The Skies of Pern

Pern #15

by Anne McCaffrey

The long-awaited new Dragonriders of Pern® novel from bestselling author Anne McCaffrey

It is a time of hope and regret, of endings and beginnings. The Red Star, that celestial curse whose eccentric orbit was responsible for Thread, has been shifted to a harmless orbit, and the current Threadfall will be the last. Technological marvels are changing the face of life on Pern, and the dragonriders, led by F’lessan, son of F’lar and Lessa and rider of bronze Golanth, and Tia, rider of green Zaranth, must forge a new place for themselves in a world that may no longer need them.

But change is not easy for everyone. There are those who will stop at nothing to keep Pern and its people pure. And now a brand-new danger looms from the skies and threatens a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. Once again, the world looks to the dragons and their riders to save the world. But now, as the friendship of F’lessan and Tia begins to bloom into something more, unforeseen tragedy strikes: a tragedy destined to forever change the future–not just of the two young lovers, but of every human and dragon on Pern . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dragons, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Adult, Ebooks

456 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

Anne Inez McCaffrey was an American writer known for the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, Weyr Search, 1968) and the first to win a Nebula Award (Best Novella, Dragonrider, 1969). Her 1978 novel The White Dragon became one of the first science-fiction books to appear on the New York Times Best Seller list.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.

Reviews

[Susan Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the final book in the my reading of the Dragonriders of Pern series in chronological order. I did enjoy reading the books this way from the settling of Pern until the last which gives you a glimpse of what they plan for the future. This was a pretty good ending, but there are some things left without much of a conclusion. That was a bit frustrating as there is one character that I wanted to know his end. Other than those little things, the characters in this final book were fantastic. There is always a lot going on in each of these books, so following the story line was intriguing and I definitely had characters that I bonded with throughout. It was a good mix of what was currently happening and of them looking to the future and what will become of them as people of Pern and mostly as Dragonriders now that thread will no longer fall.

This is such a great series and I am really happy I chose to read them chronologically this time around.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you are reading this series in chorological order then this is the last book. It is a great ending to the series and wraps up all the things left unanswered in the previous books. Of course as any good writer she leaves it open for a new start. Very recommended as a book and the entire series.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid end to the series. It did a good job of wrapping a lot of stuff up without feeling too pat. Plus it tells its own action-filled (by McCaffrey's standard) tale.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book #16 in chronological order that I have read. And brings the series to an end. Also, I believe it is the last book that McCaffery wrote on her own. Before she passed, her son began writing with her. I have heard that his books are not as good. *sigh* I still have the "in-between" novellas to read, though, and I will try her son's attempt, so I will be in Pern a while yet.

The Red Star has begun its last orbit, and the Threadfall of it will be the last. Some do not believe that the movement of Red Star was successful, and if it was, then it would only bring bad things with it. These "Abominators" as they are being called, are causing havoc throughout the continent and trying to disturb all the new marvels that the computer AVIS left behind.

A brand new danger has come from the atmosphere, and once more Dragons are called to rescue the planet.

A great ending I loved it and loved all the books.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Skies of Pern flies off straight after the previous book with the Dragonriders facing the last falls of Thread and starting to put real plans into motion about what the Dragonriders will be doing after the last of Thread has fallen! :D The story rocks along at an incredible pace with disasters and triumphs coming all the time! :D The Skies of Pern does a great job of turning what on the face of it would seem to be the simplest thing into a totally dramatic edge of the seat storyline! :D The book takes place on a global setting with the action taking place all over the place! :D This work brilliantly with the locations and POV changing at a great pace really keeping the events taking place in your minds eye so you will find yourself reckoning on how that effects something on the other side of the planet! :D This puts the book on epic world building level as we revisit old locations but at the same time new ones are introduced and are as pivotable to events! :D

The book has the tale of the Abominator's runs through the storyline neatly keeping the Dragonriders on their toes but at the same time really ramming home the progress the people of Pern have made in recapturing their heritage! :D The Abominator's themselves are are a troublesome bunch and are a collection of people who know enough to reckon they are right but not enough to know they are wrong! :D They are led by the former escaped criminal known as five who may be actually being manipulated by the slippery holder Toric! :D This adds tension throughout the books as you never know where the Abominator's make stick their destructive heads up! :D This gives us a chance to see all the Dragonriders and Holders working together and you realise how far all the characters have come as they would the noticeable of exception of Toric, who is up to good in the neighbourhood, gel to together in order to deal with everything that is popping up! :D

The action scenes are frenetic and dramatic throughout! :D The commentary fragment that strikes Pern and causes Tsunami is dramatically done an the Dragonriders response is perfectly handled! :D Real edge of the seat stuff abounds throughout the from F’lessan and Golanth threatening to become a Bronze shaped smear on a rock face while rescue a coastal hold to Tai and Zaranth having to bail F’lessan and Golanth out again when cats turn up! :D F'lar and Lessa get to their thing again as they take command of the rescue efforts! :D The way that the characters over time have adapted to the Aivas information makes the book feel like the characters have caught up with the ancestors and this forms the focus of the book as the Dragonriders realise that they are not out a job and far from it! :D We also throughout get appearances from characters ranging form Menolly, Sebell, Jayge, Arimina etc and this works brilliantly really showing Pern as a working thriving world! :D The Dragons get to do their thing as well and Mnementh and Ramoth's attempts to take on Golanth and Zaranth is hilarious and brilliant for example! :D Dragons certainly show throughout the books that they can extremely sly! :D

The Skies of Pern is full of character and humour throughout! :D This works perfectly with action throughout! :D From 'F'lessan encounters with a certain headwoman to Lessa keeping F'lar jumping you will find your ribs hurting throughout! :D The book flies along with great pacing and switching point of views! :D The dragons new abilities is a great extension of their abilities and really works well and adds to the humour throughout! :D The ongoing war with Trundlebugs for example is hilarious throughout! :D

The Skies of Pern of Pern set it's flag to an epic level and never once lowers it! :D The story roams across Pern and beyond it really exploring the issues that have been raised up in previous books and at the same time setting up new plotlines! :D Of course these plotlines could be explored in the future! :D The Skies of Pern feels like a catch up with the characters but at the same time pins it colours to the mast and treads brilliant new ground throughout! :D The Skies of Pern is full of action, character you will love to hate, characters that you will find yourself cheering for, world building, adventure, humour and action throughout! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D

[Fluffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a suitable ending for this incredible series. It's sad to know that you've reached the last book but it's by no means their end, it's a new beginning!

This book just keeps throwing out the perfect amount of action and build throughout. It opens nicely and introduces some fresh new perspectives on top of our usual favourite characters. It keeps the action rolling and builds fantastically on top of the previous book and story lines. I love the curveballs thrown and how they actually help the dragonriders find their calling, and what a calling they decide upon! The new ability is nicely added and I really like how a green dragon finally gets a little recognition and Zaranth is lovely!



The big events in this book are so wonderfully handled and set up. There is just the right amount of heartache (so much!), happiness and victory thrown in to keep the pace and motivation up. There's also quite a bit more dragon talk in this one which I like. The dragons are what makes these books and it's nice to have some more of their unique characteristics and personality traits come in.

The Abominator issue builds nicely from the last couple of books and though there are a few loose ends that, sadly, have no resolution the big questions are answered. The Toric situation is a bit annoying as you really get sick of the guy's over ambitious nature but it's pale in comparison to the dragons new ability and purpose!

The ending has it's moments of heartwrench and it really is breaking to see a proud rider and dragon so crippled but it won't, and doesn't, keep them down! It's so sad to reach the end of this series but I've no doubt I'll read these books again and again, they are amazing. The ending is suitably positive and full of potential, there will always be dragons needed on Pern!

[E.S. Wynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars

It has been a long time since I've read anything by Anne McCaffery (may she rest in peace) and so perhaps this later book in the Pern series was not the best choice for me to use as a means to jump back into her series. The last McCaffery book I read was Dragonsong (Harper Hall of Pern series) and I remember it fondly as an interesting and well-written work.

I was in high school then, so I may have had different standards then, but it tantalized me and made me want to go back to the series again-- eventually.

Now, almost fifteen years later, I've just finished my read through of Skies of Pern, and though McCaffery's universe is just as beautiful, detailed and interesting as I remember, the rest of the book-- the other elements, her wordcraft, editing and dialog choices leave something to be desired. The two, almost distinctively different storylines in this work (the abominators and the discovery of the dragons' new ability) seem to hit each other at disjointed angles (as if they were two short stories jammed together to make a book) and neither really end in a satisfying way (especially the abominator arc.) In truth, this book reads more like fan fiction of the original Pern books than it does like an actual contribution to the series, and that makes me sad.

Hardcore fans of the Pern series should read this book because it continues the tale of Pern and gives hope for the future of the Rukbat system, but newbies to McCaffery's work should probably start with Dragonflight instead of jumping to a random book in the franchise (as I did.)

[Barbara K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may return later to update my review of this, and the entire series, but I've been busy, so until then my 2020 review of this book stands. I lowered my star rating, although I love this book and series. I recommend this particular book only to those who have read the series up to this point and just can't help wanting more Pern. For me, it's the dragons that keep bringing me back, and I'm trying to figure out why that is. Is it something archetypal about them? No time to even think that through, today. This is also a romantic segment in the series, at least the parts of it that concern the couples (there are two pairings involved, two dragons and their two riders). But it's also disturbingly tragic. Bittersweet.

Review from March 2020:

While I love this book, it is long and complex, and even so it doesn't tie up all the loose ends that I really would love to have resolutions to. That said, this may be the most romantic of the Pern novels, which I love about it. It also raises the best hopes for Pern recovering from the setbacks caused by Thread, to become the world the original colonists meant it to be.

I am left wondering: whether Golanth will ever fly again, whether Toric will ever be put in his place (prosecuted, or impeached, or killed), and whether the dragons will indeed be able to protect Pern by moving objects in space using telekinesis. These and many other questions would be wonderful to have the answers to. But I can also imagine my own outcomes, so I still love this book, and where it takes my imagination.

[Tulara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the Pern series ages ago, but I think I missed this one - so it was the last book on my list for 2007.
It was a great read - I had forgotten how much I love McCaffrey's telepathic dragons and their riders. Her story figured on two dragon riders, one shy and new rider and one the lead dragon rider with a history of bravery and leadership. Their slow courtship also brought their dragons into their own courtship also. Pern is going through its own sort of domestice terrorism with drastic consequences. A new wrinkle develops though to the tale of Pern when dragons are discovered (quite by accident) to have an additional power - soon to have a direct effect on Pern and its people.
A great, fast read - to those of us who love dragons and their riders.
Premise: Pern series - a planet where "Thread" falls from the sky destroying crops, life and people - until dragons and their riders flame out the thread that falls during certain times of the planet's revolution around a star. Dragons when hatched "choose" their riders and a lifelong relationship begins.
p.s. when i was on a plane that was going through a violent thunderstorm, i kept my sanity by visualizing that i was fighting thread atop a big dragon called Bella. hey, it kept me from screaming, we're all going to die!"

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog here in December 2001.

This latest Pern novel reads as though it is meant to round off the series. It is one of the most successful series of novels in science fiction, both long running and consistently high selling. The general trend has been for the novels to become more like soap opera episodes as time passes - a trend matched by the way that all of McCaffrey's output has become more homogeneous and unchallengingly predictable.

There are two main aspects to the story. The major dramatic event is a comet impact in Pern's oceans, a massive disaster. This is of course something inspired by the Schumacher-Levy impact on Jupiter, and is a dramatic yet extremely unlikely event. McCaffrey cites impressive technical assistance with the impact description, including oceanographic analysis of tsunami patterns based on the geography of Pern. The sort of panic this event can generate is shown by the way that governments have financed research to try to prevent it happening on Earth, while less dramatic but far more likely scenarios are much less sexy ways to spend money. (To be fair, it is relatively easy to see how to attack the problem of astronomical impacts, compared to, say, making the world's roads safe, or persuading Americans that spending a few minutes going through airport security is a worthwhile precaution.)

The other theme, continued from .The Masterharper of Pern, is the attacks of the Abominators, violent opponents of the changes brought by the information stored in Aivas, the computer which had survived from the original colonisation of Pern. People oppose technological advances for all kinds of reasons, but in her simplistic depiction of these Luddites as not too bright traditionalists, McCaffrey is going against the trends of the modern world. Rather than feeling that all advances are, by definition, evil, current unease about technology is partly due to the perception of past failures to correctly forecast and allow for the results of new applications of science (such as the link between increased burning of fossil fuels and global warning), and also apprehension at the dangers inherent in what we can do now or will soon be able to do, given the human race's past lack of restraint - I'm thinking of nuclear weapons and developments in genetics and biotechnology. It seems to me that fear for the future is a perfectly reasonable - and, indeed, intelligent - emotion to feel, especially as the sort of leaders the world has are not really such as to inspire much confidence.

This is, of course unlike the situation on Pern. There, rather unrealistically, de facto world rulers F'lar and Lessa have managed to be right in every crisis through the entire series of novels; their opponents have always turned out to be too wedded to tradition or to have their own agendas which are usually about personal power rather than the good of people generally, the motive of the two dragonriders. This is the sort of thing which makes this series less significant than it might be; easy to read, but not very deep

[Stephanie Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad to think this was McCaffrey's last Pern novel. It sets itself up for more adventures by the end. I do like F'lessan very much as a character. It's been fun to see him grow up from that little one running around Benden Weyr with Jaxom.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woof! I think I've finally reached the end of my Pern journey. I can slog no further. Formulaic, over-long, and just as sexist as ever.

[Swallowfeather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one gets a three from me that is more like a cross between a two and a four (or 3.8 maybe?); a lot was sub-par, but a few elements were actually better than usual, so that brought the rating back up.

My first thought on picking up this book and starting to read it, years ago, was "Anne McCaffrey appears to have NO idea what motivates terrorists!" Her Abominators were just completely unbelievable. Not that I can't believe that such a thing would happen when a society's going through rapid change toward technology--it's the character motivations and dialog that are ridiculous. Especially given her insistence that the all-wise leaders of Pern are going to introduce and manage the technology *exactly right* in a way that doesn't cause problems for *anybody*. Societies don't work like that. McCaffrey's very good at portraying a society & its leaders responding to crisis in a practical way (which is what she does, over and over, and it's always interesting); but beyond that, maybe she should leave society-wide stories alone.

I also didn't believe in astronomy (even with the danger of meteorites) as a future occupation that would support a whole class of people each of whom has a dragon that eats cattle whole at a rate of one per week. That's an expensive soulmate, folks. I really think you're just going to have to deal with it and get into the transportation business. Oh, well. I didn't care that much about that part of the story anyway. I kinda thought it was a mistake to have them eliminate Thread anyway.

What I did really like about this book was Tai and F'lessan--especially Tai. She seems so much more like a modern girl, and that's very intriguing... and it actually fits because of the societal changes. But what I like most is that with this relationship McCaffrey finally comes out and explores more fully some of the implications of the "dragon mating frenzy" idea that's built into the world of Pern--the darker implications. And she actually tries to deal with them. The scene between Tai and F'lessan when Tai's dragon is in heat was something that surprised me in a Pern book--in a good way. I actually don't think the climax of that scene works--because the way to ensure that someone's choice is free is to actually leave them free, not say "Quick! Choose me freely before you have no choice!" Seems like F'lessan could have done something to show his good faith--how about locking himself in a room and giving her the key, or even just running away from her as fast as he could? McCaffrey sets it up as though there was no option, but I think that there could have been. But in any case I still found that scene fascinating and compelling--and all of a piece with the unusual bronze-green relationship and Lessa's later comment on it: "Well, I suppose it's time people started choosing with their *human* emotions." Somehow all this felt really healthy and filled some kind of lack I had felt in the Pern books previously. (Too bad Todd later took it in the opposite direction.)

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Will I ever finish this? It is depressingly like current events with ignorant no-nothings causing problems. It is also very long and draggy. And in previous books there was a list of characters with their dragon's name and which weyr they were in. Not in this edition. There are what seems like at least 50 people in this book plus at least 10 dragons and assorted fire lizards. If I hadn't read the other books I'd be totally lost. As it is it's been awhile since a read them. Help!
Finally gave up and read the last 2 chapters. Not impressed. Did Anne even write this or did her son?

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cherish this series for the flawed characters and the on-going questions of what entails a good society. In this volume, McCaffrey circles back to the questions of how to deal with those who disrupt and cause violence in society, how much technology and change is good, and how technology challenges society, classes and individuals in reimagining our lives.

[keydell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as the other Pern books.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, number 17 of the Pern starts at the year end, or as it's called the Tern ending. The Dragonriders are still trying to figure out what they will do when thread stops falling forever in 13 years.
A small meteor falls and hits the mine where a man that attacked Avias years ago is imprisoned, allowing him holder escape. He starts up finding other people who hate Avias and wants to destroy all the things that it created which actually has improved live on Pern, but not in his mind or the minds of others like him, including Toric, lord holder of Southern.
Not to long after the abominators start trying to destroy things, Avias notifies the people at Landing that a large comet is possibly going to hit Pern. Many people arrive to check on the comets trigectory, including F'lessan and Tei a green rider from Monaco weyr, who F'lessan is very much interested in.
As the comet starts it's fall into the sea, the Dragonriders start timing it to move as many people and belongings inland before they could get wiped away by the tidal waves.
This makes the lord holders and master crafters turn to demand how are they going to stop things from falling out of the sky onto Pern. But this time are they asking to much.
Find out for yourself, just how the Dragonriders of Pern are going to solve this problem and several others. If you like the other Pern books, you'll love this one, I did!

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pern was one of the first series in Fantasy and SF that I ever read and completely fell in love with. So imagine my surprise when I only discovered the existence of this book a few months ago. It is wonderful to reunite with old friends and see the younger generation grown up.

This also answers one of the big worries I had about the moving of the Red Planet away from Pern. What would the Dragonriders do after the Fall? The solution makes sense and also involves a number of surprises in this book, things that McCaffrey had obviously been planning for a long time.

While this wraps up most of the threads for the entire series there are a few things unresolved. But real life is kind of like that. I can live with it.

Not my favorite of the series, simply because it does wrap the series. Nothing that end something so beloved can be a favorite but it is very satisfying.

[Enzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well onto the current path F'lar and Lessa lead Pern's Dragonriders into an unknown future one in which Dragons might not be needed. In the meantime the rest of the population is enjoying the advance products as a by-product of AIVAS plan to shift the Red planet's orbit. There are exceptions of course and these band together to again revive the Abominators simply put terrorist who wish to destroy everything AIVAS introduced.
After a meteorite crashes into the Western ocean and creates a gigantic tsunami the Dragonriders and their ability to "time it" comes in handy as they evacuate the holds and halls in danger. They accomplish almost a miracle by saving all or almost all. It is then questioned if Dragonriders can do something to prevent more falling large objects.
It is F'lessan and Tai who provide the answer by demonstrating Telekinesis by the Dragons. Their ability to move things just by thinking it.
All in all a rally enjoyable novel from one of my all time favorite series.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another re-read, and an excellent one. Among other things it illustrates the problems that technology can introduce into a society. While one-sided in this regard (mainly, I think, because the technologies being introduced are ones with which we are familiar and consider commonplace), it makes it obvious that there IS another side, and one which must be taken into account.

I do enjoy this series; there are some issues I have with the series, but overall it's very enjoyable and worth reading.

[Alayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long book and one that I had read before, but a long time ago. The last Pern book written by Anne alone (other books are written with her son Todd) apart from a set of short stories in A Gift of Dragons, this one was very very enjoyable. I wish she was still alive to write more!

[Judy Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were scenes in this book that I remember as vividly as if I had read them recently, but I didn't remember the overall plot. And I didn't remember the plan.

I think I liked it a lot better this time.

[Carolyn Hilty]

Good story line, and I always like her characters!

[Christina Vinke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good read for those following the fortunes of Pern, but I found it disappointing that it was the last (chronologically) of the planet's adventures and that there was no further "update" on how the people of Pern, the dragons and riders proceeded into the post-AIVAS future.

[Christie Crook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book

This is another book in the amazing Pern series. It once again has some adult themed parts but overall I love the story of Pern that Ane McCaffrey has woven.

[AG Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread

[Amyiw · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pern series, after the original 2 trilogies, suffers from too many plot lines going on, and past characters, many, many past character. Yes, they have to do with one another to a degree but not really. This suffers from that. We have F'Lessan and Tia and the meteorite strike and tidal wave, there is a quiet romance here and a really understanding of the characters with the emergency and learning. Then there is the over arc that takes up more than 1/2 the book and has really not much to do with them.

The continuation of the people trying to cause trouble, abominators, because they don't believe in Avias and its teaching, is the overarc. They want to go back to before the technology came. OK, I got that and reading a little side note would be enough for me. I like some of the characters but would rather it be in a separate story/book. There are a lot of subplots under the main plots and we go to many holds and weyrs and are expected to remember the characters from past books. For the most part I do but I'm lost sometime on certain histories they talk about, nor does it really matter, I get the gist. All the same, it is a bit boring there, and nobody new to the series, would like this book much, because of all of the adding of past place and people. I for the most part liked it but... it wasn't like the first books which were very good. Not even close. Besides this, the overarc leaves a little unanswered.

So really F'Lessan and Tia are the main storyline and there is a subdued romance weaved within. It could easily be read by the younger teens without a problem. There's is the finding of new abilities and were they will be used in the future of Pern and the dragon riders. By the end, we know what direction, especially for F'Lessan, this will take. Their story ends a little abruptly and I really do believe Anne McCaffrey left it like that with the possibility of another book to really wrap it all up. Although this did a lot of that work, there were very little overarc threads hanging, Toric and the remains of the dissenters, along with how the future goes for F'Lessan, F'Lar and Lessa's only son. We only get a hint of it and it is possible that is all she wanted to give. I believe this is the last book chronologically.

DO NOT START THE SERIES WITH THIS BOOK. You will be bored silly with people and happenings that you know nothing about. Even knowing them doesn't make it exciting, only readable at those parts.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of this book had the magic of the earlier titles. However, this title just had too much crammed into it. The Abominators just did not seem to tie into the main theme of the book: finally revealing what dragonriders can do to support themselves after the final and last Pass ends. The romance of F’lessan and Tai could be tied into that theme and that worked well. Finding out yet another ability of the Dragons of Pern was interesting but again rather came out of the blue.
This book was just too full. It was confusing that Toric received specially trained dogs and talked with someone under surveillance right at the end. This was either setting an issue for the next title, rather awkwardly or just left things unfinished. The way Aivas took care of the demise of one of the baddies left over from a prior title was very much deus et machina and was rather disappointing. Wait, after this guy turns Pern upside down in violence, he came to an almost ridiculous ending that happened immediately, not benefitting his status as a bad guy who participated in killing Aivas and contributing to the demise of the revered Masterharper Robinton. Really? Let me add here a loud complaint that he indirectly killed off the archivist who was presented as a pretty unpleasant character, although not a bad guy. I resent this being a stereotype librarian as weak, ineffective, and a shusher!
The best part was getting the focus back on the dragons and their riders. It was also a relief to finally have an answer to the question what are the riders going to do once their ancient mission is done?

Pern fans definitely should read this. This would be a poor title to begin reading the story of Pern. Not the best in the series but likely far from the worst. In my opinion, this is the last of the Pern titles, those done by Anne. There were a few after this done officially by both Anne and Todd McCaffrey, but I suspect were written by Todd with the change of tone. Then Todd continues the series. I didn’t care for those. I just discovered that apparently a daughter of Anne’s published a title recently but the review I read was very negative. So, in my opinion, this was a fine title to close out the series, with dragons and their riders in a new occupation that made use of their unique skills.

[Tamcamry · Rating 1 out of 5]

• Look, I have to be honest; this really wasn’t one of A.M.’s best works. I know that she wants to set up the dragonriders with an occupation for after Thread, but this book falls pretty flat as a story. There is a little drama, but really not enough to make it that interesting. Also, much like the last book, this one seems to not have a solid conclusion. What’s worse is that it seems like she left some storylines unfinished to lead to a sequel. While I would love another Pern book, I don’t think it seems very likely. I know that there is always a chance that Todd could take over something like that, but he hasn’t really been that impressive either. I do hope that there is more from Pern in this timeline; I just hope it’s better than this. The series doesn’t deserve to end with a book this mediocre.

[Samuel Lubell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had stopped reading the series after Dolphins of Pern and this book shows I made the right decision. Basically in this volume of the long running series, the people of Pern grow concerned about asteroids (despite being on the planet for hundereds of years without them being a problem) just when dragons began to develop the ability to move things with their minds. Throw in a few attacks by a few anti-progress mobs and the mauling of two dragons (and riders) by the local version of lions and a once-proud series is clearly limping along here.

And yes, I still maintain this series is SF, not fantasy. The people got to Pern via space travel, genetically engineered dragons, and in this book are still dealing with the effects of the rediscovery of an artificial intelligence computer.