The Pern books from Todd McCaffrey are every bit as well written as his mother's but I have still found it very hard to get into the Pern "history" books - the ones set before her original Dragon Riders series. Benden Weyr without F'lar and Lessa - the Harper Hall without Master Robinton - just don't keep my interest the same way. Those 3 characters really are Pern to me and it's just not the same without them.