(Found) 80ish PB, Deadly Planet, Explorers Kidnapped, Forced Trek Across World, One Terrorist Killed by Flower in Hair-eats brain

[Oreocat]

Hi, I read this in the 1980s, it was a paperback, and there was a group of explorers or an expedition on this deadly planet. The explorers and guide are taken hostage and forced across the planet, for some reason I can't remember. Several of the terrorists are killed by the planet, with the guide not giving information, or giving wrong information, etc. I specifically remember one of the terrorists is a woman who puts a flower in her hair. The guide notices but says nothing, and a few days later she falls over dead, the flower having grown into her brain and eating it. I thought this was a Commonwealth series book by Foster as one of the explorers was a Thranx who broke a leg or had a leg bitten off, and the guide was from another commonwealth book, however nothing that I've seen matches. I could have easily missed something, though. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[PaulMmn]

MidWorld?? Has lots of vicious plant life... Cross-linked to the book MidFlinx where Flinx lands on MidWorld.

I remember the bit about the flower! But where.... where!? ["If you're going to San Fran-cisco.... be sure to wear... some flowers in your hair..."]

 

[MartLG]

Definitely Midworld, with the brain-eating flower in her hair

 

[Bick]

Just to help the OP find it - Midworld was by Alan Dean Foster

 

[Matteo]

What the hell was Scott McKenzie thinking?

 

[Dave]

Just to help the OP find it - Midworld was by Alan Dean Foster

Published in 1975. Can I mark this one as another book found? The Wikipedia entry also notes the book's similarities with the film Avatar.

What the hell was Scott McKenzie thinking?

If you think that was bad, take a look at the lack of social distancing when he sang it at Woodstock.

 

[Bick]

Published in 1975. Can I mark this one as another book found? The Wikipedia entry also notes the book's similarities with the film Avatar.

Yes, its definitely Midworld by Foster.

 

[Oreocat]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I thought it was a Foster Commenwealth book, but never considered one of the Flinx Series. I'm sorry for not responding sooner, but I don't have my settings correct, and wasn't notified of any replies... I need to fix that I did check the ebook of Midworld I have and skimmed through it, and yep, there was the flower and the death, just like I remembered! Thank you so much, I'm off the read the entire book now... and probably the entire Flinx series again, although I don't think I cared much for the ending/later books... but I guess I'll find out again

 

[Bick]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I thought it was a Foster Commenwealth book, but never considered one of the Flinx Series.

It is a Commonwealth book, but it's not part of the Flinx series.