kgbooklog

Briefly, the emergence of a scientific worldview in a low tech background. They're also both colonies that don't know it, but that's not what makes them similar. The Engdahl's a YA, and I read it as a kid but it pushes many of the same buttons for me that the Kirstein does.

I believe it's in print in Britain from Puffin under the title Heritage of the Star. (If it's not, it was about two years ago.)