The classic Dragonriders of Pern series. Now the chronicles of Pern take another captivating turn as the embattled planet, the brave pioneers who call it home, and the magnificent flame-breathing creatures who fly high to protect it confront a dire new challenge. The grim specter of sickness looms over the Weyrs of Pern, felling fire-lizards and posing a potentially devastating threat to their dragon cousins, Perns sole defense against the deadly phenomenon that is Thread. Fiona, the youngest and only surviving daughter of Lord Bemin, is just coming of age, and about to assume the duties of a Weyrwoman, when word spreads that dragons have indeed begun succumbing to the new contagion. Diminished ranks of the dragons once more under siege, every Weyr across Pern is in crisis mode. It is hardly the time for the strange voice Fiona suddenly hears in her mind or the dreaded news that black dustthe unmistakable herald of falling Threadhas been sighted. As more dragons sicken and die, leaving only a new generation of weyrlings too young to succeed them, Weyrleader BNik and queen rider Lorana arrive from Benden Weyr to comb Fort Weyrs archives in a desperate search for clues from the past that may hold the solution to the plague (Said searching is described in 1 sentance in the book!). But could the actual past itself prove the pathway to salvation for Perns stricken dragons and the entire imperiled planet? Guided by a mysterious ally (?possibly her older selff?) and trusting in the unique dragon gift for transcending time, Fiona will join a risky expedition, Traveling 3 years back in time to an abandended weyr with all the young and hurt dragons and riders to heal and to mature and train fighting thread, so they can terutn to the present and save the people. All in absolute secrecy. Detalied describtion of her impressing Gold queen, running the Igen weyr, and returning to present... Ilness and dying dragons detiled mystery from the 1/3 of the book remains unresolved.
I read the Pern books long ago. Decided to re-read in "chronological order". Then I got to the ones Todd McCaffrey wrote, both in conjunction with his mother and on his own. I made it through the first, Dragon's Kin, which wasn't TOO bad, and the second, Dragon Harper, which was okay, then got through about half of Dragon's Fire, and now a quarter of the way into Dragon Heart, I just can't go on. When I look at the ratings, I'm astonished to see his books rated as high as hers...is it just loyalty? Why can't people see the vast, gigantic difference between her most excellent writing and his pathetic attempts?
His books are pedantic, fluff-filled, stilted and downright boring. There is no life to them, the ones I've read are all about plagues, there's no humor, there are so many characters thrown in, I can't keep track of who's who, or even who's a dragon and who's a human. The dialog is terrible, the "plots" ramble around in circles...I am totally mystified as to why they get such high ratings. I hope that people READ the 1 and 2 star reviews and don't just assume from the star count that they're as good as the REAL Pern books. I wasted some money, won't read the rest of what he's written.
His books are pedantic, fluff-filled, stilted and downright boring. There is no life to them, the ones I've read are all about plagues, there's no humor, there are so many characters thrown in, I can't keep track of who's who, or even who's a dragon and who's a human. The dialog is terrible, the "plots" ramble around in circles...I am totally mystified as to why they get such high ratings. I hope that people READ the 1 and 2 star reviews and don't just assume from the star count that they're as good as the REAL Pern books. I wasted some money, won't read the rest of what he's written.
