The Snake Oil Wars

Description for THE SNAKE OIL WARS by Parke Godwin:

In the years since his first novel, DARKER PLACES, was published in 1971, Parke Godwin has emerged as one of the major voices in contemporary fantastic literature, demonstrating in each new work a unique talent for capturing and defining the essence of the human condition in all its myriad forms.

With THE SNAKE OIL WARS he further cements that reputation. The Sequel to 1988's WAITING FOR THE GALACTIC BUS, THE SNAKE OIL WARS continues the tale of mankind's alien creators, Barion and Coyul, two near-immortal extraterrestrials who genetically tampered with the prehistoric apes of Earth five million years ago, thus giving rise to the human race. That bit of character enhancement, however, was against the law among their people, and Barion is removed from his post as ruler of the heavenly realm Topside to stand trial on their home world. His brother Coyul is left behind to explain to all the souls in Topside, as certain...realities about the universe.

This goes about as well as one might expect, especially with all-American Christian Reconstructionist hero Lance Candor, who---while on trial for tossing a bomb into Coul's office---accuses Coyul of being the Devil and challenges in court his claim that all life and afterlife as humans know them are nothing more than the result of an experiment on the part of two bored aliens.

Televangelism, tabloid television, political extremism and good ol'-fashioned sex and violence all are taken to task. Filled with the same diversity of characters as WAITING FOR THE GALACTIC BUS, SNAKE OIL introduces fellow alien and former fertility goddess Purji; Letti Scheherazade Ginsberg, Lance's less-than-reserved mistress; lawyers Peter Helm and Joshua Speed; two spirits who are quite a bit more than they appear; and Cathy Cataton, the ever-perky television commentator for the Hereafter.

Scathingly irreverent and as darkly humorous as its predecessor; THE SNAKE OIL WARS promises to become a favorite of readers everywhere.