Stewards of the Flame: A Novel (The Founders of Maclairn Book 1)

Crime is considered illness, untreated illness is crime; ambulance crews are the only police. Dead bodies stay on "life support" forever. Can anyone gain freedom?

When burned-out starship captain Jesse Sanders is seized by a dictatorial medical regime and detained on the colony planet Undine, he has no idea that he is about to be plunged into a bewildering new life that will involve ordeals and joys beyond anything he has ever imagined, as well as the love of a woman with powers that seem superhuman. Still less does he suspect that he must soon take responsibility for the lives of people he has come to care about and the preservation of their hopes for the future of humankind.

This controversial novel deals with government-imposed health care, end-of-life issues, and the so-called paranormal powers of the human mind. Despite being set in the distant future on another world, it appeals not only to science fiction readers but to others who question the dominant medical philosophy of today's society, or who value personal freedom of choice.

This is the first book of the Founders of Maclairn duology and is followed by Promise of the Flame, which is quite different and can stand alone. Please note that unlike Engdahl's YA novels, these are adult science fiction and contain some material inappropriate for readers below high school age. Read more Continue reading Read less REVIEW
"The story is compelling, and drew me in from the first few pages. . . . I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading genre fiction with some substance to it." --Blogcritics

"A suspenseful and thought-provoking novel that seems so plausible that it sends chills up my spine . . . truly a masterpiece of parapsychological science fiction." --Rebecca's Reads

"A chilling look at what extreme socialized medicine could become in the hands of a dictatorial medical regime. . . Would make an excellent discussion topic for a book club." --MyShelf.com

"A brilliant twist on dystopianism. . . . The book builds just the right amount of tension, and shows the stark reality of benevolent tyranny, one that any so-called democracy could creep towards quite easily." --Prometheus

"Grips the attention with the raw immediacy of the problems. . . . It asks the sort of questions only SF can pose, and paints a vivid picture of where failing to answer those questions might lead. . . . Stewards is the kind of SF I've been craving!" --Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Monthly Aspectarian

"Stewards of the Flame is a brave book, and the numbers of those holding to the sentiments it conveys are growing. While the novel portrays extreme measures taken to prolong life to reductio ad absurdum lengths, it can't be faulted for challenging our comfort zone, when after all, that is one sure measure of worthwhile fiction." --ScifiDimensions

"This is mind-stretching speculative fiction for the thinking person. . . . The ending of Stewards of the Flame is one of the best endings I've ever come across. It is absolutely right for the book." --Rambles FROM THE AUTHOR
My five "Flame" novels are now divided into a duology (Stewards of the Flame and Promise of the Flame) and a trilogy (Defender of the Flame, Herald of the Flame, and Envoy of the Flame) . The trilogy can be read independently of the earlier duology, as it is a separate story with different characters.

For extensive background material on the topics dealt with by this novel please visit my website.The Kindle edition of this book is not DRM-free because it was first published before that option became available to authors and the DRM cannot be removed; if you need a copy that can be converted for your personal use on a device for which no Kindle app is available, get the omnibus edition of the duology, The Hidden Flame. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sylvia Engdahl is the author of six highly acclaimed young adult science fiction novels that are also enjoyed by adults, as well as five adult science fiction novels. She has also written a nonfiction book and several collections of essays. Although all her fiction takes place in the distant future on hypothetical worlds, it is directed more to mainstream readers than to avid science fiction fans and is enjoyed by a wider audience than seekers of the SF genre. Read more Continue reading Read less