Bronze medal winner, 2008 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards!
A novel about the future dealing with the paranormal powers of the human mind, which will appeal to a wide range of readers who question the dominant medical philosophy of today’s society, or who value personal freedom of choice. Unlike Engdahl's earlier novels, it is not appropriate for YA readers.
When burned-out starship captain Jesse Sanders is seized by a dictatorial medical regime and detained on the colony planet Undine, he has no idea that he is about to be plunged into a bewildering new life that will involve ordeals and joys beyond anything he has ever imagined, as well the love of a woman with powers that seem superhuman. Still less does he suspect that he must soon take responsibility for the lives of people he has come to care about and the preservation of their hopes for the future of humankind.
“A taut, well-paced science fiction work . . . that transcends the genre's traditional subdivisions and leads us into a world as relevant as today but as enthralling as tomorrow." —Paul H. Smith, author of Reading the Enemy’s Mind: Inside Star Gate—America’s Psychic Espionage Program and former intelligence officer in that program.
“Expository sections . . . are more than made up for by Engdahl’s unmatched ability to combine intellectual speculation, moral forthrightness, and narrative suspense. . . . The end is both exciting and searingly moving. Readers who enjoy the more adult works of Robert A. Heinlein or C. S. Lewis should enjoy this novel. . . [It] is eminently readable, indeed hard to put down. . . . It also has the potential to bring this undervalued author the wide reading public her talent merits.” —Nicholas Birns, author of Understanding Anthony Powell
Also available as an e-book from Mobipocket.
Visit www.stewardsoftheflame.com for more reviews, background information, sample chapters, and book group discussion guide.
Professional Reviews
Thought provoking
“Inspires a lot of thought-provoking ‘what-if’ questions. . . . An excellent novel to read just for pure enjoyment, however, I would highly recommend Stewards of the Flame to bioethics classes. It will certainly lead to some stimulating discussions.” --Paige Lovitt, Midwest Book Review, December 2007
Suspenseful “A suspenseful and thought-provoking novel that seems so plausible that it sends chills up my spine . . . truly a masterpiece of parapsychological science fiction.” —Robin Witte, Rebecca’s Reads, May 2008
Compelling
“The story is compelling, and drew me in from the first few pages. . . . Stewards of the Flame is a thought provoking novel that may make you question the authority and direction of modern Western medical practices. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading genre fiction with some substance to it.” —Anna Creech, Blogcritics, February 2008
Entertaining “Extremely entertaining. . . . A cautionary tale that Big Brother is coming through the government medical complex.” —Harriet Klausner, Midwest Book Review, January 2008
Gripping
“Grips the attention with the raw immediacy of the problems. . . . An inquiry and commentary on the nature of what it is to be human, and where evolution can take us from here. It asks the sort of questions only SF can pose, and paints a vivid picture of where failing to answer those questions might lead. . . . Stewards is the kind of SF I’ve been craving!” —Jacqueline Lichtenberg (author of the Sime/Gen series), Monthly Aspectarian, June 2008
Powerful “Stewards of the Flame combines contemporary concerns about health, social issues, and privacy with science fiction and parapsychology to create a powerful story. Are we really headed towards a world like Undine? Are there better alternatives to medications and suspended animation? Both the questions and the potential answers are fascinating.” —Tami Brady, TCM Reviews, December 2007
“The year is 2011 and Samuel Elmsmore is adrift in the universe. After a series of breakdowns he awakens as a virtual prisoner in a hostel for the mentally ill. He’s estranged from his family and friends, and is jobless after an unfortunate incident
The Starlords is a science fiction/fantasy story about ancient Starlords (old gods) or ancient aliens who along with their scions rule parts of the galaxy.
