Allegorical figures are common in Anderson's fiction: Usually the allegorical figure will be a dominating, virile male who represents the strengths of free enterprise. On the other hand, it is unusual for Anderson to create a novel in which nearly every figure is symbolic of an idea. Not only does Harvest of Stars feature many allegorical characters, but it develops them in a very unusual way. The novel begins as an adventure, and its characters seem to be what one may reasonably expect in an adventure written by a talented and mature author. For example, Kyra Davis begins as a courageous, good-hearted person, and she evolves into a heroic figure as she learns that she has abilities that she was initially unaware of and then uses her hidden talents to defy a deadly enemy and to save her friends from doom. As such, she is a heroine typical...