Alpha Centauri

by Robert Siegel

Vacationing with her father in England, Becky and her newfound friend Rebecca the horse blunder into the "Eye of the Fog" and are carried back through time to ancient Britain. They emerge in the midst of a desperate struggle in which ruthless men are seeking to wipe out a race of benevolent centaurs. Thus begins an incredible tale of courage, faith and dogged determination in the face of impossible odds as Becky undertakes a perilous mission to save the centaurs. Along the way she encounters a series of challenges that try her ingenuity and strength of character. At last she meets the ultimate test of her faith and will: she must open the Path to the Stars—the only hope for the centaurs' survival.

Acclaim for Robert Siegel and Alpha Centauri:

"Absolutely fantastic! Has all the qualities of classical fantasy. The kind of book that should be around for hundreds of years!" —Madeleine L'Engle, Newberry Award-winning of author of A Wrinkle in Time

"It is all here—everything your imagination longs for when it travels back beyond our sad and gritty history to the high and noble ages of which we mortals get only fleeting and heartbreaking glimpses in the tales we now call myths. Siegel is a bard, and that is a genus almost as rare nowadays as the centaurs." ―Tom Howard, author of Christ the Tiger

"A mythic masterpiece." ―Bookstore Journal

"Alpha Centauri bursts in the sky like the Fourth of July, brilliant to behold. High adventure, drama, self-sacrifice, courage, a bit of romance—it is all to be found in this well-written and beautifully illustrated tale. This is a fine work and a joy to recommend. Books like this don’t come along very often." —Christianity Today

"A feast of sheer delight awaits the reader of this brilliant fantasy novel." ―Voices

"The classic theme of pure beings fighting the forces of evil and chaos is handled deftly, with a believable character and a misty, faraway setting. . . The novel's success rests upon the author's ability to portray both a human girl and mythological beings with dignity." ―The Library Journal

"A delightful new fantasy of journey and quest. . . Madeleing L'Engle, C.S. Lewis, Dr. Tolkien, meet Robert Siegel. He may be moving into your select circle." ―The Episcopalian

"Dramatic use of tension carries the plot swiftly forward. . . Imaginative and entertaining." ―The American Library Association Booklist

"This move in the direction of classical fantasy proves to be a pure triumph for both publisher and author." ―Essex Journal

"I've spent my entire writing career trying to capture the magic that Robert Siegel effortlessly captures. . . Be prepared to love this book." —J.R. Rain, author of Moon Dance

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Robert Harold Siegel was an American poet and novelist. He authored four books of poetry and five children's novels.

Reviews

[The Book Bunch (Sam) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great middle grade classic fantasy. For lovers of Narnia and wrinkle in time. It is full of mythical creatures and good vs evil

[Joy E. Rancatore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book and the impression it made on me has stuck with me since I first read it as a young child. The story was a little more fuzzy, but I knew it was good...and I was right! Re-reading this as an adult I can see the effects it had on my foundation as a reader.

Alpha Centauri follows an unlikely hero on her quest to save a mighty race of creatures. It is a story of good and evil; courage and fear; wisdom and foolishness; selflessness and selfishness. The story examines the domino effect of individual choices on those around them and on the future.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story. No romance, simply adventure and fantasy. But I can't disregard such a fascinating story. It was written to be enjoyed again and again.

[Ron Short · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remembered enjoying this book as a child and recently found a copy to give to my daughter. I was disappointed to discover that the plot was plodding and predictable and the writing stilted. Hard to read as an adult.

[Tani]

I tried the first 50 pages of this, and found that I wasn't interested enough to continue. It does feel like an old school children's fantasy, and I probably would have enjoyed it thoroughly as a child. However, as an adult, my tolerance for the overly simplistic is quite a bit lower, and if I'm ever going to get through all the books I have unread on my shelves, I have to be liberal in stopping when a thing isn't working for me.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging fantasy story about a young girl who, on a visit to England, is taken by a horse to a time in the distant past, where she meets centaurs and discoverers that she is the subject of a prophecy saying that she will save them from the hostile Rock Movers (humans) and open a path for them to go to their place of origin, Alpha Centauri. This is a very good fantasy novel, aimed at young adults but I think it can be enjoyed by all ages.

[Ash Pierce · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried the first 50 pages of this, and found that I wasn't interested enough to continue. It does feel like an old school children's fantasy, and I probably would have enjoyed it thoroughly as a child. However, as an adult, my tolerance for the overly simplistic is quite a bit lower, and if I'm ever going to get through all the books I have unread on my shelves, I have to be liberal in stopping when a thing isn't working for me.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the first fantasy books I read as a child and I was hooked from the beginning. I read it later as a young adult and loved it just as much. It’s a great adventure story that left me wanting in more.

[Amber Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my first fantasy book experience. When I was a child we read it as a family. I was amazed then how it created this magical world in my mind and how easy it was to imagine. So glad to have found a copy since it’s been out of print for a while. This was fun to reread as an adult.

[Heather Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

''Sometimes the Shaper may take what the Warper has twisted and make from it a thing more beautiful than before. Sometimes good is better for having overcome evil.''

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fun - reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle's YA fantasies.

[Josiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was fun to read. My children love it as well. Enjoy!

[Just Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in fourth grade after my friend came up to me after starting and saying, "Oh my gosh, this book is amazing."

It's been FOREVER since I've read this book, and I can't seem to find a copy of it anywhere! From the little I remember, it was a very good book. I remember the plot, just not the names of the characters.it was the first fairly big book I'd ever read, and one of the first in the fantasy genre, and MAN, it got me hooked.

I just wish I could get my hands on a copy...

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoyed traveling to Narnia I think you would enjoy this also.

[Shadowspirit369 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book that got me into fantasy. Loved it then and I still quite enjoy it now

[Patrick Tesner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know I kept expecting something like a wrinkle in time, it didn't seem to flow very well, I !at just be to old for this book, but it was a good story!

[Didi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book when I was a little girl. Whenever friends with daughters want me to recommend a good fantasy book for children reading chapter books, I also mention this one.

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute time-travel/fantasy novel involving centaurs and a teenage heroine.