THE SEEDING

by David Shobin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 11, 1982

The Unborn did a nice up-to-date twist on gynecological horror--with a computer filling in for Satan in the Rosemary's Baby set-up. This time, however, Shobin offers a throwback instead of a new wrinkle: deadly plants, ancient cults, and murky hocus-pocus--all straight out of the 1950s horror-film library. Why are pregnant women in Washington, D.C., suddenly contracting cancer and dying? Why is there a ""floral"" aroma when autopsies are performed? Why did someone steal a baby's pituitary gland? And why is Michelle Van Dyne (whose track-star sister died mysteriously some time back) blacking out, seeing shadows, and coming down with botulism? Those are some of the questions for questing Dr. Craig Erikson--especially after he falls for Michelle and especially after she is abducted by some Mayan human-sacrifice cultists. (""It means that the Maya are alive, now, in the twentieth century, somewhere near Washington!"") So Dr. Erickson is soon heading south to Mexico, putting creepy plants under his microscope, and searching for the sacred orchid. . . La Flor del Dios. Near-comical hooey, not believable (or even coherent) for a millisecond--but it does move along quickly, with substantial dollops of medi-gore (GYN procedures, an infant autopsy) for those so inclined.

Pub Date: Aug. 11, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Linden/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1982

Categories: FICTION