The novel begins in true fairy-tale fashion: "At the edge of the Enchanted Forest there lived a poor woodcutter who had four sons ... " Before this opening, however, the reader receives a signal that Enchantress from the Stars is more than a book-length fairy tale. The prologue opens with an image drawn from space-age deeds, not legend: "The planet shines below us, cloud-flecked, dazzling against the dark backdrop of space." Much of the sense of wonder and delight in this book comes from the skillful way it combines the world views of three characters. Throughout the story, scenes alternate between Elana's, Georyn's, and Jarel's point of view.

Georyn, like his people, sees the world in mythical terms. When Elana appears to him, naturally she seems like an Enchantress. Around her neck she wears a magic Emblem. Her words too are full of magic, because although she does...