New group for discussion of my novels

[Sylvia]

I invite anyone who has enjoyed my YA science fiction novels (Enchantress from the Stars, The Far Side of Evil, This Star Shall Abide and others) to join my new group "Sylvia Engdahl Discussion and Q&A".

[Llama]

I loved Enchantress from the Stars and The Far Side of Evil. I liked how you brought out the concept that the higher or more enlighted civilization had to care and even sacrifice for the wellfare of the ones they were observing. Do you watch much scifi? In Star Trek they have a similar concept which they call the Prime Directive. Your stories reminded me of how the idea was used in a few espisodes. What influenced you to write this genre? I look forward to reading more of your books.

[Sylvia]

I had the basic idea of Enchantress from the Stars in mind long before Star Trek existed, though I didn't write the book until later. The thing that always bothered me about the Prime Directive was that many of the Star Trek plots were built on situations where Captain Kirk found an excuse to violate it. The assumption seemed to be that if in his judgment the people of the world he was visiting weren't behaving in the way he thought they should, the presumed benefit of interference was obviously more important than whatever principle had caused the policy to be established. That was indeed one reason why in my books I made a point of Elana's people taking their policy seriously. But actually I didn't watch Star Trek much until years after I wrote them, in reruns.

[Llama]

Did you ever read Moon-Flash by Patricia Mckillip? It is a scifi fantasy, though at first it does not seem like it. In some ways it reminded me of Enchantress because of the primitive people group it begins with.