Fiction doesn't have to be profound, just entertaining. But every once in a long while, a novel comes along that is both. Here, Sylvia Engdahl presents her "Critical Stage" argument for space exploration -- to wit, if we do not get out into space now, much further and longer than we have heretofore, then we may never get the opportunity again. As an advocate of space exploration and human life in the cosmos, I have explored this theme in my own non-fiction writings, noting how many cultures invented many things, only to see them languish (the Aztecs invented the wheel, to give but one example -- but they confined its use to just the toys of children). Engdahl had developed this idea years earlier, in The Far Side of Evil, but with all the tender flourishes and haunting interludes and personal verve of science fiction at its very best. The heroine, Elana (last seen in Enchantress from the Stars) is not very old. But the challenges she encounters echo from the very beginning to the ends of time, and speak to the very place of humanity in the universe, and what we need to do to attain and claim it. In age in which terrorism has threatened our ways of life in unexpected ways, Engdahl's probing story, and the recommendation it contains, are especially relevant. Originally published some four decades ago, this new edition, revised by the author's deft hand, is even better.

It should be noted that the original year of publication 1971; while NASA was still very active.
Elana narrates parts of the story, which addresses warfare and hubris.
There is a strong similarity to Gene Roddenberry's: Star Trek

What happens when two people interpret the mandate to help people of other civilizations "above all other considerations" differently?

My edition (2005) has an afterword from the author explaining that there have been some changes to the text since the original printing. It also explains (and I agree) that this sequel is much darker than Enchantress from the Stars. The author says that she didn't have to use the same characters in this book, that it could have been different characters in the same universe, but I think Elana, specifically, has a lot more empathy for the other characters than anyone else in that universe would have.

I also like how this book deals with moral crises and other potentially heavy issues without exposing readers to unnecessary detail; there's enough so you get the point but not so much that you wish you'd never read it.

This heroine could completely rocked my world when I was 12.

Good metaphor for Cold War politics between US and USSR

Elana and Randil (among others) are observers from an intergalactic Service visiting a world immersed in a Cold War and on the brink of potential nuclear self-annihilation. As the mission progresses, doom seems assured, and the policy of non-interference is questioned.

As stated in the afterward, this book is geared toward an older audience than 'Enchantress from the Stars' and sincere about its message. The narrative was a little preachy. Most of the story is told from Elana's perspective, and ironically, her views were patronizing even as she stated how wrong it was to feel superior to 'Younglings' -- that is, less technologically advanced races. (Oh, I'm sure they're trying their best, but little did they know...) I suppose it's consistent with her character and background, but it was annoying.

It might be a little dated and is a bit depressing since we have not passed out of the critical stage even though we have made it to the moon.

Sequel to Enchantress from the Stars. This novel is set in a world similar to our own, giving dire warnings to society throughout. The author expresses her ideas about space colonization and the imminent self-destruction of civilization if we do not find a way to expand. I think this theory is slightly flawed on some points, but overall the book is well written and definitely worth reading.

It was a slow read, but I liked the topics explored in this book. Especially since I have the advantage of looking back at world history while reading this book.

I don't own many books but this one is my favorite of the small collection I do own.

While I find these books incredibly fascinating and they effect me very deeply, I find that they go in and out of incredible sections of writing and very boring ones. Overall, a good read and I'd recommend just based on the subject matter addressed, but not my all time favorite.

I read this book after first reading Sylvia Engdahl's Enchantress from the Stars, which I loved. This book is a sequel featuring the same main character, Elana. However, some of the ideas from the two books don't quite match up. In the Far Side of Evil, space exploration is seen as a turning point in a culture's history getting past the "Critical Stage", yet in Enchantress from the Stars we saw a star-faring culture that was still immature and colonizing inhabited planets. The author did acknowledge this discrepancy in the afterword. I felt like the Far Side of Evil got a little more preachy than Enchantress from the Stars, but that may also be because the plot in the former is more relevant to modern Earth. I've read some other reviews wherein the reviewers were quite incensed about some of Sylvia Engdahl's ideas. I didn't entirely agree or disagree with her ideas, but I think they would make for quite an interesting discussion. Isn't it great when novels make us think and debate, rather than simply entertain? And this book was a great story, too, not merely a vehicle to express those ideas.