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Book ReviewsEnchantress from the Stars |
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Book: Enchantress from the Stars
Written by: Sylvia Engdahl |
Publisher: Firebird
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5
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A book to remember
Rating:
5 / 5
I read this in the sixth grade. It was my first encounter with sci-fi, and I loved it. Thanks to Mrs. Wallace, the librarian, for recommending it to me.
"It was a great dream, this star roving."
Rating:
5 / 5
Told from three separate points-of-view, this story shows what happens when three very different people from different worlds meet to fight for the future of one planet.
Elana is a citizen of a supremely advanced civilization and a future agent for the Federation. She comes to the "Youngling" planet of Andrecia with her father, who is an agent on a mission to stop Imperial colonizers (A "Youngling" planet is one that is not technologically advanced and has no knowledge of other civilizations in the galaxy). Against Federation custom, Elana is made an agent while on Andrecia and takes part in the plan to stop the Imperials. She plays an integral part in the plot which involves a native Andrecian fighting a "dragon." She must carry it out while never revealing her true identity and the fact that her civilization even exsists; because to do so could change the course of Andrecia's history and could possibly bring about its destruction.
Jarel is a doctor for the Imperial Exploration Corps. who has come to Andrecia to help in the colonization process. He is eager to help the Empire fulfill what he sees as its glorious destiny. But his idealism is soon shattered when he witnesses the brutal treatment of the natives. The Imperials see the natives as sub-human "savages" and have no issues about mistreating them. Jarel begins to doubt the Imperial mission and even makes plans to resign because he believes that he is the only one to feel this way and what could one man possibly do to save the planet?
Georyn is the son of an Andrecian woodcutter and, along with his brother Terwyn, dreams of killing the "dragon" and its "henchmen" (these being the Imperial Exploration Corps. and their rockchewer). On his journey, he meets Elana and believes her to be an Enchantress, having no knowledge of the existence of the Empire or the Federation. He believes that she has come to Andrecia to test whether he is worthy of the quest he is about to undertake. From her he will learn to use "magic" and glimpse a world he never dreamed of. He will be her main instrument in the plot to defeat the "dragon" and drive away the colonizers. Yet when the two fall in love, their plans become much more complicated...
I find it hard to believe that this book is not more well known; it is such an amazing and beautifully-crafted story. Although it is sold under a "Young Adult" label, I think that it will appeal to a much wider audience with its exploration of deep philosophical issues and its bittersweet love story. Originally published in 1970, this reprint edition is very timely considering the many discoveries and advances that have been made in space exploration. I have heard some compare "Enchantress from the Stars" to "Star Wars" but this book really goes much further into the human heart and mind. To any sci-fi/fantasy fan, you really shouldn't miss out on this book.
New way of history
Rating:
5 / 5
I was expecting to read some kind of Star Wars but I was surprised. Begin with the idea based from the much-talked-about alien, Ms. Engdahl turned it into a concept that what if the ancient things, such as magic, dragon, wizards, witch, beyond our capability to understand, was things from another planet, another world, with civilization higher than ours?
This book really made me think and even helped me in someway to add to my understanding about human, life and alien. A deep thoughtful science fiction story about human civilization evolution.
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