DNF.

I really wanted to like this. I tried very hard to give it a chance. I made it 100 pages in and gave up. The story is there, the plot sounds great..maybe it’s just the writing that couldn’t grab me. Maybe I wanted more? I just didn’t find myself wanting to pick the story back up and continue and could easily be distracted from reading this book. I finally called it quits when I found myself looking at the rest of my TBR pile.

This was the first pick of my new book club, surprising me because I hadn't thought of it in years. I read and loved it as a teen because it was so different and challenged the notion of the separation between magic and science. Told from three different viewpoints, this story of members of an advanced civilization trying to protect a fledgling society from being conquered by another race of starfarers gets at the heart of what it means to be civilized.

Each character comes from a race at different stages of development: Georyn's people are at what we'd call a medieval level of society, Elana is a member of an extremely advanced civilization that has moved past war and conquest, and Jarel's society is technologically advanced but still trying to conquer other worlds. Elana's people have developed psychic talents to go along with their technology, Jarel's people are advanced enough for space flight, and Georyn's are still fighting with swords and see the world through the lens of superstition. Elana is the main character, but Georyn's and Jarel's perspectives are used often enough that we see how each event becomes different when seen through their eyes. The scenes from Georyn's point of view also have a different narrative style that sounds semi-medieval and makes those sections feel like a quest story. It's an interesting approach that gives the book more emotional weight than the relatively simple story would otherwise have.

The members of Elana's race take the Prime Directive a whole lot more seriously than Captain Kirk ever did, to the point that they're willing to die rather than reveal the truth of their existence to any civilization not far enough advanced to handle the knowledge. Elana, who is too young to have taken oath as one of her people's advance anthropological agents, is pressed into service when a member of the expedition is killed horribly for exactly that reason. Elana starts out as a relatively self-centered young woman, naïve despite her education, and the book is on one level about her growth through her role in saving the natives of Andrecia from the conquering forces, as well as through her relationship with Georyn, one of said natives. It's young love that's doomed from the start, since we know there's no way the two can stay together, but Elana doesn't realize the implications or the danger until it's too late.

The plan Elana's expedition comes up with depends heavily on Clarke's law that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, though in this case the "technology" is psychic ability. The way the plan plays out reminded me strongly of what Diana Wynne Jones did with Power of Three, though not as tightly limited in perspective. I can't say I was emotionally connected to this book so much as I admired what Engdahl attempted, but it was as enjoyable as I remembered despite its age. The copy I own is a battered first edition signed by the author, though not inscribed to me, and I found it in a little fantasy book store in Eugene, Oregon that's no longer there. That's the sort of thing I find memorable.

Reader thoughts: Maybe 1.5 stars? I can't really find much that redeems the book in my eyes. I disliked the characters, the plot, the setting, and the lies. Even the writing style was unwelcome by the end. I forced myself to read it because a friend recommended it (oh, why oh why do I do this to myself?).

Elana and all her people were idiots. I can't say this enough. First, we see a woman (who has magic) die to protect a secret that would not have been in any danger had she lived.  Bad men shoot at her, and she has a magic shield she could have protected herself with. Yet, she chooses not to (and dies) because that might let the bad men know that she was not from this world. HOWEVER, the whole plan was for her to show up and show the bad men that she had magic so that the bad men would leave the world alone. So, why did she let herself die??

Then they let Elana stay when she is too young and messes things up. Elana keeps blundering around (shocked at youngling conditions like poverty and starvation) and jeopardizing their mission, but they treat it as more training and a chance for her to, what, get past some of her rebellious tendencies?

When Elana and her father decide to train some locals into using magic (again to scare off the bad guys), Elana keeps writing on and on about how scary and dangerous the training is. Her writing is full of extra worries that are unfounded and make her sound even younger (um, 11?) when she's probably supposed to be 16 or something (she DID claims she was in love). Seriously, the training  consisted of making the 2 brothers walk through some dark woods. That was about it.

Elana's personality was revolting. Where do I start? She breaks all the rules and then goes on and on about how important they are and she refuses to break certain ones while breaking all the rest. She says she is willing to die for these rules, but then she breaks them. She SAYS she is in love with both boys, but she lies to both of them and treats both of them with disrespect and as if they don't understand anything. She especially treats the Youngling boy as if he is a child (if she's acting like she's 11, does that make him about age 7?). How can one be in love with someone she views as a child? She thinks of him as ignorant, primitive, and incapable of most anything.

Writer thoughts: I don't know how other people like this book. I really don't. What did Engdahl write that others found attractive? I thought Elana's musings were particularly cringeworthy. Were those fascinating to other readers? Perhaps other people's thinking matches Elana's style?

Perhaps other readers are convinced that Elana really tried her best and really was in love with both boys and that her supervisors did their best too? For me, I can't see it. There were too many plot holes and ways the characters could have acted and reacted better and more cleverly.

I wasn't aware when I ordered this book that it was a YA selection... now, I pretty often read books that have been marketed toward teens - but I have this perception of two types of teen books (or childrens' books, for that matter.) One type is where the author had a story to tell, and told it, and then the publisher decided, for what ever reason, that the story would sell more to young people... and then the second sort is where the author says, "I feel like imparting a Valuable Message to Young People Today, so I will write an Instructive Book."
Unfortunately, I feel that 'Enchantress From the Stars' is firmly in the second category.
The protagonist, Alana, is a young woman from an advanced human culture, much like Ursula LeGuin's Ekumen - they travel the stars, studying, mostly keeping their nose out of more primitive planets' affairs (Prime Directive?) but anonymously interfering in the case of potential disaster.
In this case, a primitive planet has been invaded by a colonizing team from a more technologically advanced and violent culture. The locals see the machines and gear of the invaders in the context of dragons and spells. Alana, although not yet a sworn member of the team, stows away on her father's ship, and is forced to become a full-fledged member of the team when one team member abruptly dies. Although unprepared, she must play the role of an 'enchantress' to the locals, who live in a culture similar to that seen in Western fairy tales.
The plan is to convince the colonists that the locals possess 'magic' or psychic powers, in order to scare them into leaving. In doing so, Alana gains some experience and maturity, falls in love (sorta), and learns respect for those from less-advanced societies.
I didn't really buy that this whole 'plan' would work at all - the way the invading culture was presented, I'm sure they would be much more interested in studying a primitive race with psychic powers, rather than just running away, no questions asked.
My other problem with it is that the book is written in the format of a letter from Alana to a cousin (whom we never meet). However, the narrative spends a LOT of time explaining things about the society and culture that Alana lives in that she would never feel the need to state explicitly to a relative living in the same milieu. This sort of thing is one of my big pet peeves in literature...

Wow. I really enjoyed the blending of sci-fi with fantasy, and the idea of not two cultures clashing, but THREE - and all three at different socio-technical levels. I like the questions of what it is to be "human." All three cultures have different philosophical takes on this. It's a modern day philosophical parable. It shows the strength of diversity, belief, fear, love, and humanity. It shows how a moral man who but stands until he can act has power even when surrounded by seeming corruption and immorality. It shows how rigid compliance to a thing is inhuman, and humanity needs to be flexible in thought, word, and deed. It shows how self-confidence is powerful and that we all need help. It was an amazing work. If you haven't read this book, I really recommend it.

I read half of this in print a few years back, but couldn’t get through it. Finally finished it as an audio book in 2018. The plot and concepts were interesting, but the main character Elana annoyed me to no end. The amount she didn’t understand (despite her supposed years of training) felt more like a excuse for the narrator to explain things to the reader. Elana came off as a helpless young damsel needing everyone around her to spoon feed her information and instruction in between her emotional outbursts. It drove me nuts, but at least I now know how the story ends.

Ten to fifteen years after reading this book, I still remember the scene in which the anthropologist-from-the-stars gives the woodcutter-who-believes-in-magic orange soda, and he's like "magic elixer!" Hah! Loved this story of high technology and low meeting--it's kinda a Prime Directive parable.

Pese a ser un libro juvenil la historia de fantasía que cuenta el libro es muy entretenida para el "mundo adulto" por el gran valor filosófico y de pensamiento crítico al que nos impulsa en torno a cuestionar lo que catalogamos como "progreso", mirar un poco hacia nuestra propia cultura y su historia y cómo hemos llegado a donde estamos ahora.
Es un libro difícil de soltar porque la manera que tiene la autora de ir de un narrador a otro es muy lúdica!, y esto si además contamod con que entre narradores también vamos saltando de culturas lo hace bastante entretenido de seguir y seguir y seguir.

En lo más personal, este libro es especial para mí porque había empezado a leerlo hace más o menos 15 años, pero el dueño del libro un día me lo pidió y no pude saber el final, luego olvidé el nombre, pero no el contenido, mí único recuerdo para poder buscarlo era un recuerdo borroso sobre su portada y sólo con eso lo busqué por 10 años!!!, hasta que lo encontré y por supuesto, lo compré de inmediato. Estoy muy feliz de que al fin pase a formar parte de mí biblioteca y de al fin, al fin!, saber en qué terminó toda esa aventura de la que Elana nos cuenta apenas ya en el primer párrafo.

I really enjoyed this YA sci-fi book. It is definitely character driven, but the science parts were good too. It was actually more like anthropology, I’d say—Elena is a young woman on her first mission. She is trying to protect a youngling world (less developed) from colonization by a space-faring people who are nonetheless not as morally developed as Elena’s people.

Elena must accomplish her task (along with her father and her fiancé) without allowing the indigenous people to know that she is from a more advanced civilization. This mission requires some seriously complicated maneuvering as well as difficult ethical reasoning.

The book does a great job of presenting questions of the morality of colonialism, as well as allusions to biblical stories. A very satisfying read.

I'm so glad I decided to reread Sylvia Engdahl's Enchantress from the Stars for my Newbery reading challenge. (It was a Newbery Honor book in 1971). I loved, loved, loved it the first time I read it. I loved it just as much the second time. (I love it when a book rereads well. Not all books do. That's one way you can distinguish between a good book and a great book.) I would definitely say it's a premise-driven book, but, that being said there is plenty of action and plenty of characterization. So it has many strengths.

Enchantress from the Stars is narrated, primarily, by a young woman named Elana. The novel is reflective, in a way, because the novel is an account of her first 'adventure' on another planet. She's writing her report, giving her side of the story. But this novel is more than just her side of the story. It ventures to include the perspectives of two others--a young man, the woodcutter's youngest son, Georyn, and a young medical officer named Jarel. Both Georyn and Jarel are from Youngling cultures. Georyn is a native to Andrecia; Jarel is from another planet, a planet in a different stage than Georyn's, but a great deal less advanced than Elana's. (He is with the Imperial Exploration Corps). Jarel is just one of many in the first ship sent to "colonize" this planet.

Elana is on a ship with several other agents--including her father--when they learn that Andrecia is being invaded, and a Youngling culture/civilization is being threatened. They can't directly intervene. And they definitely can't reveal themselves. But they can try to influence things subtly, indirectly. Elana is chosen--with some reluctance--to interact with the natives. Well, she's to interact with two brothers--Terwyn and Georyn. These two are on a quest--along with their older brothers--to KILL A DRAGON. Yes, they are on their way to get the king's blessing, the king's permission to enter the Enchanted Forest. They don't know what dangers they'll face, but they know the fiery dragon must be stopped. These brothers see Elana an an enchantress, a faery perhaps. They see her as having great power, great wisdom, great magic.

So Enchantress from the Stars reads as a fantasy novel--a fantasy novel in the style of a fairy tale. But. Of course it also reads as a great science fiction novel with space ships, etc.

What did I love about this one? Everything! I loved the premise. Just loved it! I loved the world-building, the setting, the atmosphere. I loved the storytelling. I loved the characterization!!! I loved Elana. I loved Georyn. I loved Jarel. I even cared a great deal about the Starwatcher and Evrek. I thought this book was just so well written.

Enchantress from the Stars has the tone and depth of a young adult novel, but the treatment was so unusual it held my interest. It tells portions of the same story from the viewpoints, and in the voices, of three different races: As told by the natives of the unnamed planet setting, it's a fairy tale in which the several sons of a poor woodcutter each go out to defeat the "dragon" that lives on the far side of the Enchanted Wood; in the voice of a colonizing force of space-faring people, it's a simple space opera, pitting their mechanistic worldview against an untamed wilderness (including the ground-clearing equipment the natives believe is the dragon) and the aboriginal inhabitants of the land (who aren't viewed as human, and so will be confined to a reservation where they can be "managed" - remind anyone of Avatar?); and finally, from the viewpoint of a highly-advanced race of space travelers whose primary cause is preventing anyone from interfering with the normal development of "younger" races - and simultaneously avoiding such interference themselves - necessitating an elaborate performance to convince several natives that these visitors are actually powerful magicians who will help them defeat the dragon and win the king's rewards.

Written in 1970, it was reissued in 2001 to accolades from many authors who remember the book fondly from its first publication. It's not, as one writer put it, "the best book ever", but it's a different way of handling a story, and a fun read overall.

This was the last book of the school year in my son's homeschool curriculum. So happy to finish the year and with a pretty cool book.

My son read our print copy for his assignments, so I ended up using the audiobook. While this did not change my overall opinion of the book, I think it did affect how I felt about some of the characters. The narrator did an excellent job with the voicing--using distinct voices for each character, but the voice she gave to Elana sounded petulant and whiny, while Georyn's voice rendition was very wise. The Starwatcher's voice had the feel of a wise and experienced person, but the drawn out way that his lines were read required a lot of patience on my part.

The story revolves around 3 protagonists. Elana, whose story is told memoir style, in first person, is from a planet very far away, with highly advanced people who use telepathy and psychokinesis. She, along with her father and fiance, are members of The Service, an organization that travels in a spaceship, exploring other worlds and civilizations, though sometimes they are called upon to help planets from some sort of dire issue. Very much Star Trek, including the Prime Directive. The PD, for the non-Star Trek fans, is the principle that the Enterprise, or as in the case of this book, the Service, cannot allow themselves to be known by any inhabitants of any worlds that they explore or help. They cannot be seen, unless they are disguised, and they can never show their powers or knowledge, even to the point where they accept death. Georyn is a peasant boy from Andrecia, a primitive planet still in the throes of a feudal system. Jarel is a medical officer for the Empire, a people who are way more advanced than the Andrecians, but not nearly as advanced as Elana's people. Jarel is sent to Andrecia with a military team with the goal of "subduing" the natives on Andrecia, as the Empire is in the process of taking over Andrecia and rounding up all their natives, forcing them to live on "reservations". Georyn's and Jarel's stories are told in third person.

The three become entangled when Elana's team is sent to Andrecia to help save the planet from the Empire invasion. The story has a decent enough plot, easy to follow and with enough excitement to keep readers turning pages. The characters are well developed and likable, though not without flaws. Elana is spirited and idealistic, but also dense and disobedient. Georyn, being a simple peasant, cannot help but be awed by Elana, and while he is intelligent, he is also super docile when it comes to her wishes. I liked Jarel best--as the doctor, he has a lot of thoughts about what constitutes a human, what is ethical, and what it really means to have been a part of the military corps with which he enlisted. I feel like his internal conflict was the most real and least melodramatic.

There are a lot of good conversations in the story, which is both thought provoking and frustrating. There are situations where time is of the essence--plans need to be executed, things need to be done and done quickly--and yet there the characters stand, idly chit-chatting about philosophical ideas. I found myself frustrated with them, as they dragged on and on with their needless talk, as I worried that plans would be spoiled just because the characters were just chatting when they needed to be working.

All in all, though, a good, solid book. Nice science fiction/fantasy for the middle teens--13-16.

4/5