Stewards of the Flame

[altariel]

To my great excitement, one of my favourite authors, Sylvia Engdahl, is publishing a new novel, her first in 26 years.

Sylvia Engdahl's novel The Far Side of Evil was my most important reading experience as a child, after The Lord of the Rings. It may be the book that turned me into a sociologist. A heavy responsibility to lay at anyone's door. I think Ursula Le Guin might have had a hand in it too.

The new novel is called Stewards of the Flame (yes I know!) and is intended as an adult novel. edge_of_ruin, you are first up to borrow it.

Comments

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about the dangers of recommending books.

The one thing that surprised me about The Far Side of Evil is that it's marketed as a "young adult" book. It's not the first time that I've read a "young adult" book that's deeper than the average run of "adult" fuixtion, but this was very dark as well.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, some "young adult" books really do surpass mainstream litfic.

I first read The Far Side of Evil when I was about 9 or 10 - it had a tremendous impact. Many years later, finding Sylvia Engdahl's website, we had a brief exchange about this - I think she was quite alarmed I'd come to it so early. I gather she regrets that Enchantress from the Stars and The Far Side of Evil were originally positioned as companion volumes, since Enchantress is suitable for younger children.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I share her alarm. :) You must have been a remarkable ten year old. I can't imagine that I could have enjoyed such a book at so young an age.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Blake's 7 had provided training!