwide possession where almost anyone is at risk of being taken over at any time. The modern day equivalent of witch trials apparently have returned, with a twist. If possession is proven, you are not held accountable. If you are determined to be a hoaxer you are likely to be executed by firing squad the next day, after an immediate trial.
We follow the story of a man named Chandler who is on trial for his life for a viscous rape the day before at the antibiotics factory where he works. The populace does not believe he was possessed. He escapes being sentenced to death when the jury forewoman herself becomes possessed during the trial and declares him not guilty. There is an uproar and Chandler is branded and released outside of town. This all sounds a little crazy, and it is, but Pohl manages to write this in a way that lets the reader know how badly the madness has affected society. Civilization is clearly on the verge of complete collapse. No one knows if demons have invaded the world or some strange aliens or what.
Chandler jumps a train out of town and the real story begins. He is first captured (or recruited) by a semi-crazy group of people who have developed some unconventional ways to fight the possession but all hell quickly breaks loose there. Chandler eventually discovers the source of madness and we see what happens. This was a page turner for me. Not great literature but a story that had my attention. 3+ stars
We follow the story of a man named Chandler who is on trial for his life for a viscous rape the day before at the antibiotics factory where he works. The populace does not believe he was possessed. He escapes being sentenced to death when the jury forewoman herself becomes possessed during the trial and declares him not guilty. There is an uproar and Chandler is branded and released outside of town. This all sounds a little crazy, and it is, but Pohl manages to write this in a way that lets the reader know how badly the madness has affected society. Civilization is clearly on the verge of complete collapse. No one knows if demons have invaded the world or some strange aliens or what.
Chandler jumps a train out of town and the real story begins. He is first captured (or recruited) by a semi-crazy group of people who have developed some unconventional ways to fight the possession but all hell quickly breaks loose there. Chandler eventually discovers the source of madness and we see what happens. This was a page turner for me. Not great literature but a story that had my attention. 3+ stars
September 29, 2013
When I heard that Frederik Pohl, one of the Grand Old Masters of science fiction, had died earlier this month, I rummaged through my collection of vintage paperbacks looking for something of his I hadn't read. I came up with this short 1965 novel.
Someone or something is taking over people's minds and leading them to commit horrible crimes. Nuclear bombs go off, people go on killing sprees, and in one unsettling scene a jetliner crashes into the Pentagon. The people who get possessed are fully aware of what is happening but are unable to stop themselves, having to watch helplessly as their bodies kill, main, and rape those around them. Then they are let go and have to live with the guilt of their crimes.
No one knows why this is happening and as you might expect, civilization is quickly unraveling. Then one man begins to learn the truth, and is faced with the choice of stopping the madness or taking on this power for himself.
This is a gripping tale that still seems fresh more than 40 years later. It lost a bit of an edge when the protagonist learned what was causing the possession, but the story built up again as he gets wrapped up in the conspiracy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the genre.
Someone or something is taking over people's minds and leading them to commit horrible crimes. Nuclear bombs go off, people go on killing sprees, and in one unsettling scene a jetliner crashes into the Pentagon. The people who get possessed are fully aware of what is happening but are unable to stop themselves, having to watch helplessly as their bodies kill, main, and rape those around them. Then they are let go and have to live with the guilt of their crimes.
No one knows why this is happening and as you might expect, civilization is quickly unraveling. Then one man begins to learn the truth, and is faced with the choice of stopping the madness or taking on this power for himself.
This is a gripping tale that still seems fresh more than 40 years later. It lost a bit of an edge when the protagonist learned what was causing the possession, but the story built up again as he gets wrapped up in the conspiracy. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the genre.
June 18, 2008
mind control, perhaps a story of absolute power,
what would most people do?
what would most people do?
October 26, 2016
"Chandler served for Rosalie Pan: her telephone, her social secretary, and on occasion he was the garment her dates put on."
Loved it. I think Pohl is one of my favorite writers now.
Loved it. I think Pohl is one of my favorite writers now.
March 22, 2018
A very enjoyable little sci-fi novel. Listened to it as an audiobook from Librivox and the reader was likeable enough. Pohl had a knack for writing interesting and memorable stories that got straight to the point. There are no unwanted loops and arches, just a straight storyline. I like that. This one is also very gory, on the verge of horror at times.
Anyway without giving anything away the world is held in the grip of terror since everyone is getting possessed left and right and societal collapse is imminent as a result. As the story unfolds we get to know the causes behind the possessions and... just read it, or listen to it.
Anyway without giving anything away the world is held in the grip of terror since everyone is getting possessed left and right and societal collapse is imminent as a result. As the story unfolds we get to know the causes behind the possessions and... just read it, or listen to it.
April 24, 2016
A good, short speculative story of what would probably happen if a bunch of people got the power to jump into people's minds on command.
Chandler's multiple setbacks and moral dilemmas felt like they were given a decent amount of time, which is no small feat for a short book like this. The destruction and punishments doled out to the possessed, while extreme, also seem horrifyingly plausible. The ending is both satisfying and ominous. Recommended.
Chandler's multiple setbacks and moral dilemmas felt like they were given a decent amount of time, which is no small feat for a short book like this. The destruction and punishments doled out to the possessed, while extreme, also seem horrifyingly plausible. The ending is both satisfying and ominous. Recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2017
Fantastic ideas and well-written, albeit dated. Horrifying violence.
June 9, 2017
This was the first Frederik Pohl book I've read. Really dug this one! Great story!
July 7, 2017
Power corrupts.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
June 23, 2018
Anearly novel from SF grandmaster Pohl. Its themes of mind control and extreme violence still have relevance today.
Read
August 28, 2017This Librivox recording needs compressed or to be recorded with a sibilant filter: unlistenable on my setup. Rating not a reflection of the written material.
May 3, 2010
Enjoyed reading even with it's dark nature and somewhat dated cold-war era mindset. A bit too much nastiness (people under mind control doing horrific things and ultimately suicide). The story evolves from demonic possessions to mechanical mind control and ultimately a morality tale.
March 12, 2017
Small number of people are controlling all the world's population and using them as a disposable slaves. One man have opportunity to change this. Fast pace and quite interesting to read and also did not feel very much out of date.
February 13, 2013
A nasty little cold-war thriller but fascinating.
May 23, 2023
Absolutely classic sci-fi from Pohl published in 1965 and read in a lovely Penguin Science Fiction edition with a cover by the great David Pelham.
August 18, 2024
Purchased from Books4Life Amsterdam, Fall 2023
Easily the bleakest book I’ve read with three naked women on the cover
Easily the bleakest book I’ve read with three naked women on the cover
May 25, 2022
At first this reminded me of The Puppet Masters by Heinlein, until later on when the truth of the mind-controlling parasites is revealed. If The Puppet Masters was a spy novel in the guise of science fiction, Plague of Pythons feels to me like a noir crime story in science fictional clothes.
Pohl often reads cynical to me, and the pattern continues here. No square-jawed, super-hero saving the world here; just a weary man trying to survive a horrific situation. I'm sad to say the amazing scientific discoveries in this book could very well be used in a similar way in real life were they to become possible.
I had sympathy for Chandler and quite enjoyed his relationship with Rosalie right up to the end.
Pohl often reads cynical to me, and the pattern continues here. No square-jawed, super-hero saving the world here; just a weary man trying to survive a horrific situation. I'm sad to say the amazing scientific discoveries in this book could very well be used in a similar way in real life were they to become possible.
I had sympathy for Chandler and quite enjoyed his relationship with Rosalie right up to the end.
September 18, 2023
I enjoyed this book very much. The title is misleading since neither a plague nor pythons appear in the story. Instead, people have randomly become meat puppets that do evil or destructive acts while being controlled mentally by someone or something. It's up to Chandler to figure it all out.
I don't know if the story has ever been used for a screenplay, but it would translate to film very well. The scene with the sharks was especially wild!
I don't know if the story has ever been used for a screenplay, but it would translate to film very well. The scene with the sharks was especially wild!
April 10, 2023
I'm hard pressed to call this a science fiction book, despite its classification as such. It's about demonic possession, sort of, and witchcraft--sort of. And it didn't do much to hold my attention. DNF
November 3, 2024
Version alert
For readers who've read the Plague of Pythons 1965 edition standalone paperback novel from Ballantine science fiction, know that this kindle version differs from that edition in numerous and significant ways.
For readers who've read the Plague of Pythons 1965 edition standalone paperback novel from Ballantine science fiction, know that this kindle version differs from that edition in numerous and significant ways.
October 10, 2017
Read in the 70s
March 1, 2018
aggiornamento vecchio libro letto chissà quando
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