Quotes from Reviews of
The Far Side of Evil
A YA novel by Sylvia Engdahl
"Engdahl's faith in the importance of space exploration and the questions
she poses about the nature of 'progress' and the dangers of well-intentioned
intervention will amply reward the careful reader."
--Terri Schmitz,
Horn Book, September 2003
"Fiction doesn't have to be profound, just entertaining. But every once in a long while,
a novel comes along that is both. . . [It] speak[s] to the very place of humanity in the
universe, and what we need to do to attain and claim it. In an age in which terrorism
has threatened our ways of life in unexpected ways, Engdahl's probing story, and the
recommendation it contains, are especially relevant. Originally published some three decades
ago, this new edition, revised by the author's deft hand, is even better."
--Paul Levinson,
Amazon.com, May 2004
"The Far Side of Evil is published as a book for young adults, but it's really
more for adults or older teens. Like all good science fiction, [it] is about ideas
and makes you think deeply ... a gripping and thought-provoking story."
--Sondra Eklund,
Sonderbooks, April 2003
"This is an interesting, complex read that will appeal to science-fiction
lovers 14 years and older."
--Christopher Moning,
Children's Literature,
November 2003
"A surprising, haunting, poetic book ... full of provocative
philosophical and psychological questions as well as tense adventure and romance."
--Commonweal, 21 May 1971
"Gripping psychological science fiction ... the relationship between the
heroine and her sophisticated, unbrutish interrogator is beautifully balanced
and adds another dimension to a story which is already multi-faceted."
--Times Literary Supplement, London, 19 September 1975
"Contains good characterizations and some thoughtful concepts about our
own world, set in a skillfully written SF plot."
--School Library Journal, 15 April 1971
"An intriguing, provocative story relevant to situations in today's world."
--Booklist, 15 May 1971
"The author has a direct, forceful style of writing that sparks the reader's
imagination."
--Publisher's Weekly, 31 May 1971
"This is a thoughtful and engrossing novel..."
--Chicago Daily News 10 July 1971 (syndicated column)
"Elana's efforts to uphold the rules of the Service without revealing
her alien identity is an exciting, fascinating tale."
--George G. Stone center for Children's Books, December 1971
"The best science fiction story that we have read this spring..."
--The Catholic Voice, May 13, 1971
FAQ about the book, excerpt, and purchase information
A YA novel by Sylvia Engdahl
"Engdahl's faith in the importance of space exploration and the questions she poses about the nature of 'progress' and the dangers of well-intentioned intervention will amply reward the careful reader." --Terri Schmitz, Horn Book, September 2003"Fiction doesn't have to be profound, just entertaining. But every once in a long while, a novel comes along that is both. . . [It] speak[s] to the very place of humanity in the universe, and what we need to do to attain and claim it. In an age in which terrorism has threatened our ways of life in unexpected ways, Engdahl's probing story, and the recommendation it contains, are especially relevant. Originally published some three decades ago, this new edition, revised by the author's deft hand, is even better." --Paul Levinson, Amazon.com, May 2004
"The Far Side of Evil is published as a book for young adults, but it's really more for adults or older teens. Like all good science fiction, [it] is about ideas and makes you think deeply ... a gripping and thought-provoking story." --Sondra Eklund, Sonderbooks, April 2003
"This is an interesting, complex read that will appeal to science-fiction lovers 14 years and older." --Christopher Moning, Children's Literature, November 2003
"A surprising, haunting, poetic book ... full of provocative philosophical and psychological questions as well as tense adventure and romance." --Commonweal, 21 May 1971
"Gripping psychological science fiction ... the relationship between the
heroine and her sophisticated, unbrutish interrogator is beautifully balanced
and adds another dimension to a story which is already multi-faceted."
--Times Literary Supplement, London, 19 September 1975"Contains good characterizations and some thoughtful concepts about our own world, set in a skillfully written SF plot." --School Library Journal, 15 April 1971
"An intriguing, provocative story relevant to situations in today's world." --Booklist, 15 May 1971
"The author has a direct, forceful style of writing that sparks the reader's imagination." --Publisher's Weekly, 31 May 1971
"This is a thoughtful and engrossing novel..." --Chicago Daily News 10 July 1971 (syndicated column)
"Elana's efforts to uphold the rules of the Service without revealing her alien identity is an exciting, fascinating tale." --George G. Stone center for Children's Books, December 1971
"The best science fiction story that we have read this spring..." --The Catholic Voice, May 13, 1971