Students go undercover on an alien world.

[kirchan57]

A youth novel from the 1960-70's. Three Earth students, two guys and a girl, are chosen for a planet survey mission as an outreach of an advanced alien galactic federation. One guy's father is just developing Earth's own star drive engine. The girl becomes the guy's love interest. The other guy is a member of a robed conservative religious sect - I think they are called Taylorites. They are assigned to a rodent-like alien mentor who has a problem with his temper. I think he is a member of a competing Earth religious sect that promotes universal peace and harmony.

For the mission, the students are disguised as members of one of the three native races and their alien guide is disguised as a humble "pet" being called a Bundii as his way of quelling his emotions. One other race on the planet is a shark-like humanoid. This race has developed a similar machine, but they do not realize it is a star drive. They think it is only a killing device. It only affects their species. The test is whether the humans will reveal that it is a star drive machine to the "sharks" who are a less advanced, warlike race. They decide it is right to conceal this knowledge from the "sharks". It was a test of the Earth's character. Humans are welcomed into the alien community as fellow members of the civilized worlds.

What is it? If I could just spot the book cover at Amazon, I think I would recognize it. It was a monochromatic color scheme in shades of blue as I recall. There is a picture of the star drive machine over a tank with sharks swimming in it. Several scientists are about the scene.

 

[alchemist]

It might be Arcturus Landing by George R Dickson (or some other novel by him). Googling it brough up the hilarious line: "The President!" ejaculated Johnny.

 

[kirchan57]

Thanks for the input. Some similarity in the scenarios, but not the same story. Oh, also it is Gordon R. Dickson not George, but searching gets us there anyway. I must keep looking.

 

[Matteo]

A Google search (taylorites bundii) found the book Space Winners by Gordon R Dickson.

In it are Neo-Taylorites and an animal called a Bundii.

I can't see it being any other book - especially if you take a look at this:

Space Winners by Gordon R Dickson 1965 1st Edition | eBay

 

[kirchan57]

Oooh! Merci, merci! I think you are spot on. The book cover is familiar even though it is not as I described it. Hmm! 1965 does seem like ages ago, does it not? And I so wish Chrysler had given us those marvelous Turbine cars...maybe the Israelis will succeed with their micro-turbines in the Prius hybrid. A brighter future after all?

 

[kirchan57]

(I have shared the following elsewhere, but I think it rounds out our thread on this thoughtful youth novel by Gordon R. Dickson[May his soul be at peace and be blessed forever.].)

Really, how time and memory does play tricks on you. I did not remember the story clearly at all. But I have enjoyed re-reading this young people's story from Gordon Dickson(even though he has an error about Hawaii - my home state). It is multi-layered and introduces a number of concepts later picked up in broadcast Sci-Fi shows.

The rodent-like fellow is from a heavy-gravity world and is much stronger than he looks. His Neo-Taylorite sect does not really mention religion, but it is supposed to be peaceful and about doing good. One of the young male humans is an "Archaist" who emphasizes Earth history and desires to learn all about the aliens in hope of defeating them in the future. The young woman is a thoughtful socio-anthropologist. The protagonist male human is a stubborn, logic-minded tech guy.

The four are stranded on a less developed alien world by an apparent spaceship malfunction. The three races of the planet Quebahr are the humanoid craftsmen Maureg, the physically tough kangaroo-like Walat, and the scientifically minded lizard Noif. And they turned out not to be sharks after all!

Many of these ideas and concepts were played out in Canada's Andromeda series starring Kevin Sorbo. The alien federation follows a Star Trek-like "Prime Directive" although it is not formally stated. They see the value in allowing cultures to discover and learn things for themselves rather than by receiving gifts as if "from the gods". They tested the humans to see if they would also share this value. This is a most interesting writing from the mid-1960's. It is still available at Amazon.