A Newbery Honor Book and a Book Sense 76 Selection, Enchantress from the Stars is a science fiction classic. Three alien races meet on the small green world of Andrecia. The Imperial Exploration Corps wants to claim the planet for their own, but the Anthropological Service stands in their way. And when young Elana makes contact with native Georyn, a love story exploring the very depths of human emotion unfolds. "Original and charming ..."-Ursula K. LeGuin, New York Times best-selling author
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"I loved this book! Although it is marketed as juvenile I really think it should be in the YA category. It is very thought provoking. The whole concept is quite unique. Although it was written almost 40 years ago it still reads like a modern novel (no bell bottoms, weird lingo, etc.). This is definitely a book I would love to read again."
— Aubrey (5 out of 5 stars)
“A serious and thought-provoking novel…Combined with this is an adolescent love-story that is no romantic nonsense; it is realistic and moving. The story is full of drama and suspense.”
— Times Literary Supplement (London)“An involved and provocative science fiction story for thoughtful readers.”
— Booklist" I read that book 5 times with out finishing because I thought it would be boring but then I read it again this year and it was amazing! "
— Kylee, 2/17/2014" Read to Blake and Erika; they liked it more than I did I think... "
— David, 2/11/2014" Nice- thoughtful- a little longwinded on the philosophy part. I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I'm recommending it. The review I read painted it as "half fantasy, half science fiction" and the plot was built on how alien technology is the basis for fairy tales in a less advanced culture. I'm pretty sure it was all fantasy, though. "
— Adrian, 2/9/2014" I don't want to be harsh, but this book was a drag. I just don't like space/other world types of books. "
— Emy, 1/30/2014" This book is defiantly a re-reader. I don't think you could ever get tired of it. "
— Angeline, 1/29/2014" Enjoyed the book. The characters were real and it was hard to stop reading once I got going. "
— Tammy, 1/26/2014" Lovely book. An interesting read about three cultures coming together. I especially liked the differing viewpoints and how things were interpreted differently based on the perspective. "
— Joni, 1/18/2014" A sci-fi book. Great, great, amazing idea for a story. I loved where the plot was, and where it was going. But in the end I found I was disappointed. But definitely worth reading! "
— Lauren, 1/18/2014" I loved the combination of fairy tale and far-future science fiction. Elana, Georyn and Jarel were all wonderful characters, and the ending was just the right combination of hopeful and heart-breaking. "
— Bridget, 11/29/2013" What a nice combination of sci-fi and fantasy. Yet still, it gave much deeper insights into cultural interactions than Star Trek's "prime directive". "
— Dave, 10/23/2013" I loved this book growing up. The ending was powerfully bittersweet and interwoven elements of three genres (fantasy, science fiction and visionary) makes for a thought provoking book. Highly recommended. This book is literally my favorite young adult novel. "
— Anthony, 10/16/2013" This book is really nice. It's a refreshing read compared to all of the sci-fi nonsense you see nowadays. Enchantress from the Stars takes the genre to a whole new level. "
— Chalse, 9/22/2013" Good book, and I enjoyed the idea having 3 different worlds at different stages of development interacting with each other. I found it a little simplistic in a few areas. I felt like the author could have developed the differences in the 3 cultures a little bit more, but it was still a fun idea. "
— Tia, 9/6/2013" A lovely book written for young teenagers, although many adults would enjoy it as well. "
— Renée, 5/9/2013" For some reason, this took me a while to read, but I really did like it, for a sci-fi novel. "
— Chelsea, 5/5/2013" its ironic that I read this book right before starting guns germs and steel. I liked much of this book but the main female character was very annoying, I would be curious to read the second book to see if she grows up some. "
— Laura, 4/25/2013" A great old YA sci- fi/ fantasy with a girl as a protagonist... Got me hooked on the genre when I was a kid! "
— Nisha, 1/25/2013" A very good reader. Sometimes she got a little carried away and distracted from the book, but overall, she brought a good understanding and characterization to the characters. "
— Lia, 1/2/2013" I thought this was a great cross between fantasy and science fiction. It was a great insight on how different people perceive things. "
— Maddy, 9/24/2012" Amazing how it represents a future that could come at any time in our life time. "
— Reynaldo, 4/24/2012" Interesting combo of fantasy and sci-fi genres, recommended to read by my 12-year-old. I particularly liked the way the different levels of technological development were presented, and the moral dilemmas of the characters. "
— Clifford, 2/19/2012" A very positive story. It was well written but needs a smidge more grit. Otherwise a fine tale. =) "
— Bradley, 2/9/2012" I give this book two stars, because the writing was amazing. I couldn't stand the plot. It wasn't even bad, just terribly conflicting and completely frustrating. I would not reccomend this book. "
— Amy, 7/9/2011" A great old YA sci- fi/ fantasy with a girl as a protagonist... Got me hooked on the genre when I was a kid! "
— Nisha, 5/21/2011" I've always loved this for the different points of view of the characters. The same events are reinterpreted by a young man who is living a fairy tale, a hard-nosed modernist terraforming a new planet, and a young woman on her first anthropological field expedition. "
— Cheryl, 5/17/2011" I thought that this book was quite good. I had to read it twice to get it to stick though. "
— Jenna!, 2/4/2011" Amazing how it represents a future that could come at any time in our life time. "
— Reynaldo, 1/26/2011" A good read though for me it started slow but did build up to an ending I didn't figure out. A fantasy/Science fiction book. "
— Linda, 1/7/2011" This book is really nice. It's a refreshing read compared to all of the sci-fi nonsense you see nowadays. Enchantress from the Stars takes the genre to a whole new level. "
— Chalse, 12/25/2010" Really enjoyed this. How to help without messing things up. <br/>Newberry award book. "
— Mckinley, 11/24/2010" I thought this book was really well written, I loved the imagery and the plot came together very well! "
— Hannah, 11/22/2010" One of my very favourite science fiction books from when I was young! This is the sort of book that you turn back to and re-read whenever new materials are running scarce. The writing is beautiful and the three storylines flow together seamlessly. The ending is bittersweet and perfect! "
— Laurelle, 11/15/2010" I loved this book in Junior High School and re-read it not too long ago -- a wonderful story -- full of many layers in true SF style. This and a subsequent Engdahl title as well as A Wrinkle In Time hooked me on reading for life. "
— Lisa, 11/5/2010" I couldn't get into this book enough to finish it before it was due back at the library. (to be fair, I didn't have a lot of free reading time when I had it) "
— Alice, 11/3/2010" I first read this when I was eleven, and never forgot it. It was the book that set my life philosophy about relative truths and world views. I LOVE this book. "
— Marita, 10/24/2010" Raises interesting questions (if you could stop suffering, should you?) Shows how three different levels of civilization might view the same situation. (Also interesting to note that this was written before Star Trek came up with the Prime Directive.) "
— Nikka102, 10/19/2010" The narration is very distancing and intellectual -- the characters are more mouthpieces than real people. Still, the story ended up touching me. Interestingly, it is the fairy-tale stock character of the brave woodcutter's son, off to slay the dragon, that I found the most real and believable. "
— Mordena, 10/11/2010Sylvia Louise Engdahl is an the author of almost a dozen science fiction novels and many works of nonfiction. She lives in Eugene, Oregon, and currently works as a freelance editor of nonfiction anthologies for high schools.
Jennifer Ikeda has been narrating audiobooks since 2002. Among her readings are When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park; Just Listen by Sarah Dessen; and After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away by Joyce Carol Oates. She has won six AudioFile Earphones Awards.