The Star

This is a mawkish, sappy religious story which has aged very poorly (as have its successors, A Case of Conscience and The Sparrow). Readers who believe in the story of the birth of Christ may find it moving, but those who don't believe that a supreme deity, if one existed, would do terrible things to make some sort of egotistical point will likely find this story a disappointment (never mind the fact that the advance warning of the length of time required for a supernova would provide an advanced civilization ample opportunity to make survival arrangements).