Stewards of the Flame by Sylvia Engdahl

Science Fiction came out of my Mixed Book Bag Today

Sylvia Engdahl wrote and published six young adult novels between 1971 and 1980. I read all six and always felt they could be listed as adult as well as young adult. After 1980 she went off to make a living and nothing was heard from her until Stewards of the Flame her first new book in over 20 years. It is also her first book listed as adult science fiction. The book received very excellent reviews and I purchased it shortly after it was released. It stayed on my too be read pile because after reading the reviews I was afraid that the book was very grim and depressing. The book is set on Undine a planet where medical treatment is carried to the extreme. People's bodies are not allowed to die. The premise sounds grim and depressing but the book is not. The story deserves all of the rave reviews it received.

Sylvia Engdahl self-published the book. In her notes at the back of the book she explained that it just did not fit any of the publishers categories. I think any publisher who turned the book down was the loser. We, the readers, would have lost if the story had never been released. Medical treatment taken to the extreme is a current and future concern. Be sure to read Stewards of the Flame.