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story identification - Heretic among the stars?


I'm trying to identify a 70s (I think) young adult sci-fi novel. The protagonist is a peasant in a culture established offworld. The culture has sunk to a basic agricultural level. The planet they are on doesn't have the required raw materials for tool use. His community is forced to pay a levy to The City (or something). Despite warnings to the contrary he travels there to confront the regime - and find out the truth.




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