The characters of Enchantress from the Stars come from three different planets and differ in physical features and cultural background. All are human in their essential traits. A few "bad" individuals among the Imperial troops treat the Andrecian natives as subhumans who can be killed with impunity. The text deals at length with the error of such an attitude. By bringing this topic into sharp focus, Engdahl invites the reader to consider a wide variety of similar problems—from the United States government's past treatment of Native Americans, to humanity's possible reaction if ever faced with an intelligent, extraterrestrial race very different from itself. The weaving of such issues into the story lifts it above the average adventure tale.

Enchantress from the Stars was written in 1970, at a time when issues of gender and language were just beginning to be widely discussed. Although the text...