This Star Shall Abide: aka Heritage of the Star

(This book is known in the UK as Heritage of the Star.)

Children of the Star trilogy, Book One. Noren can see that his world is not as it should be--it is wrong that only the Scholars, and their representatives the Technicians, can use metal tools and Machines. It's wrong that only they have access to the impenetrable City, which he has always longed to enter. Above all, it is wrong for the Scholars to have sole power over the distribution of knowledge. Unable to believe in the Prophecy that promises these restrictions will someday end, he declares it to be a fraud and defies the High Lew under which they are enforced. His family and the girl to whom he is betrothed reject him. Yet he cannot turn back from the path that leads him to the mysterious fate awaiting heretics.

This classic science fiction novel is enjoyed by readers age 12 and up as well as by older teens and adults who go on to read the other two books in the Children of the Star trilogy. Originally published in hardcover by Atheneum in the US and by Gollancz in the UK under the title Heritage of the Star, it was the winner of a Christopher Award given for "affirmation of the highest values of the human spirit." For more reader reviews, be sure to see those for the omnibus edition of the trilogy under the title Children of the Star.

From the reviews:

“Tension-filled, beautiful and haunting.” —Commonweal

“Both logically and consistently suspenseful.... This Star will Abide a good deal longer than most here today, gone tomorrow sci-fi.” —Kirkus Reviews

“An excellent plot and remarkable character development make this tale of the future highly satisfying and thought-provoking.” —Top of the News, American Library Association

“This is not the electronic-light-flashing-exterminate-him-thing from outer space type of science fiction. It is an allegory which poses one of the most heart-searching dilemmas of the human race, perhaps in the C. S. Lewis tradition. I mean Perelandra rather than Narnia.... This is a thought-provoking book distantly related to Lord of the Rings and The Glassbead Game, and may appeal to a similar readership.” —The Junior Bookshelf, London

“The story is noteworthy for its dramatization of the crucial meeting of man, science and the universe.” —Horn Book

“Superior future fiction concerning the fate of an idealistic misfit, Noren, who rebels against his highly repressive society.... The attention of mature sci-fi readers will be held by the skillful writing and excellent plot and character development.” —School Library Journal

“In another superior and thoughtful science fiction novel, the author has created a believable civilization ... on a far-off planet in a far-distant time.... What happens to the hero Noren when he forces admission to the inner city makes for fascinating reading.” —Chicago Daily News

“This is more than an exceptionally fine book about outer space. It is a wonderful book, perhaps telling the subtle story of many faiths. Watch for this for awards.” —Fresno Bee

“I read this, fascinated, right to the end. The sequel that Miss Engdahl promises might benefit from a reduction in soul-searching, but I’m sure it will be worth reading.” —Christian Science Monitor