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The Tower and the Hive #3
Damia's Children
Damia and Afra-Raven-Lyon had reared their children in a brilliant and unorthodox way. All their young had been 'paired' when six months old with the furry, one-eyed Mrdinis, the only other sentient beings in the Alliance, who could communicate with humans by their 'dream messages'. Together, Man and Mrdini worked to create prosperous worlds and guard against the terrible threat of the annihilating Hivers.
And now, in the deeps of Space, Mrdini scouts had crossed the path of three Hive ships -- ships that were giant hulks of cell units, bearing the queens and workers out into space, to breed and multiply and destroy wherever they found a viable planet.
It was the four elder children of Damia -- Laria, Thian, Rojer and Zara -- all uniquely talented in their various ways, who were to play their part, helped by their life-long Dini friends, in the conquering and investigation of the Alien threat of the Hivers.
And now, in the deeps of Space, Mrdini scouts had crossed the path of three Hive ships -- ships that were giant hulks of cell units, bearing the queens and workers out into space, to breed and multiply and destroy wherever they found a viable planet.
It was the four elder children of Damia -- Laria, Thian, Rojer and Zara -- all uniquely talented in their various ways, who were to play their part, helped by their life-long Dini friends, in the conquering and investigation of the Alien threat of the Hivers.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
204 people are currently reading
1998 people want to read
About the author
Anne McCaffrey
478 books7,754 followersAnne 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
December 14, 2025
I so, SO loved this book!
I have loved every one of Ms McCaffrey's books that I've read so far! I really enjoy revisiting this series.
I enjoy watching the Gwyn-Raven clan, and all their subgroups, as they progress in life. Learning how the children grow up and how their parents and grandparents deal with the issues of parenting "special" children.
I have loved every one of Ms McCaffrey's books that I've read so far! I really enjoy revisiting this series.
I enjoy watching the Gwyn-Raven clan, and all their subgroups, as they progress in life. Learning how the children grow up and how their parents and grandparents deal with the issues of parenting "special" children.
December 31, 2019
While the book wasn't completely free of misogyny or problematic aspects, those elements fortunately took a far back burner to actual plot, which I greatly enjoyed. Following four of Damia's children throughout space made things more interesting, and I thought the pacing of developments with the Hive studies moved well. Hopefully the rest of the series continues this way.
July 30, 2020
A serious improvement over its predecessor. I'm glad I stuck with this series after all.
November 28, 2019
I will say upfront that this is less a novel and more a series of novelettes focused on Damia’s children. Probably because of this, the novel is probably the most successful of the series to date. The story is also the most sci-fi, actually moving the Hive plot forward. There was less emphasis on the family minutiae, which to be honest, I actually missed. This is not the most complicated sci-fi plot ever but it was good to see a focus on the macro-plot and less about baby-sitting that we got in book 2.
The positive plot momentum was counteracted by the lack of interest in the children. We don't spend a lot of time with them so I didn’t actually care about them. Some of the vignettes worked better - the second (dealing with Thian) and the last (with the emphatic Zara) were the strongest. The rest were a bit of filler, not bad but I’ve already forgotten about them. I do wonder if this episodic format will continue in the rest - if so, I hope we get more of Zara who was a change to the typical character that Ms. McCaffrey has created for this universe.
I do note that the Rowan and Damia have basically become housewives in these books. I find that amusing and annoying at the same time. It’s a reflection of the age of the book and the domestic focus of these books but I do mention it as people might be annoyed by the glimpses of these ladies.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series which I hope will be another solid three star read (and yes, that is a solid rating). I am especially interested to see want Ms. McCaffrey does with the Hive - I think I have an idea so I am excited to see if I am correct.
The positive plot momentum was counteracted by the lack of interest in the children. We don't spend a lot of time with them so I didn’t actually care about them. Some of the vignettes worked better - the second (dealing with Thian) and the last (with the emphatic Zara) were the strongest. The rest were a bit of filler, not bad but I’ve already forgotten about them. I do wonder if this episodic format will continue in the rest - if so, I hope we get more of Zara who was a change to the typical character that Ms. McCaffrey has created for this universe.
I do note that the Rowan and Damia have basically become housewives in these books. I find that amusing and annoying at the same time. It’s a reflection of the age of the book and the domestic focus of these books but I do mention it as people might be annoyed by the glimpses of these ladies.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series which I hope will be another solid three star read (and yes, that is a solid rating). I am especially interested to see want Ms. McCaffrey does with the Hive - I think I have an idea so I am excited to see if I am correct.
July 23, 2022
Audio review. I love this series and have read it numerous times over the years. This time I listened to the audiobook and loved it. I have noticed that people are so picky about this series, I don't see why ! They are great stories. Fantasy, Space adventures, aliens, romance, family; this series has a lot in it worthy of reading or listening to.
I have also read the other series in Anne McCaffrey's tome, Pern, Acorna, Body Heir, Brainships, Crystal Singer and others. They are all excellent of their kind. For some reason readers seem to think they should be all the same. I point out that McCaffrey wrote scifi, fantasy, and romance, with these novels there are some with more scifi and some with more fantasy or romance elements-I don't think this detracts from the story's or enjoyment of such.
Those readers who simply wish an enjoyable reading experience with fun characters and adventures in space and on land read, read, read!!
I have also read the other series in Anne McCaffrey's tome, Pern, Acorna, Body Heir, Brainships, Crystal Singer and others. They are all excellent of their kind. For some reason readers seem to think they should be all the same. I point out that McCaffrey wrote scifi, fantasy, and romance, with these novels there are some with more scifi and some with more fantasy or romance elements-I don't think this detracts from the story's or enjoyment of such.
Those readers who simply wish an enjoyable reading experience with fun characters and adventures in space and on land read, read, read!!
December 23, 2016
In many ways this seems like two books in one. There's a big gap between Damia and Damia's children - about 15 years - so you lose a little of the rapport you had with the original Tower characters (Jeff Raven, the Rowan, Damia and Afra) as now they're seen from the children's viewpoint, but seeing each of the children find their own place to use their Talent makes up for it. The lack of focus on one character (necessary, for following all the children) does lessen my connection to them.
July 5, 2017
I am really enjoying this series! Good old-fashioned sci-fi.
May 22, 2012
Continuing with the author-is-dead re-read of this series. Not that the author is literally dead — though in this case, she is — but in the sense that it's more interesting to read this series in a way that the author maybe didn't intend. In this case, we see a little bit of Damia, the tempestuous heroine from the last book, but this book is mostly about her first four children. We get novellas about Laria and Thian, the first half of a short novel about Rojer, and a short story about Zara. In a way, this book is about how Damia and Afra have tried to do a better job at parenting (and combining parenting with work) than their own parents, particularly Damia's.
At least with the first four children, they have mostly succeeded. (The next ones are too young to be out and about on their own.) But not without being kinda creepy about it — there's a passage about how "Talented parenting" (Talent being the term this series uses for psionic ability) comes with the "perquisite" of being able to read your children's minds and correct any psychological warping that may be developing. Twitch.
As I see it, this is only half a book. The next one, Lyon's Pride, is as direct a continuation as a following book could be for a book that didn't end on a cliffhanger. Admittedly, this applies more to the Rojer thread than the stories of Laria, Thian, and Zara.
At least with the first four children, they have mostly succeeded. (The next ones are too young to be out and about on their own.) But not without being kinda creepy about it — there's a passage about how "Talented parenting" (Talent being the term this series uses for psionic ability) comes with the "perquisite" of being able to read your children's minds and correct any psychological warping that may be developing. Twitch.
As I see it, this is only half a book. The next one, Lyon's Pride, is as direct a continuation as a following book could be for a book that didn't end on a cliffhanger. Admittedly, this applies more to the Rojer thread than the stories of Laria, Thian, and Zara.
September 21, 2011
In Damia's Children, one of science fiction and fantasy's most beloved novelists, Anne McCaffrey, continues the story of psychic Talent begun with The Rowan and Damia. The Rowan's next generation of passionate and talented descendants prepare to defend their worlds against an alien attack of mysterious origin.
Damia had deflected a previous attack on the human worlds and sent the aliens into deep space. Hungry for more living space, they return with plans to dominate, armed with knowledge of the psychic defense they can expect from humanity.
However, as it has been learned that Talent can be both bred and taught, the combined abilities of Damia's children make them an even greater power than Damia or her mother. Each child has a special Talent that together makes them the most powerful Gwyn-Raven force yet to come. United they will confront the attackers face to face.
I adore this whole set of books and try to read them once a year
Damia had deflected a previous attack on the human worlds and sent the aliens into deep space. Hungry for more living space, they return with plans to dominate, armed with knowledge of the psychic defense they can expect from humanity.
However, as it has been learned that Talent can be both bred and taught, the combined abilities of Damia's children make them an even greater power than Damia or her mother. Each child has a special Talent that together makes them the most powerful Gwyn-Raven force yet to come. United they will confront the attackers face to face.
I adore this whole set of books and try to read them once a year
Read
March 17, 2013Damia's children is the third book in a series about a telepathic family and a very slow moving war with a beetle like people, who have a hive mentality. It is not a bad book but I must emphasize the slow moving aspect. By now we have moved into the third generation of this family. This book differs because while the other two books have focused mainly on one main character and her perspective love interest this one moved through several of the different children. They are likeable enough characters but I never really developed a close feeling to any one,just as soon as I started to become attached their story ended and they were only ever mentioned again in passing. Damia's children does however move along a bit faster and has much more action than the other two, but it is still pretty slow. There are two more books in this series and I will read them, probably pretty soon, but I am going to take a break for a little while and read something a bit more fast paced.
April 6, 2010
I wanted to like this, as it is a return to my genre sci-fi roots, but I found this particular work quite disappointing.
It's not really a book, more like 3-4 novellas strung together without any overarching point. I tossed this book while in jr. high, because I thought I had the "villain" in the second story figured out, but it turns out I was wrong... although the person it turned out to be, and the way the situation was resolved was trite and VERY easy to accomplish.
Definitely a "quantity" read, not a "quality" read.
It's not really a book, more like 3-4 novellas strung together without any overarching point. I tossed this book while in jr. high, because I thought I had the "villain" in the second story figured out, but it turns out I was wrong... although the person it turned out to be, and the way the situation was resolved was trite and VERY easy to accomplish.
Definitely a "quantity" read, not a "quality" read.
May 27, 2014
Re-reading all my Anne McCaffrey books. The first two titles in this series are the best--I think because each has a love story/deep emotional connection between two people. When it starts to break off into the 3rd generation's kids, and just follows their lives, I started to lose interest. Doesn't help that it's very very sci-fi, with tons of technical ship info and an insect-like invading alien. I'll get through the series, and then they're getting donated to the library.
May 21, 2023
****SPOILERS**** LOTS OF SPOILERS
This story is Book 3 in the Tower and Hive Series.
Going back to the end of Book 2, Damia and Afra, as well as Damia's siblings were involved in the defence of the Alliance against a Hive mind. One of Damia's brothers died in that attack. At the same time the Alliance also met a new species called the Mr'dini who have been fighting against the Hive Mind for centuries. The Mr'dini are hellbent on destroying the Hive. They made contact with the Humans after watching the Humans successfully fight off a Hive ship and teleport said ship into the sun.
Book 3 starts some 16 years after the end of Book 2. Damia and Afra have had at least 8 children in total. The 4 oldest are called Laria, Thian, Rojer and Zara. 3 of Damia's children have inherited strong talents as Teleports and Telekinetics.
The contact with the Mrdini is now a huge part of the Alliance. Talented children are raised with the Mrdini children from a young age. They learn each others languages, cultures and engineering. Creating new space ships and weapons to destroy the Hive.
The Hive race act as one with a hive mind, and their only way of live is to find a new planet to colonise, remove all other living things from the new planet and then take over said planet.
Both the Mrdini and the Humans do NOT want to allow the Hive ships to enter their part of the galaxy.
Laria is sent to live on the Mr'dini home world and become their tower prime - teleporting goods and people between Earth and Clarf (the Mr'dini home world).
Thian is sent on a Naval vessel out into the far reaches of space to search for the Hive Home world. They are following the ion stream of the Hive ship that attacked the Earth 16 years earlier. When the home world is discovered a year later, the Alliance learns that the Hive were forced to leave their home world because their sun went nova and destroyed the home world.
After the Hive home world is discovered, the alliance scientists now want to learn more about the Hive, while the Mr'dini are still hell bent on destroying them all. Thian's scout ship found a queen in a dead ship and that ship along with the queen were transported back to earth and settled onto the moon.
When Rojer turns 16, he too is sent out to a scout ship around the Hive home world, and becomes the communications person between the Hive home world and his grandfather, Jeff Raven - aka Earth Prime.
14 year old Zara is a strong empath and she feels emotions. She can also teleport, but is weak on the telekinetics. She feels very bad for the queen, and she feels many of the humans feelings about the Hive and the Mr'dini. Apparently the Mr'dini look like weasels, and many humans are still xenophobic - despite the strong alliance with the Mr'dini now being 16 years old.
The Hive Queen is kept in a concrete cage, dug below the surface of the moon, with a large Monitoring window. She is given food and while she does start eating the food, she eventually stops eating and noone knows why.
Zara finds a way to teleport to the moon, sneaks into the Cage and feels the queens emotions. Basically the Queen is freezing to death. she cannot lay her eggs because it is too cold. So Zara tells the Navy to increase the temperature before the queen dies!!!
Once Zara is removed from the moon, she is sent to train to be a healer. That will make better use of her talents than teleporting cargos across the galaxy.
This was an interesting story. I give it 4/5. There is a lot of new jargon and vocabulary words to learn and remember.
This story is Book 3 in the Tower and Hive Series.
Going back to the end of Book 2, Damia and Afra, as well as Damia's siblings were involved in the defence of the Alliance against a Hive mind. One of Damia's brothers died in that attack. At the same time the Alliance also met a new species called the Mr'dini who have been fighting against the Hive Mind for centuries. The Mr'dini are hellbent on destroying the Hive. They made contact with the Humans after watching the Humans successfully fight off a Hive ship and teleport said ship into the sun.
Book 3 starts some 16 years after the end of Book 2. Damia and Afra have had at least 8 children in total. The 4 oldest are called Laria, Thian, Rojer and Zara. 3 of Damia's children have inherited strong talents as Teleports and Telekinetics.
The contact with the Mrdini is now a huge part of the Alliance. Talented children are raised with the Mrdini children from a young age. They learn each others languages, cultures and engineering. Creating new space ships and weapons to destroy the Hive.
The Hive race act as one with a hive mind, and their only way of live is to find a new planet to colonise, remove all other living things from the new planet and then take over said planet.
Both the Mrdini and the Humans do NOT want to allow the Hive ships to enter their part of the galaxy.
Laria is sent to live on the Mr'dini home world and become their tower prime - teleporting goods and people between Earth and Clarf (the Mr'dini home world).
Thian is sent on a Naval vessel out into the far reaches of space to search for the Hive Home world. They are following the ion stream of the Hive ship that attacked the Earth 16 years earlier. When the home world is discovered a year later, the Alliance learns that the Hive were forced to leave their home world because their sun went nova and destroyed the home world.
After the Hive home world is discovered, the alliance scientists now want to learn more about the Hive, while the Mr'dini are still hell bent on destroying them all. Thian's scout ship found a queen in a dead ship and that ship along with the queen were transported back to earth and settled onto the moon.
When Rojer turns 16, he too is sent out to a scout ship around the Hive home world, and becomes the communications person between the Hive home world and his grandfather, Jeff Raven - aka Earth Prime.
14 year old Zara is a strong empath and she feels emotions. She can also teleport, but is weak on the telekinetics. She feels very bad for the queen, and she feels many of the humans feelings about the Hive and the Mr'dini. Apparently the Mr'dini look like weasels, and many humans are still xenophobic - despite the strong alliance with the Mr'dini now being 16 years old.
The Hive Queen is kept in a concrete cage, dug below the surface of the moon, with a large Monitoring window. She is given food and while she does start eating the food, she eventually stops eating and noone knows why.
Zara finds a way to teleport to the moon, sneaks into the Cage and feels the queens emotions. Basically the Queen is freezing to death. she cannot lay her eggs because it is too cold. So Zara tells the Navy to increase the temperature before the queen dies!!!
Once Zara is removed from the moon, she is sent to train to be a healer. That will make better use of her talents than teleporting cargos across the galaxy.
This was an interesting story. I give it 4/5. There is a lot of new jargon and vocabulary words to learn and remember.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2022
Here we are again. Still reading 'em, dunno why. This one was more sci-fi and less wandering ramble, and while still not what I'd call GOOD (or even average), for me it gets one star more than the previous two.
Still present is the absurd morality. All the good characters are SO good, so selfless, so without crime or sin or even bad thoughts. It's uninteresting and it's gross. The parents constantly glaring at their kids when they make the smallest gaffe, the kids constantly looking to the parents and basking in their approval at the tiniest evidence of goodness. So gross.
More random irritations:
... summoning the resident pets: Coonies, Darbuls...
What the hell is a Darbul? For that matter, what the HELL is a Coonie? Just introduced one day in a previous book, and I assumed it was some kinda cat-creature except then it started doing things that weren't cat-like at all. Now we have a "Darbul," and I've searched the book and it's never explained at all. Terrible writing.
Jeff Raven chuckles, and then one of his inimitable chuckles reaches their ears. Ugh. She does this a lot, awkwardly repeating words and actions. Editor is sleeping on the job.
About 'Dinis:
"These are just mature attendant females who haven't gone out of the village yet."
Um what they have no gender right? Did I miss them having a gender? Did they suddenly develop gender?
Mur gets sick on canned air in a spaceship. Mur must be physically imperfect.
Weird way to phrase it, aren't we all? I guess not the exalted Primes, who are just so perfect and without fault or sin to the point of being irritatingly boring and insipid.
Talented parenting involved the perquisite of reading a child as deeply as possible -- especially highly Talented children -- to correct any psychological quirks before they became established and warped a personality.
Holy shit wow, ew. Like, ew. Entire dystopian horror novels are dedicated to shit like this, and you write it like a good thing? Absolutely fucking creepy. This is the worst morality tale story I've ever read, if that's what it even is.
So after wondering for more than half the book who the "Malice" character out to get Thian was, his elaborate plan to catch him is to suddenly mentally scream "GOTCHA" at dinner, and the guilty party has a brain-stroke and passes out? Um, how come they all didn't? He didn't know on whom to focus because he didn't know the person's identity? Like, oh, someone hurt me so I'll shoot everyone in this room and the bullet will only go through the guilty party. Am I missing something, or is this just stupid?
Still present is the absurd morality. All the good characters are SO good, so selfless, so without crime or sin or even bad thoughts. It's uninteresting and it's gross. The parents constantly glaring at their kids when they make the smallest gaffe, the kids constantly looking to the parents and basking in their approval at the tiniest evidence of goodness. So gross.
More random irritations:
... summoning the resident pets: Coonies, Darbuls...
What the hell is a Darbul? For that matter, what the HELL is a Coonie? Just introduced one day in a previous book, and I assumed it was some kinda cat-creature except then it started doing things that weren't cat-like at all. Now we have a "Darbul," and I've searched the book and it's never explained at all. Terrible writing.
Jeff Raven chuckles, and then one of his inimitable chuckles reaches their ears. Ugh. She does this a lot, awkwardly repeating words and actions. Editor is sleeping on the job.
About 'Dinis:
"These are just mature attendant females who haven't gone out of the village yet."
Um what they have no gender right? Did I miss them having a gender? Did they suddenly develop gender?
Mur gets sick on canned air in a spaceship. Mur must be physically imperfect.
Weird way to phrase it, aren't we all? I guess not the exalted Primes, who are just so perfect and without fault or sin to the point of being irritatingly boring and insipid.
Talented parenting involved the perquisite of reading a child as deeply as possible -- especially highly Talented children -- to correct any psychological quirks before they became established and warped a personality.
Holy shit wow, ew. Like, ew. Entire dystopian horror novels are dedicated to shit like this, and you write it like a good thing? Absolutely fucking creepy. This is the worst morality tale story I've ever read, if that's what it even is.
So after wondering for more than half the book who the "Malice" character out to get Thian was, his elaborate plan to catch him is to suddenly mentally scream "GOTCHA" at dinner, and the guilty party has a brain-stroke and passes out? Um, how come they all didn't? He didn't know on whom to focus because he didn't know the person's identity? Like, oh, someone hurt me so I'll shoot everyone in this room and the bullet will only go through the guilty party. Am I missing something, or is this just stupid?
May 21, 2020
A worthy sequel to Damia, Damia's Children actually has a little bit of a weird structure to it in many ways that both makes sense and sort of interrupts the flow of the story more than I'd like. First part is easy: we meet Damia, Afra and their many many kids- including Laria, the oldest- who, at 16 is set to go do some training and teaching on the Mrdini Homeworld of Clarf- before eventually taking over as Tower Prime on that world.
While the Alliance between Mrdini and Humans looks to track down the Hiver homeworld and all the other Hiver spheres to attempt to curb their colonial practices, Thian is seconded to a naval squadron as Prime. (He's second oldest behind Laria.) He helps discover live Hiver larvae on an abandoned sphere, but is attacked by a disaffected crewmember and inhibited Talent who considers him to sympathetic to the Hivers. He survives- and, unable to safely continue with the human ships due to militant sentiment goes with the Mrdini ship to confirm the location of the Hiver homeworld, which they figured out was destroyed by a supernova. (Hence, all the Hiver activity: they're trying to find a new homeworld.)
Then, there's a time jump of a year. That feels random, but makes a certain amount of sense. Rojer (kiddo number three, also a Prime) and his father Afra go out to the fleet to bring back a captured Hiver sphere and they do so, but then Rojer- despite being slightly younger than Thian gets sent out to maintain a watching brief on Hiver occupied worlds.
Zara (kiddo number four), turns out to be a problem child. Can't really do Tower Prime stuff, but might work out better as a healer- but she is affected on an empathic level by the captured Hiver queen they bring back-- and eventually sneaks over to the Moon Base and figures out that the Queen is freezing to death and saves her life. Everyone relizes then that Zara is def going to be better as a healer than a Tower Prime.
Overall: the structure is both a little strange and makes sense- fairly decent sections of the book focus on each of 'Damia's Children' and while ONCE AGAIN, I'd like to see more of all the characters- there are two more books in the series, so you're not left totally short changed.
While the Alliance between Mrdini and Humans looks to track down the Hiver homeworld and all the other Hiver spheres to attempt to curb their colonial practices, Thian is seconded to a naval squadron as Prime. (He's second oldest behind Laria.) He helps discover live Hiver larvae on an abandoned sphere, but is attacked by a disaffected crewmember and inhibited Talent who considers him to sympathetic to the Hivers. He survives- and, unable to safely continue with the human ships due to militant sentiment goes with the Mrdini ship to confirm the location of the Hiver homeworld, which they figured out was destroyed by a supernova. (Hence, all the Hiver activity: they're trying to find a new homeworld.)
Then, there's a time jump of a year. That feels random, but makes a certain amount of sense. Rojer (kiddo number three, also a Prime) and his father Afra go out to the fleet to bring back a captured Hiver sphere and they do so, but then Rojer- despite being slightly younger than Thian gets sent out to maintain a watching brief on Hiver occupied worlds.
Zara (kiddo number four), turns out to be a problem child. Can't really do Tower Prime stuff, but might work out better as a healer- but she is affected on an empathic level by the captured Hiver queen they bring back-- and eventually sneaks over to the Moon Base and figures out that the Queen is freezing to death and saves her life. Everyone relizes then that Zara is def going to be better as a healer than a Tower Prime.
Overall: the structure is both a little strange and makes sense- fairly decent sections of the book focus on each of 'Damia's Children' and while ONCE AGAIN, I'd like to see more of all the characters- there are two more books in the series, so you're not left totally short changed.
June 5, 2019
This is the third book in the Tower and the Hive series from the Pegasus universe. These books don't stand alone well so you should start with the Rowan at least, but the earlier books that set up the whole universe of talents and Primes would be useful to read as well.
This book continues the trend that started with The Rowan, of focusing on a new generation with each book. We met the Rowan, then her daughter Damia, and now obviously we're meeting Damia's children with her husband Afra.
Damia is more prolific than her mother, and has produced, eight children, I believe. But with the end of the last book, we have met a new race of aliens, the Dinis and each of their children has been matched with a pair of young Dini and they've grown up together bringing their two races closer in understanding.
This one mainly focuses on her oldest children who are now coming of age. Each one has their own focuses and interests but all of them are potentially prime level talents. It's one of my favorite books of this series and much better than the last book because the kids are a lot more likeable then their mother was as a teenager and I found the Dini species to be very interesting.
This book continues the trend that started with The Rowan, of focusing on a new generation with each book. We met the Rowan, then her daughter Damia, and now obviously we're meeting Damia's children with her husband Afra.
Damia is more prolific than her mother, and has produced, eight children, I believe. But with the end of the last book, we have met a new race of aliens, the Dinis and each of their children has been matched with a pair of young Dini and they've grown up together bringing their two races closer in understanding.
This one mainly focuses on her oldest children who are now coming of age. Each one has their own focuses and interests but all of them are potentially prime level talents. It's one of my favorite books of this series and much better than the last book because the kids are a lot more likeable then their mother was as a teenager and I found the Dini species to be very interesting.
May 15, 2017
I've gone back to reading the Tower and Hive series, a staple of my childhood, after maybe a decade. I've probably read all of these books at least 3 times before but I had forgotten most of the plot lines which is making this an enjoyable "first read" again.
McCaffrey is at her sexist, dubious best in this series. The Talent parents "leaning" on their children to help their minds develop properly always felt fishy to me and it's no better now than it was when I last read them. I can see her point, these children are dangerous after all, but it's quite hard to read at times. Every character is a caricature and whilst it makes for quick, light reading - it's not very meaty!
A fun read, but not your true Sci Fi!
McCaffrey is at her sexist, dubious best in this series. The Talent parents "leaning" on their children to help their minds develop properly always felt fishy to me and it's no better now than it was when I last read them. I can see her point, these children are dangerous after all, but it's quite hard to read at times. Every character is a caricature and whilst it makes for quick, light reading - it's not very meaty!
A fun read, but not your true Sci Fi!
May 19, 2017
Damia's Children (1993) by Anne McCaffrey continues her Tower and Hive series. Rather than pseodo-biographies of the title characters, this book is a series of novellas focusing of four of Damia's children. Rather than giving us a long, dull slog, this book gives us four snappy, shorter stories, forming an actual narrative arc. While still a little simplistic, as the general text and texture of the whole series is rather a throwback to 50's SF, the simpleness generally works better in the context of a YA story. Because the galaxy doesn't depend on the actions of any one character, the story can follow more personal arcs, with each character finding a place by the end.
Because the subject matter is generally lighter and fast, the book projects a far lighter and sprightly feel than the earlier volumes. Very little feels unnecessarily padded, events all seem reasonable, and everyone gets some chance to show off their cleverness.
If you've gotten this far in the series, you'll find this title easy going.
Because the subject matter is generally lighter and fast, the book projects a far lighter and sprightly feel than the earlier volumes. Very little feels unnecessarily padded, events all seem reasonable, and everyone gets some chance to show off their cleverness.
If you've gotten this far in the series, you'll find this title easy going.
October 21, 2017
The third book in McCaffrey's Tower series focuses on the adventures of some of Damia's children (she's been quite prolific). The Dini, an alien species, have joined up with the humans to fight the "Hive" race and several children have been reared together with infant Dini to help bridge the gap, especially the language gap, between the two races. Damia's children are part of that group.
The stories are quite as good as the first two, but without as much angst. The pace is fine and the yarns are engaging. The entire clan is there (The Rowan's descendants and their husbands) in supporting rolls.
Definitely made me late to bed a few nights.
I have one very small complaint. In one scene, one of the characters "ports" a captain from a Dini ship to a human ship. In the next scene the Dini skipper is quite surprised to find a "Talent" aboard the human ship. I assume McCaffrey wrote the two scenes at different times and forgot the discontinuity -- and her editors at Ace missed it as well.
The stories are quite as good as the first two, but without as much angst. The pace is fine and the yarns are engaging. The entire clan is there (The Rowan's descendants and their husbands) in supporting rolls.
Definitely made me late to bed a few nights.
I have one very small complaint. In one scene, one of the characters "ports" a captain from a Dini ship to a human ship. In the next scene the Dini skipper is quite surprised to find a "Talent" aboard the human ship. I assume McCaffrey wrote the two scenes at different times and forgot the discontinuity -- and her editors at Ace missed it as well.
July 24, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Seeing life through the eyes of three of Afra and Damia's eight children kept the storyline hopping - literally! Lol
It was great to learn more about the Mrdinis, too, and to see how things have changed since they made contact with humanity.
It's also fascinating to start learning a bit more about the insectoid invaders, too - I do wish I could see a full colour picture of them, though, as they sound as beautiful as they are deadly!
I'm sort-of glad that I don't remember much of the books I've read before, as it feels new when I read them again - well, isn't it better to make something that isn't great, into something positive? I think so! Lol
Anyhoo, it's on to the next book in the series, which is Lyon's Pride, I believe!
It was great to learn more about the Mrdinis, too, and to see how things have changed since they made contact with humanity.
It's also fascinating to start learning a bit more about the insectoid invaders, too - I do wish I could see a full colour picture of them, though, as they sound as beautiful as they are deadly!
I'm sort-of glad that I don't remember much of the books I've read before, as it feels new when I read them again - well, isn't it better to make something that isn't great, into something positive? I think so! Lol
Anyhoo, it's on to the next book in the series, which is Lyon's Pride, I believe!
May 10, 2023
Better than the previous books in the series in the sense that it delves more into the Mr'dini and the Hive societies, but lackluster in it's dealing with human sociopolitics... Kind of disappointing how the privilege of the Talented is taken for granted and no resolution is sought. They just leave it as the untalented/less talented being jealous and do not seek for equity or understanding beyond assuming they deserve their privilege. Also deals clunkily with human ethnicities. The only racialized POC are always assistants with unusual and negatively coded quirks.
September 11, 2018
Continuing story, probably requires book 2 to understand context. This book keeps the story going of interacting with friendly and inscrutable/expanding aliens. This book and book 4 gives glimmers of interesting conundrums of how to handle interspecies contact, and human/alien morality problems.
I don't own book 5 though, and reviews make me think that those problems aren't well explored in it, so... I'm going to stop this adventure with book 4.
I don't own book 5 though, and reviews make me think that those problems aren't well explored in it, so... I'm going to stop this adventure with book 4.
March 2, 2021
Damia’s Children
Since meeting the ‘Dini the human race and Damia’s children have achieved so much that they have integrated into a better understanding of what to do with each other and the Hive situation. Almost all of Damia’s children are helping in some capacity in the search of Hivers or watching the Queen on the moon. Will it help them to figure out how to stop the Hivers from destroying people and planets or will they never find the solution?
Since meeting the ‘Dini the human race and Damia’s children have achieved so much that they have integrated into a better understanding of what to do with each other and the Hive situation. Almost all of Damia’s children are helping in some capacity in the search of Hivers or watching the Queen on the moon. Will it help them to figure out how to stop the Hivers from destroying people and planets or will they never find the solution?
February 14, 2025
Wonderful except some Misogyny
I've loved McCartney's books since I read the Pern series almost 50 years ago. She had solid speculative sci-fi then and its still fun to read now. What is a surprise is some of her characters' ideas about women. Husbands and fathers talk about steadying their emotional wives and daughters in this book a mom discusses her daughters mensus with the kids dad and brother. Yuck!!!
I've loved McCartney's books since I read the Pern series almost 50 years ago. She had solid speculative sci-fi then and its still fun to read now. What is a surprise is some of her characters' ideas about women. Husbands and fathers talk about steadying their emotional wives and daughters in this book a mom discusses her daughters mensus with the kids dad and brother. Yuck!!!
May 25, 2020
Damia and Afra’s large family are all Talented, but are brought up in a loving family linked to the young of a new race called the Dini’s to help develop good relationships. When new space ships from the voracious Hive planets that take over planets killing everyone on them they are involved in the work done to find out where they have come from.
January 29, 2021
Always adored her work and this was amazing in that gave so much character background and never forfeited previously loved characters for the new. Little disappointed in the ending being so simple and open. Don’t get me wrong I like cliffhangers but this was just so simple and didn’t draw me in. Still must see what happens to the Raven-Gwyn-Lyon line
April 17, 2023
The story of the space traveling Talents continues.
After Damia has been rescued from a being trying to possess her abilities, Afra and she marry and raise a brood. Their children are all highly Talented and among their special gifts they are also raised with the another alien race. Both humans and Mridini are looking for the home world of the "bugs" which destroy worlds instead of colonizing.
After Damia has been rescued from a being trying to possess her abilities, Afra and she marry and raise a brood. Their children are all highly Talented and among their special gifts they are also raised with the another alien race. Both humans and Mridini are looking for the home world of the "bugs" which destroy worlds instead of colonizing.
May 1, 2020
This is a science fiction youth book that I had on my shelf. I had read Anne McCaffrey's dragon books years ago and enjoyed them.
It took a while to get into this book, but once I did I liked the characters and their Talents.
It took a while to get into this book, but once I did I liked the characters and their Talents.
January 6, 2021
Talented children seem to act more like adults. They've been training all their lives so just accompany warships with aplomb. Sure. And Mrdini are supposed to be allies, but seem more like pets. I still don't like bug enemies. Oh well, only two more books of Hivers.
October 29, 2021
The weakest volume in this series yet, but still an enjoyable read. I didn't like the gender/puberty comments surrounding one character, and I felt like the book never really followed any one character long enough.
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