Set on a distant planet, this is a gripping tale about Sckarline, a colony that believes in "appropriate technology adoption." A heavily armed clan arrives at the colony while it is being visited by off-world anthropologists. Sckarline's technological beliefs are put to the test when events spiral out of control. Told from the viewpoint of a young woman, she soon learns just how high the price of wisdom can be.

Maureen F. McHugh is the author of four acclaimed novels. Her genre-expanding short fiction has won the Hugo and Locus Awards and has frequently been included in Best of the Year anthologies. "The Cost to Be Wise" was nominated for both the 1997 Hugo and Nebula Award.