In the future, a girl has her first assignment as an anthropologist. Her mission is to observe, but not interfere, with a less-developed civilization that is currently in it's medieval phase with knights and dragons.

But the mission becomes more complicated when she discovers another alien species has infiltrated the world and is actively interfering. Can she interfere with the interfer-ers?

I listened to the audiobook. This is a loved book from my childhood. Elana comes from the stars and sneaks on to the landing ship to learn about a youngling culture. Her father is the leader of the group and tasks Elana with helping in the saving of the younglings from a more advanced group of colonizers. Georyn is a youngling that Elana is able to train to the saving of his planet. Along the way she falls in love with Georyn and he with her.
In my childhood it was one of the first tragic love stories I read. For Elana and Georyn can never be together. It was also a book that made me think new thoughts about what there might be beyond science that we don't yet know. It's little wonder that this was a Newberry Honor book for it expanded my world. I am glad it has been published again for a new generation to enjoy.

This sci-fi book is simultaneously incredibly naïve and incredibly arrogant. It describes a clash of three cultures, each in a different stage of social and scientific development.
The Federation is a highly evolved, space-faring civilization. They’re so evolved, they are telepathic. They don’t wage war or conquer the less-developed societies. Instead, they travel among the populated worlds and study them. The protagonist, a student Elana, belongs to this society of peaceful explorers. Their mandate dictates that they can’t interfere in the others’ progress, to the point of rather dying than disclosing information.
The second on the scale of techno-development is the Empire. They are just starting to explore the stars and they are quite military, set on colonization of as many planets as possible. Everyone less developed than they are is considered sub-human. One of the characters, Jarel, is a young medical officer with the Empire expedition, launched onto the planet of Andrecia. He is the doubting type – he isn’t sure species less developed should be considered sub-human but he isn’t openly rebellious either. He is just brooding most of the pages dedicated to him
And then there is Andrecia. Its society is feudal, with no technology. For them, the machines the Empire employs to clear the land for their colony are dragons, driven by evil. Perhaps their point of view is not too far off. Some Earth citizens think so too. One of the protagonists, Georyn, belongs to this civilization. He resolves to perform a heroic deed – kill the ‘dragon’ – and Elana and her crew are set on helping him to drive the dragon (aka the Empire colonists) off Andrecia – for the good of Andrecia, I presume.
But what methods could they use without revealing themselves? They decide to utilize Georyn’s belief in magic to outwit the Empire, to hoax the new colonists into leaving this particular planet. The Federation explorers are also pretty willing to sacrifice anyone, from their own society or from any other, to achieve their goals. Lives are worthless to them compared to their lofty principles.
They pull Georyn’s strings like experienced puppeteers, and even Elana, who is falling in love with the young man, obeys her captain’s decrees and plays the role of an ‘enchantress from the stars’, granting Georyn some ‘magical’ wishes and assigning him pretty harrying tasks. He is a pawn to her commands, but the poor schmuck believes in her magic anyway.
There are no ‘nice’ persons in this story, except maybe Georyn, although he is described as a pretty dense yokel who accepts as absolute dictum anything his beloved enchantress tells him. He doesn’t question her pronouncements. He doesn’t try to discover the truth. His side of the story resembles an original fairy tale – the youngest son of a poor woodcutter, Disney style. The enchantress says ‘jump’ – he jumps.
Elana does have doubts, kudos to her, but they are more growing pangs than a serious disagreement with her elders. Deep inside, she’s convinced that her Federation is the only one that’s right and good. She is ready to die for her society doctrines. I’m not sure I agree with the Federation and their haughty, idealistic views of the lesser civilizations. That’s why I don’t think I like Elana much. I think she is a silly girl, ready to become a martyr for silly reasons.
The Empire representatives also act surprisingly silly, almost senseless. Why would they believe the Federation’s childish trickery, played by Georyn? It’s unexplainable to me. They shouldn’t have, and they wouldn’t in reality. Their behavior is illogical from start to end, playing to the author’s ideology instead of the realistic worldview.
I know the book was written in 1970, but its year of publication doesn’t excuse its primitive political ideas or the simplicity of its characters. The writing is good though, beautiful. And the story is probably okay, if its readers are 13 or about. But for me, a jaded reader, it feels slightly out of whack.

I love older science fiction novels. Firebird Publishing seems to put out a lot of pro-female/feminist science fiction, too, as I have read this and Firebird and enjoyed both immensely.

Enchantress from the Stars is a book that takes place in "the future" (kind of) and on a third planet from the Sun, yet it is not Earth. The author, Sylvia Engdahl explicitly states that the planet and all of it's characters are not from Earth, but another planet that is third to the sun. (When one thinks about it, I immediately think of Fermi's paradox and The Drake Equation and how these work together to inspire thoughts of many, many planets that may exist like our own.)

Elana is a part of a "more advanced" civilization that has peace keeping duties across the galaxy. The Federation works to aid Youngling ("primitive") populations that are negatively affected by other Younglings. They work quietly and covertly, however, and must not be known by the groups they are interfering with.

On one particular mission, Elana is a stowaway on her father's ship. They land on Andrecia, a planet that is much like feudal Earth, in order to stop an Imperial colonization. This is a wonderful blend of "fantasy" and science fiction, as the explanation for the Federation's help is described in the way of magic (Enchantress, Starwatcher and their gifts) and the defeat of a "Dragon".

This was a fun read and really deals with topics of colonialism and culture. Engdahl claims that this fiction was not written allegorically, but it is really hard not to read it as an active metaphor for human history, let alone an explanation for folklore and fable. I wonder is Engdahl was secretly a believer in the conspiracy that Aliens/other, more sophisticated lifeforms, actually aided in the advancement of our civilizations.

An old fashioned science fiction YA book with a bit of a Star Trek vibe (I love Star Trek!). I have to admit that it's obviously well-written and the plot and characters are interesting. Moreover, it has some of my favourite elements, like a clash of different cultures or a more or less believable romance. It also has an important message. It's definitely worth reading. Still, because of the writing style (some POVs are like memoirs, some like legends of the round table), it's just not really captivating. Mostly not atmospheric. Why? It could have been great...

IN SHORT: Prime Directive vs Magic/Technology. YA story, but many adults will also like. First published in 1970, but holds up pretty well.

VERDICT: 4+ YA stars, 3+ adult stars. A rare sci-fantasy mashup that actually works, albeit requiring some forced suspension of disbelief on my part.

PLOT: Young Elena contrives to visit a "primitive" alien world before she's been fully trained. She becomes an important part of a small, unusual rescue mission where both technology and magic play a role... and in which lives will be irrevocably altered.

If the idea of a fairy tale with a sci-fi basis (or vice versa?) intrigues you as a YA or adult reader, you can probably find this award-winning book at a library.

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SOME DETAILS (no big spoilers):

In spite of every character acting exactly as they should -- and far too many convenient plot developments -- this is a darn good sci-fantasy story that should not be missed. It's both simple and a bit profound. Give it a read if you enjoy unusual coming-of-age stories with a bit of humor, some odd situations, and a hint of danger.

Note: Elena also stars in a stand-alone other Engdahl story, The Far Side of Evil.

BREAKDOWN (on 5-point YA scale):
PLOT: 3.5/5
CHARACTERS: 2 to 5/5
PACE: mostly slow to slow-moderate
REALISM: low to moderate (and you probably won't mind)
BEGINNING: 4.5/5
MIDDLE: 3/5
ENDING: 4/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 2.5/5
WRITING STYLE: 4/5

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ALSO CONSIDER THESE SIMILAR BOOKS:

The Green Book by Jill Patton Walsh (kids/YA)
Expendable by James Alan Gardner (Adult)
The Keeper of the Isis Light by Monica Hughes (YA)
Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston (YA)
Earth Girl by Janet Edwards (YA)
Stray by Andrea K. Höst

Enchantress from the Stars was a huge letdown. The overall message and synopsis were the only things i enjoyed about this book. Elana was very immature, and seemed rather stupid for someone who came from such an advanced civilization. Her insta-love with Georyn was irritating, along with his constant hero worship of her. The only somewhat likable character was Jarel, he seemed to be the most in touch with reality. The writing and plot were interesting but the characters were awful.

I just remembered this book from when I was a kid. I loved it. It rocked my world. I wanted to have mind powers like the MC. Probably if I read it now, I'd roll my eyes and laugh.

Enchantress from the Stars by Slyvia Engdahl is a unique and interesting story primarily told from the perspective of alien eyes, with references to medieval times in history. Elana, an alien from an entirely different world, sneaks onto her father’s and her boyfriend, Evrek’s ship to join them on a mission. This mission involved saving a less developed planet and society named Andrecia. Their job was to protect the Andrecians from the Imperials, which were a separate race attempting to colonize Andrecia. Elana, her father, and Evrek, must guide the planet natives into driving away the imperials, without harming their beliefs or understanding in the process. They must teach the natives psychic abilities such as telekinesis, and how to handle overwhelming situations to defeat an imperial machine, juxtaposed as “the dragon”. While I enjoyed the story, there was one element to me that felt a bit out of place and cliche. Elana, or “The Enchantress” spends a majority of the time on Andrecia training two native men, Georyn and Tyrwen. As the story progresses it is quite obvious that Elana grows a strong attachment to Georyn, so much so that she eventually falls in love, and so does Georyn. I personally believe that this could’ve been left out or done in a more interesting way. Maybe the feelings between them weren’t mutual, where Georyn falls in love with Elana, while she declines these emotions expressing the fact that they could never love each other. This could also work the other way around, where Elana falls in love with Georyn, however Georyn is oblivious. The romance could have also been left out completely, as Georyn and Elana remain close friends.Despite my criticism, an aspect I found fascinating was the author's unique writing style. Elana, the aliens point of view, is told in first person, however the other character’s perspectives are told from third person limited. It is as if Elana is the narrator herself, as she's providing information from all sides.
Enchantress from the Stars is an amazing story for anyone interested in extraterrestrial life, especially those who spend countless hours on the history channel.
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I read about this young adult fiction in the Chinaberry catalog. It's a Newberry Honor Book that had been out of print.

What a delightful book -- full of mythology and symbolism and right vs. wrong dilemmas. Elana is a stowaway on a Federation Anthropological Service mission headed by her father. They go to a "youngling" world to try to stop interference from another society invading the planet. Elana becomes the key to the mission, and it's fraught with dangers and difficult decisions. Elana's choices help her grow, and her courage when all seems lost is heartwrenching.

What a WONDERFUL book for young and old alike.

Read my review at
https://www.biblioguides.com/pub/book...

Enchantress From the Stars (1970) is the first of two novels about Elana and the Anthropological Service of the Federation (the second book being The Far Side of Evil).

The Federation is extensive and powerful, but also so advanced as to have overcome problems like social injustice and warfare among its own peoples. It takes non-intervention in other cultures very seriously, and it hides its very existence from 'less developed' worlds, including the newer star-faring powers. Protecting pre-industrial worlds like Andrecia from colonialists is therefore not an easy thing to achieve.

Young Elana's father is a seasoned and high-ranking agent in the Federation, and his principal work is to protect 'Youngling' worlds from exploitation, even though this must be done behind the scenes and in an entirely unobtrusive manner. Elana illegally sneaks aboard the Federation vessel transporting her father and his two colleagues down to the planet Andrecia, even though she has hardly any training and knows that experienced Anthropology Service Agents sometimes die in the field. In her inexperience, Elana is allured by the thrilling prospects of exploration and adventure.

When one of the authorized members is killed by imperial colonists, the Anthropology Service team is missing a field agent. Elana’s father thus has little choice but to involve his daughter in the effort to save the native people of Andrecia from colonization by the Empire.

Since the local residents have no experience of high technology, they interpret the work of the huge land-clearing machine at the colonists' camp as a dragon establishing its lair and intending to take over their land. The king sends out his bravest men to kill the dragon, but everyone who embarks on the venture vanishes.

Bound by the strict rules of the Federation forbidding the use of any sort of violence, Elana's father is forced to concoct an unlikely scheme to frighten the imperialists away from Andrecia. If the representatives of the Empire can be led to believe that paranormal powers are a natural possession of the indigenous people, they might just abandon their annexation of Andrecia.

The woodcutter Georyn is the fortunate (or unfortunate) Andrecian selected for training. If he proves successful, he stands to save his world. If he fails, he will die and his people will be enslaved. The success of the plan largely depends on Elana who, playing the role of a sorceress in possession of supernatural powers, must guide Georyn to his ultimate goal of defeating the 'dragon'.

Arthur C. Clarke famously stated that any sufficiently developed technology is indistinguishable from magic in the eyes of those who are unfamiliar with it. Enchantress from the Stars is a classic example of this principle expressed through a science fiction story.

The author employs three points of view to present the convergence of three cultures, and these three interweaved story threads represent the best traditions of epic fantasy, space opera heroics, and coming-of-age romance. The only point I found perhaps a little unconvincing was that all three viewpoints are supposed to be written by the protagonist who is relating her experiences to a relative after the adventure is over. I am still not sure how she could write about events which she was not present to witness in such detail, although, to be fair, the author does touch briefly on this matter in the prologue.

Overall, I think that this well-structured and engrossing story has clearly stood the test of time, since it continues to provide thought-provoking material concerning the natural course of societal development and related ethical considerations, the power of belief, and the value of allowing both cultures and individuals to find their own paths. Also significant is the fact that probably the most intuitive and intelligent character is a member of the least developed society. Indeed, the only real advantage that the Federation has over the two other cultures is the amount of time it has been in existence and the proportionally greater opportunity it has had to progress.

There are many memorable and inspiring quotes in this classic work of young adult science fiction. Here are some of them:

"The human mind is incredible. It can do nothing without belief, yet practically anything with it."

"No one ever has all the facts. All a person can do is to choose a goal that seems worthwhile and commit to it."

"We live as anyone does: by hope; for what other way is there?"

"But it is ever true that what looks like a paradox is merely a thing that cannot be understood by means of our present knowledge."

"Elana! Don’t be afraid! Underneath, things aren’t as terrible as we make them."

"There is nothing that teaches you the value of life for its own sake faster than the prospect of having to give it up."

"I do believe the age of disenchantment must be the hardest. To see so much, by methods you think are scientific, that you’ve no faith in there being anything you don’t see—it must be awful."

"When you’re convinced that you’ll soon be dead, you are free in a way that you can never be at any other time—free in the sense that anything can happen to you and you will not mind, because you have already faced the most frightening thing there is to face. So if what happens is something good, something so good as suddenly knowing that you are going to live after all, why, that in itself is pretty tremendous."

"For it is better to know of what exists than not to know. I would rather be helpless than blind; and if in seeking wisdom as my reward I got more than I had need for, well, that is not your fault but mine."

"We act in the light of the knowledge we have. Do you suppose I see the whole picture? Do you suppose anyone does?”