Envoy of the Flame

Ardith Moran is elated by the prospect of contact with extraterrestrial civilizations, elated enough to stake her life on her conviction that they exist even after the exploratory expedition's leaders turn back. The last thing she expects is to fall in love with an alien, much less to have him insist that only if she returns to Earth can it be saved from tyranny and eventual ruin. As a member of the newly-discovered interstellar federation's Anthropological Service, he is prepared to make sacrifices for the sake of Earth, and he expects her to do the same. But can she, by giving up her hope of remaining in his world, convince Earthborn people who don't want to meet aliens that they can't retreat from the universe? Or will Earth's authorities succeed in killing her to suppress the evidence only she and her fellow envoys can provide?

The first two bools in this trilogy, Defender of the Flame and Herald of the Flame, need not be read before this one, as it is complete in itself. However, the backstory it contains includes major spoilers for them.

Please note that unlike some of Engdahl's earlier novels, this is not a Young Adult novel and it contains some material unsuitable for middle-school readers.


Genre: Science Fiction