Harry Harrison

SYNOPSIS
A 'parallel world' story where the meteorite which fell to Earth wiping out the dinosaurs 750 million years ago never hit. The reptiles are still the dominant species on the planet, and a race of sentients - the Yilane - have evolved from them. The Yilane have a complex, female dominated, society based on the manipulation of animal genes to create the things they need, rather than the use of inert tools and machines. The humans, or Tanu, exist in the primitive hunter-gatherer state, with a number of societies having developed farming skills.

Both races have lived ,until now, ignorant of the existence of the other. The Yilane dominate Africa, whilst the Tanu exist in the cooler north of America, away from the carnivorous dinosaurs in the south. The onslaught of another Ice Age has forced the Yilane (who, like all reptiles, cannot live in a cold climate) to cross the ocean, seeking new warm lands to grow their cities. They settle on the area which is now Florida. The worsening winters have driven the Tanu further south than ever before to hunt the meat needed to get them through the winter.

Vainte is the leader charged with establishing the new Yilane city, Alpeasak, which her people will migrate too when their current city becomes too cold to live in. With her, included in her workforce, are the Daughters of Life, a religious sect whose views have led to them being ejected from their city.

When a small party of Yilane are killed by a Tanu hunting party, Yilane hunters track down the Tanu, and Vainte leads an attack against them. The Tanu tribe is wiped out, except for two children. One of them, Kerrick, survives as an object of scientific curiosity, and begins to learn the Yilane language. He grows up as a Yilane, becoming a favourite of Vainte, who makes use of him in her political dealings.

Kerrick is rescued by a Tanu, Herilack, and in the escape he stabs Vainte. Kerrick must learn to be Tanu again. He becomes a respected leader, because he knows the ways of the Yilane, and how to fight them. He takes a wife, Armun.

The rest of the story centres around the battle for survival between the two species, and of the personal vendetta Vainte carries out against Kerrick, who betrayed her. The battles in this volume are based around the city of Alpeasak, which the Tanu take over in the climactic battle. In this first volume, the cultures of the two species are introduced, with particular emphasis on the Yilane language and biology, and their use of genetic engineering. This background was developed by Harrison with the help of experts in biology and linguistics, and is presented, partly in fictionalised form, in the appendices.