Promise of the Flame — Sylvia Engdahl

Three hundred people, isolated on a raw new planet in the hope that their psi powers will become the foundation of a culture that can someday shape the future of humankind. If they don't starve first. If they don't lose heart in the face of hardships beyond any they imagined. And if their kids can be reared to believe in the dream and advance both their technology and their psi powers from one generation to the next.

Starship captain Jesse Sanders hasn't expected to be responsible for the settlement. Peter is the leader, the visionary on whose inspiration they all depend. But Peter has his hands full, not only with maintaining morale but with grueling ordeals of his own. So the job of ensuring the colony's survival falls on Jesse. And in the end, he must stake his life in a desperate attempt to prevent the loss of all they have gained.

This is the second book in the Hidden Flame series, preceded by Stewards of the Flame. Though it can stand alone, reading it first will spoil some of the suspense of the preceding book. It is followed by the Rising Flame series, consisting of Defender of the Flame and Herald of the Flame. Unlike Sylvia Engdahl's earlier novels, these two series are not Young Adult novels and are not appropriate for middle-school readers.

Please note: The cover of this book was changed in 2015. It is not a new edition, as the book itself has not changed.