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The Girl Who Heard Dragons", by Anne McCaffrey (1986 fine press book; cover story in The Girl Who Heard Dragons (1994)) The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall, by Anne McCaffrey (1993 collection of five stories, two original; set mostly after Dragonsdawn) Before reading these books, I was mildly puzzled why the author would consider them science fiction rather than fantasy. To me, dragons sort of equal fantasy. However, there is a rather long prologue that explains how fugitives from Earth long ago came to the planet they call Pern and crash-landed so that they couldn’t leave. It also explains all about “thread” – the main problem that has been plaguing the inhabitants of Pern pretty much ever since. “Thread” is a) sort of spores for some sort of fungus-like substance that will eat up nearly everything organic that it touches, and b) falls to Pern from another nearby planet whenever this planet is in range. There is more technical stuff, like how a sort of harmonic convergence of the other planets in the system has kept this other (red) planet out of range for a long time in recent years, breaking what had been a regular cycle of thread falls. Many of the residents of Pern came to believe that the scourge of Thread had ended forever.
Dragonflight: (Dragonriders of Pern: 1): an awe-inspiring Dragonflight: (Dragonriders of Pern: 1): an awe-inspiring
Fortunately, when the parasitic threads put in an appearance, everything moves into a higher gear. This is both because now the Dragon riders actions have a context, and because suddenly the questionable character depiction of F'lar and Lessa falls off dramatically, indeed for all I was not always fond of Lessa, the final sequence when she rises atop her golden queen dragon to fight thread is quite remarkable, as are some of the things she achieves when the situation gets desperate. Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants" - THE TIMES
All Anne McCaffrey Reviews
Characters in general are not explored much emotionally. The developing romance between Brekke and F‘nor delves a little deeper and I enjoyed that part. Writing sex scenes is not something that McCaffrey did well, even for the non-graphic variety. This was the beginning of the ship series. This is one of her most famous series which culminates with the 1969 “The Ship who sang.” In 1966, she became the secretary/treasurer of the Science Fiction Writers of America. “The Ship who Mourned,” her fourth story was published in 1966. “The Ship who Killed” which was her fifth story was published in the late 1966. Does the character that took that action feel remorse? Yes, however he had no choice in the matter of the act. But he could have forewarned his wronged counterpart. Guilty by omission. The Masterharper of Pern was made in 1998 by Anglo-Alaskan duo Tania Opland and Mike Freeman in collaboration with Anne McCaffrey at her request, and features the music of Robinton. The project began as an idea to include written music in the book of the same name, printed on the inner faces of the cover. By the time the composers had written and auditioned the early drafts at the author's table it was clear that making the songs a reality to their creator's satisfaction was finally possible. The CD project was completed some eighteen months later (1998) and released to the approval of the author and fans of the series worldwide. [8]
Dragonflight / Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey | Goodreads
Anne McCaffrey’s first story was published by Sam Moskowitz in Science Fiction + Magazine and her first novel was published by Ballantine Books in 1967. By the time the three children of her marriage were comfortably in school most of the day, she had already achieved enough success with short stories to devote full time to writing. Her first novel, Restoree, was written as a protest against the absurd and unrealistic portrayals of women in s-f novels in the 50s and early 60s. It is, however, in the handling of broader themes and the worlds of her imagination, particularly the two series The Ship Who Sang and the fourteen novels about the Dragonriders of Pern that Ms. McCaffrey’s talents as a story-teller are best displayed. Generally likeable main characters who cooperate well against external threats. In this respect, the dynamics are somewhat like Lord of the Rings, where the good guys need to work in perfect harmony (Denethor & Boromir excepted) to overcome their obstacles. Contrast that to the Wheel of Time books, where the good guys' problems stem not only from external sources, but from mistrusting each other, infighting, failing to share vital information, and general petty squabbling amongst themselves.Well written, extraordinary world building whose influence can be seen even today." ***** Reader review
Dragonflight - Dragonriders of Detailed Review Summary of Dragonflight - Dragonriders of
Sky Dragons (July 2012, by Anne and Todd McCaffrey; sequel to Dragon's Time; published after Anne's death) These stories take place immediately before and during the Ninth Pass, about 2,500 years after landing (AL): Two turns (years) have passed since Lessa impressed Ramoth. Ramoth is now full-grown, but Lessa is forbidden from flying with her, instead restricted to learning teaching ballads. The Weyrleader, R'gul, claims that queen dragons don't fly — except to mate — stating this is tradition. Lessa disbelieves him — noting that a Weyrwoman and her queen were not forbidden from flying in the historical Ballad of « Moreta's Ride». The people of Pern are exploring the southern continent with a view to moving some of their people there, as the population seems to be increasing now where before it had gotten very small. In the process of this exploration, they find the remains of the ships in which their ancestors originally came to Pern.
Publication Order of Brainship Books
This book took me from earth to 3000 years in the future where some humans escaped earth's planetary warfare to a planet called Pern. Pern is a planet scientifically much like our own except for the erratic red planet that passes by every few hundred years which thrusts a silvery carbon eating menace called thread. The settlers befriend creatures called firelizards which breathe fire on the thread destroying it before it destroys every living thing living on Pern. Through genetic modification large firelizards were created and named dragons. These magnificent creatures born to protect Pern and chose certain people who possessed the right stuff to fight thread and protect the planet. If this had been my first read, I might have given it three stars. Or 3.5 stars, rounded up? Anyway, nostalgia demands 4 stars, despite the above. Yes, I will read Dragonquest and The White Dragon. Barnes & Noble lists a CD "Dragon's School by Anne McCaffrey" expected December 2011. [1]. Confirmed 2011-10-09. Soon after release of Dragon's Time, Todd corrected that early date for the next book and did not comment on its title or completion of the epoch. Todd McCaffrey (7 July 2011). "Newsletter". [ permanent dead link] (responses 18, 20, 24). Anthologies: On Dragonwings • Collection: Get Off the Unicorn • The Girl Who Heard Dragons • A Gift of Dragons • Short stories: The Smallest Dragonboy • The Girl Who Heard Dragons • Runner of Pern • Ever The Twain • The Impression • Beyond Between If you are a newcomer to McCaffrey’s Pern series, you would likely be best starting elsewhere (perhaps with the far more mature Dragonsdawn), however if you want to see how the saga began, and indeed see how a young writer converted two Hugo winning novellas to form her first steps into a historical world of alien dragons, Dragonflight still definitely has something to offer, for all there is no denying McCaffrey did refine both her craft and her dragons later on.
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