Dreamsnake, Vonda N. McIntyre
I'm fond of science fiction that reads like fantasy. This book is one of the best I've read of this type.
Snake is a healer, so named due to her skills with the three snakes she uses to heal. One of her snakes is killed by superstitious villagers, causing Snake to go on a quest to find a replacement for the extremely rare alien snake. In doing so, she finds herself, along with helping some people on the fringes of society.
This book is full of strong characters trying to overcome the restrictive rules of their society. Snake is one of the most well-rounded female characters in SF of this period, something that made this book enjoyable for me. Another thing I liked was the gradual exposition of the background and the setting. I don't want to spoil the book, but the reader will be surprised at some aspects of the setting and the culture.
I definitely recommend this book. It makes one think about the structures of our own society, and how quickly (or slowly) they can change.