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Pern #16.5 + 4.5, 8.5 & 15.5
A Gift of Dragons: Illustrated Stories
For more than thirty years, Pern has conjured visions of brave men and women mounted upon the backs of dragons. As anyone knows who has been touched by the storytelling magic of Anne McCaffrey, to read of the exotic world of Pern is to inhabit it—and to experience its extraordinary dragons is to soar aloft with them and share their dazzling adventures. Now, A Gift of Dragons brings together three beloved stories and a thrilling new tale of Pern in a single volume illustrated with beautiful artwork by Tom Kidd. In “The Smallest Dragonboy,” Keevan is the youngest dragonrider candidate, determined to impress a dragon when the next clutch of eggs hatches. But what transpires will surprise everyone—Keevan most of all. In “The Girl Who Heard Dragons,” a young girl’s rare ability to communicate with dragons puts her family in danger and will bring her face to face with her greatest fears—and with her most secret desire. The “Runner of Pern” is a girl named Tenna, who follows family tradition by delivering messages—and who will find her destiny on the mossy traces that runners have used for centuries under the dragon-filled sky. And finally, a very special an exciting new Pern adventure, published here for the first time, fresh from the imagination of Anne McCaffrey.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2002
421 people are currently reading
3383 people want to read
About the author
Anne McCaffrey
478 books7,753 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 253 reviews
April 14, 2017
I loved McCaffrey's Pern series, but this little collection of middle-grade short stories are nothing short of terrible. There are four stories in all, first two were a'ight. The third is where it gets truly awful. It's about a pretty Runner girl. A runner being a delivery messenger who runs from one location to the next, and let me recount to you most of the times the word pretty is used in this story. Not all, just most.
“Running with a pretty girl’s not hard to do,” he told her when they took one brief pause.
“Not when I’d a chance to run with such a pretty girl,” Mallum said.
“New one, too, at that, for all you look familiar to me. A pretty face is a great sight on a fine morning.”
“You’d better tell him. Maybe a pretty runner’ll get it through his thick skull because the odd crack or two hasn’t.”
She felt redeemed. Though she couldn’t see why being pretty would be an advantage if you were giving someone what-for.
“Like that in a young runner. Shows you’re not just a pretty face."
“Pretty runner girl, you are."
“And why is ‘pretty’ a help?”
“Haligon likes pretty girls.”
“You’re prettier than she was and she was some pretty woman.”
“Even if they weren’t as pretty as you are."
“You’re a very pretty girl. Blue becomes you.”
“And he said how pretty you are, so that helped, you know. Haligon likes his girls pretty. So does Lord Groghe but he only looks.”
“It’s sure true that a pretty girl gets more attention than a plain one like me.”
“Pretty girl’s always heard, ya know.”
Holy fuck. The story itself was pointless too. Girl falls into a bush, vows to get even with the guy who accidentally knocks her into it. Ends up falling in love with said guy.
Final story: also terrible. Boy/girl twin, boy twin wants to be a dragonrider, but the dragon chooses the girl twin instead. Girl twin does everything she can to make sure her twin brother wins. Now there's a lesson for the ages. Not.
If you must read YA Anne McCaffrey, the Harper Hall trilogy is far better.
“Running with a pretty girl’s not hard to do,” he told her when they took one brief pause.
“Not when I’d a chance to run with such a pretty girl,” Mallum said.
“New one, too, at that, for all you look familiar to me. A pretty face is a great sight on a fine morning.”
“You’d better tell him. Maybe a pretty runner’ll get it through his thick skull because the odd crack or two hasn’t.”
She felt redeemed. Though she couldn’t see why being pretty would be an advantage if you were giving someone what-for.
“Like that in a young runner. Shows you’re not just a pretty face."
“Pretty runner girl, you are."
“And why is ‘pretty’ a help?”
“Haligon likes pretty girls.”
“You’re prettier than she was and she was some pretty woman.”
“Even if they weren’t as pretty as you are."
“You’re a very pretty girl. Blue becomes you.”
“And he said how pretty you are, so that helped, you know. Haligon likes his girls pretty. So does Lord Groghe but he only looks.”
“It’s sure true that a pretty girl gets more attention than a plain one like me.”
“Pretty girl’s always heard, ya know.”
Holy fuck. The story itself was pointless too. Girl falls into a bush, vows to get even with the guy who accidentally knocks her into it. Ends up falling in love with said guy.
Final story: also terrible. Boy/girl twin, boy twin wants to be a dragonrider, but the dragon chooses the girl twin instead. Girl twin does everything she can to make sure her twin brother wins. Now there's a lesson for the ages. Not.
If you must read YA Anne McCaffrey, the Harper Hall trilogy is far better.
July 19, 2018
What a great book. This is a book of four short stories all related to Pern. The short stories are "The Smallest Dragonboy", "The Girl Who Heard Dragons", "Runner of Pern" and "Ever the Twain". All four stories were different and very enjoyable.
The Smallest Dragonboy is about a boy, Keevan, that is going to be a candidate on the hatching ground. He is a small boy that grew up the Weyr and is picked on by his peers because of his size. As the hatching draws near the bullying becomes worse and there is talk about the younger boys not being allowed onto the hatching ground as candidates until they are older. His biggest bully ends up injuring him in the end with a head wound and a broken leg. He still hobbles his way to the hatching ground during the impression and impresses a bronze dragon. He is a great character full of heart and you are cheering for him all the way through. Even though he is a small boy, he has a huge heart and personality. This was a great story.
In The Girl Who Heard Dragons,Aramina can hear dragons and speak to them as well. She is with her family who is holdless after the tyranny of Faxx. Bandits are trying to use Aramina because of her talent of hearing dragons. With that, her family flees and is on the run from these bandits. With threadfall imminent, they are forced to find a cave to take cover in. There is an accident with her father and she ends up reaching out to the dragons that she sees and they hear her and respond. They save her father and move them to the cave so that they are safe from threadfall. All this time the Lord Holder for the area and the dragonriders are looking for the bandits that are after her. The bandits elude everyone and find Aramina who calls for the dragons. This is a heartwarming story with a lot of emotions that are misplaced due to fear. Everything works out in the end. Great story.
Runner of Pern is probably my favorite of the four stories. Runner of Pern is about runners, literally, people who run messages from one place to another. This is mostly about Tenna who is a new runner. She is from a family of runners and she is beginning her career as a runner. Runners use tracks that have been laid out by the runner services. They are narrow paths that are to only be used by runners. She is running one evening on a runner track to make a delivery when she hears something coming. She is pushed off of the runner track by a runner (beast/horse) and rider. She is pushed into a bush of thorns that can be very dangerous. She makes it to her destination where they see to her wounds. She finds out she was almost run over by one of the Lord Holder's sons. It takes several days for them to get all of the thorns out and for her to be on the mend. During this time, there is a gather. She promptly approaches the man that was pointed out to her as the one who ran her off the track and she punches him and knocks him out. She finds out that she has knocked out the wrong brother. She has knocked out his twin instead. This story is full of humor. I couldn't help but love Tenna's character and charm. She is a strong woman. There is laughter and romance. A fantastic story!
Ever The Twain is about a set of twins that are searched for the hatching that is to come. The boy has always had the dream of being a dragonrider. The sister is the one that is chosen during the search, but she refuses to go without her brother. This is a heartwarming story that was enjoyable as well.
This set of short stories is a great addition to the Pern series.
The Smallest Dragonboy is about a boy, Keevan, that is going to be a candidate on the hatching ground. He is a small boy that grew up the Weyr and is picked on by his peers because of his size. As the hatching draws near the bullying becomes worse and there is talk about the younger boys not being allowed onto the hatching ground as candidates until they are older. His biggest bully ends up injuring him in the end with a head wound and a broken leg. He still hobbles his way to the hatching ground during the impression and impresses a bronze dragon. He is a great character full of heart and you are cheering for him all the way through. Even though he is a small boy, he has a huge heart and personality. This was a great story.
In The Girl Who Heard Dragons,Aramina can hear dragons and speak to them as well. She is with her family who is holdless after the tyranny of Faxx. Bandits are trying to use Aramina because of her talent of hearing dragons. With that, her family flees and is on the run from these bandits. With threadfall imminent, they are forced to find a cave to take cover in. There is an accident with her father and she ends up reaching out to the dragons that she sees and they hear her and respond. They save her father and move them to the cave so that they are safe from threadfall. All this time the Lord Holder for the area and the dragonriders are looking for the bandits that are after her. The bandits elude everyone and find Aramina who calls for the dragons. This is a heartwarming story with a lot of emotions that are misplaced due to fear. Everything works out in the end. Great story.
Runner of Pern is probably my favorite of the four stories. Runner of Pern is about runners, literally, people who run messages from one place to another. This is mostly about Tenna who is a new runner. She is from a family of runners and she is beginning her career as a runner. Runners use tracks that have been laid out by the runner services. They are narrow paths that are to only be used by runners. She is running one evening on a runner track to make a delivery when she hears something coming. She is pushed off of the runner track by a runner (beast/horse) and rider. She is pushed into a bush of thorns that can be very dangerous. She makes it to her destination where they see to her wounds. She finds out she was almost run over by one of the Lord Holder's sons. It takes several days for them to get all of the thorns out and for her to be on the mend. During this time, there is a gather. She promptly approaches the man that was pointed out to her as the one who ran her off the track and she punches him and knocks him out. She finds out that she has knocked out the wrong brother. She has knocked out his twin instead. This story is full of humor. I couldn't help but love Tenna's character and charm. She is a strong woman. There is laughter and romance. A fantastic story!
Ever The Twain is about a set of twins that are searched for the hatching that is to come. The boy has always had the dream of being a dragonrider. The sister is the one that is chosen during the search, but she refuses to go without her brother. This is a heartwarming story that was enjoyable as well.
This set of short stories is a great addition to the Pern series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2022
Nice collection if these in-between stories for the main books. nice back story to some main characters. Recommended
January 9, 2010
Don't feel like wading through Anne McCaffrey's short story collections just to find an episode from your favorite dragon-infused world? Well have no fear, A Gift of Dragons is here! In this lovely little book you'll find four short stories set on Pern, all of which, with the possible exception of the incredibly sappy "Ever the Twain", are really fun and generally good reading for long-time Pern fans. One of the great things about the included stories is that they examine aspects of Pernese life that haven't been touched on much previously: the lives of the Holdless in "The Girl Who Heard Dragons", the Search and Candidate processes in "The Smallest Dragon-boy" and "Ever the Twain", and the lives and work of Runners in "Runner of Pern". Overall I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend it to both long-time Pern fans and those new to the series and world.
June 30, 2017
I'm a huge fan of Anne McCaffrey's dragons and dragonriders, so I will enjoy any story that includes them. This collection of four stories is the first short story collection I have read by McCaffrey, so I found myself wishing that each story had been made into a book. The Smallest Dragonboy is my favorite of the four, but I enjoyed all the others as well.
March 7, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. I love McCaffrey's world of dragons, holds, halls and guilds, and this book had a little of everything I loved.
I'd read two of the stories before (The Girl Who Heard Dragons and The Smallest Dragonboy), but the other two (Runner of Pern and Ever The Twain) were new to me.
The Girl Who Heard Dragons tells of Aramina, who has the rare gift of being able to 'hear' all dragons, and finds herself in danger because of her talent...
The Smallest Dragonboy introduces Keevan, who is a dragonrider candidate, but whose size causes him to be bullied, and injured just as the dragon eggs begin to hatch...
Runner of Pern is about Tenna, who is following in her family's footsteps (literally) as a courier, carrying messages across Pern on the 'traces'; mossy paths planted for and maintained by the runners - paths where she would not expect to meet a mounted rider...
Ever The Twain is the story of Nian and Neru, twins who have never been separated. Neru dreams of being a dragonrider, while Nian just wants never to be alone. And then the dragons come on Search...
A treasure for any McCaffrey fan, this book is filled with illustrations. A lovely read.
I'd read two of the stories before (The Girl Who Heard Dragons and The Smallest Dragonboy), but the other two (Runner of Pern and Ever The Twain) were new to me.
The Girl Who Heard Dragons tells of Aramina, who has the rare gift of being able to 'hear' all dragons, and finds herself in danger because of her talent...
The Smallest Dragonboy introduces Keevan, who is a dragonrider candidate, but whose size causes him to be bullied, and injured just as the dragon eggs begin to hatch...
Runner of Pern is about Tenna, who is following in her family's footsteps (literally) as a courier, carrying messages across Pern on the 'traces'; mossy paths planted for and maintained by the runners - paths where she would not expect to meet a mounted rider...
Ever The Twain is the story of Nian and Neru, twins who have never been separated. Neru dreams of being a dragonrider, while Nian just wants never to be alone. And then the dragons come on Search...
A treasure for any McCaffrey fan, this book is filled with illustrations. A lovely read.
December 4, 2016
A Gift of Dragons (2002) collects together four Anne McCaffrey Pern short stories in a book aimed at the YA audience. The little hardback is well printed and bound nicely, making for a nice kit. One of the stories is new for the collection.
The stories pretty much unfold as you'd expect from a McCaffrey story. Bullies and egotists abound. So do dragons. The stories are all what they are, flowing well enough, twisting YA anxieties for all they are worth.
The new story in this volume centers around twins being searched, which triggers my anti-twin sentiments. (Since I'm a twin, I get to have anti-twin outrage and twin stereotypes.) The twins here, fraternal, look fairly alike and are inseparable. (Roll your eyes and sigh.)
Nothing here is fine literature, but they're perfectly good YA stories to keep a dragon lover occupied.
The stories pretty much unfold as you'd expect from a McCaffrey story. Bullies and egotists abound. So do dragons. The stories are all what they are, flowing well enough, twisting YA anxieties for all they are worth.
The new story in this volume centers around twins being searched, which triggers my anti-twin sentiments. (Since I'm a twin, I get to have anti-twin outrage and twin stereotypes.) The twins here, fraternal, look fairly alike and are inseparable. (Roll your eyes and sigh.)
Nothing here is fine literature, but they're perfectly good YA stories to keep a dragon lover occupied.
September 7, 2022
Anne McCaffrey is generally thought of as a novelist, particularly when it comes to her Dragonriders of Pern 'verse. However, she has written a small number of shorter works.
"The Littlest Dragonboy" was originally published in the collection Get Off the Dragon, and is a variation on the "ugly duckling" or "little engine that could" tropes. Keevan is the youngest Candidate, and is ridiculed for his strong stature. When the bullying turns violent, it looks like he won't make it to this Hatching -- but he is determined.
"The Girl Who Heard Dragons" is the original story of Aramina, a poor girl whose family was left holdless when the wicked Lord Fax conquered Ruatha Hold. The bandit chieftan Thrella, who styles herself Lady Holdless, is trying to capture Aramina and use her as a living dragon detector. The family's desperate flight leads them into the territory of Benden Hold, and K'van and his dragon reappear as rescuers. The story ends happily with Aramina off to her new life in Benden Weyr, and it appears she has a great future ahead of her. (Sadly, readers of the later novels know that she found so many dragon voices unbearable and fled, and ended up in Southern Continent, where she turned into a fretful ninny after the role of protagonist shifted to her son).
"Runner of Pern" is a story of the messenger system by which ordinary people can send letters and small parcels. Tenna is just starting her career in the family craft when she's run off the trace by a reckless rider who has no business there. She makes it to Fort Station, where she must track down the culprit and hold him accountable for his actions, for the honor of her guild. There's a certain Captains Courageous element here, of the spoiled youth who must confront his flaws and ends up coming to respect the person who makes him accountable for his actions.
"Ever the Twain," which is new to this collection, is the story of two young twins who are taken to Ista Weyr in Search, and who each want the other to Impress a dragon. It feels like a story set in one of the earlier Passes, since it's a time when it's still unremarkable for women to Impress green dragons.
In all, it's a good, solid collection, although IIRC there was one more Pern story that's not included in it, which for the first time suggests that between could also be a sort of afterlife when a character gets lost in it and meets Moreta.
"The Littlest Dragonboy" was originally published in the collection Get Off the Dragon, and is a variation on the "ugly duckling" or "little engine that could" tropes. Keevan is the youngest Candidate, and is ridiculed for his strong stature. When the bullying turns violent, it looks like he won't make it to this Hatching -- but he is determined.
"The Girl Who Heard Dragons" is the original story of Aramina, a poor girl whose family was left holdless when the wicked Lord Fax conquered Ruatha Hold. The bandit chieftan Thrella, who styles herself Lady Holdless, is trying to capture Aramina and use her as a living dragon detector. The family's desperate flight leads them into the territory of Benden Hold, and K'van and his dragon reappear as rescuers. The story ends happily with Aramina off to her new life in Benden Weyr, and it appears she has a great future ahead of her. (Sadly, readers of the later novels know that she found so many dragon voices unbearable and fled, and ended up in Southern Continent, where she turned into a fretful ninny after the role of protagonist shifted to her son).
"Runner of Pern" is a story of the messenger system by which ordinary people can send letters and small parcels. Tenna is just starting her career in the family craft when she's run off the trace by a reckless rider who has no business there. She makes it to Fort Station, where she must track down the culprit and hold him accountable for his actions, for the honor of her guild. There's a certain Captains Courageous element here, of the spoiled youth who must confront his flaws and ends up coming to respect the person who makes him accountable for his actions.
"Ever the Twain," which is new to this collection, is the story of two young twins who are taken to Ista Weyr in Search, and who each want the other to Impress a dragon. It feels like a story set in one of the earlier Passes, since it's a time when it's still unremarkable for women to Impress green dragons.
In all, it's a good, solid collection, although IIRC there was one more Pern story that's not included in it, which for the first time suggests that between could also be a sort of afterlife when a character gets lost in it and meets Moreta.
August 26, 2012
Maybe I've been reading too many Pern books all in a row, but I found these short stories fairly boring.
December 11, 2023
collection of novellas set on Pern. Well written as always.
October 1, 2025
With this review, I'm officially stepping away from Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. Though there are still a few more books in the series, they are all co-written and completely written by McCaffrey's children, and I haven't seen enough to make me want to keep going past this point. SKIES OF PERN was the last novel McCaffrey wrote herself, but this collection of stories was the last book she published herself.
A GIFT OF DRAGONS is actually republishing old material for the most part; three of the four stories were published throughout McCaffrey's career, with the last one being a new original story to help drive interest. I'll mention each one here:
THE SMALLEST DRAGONBOY: First published in 1973. A young dragon candidate of very short stature is routinely teased for his height, and some wonder if he will be able to fly a dragon successfully. His determination, however, drives him to Impression despite multiple obstacles. Very short but sweet, stories of people getting their dragons are always joyful and happy, and this one is no exception.
THE GIRL WHO HEARD DRAGONS: First published in 1986, and featured in a general collection of Anne McCaffrey's work. Taking place during RENEGADES OF PERN, it follows Aramina, a girl with the rare ability to "hear" the telepathic voices of dragons, usually only reserved for their riders. Her ability makes her a desireable asset for the bandit queen Thella, and Aramina must flee with her family to avoid being pressed into the cruel criminal's service. A bit of an odd story, since it really seems to imply that Aramina will become a rider; in RENEGADES, she is abducted from the Weyr's custody, saved by the trader Jaxom, and ends up fleeing to the Southern Continent so she can avoid both Thella and the hearing of dragons in the sky. I'm not sure why McCaffrey changed up the outcome for this character so much, but it is interesting to see how things can change in just a few years.
RUNNER OF PERN: A lovely story that expounds upon the foot-runner system of the Northern Continent. The runner system is a postal service for all the Holds, and is constantly staffed by athletic runners who have travelling down to a science. RUNNER follows Tenna, a born-and-bred runner who is making her first Cross of the continent.This story has it all: romance, excitement, dancing, logistical info on a fictional public service. I enjoyed it immensely, and found it to be reminiscent of the Harper Hall books (the best books in the Dragonriders series, btw).
EVER THE TWAIN: A sweet but largely inessential story about twins, one who wants to be a dragonrider and the other who wants her twin to be a dragonrider. It's a nice story, but very little happens that feels important or interesting. McCaffrey seems pretty done by this point.
All in all, a very enjoyable collection, and a solid way to wrap up my dive into the Dragonriders of Pern!
A GIFT OF DRAGONS is actually republishing old material for the most part; three of the four stories were published throughout McCaffrey's career, with the last one being a new original story to help drive interest. I'll mention each one here:
THE SMALLEST DRAGONBOY: First published in 1973. A young dragon candidate of very short stature is routinely teased for his height, and some wonder if he will be able to fly a dragon successfully. His determination, however, drives him to Impression despite multiple obstacles. Very short but sweet, stories of people getting their dragons are always joyful and happy, and this one is no exception.
THE GIRL WHO HEARD DRAGONS: First published in 1986, and featured in a general collection of Anne McCaffrey's work. Taking place during RENEGADES OF PERN, it follows Aramina, a girl with the rare ability to "hear" the telepathic voices of dragons, usually only reserved for their riders. Her ability makes her a desireable asset for the bandit queen Thella, and Aramina must flee with her family to avoid being pressed into the cruel criminal's service. A bit of an odd story, since it really seems to imply that Aramina will become a rider; in RENEGADES, she is abducted from the Weyr's custody, saved by the trader Jaxom, and ends up fleeing to the Southern Continent so she can avoid both Thella and the hearing of dragons in the sky. I'm not sure why McCaffrey changed up the outcome for this character so much, but it is interesting to see how things can change in just a few years.
RUNNER OF PERN: A lovely story that expounds upon the foot-runner system of the Northern Continent. The runner system is a postal service for all the Holds, and is constantly staffed by athletic runners who have travelling down to a science. RUNNER follows Tenna, a born-and-bred runner who is making her first Cross of the continent.This story has it all: romance, excitement, dancing, logistical info on a fictional public service. I enjoyed it immensely, and found it to be reminiscent of the Harper Hall books (the best books in the Dragonriders series, btw).
EVER THE TWAIN: A sweet but largely inessential story about twins, one who wants to be a dragonrider and the other who wants her twin to be a dragonrider. It's a nice story, but very little happens that feels important or interesting. McCaffrey seems pretty done by this point.
All in all, a very enjoyable collection, and a solid way to wrap up my dive into the Dragonriders of Pern!
July 4, 2025
Have always wanted to see what the appeal was for Anne McCaffrey and more importantly the Dragons of Pern. Well I finally stumbled across a second hand copy of this title and thought I would give it a go.
Now I will be the first to say that it is probably the worst place to start with but hey it was for charity.
Anyway the book contains 4 short stories - 3 are re-prints while the fourth was written for this book. They are all lightly illustrated along with chapter and page banners, which all adds to the charm of the book.
The stories were all rather predictable however knowing as little as I do I suspect they are in fact fillers for more important and larger stories elsewhere in the series. So yes very readable and enjoyable and I am sure if I stumble across other Pern books I will take a look although I am already getting the feeling I need to read them in some sort of order.
Now I will be the first to say that it is probably the worst place to start with but hey it was for charity.
Anyway the book contains 4 short stories - 3 are re-prints while the fourth was written for this book. They are all lightly illustrated along with chapter and page banners, which all adds to the charm of the book.
The stories were all rather predictable however knowing as little as I do I suspect they are in fact fillers for more important and larger stories elsewhere in the series. So yes very readable and enjoyable and I am sure if I stumble across other Pern books I will take a look although I am already getting the feeling I need to read them in some sort of order.
March 14, 2025
I've always loved her shorter Pern stories.
October 22, 2019
‘A Gift of Dragons’ contains four shortish stories, each part of Anne McCaffrey's extremely long-running "Dragonriders" series, one of my all-time favourite series. Apparently, a couple of these stories had all been published elsewhere, but since I hadn’t come across any of them before it was a delight to find this little collection (quite by chance, in a sweet little second-hand bookshop in Norfolk, in February, after failing to find any crab to eat) and even more delightful to find them *beautifully* illustrated. Really beautifully, in fact. Is it a coincidence that I’ve now come across two books about dragons with nice illustration in recent months? Probably, yes, but not one I’m going to complain about.
I’m not going to lie: this is one of those books that will really only appeal to people who are already fans of McCaffrey’s work. For me, it was a chance to revisit characters and places that have been part of my life since I was twelve years old, and to explore new facets of a comfortingly familiar world. And I enjoyed them for that. But, if we're being honest, the stories here just aren't good.
They're saccharine, and clumsily written, and showcase some of the weirder quirks of McCaffrey's take on gender and class. They’re also incredibly predictable. We know, from the very first page, that the protagonist of “The Smallest Dragonboy” is going to impress a bronze dragon and overcome the boy who's bullying him, just as we know that Aramina is going to escape her pursuers in “The Girl Who Heard Dragons” (although in fairness anyone who’s read ‘Renegades of Pern’ would know that isn’t the end of her story). I didn't hate “Runner of Pern”, although Tenna was basically a poor copy of Menolly from the Harper Hall trilogy, and “Ever The Twain” was painfully mawkish and really quite odd.
For the fan in me, and for the lover of beautiful books in me too, I’m delighted to have been able to add this to my shelves. For anyone else, go read ‘Dragonflight’ or ‘Dragonsong’ or ‘Dragonsdawn’ or, well, really any other book in the series. They're better written, have more interesting characters, and provide more compelling plots.
There’s not a huge amount more to say, but I will add a personal note: the front of this particularly book contains a handwritten inscription, from a man named Kay to a woman named Mary, thanking her “for sharing your love of dragons, for sharing the music”. I've never met, and will never meet, either Mary or Kay, but that sentence captured something about how I've always felt about the Dragonriders of Pern. Maybe McCaffrey’s sentimentalism is rubbing off on me, but it made me smile.
I’m not going to lie: this is one of those books that will really only appeal to people who are already fans of McCaffrey’s work. For me, it was a chance to revisit characters and places that have been part of my life since I was twelve years old, and to explore new facets of a comfortingly familiar world. And I enjoyed them for that. But, if we're being honest, the stories here just aren't good.
They're saccharine, and clumsily written, and showcase some of the weirder quirks of McCaffrey's take on gender and class. They’re also incredibly predictable. We know, from the very first page, that the protagonist of “The Smallest Dragonboy” is going to impress a bronze dragon and overcome the boy who's bullying him, just as we know that Aramina is going to escape her pursuers in “The Girl Who Heard Dragons” (although in fairness anyone who’s read ‘Renegades of Pern’ would know that isn’t the end of her story). I didn't hate “Runner of Pern”, although Tenna was basically a poor copy of Menolly from the Harper Hall trilogy, and “Ever The Twain” was painfully mawkish and really quite odd.
For the fan in me, and for the lover of beautiful books in me too, I’m delighted to have been able to add this to my shelves. For anyone else, go read ‘Dragonflight’ or ‘Dragonsong’ or ‘Dragonsdawn’ or, well, really any other book in the series. They're better written, have more interesting characters, and provide more compelling plots.
There’s not a huge amount more to say, but I will add a personal note: the front of this particularly book contains a handwritten inscription, from a man named Kay to a woman named Mary, thanking her “for sharing your love of dragons, for sharing the music”. I've never met, and will never meet, either Mary or Kay, but that sentence captured something about how I've always felt about the Dragonriders of Pern. Maybe McCaffrey’s sentimentalism is rubbing off on me, but it made me smile.
June 29, 2025
Note: My partner and I are reading the Pern series in chronological order using this list: https://www.howtoread.me/dragonriders...
Previously:
Dragonseye - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"Ever the Twain" - Read: March 4, 2023
There's some bull shit-ary afoot with gender roles (why didn't Neru pack his own bag, as just one example) and the stereotypes therein. Also, Nian seems really unhealthily obsessed with her brother.
But this was actually sweet and short and I personally always love attending a hatching of baby dragons.
Next: Dragon's Kin - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Insert a bunch of books here...
Previously: The Masterharper of Pern - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"Runner of Pern" - Read: November 1, 2024
Woah, we've been doing this awhile.
Tenna: I just wanna be a runner and feel the wind across my face and the freedom of the road. But now I'm 17 and everyone keeps telling me I'm beautiful, so confusing. Then this irresponsible lord injures me accidentally and I'm super pissed until he shows interest in me, and, well, now settling down doesn't sound like such a bad idea.
The characters were interesting in their way. I didn't hate it, but, just, ugh! Ya'know?
Next: Dragonflight
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Insert another bunch of books here...
Previously: The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"The Smallest Dragonboy" - Read: May 7, 2025
This is a sweet little side story for K'van showing how tenacious he can be. Loved it.
"The Girl who Heard Dragons" - Read: May 10, 2025
Aramina is another tenacious kid, and she can hear dragons. Her family is on the run, and that trick comes very much in handy.
Anyway, the story itself is a really fun adventure. I liked it.
The way the parents were described was unsettling though. Mom keeps herself thin and beautiful even though she's old, and you know she has Dad's esteem cause he keeps her pregnant. Nothing to see here. Totally normal way to describe a couple.
That's it! We did it! We finished A Gift of Dragons!
Next: The White Dragon
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Previously:
Dragonseye - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"Ever the Twain" - Read: March 4, 2023
There's some bull shit-ary afoot with gender roles (why didn't Neru pack his own bag, as just one example) and the stereotypes therein. Also, Nian seems really unhealthily obsessed with her brother.
But this was actually sweet and short and I personally always love attending a hatching of baby dragons.
Next: Dragon's Kin - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Insert a bunch of books here...
Previously: The Masterharper of Pern - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"Runner of Pern" - Read: November 1, 2024
Woah, we've been doing this awhile.
Tenna: I just wanna be a runner and feel the wind across my face and the freedom of the road. But now I'm 17 and everyone keeps telling me I'm beautiful, so confusing. Then this irresponsible lord injures me accidentally and I'm super pissed until he shows interest in me, and, well, now settling down doesn't sound like such a bad idea.
The characters were interesting in their way. I didn't hate it, but, just, ugh! Ya'know?
Next: Dragonflight
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Insert another bunch of books here...
Previously: The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"The Smallest Dragonboy" - Read: May 7, 2025
This is a sweet little side story for K'van showing how tenacious he can be. Loved it.
"The Girl who Heard Dragons" - Read: May 10, 2025
Aramina is another tenacious kid, and she can hear dragons. Her family is on the run, and that trick comes very much in handy.
Anyway, the story itself is a really fun adventure. I liked it.
The way the parents were described was unsettling though. Mom keeps herself thin and beautiful even though she's old, and you know she has Dad's esteem cause he keeps her pregnant. Nothing to see here. Totally normal way to describe a couple.
That's it! We did it! We finished A Gift of Dragons!
Next: The White Dragon
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 13, 2023
An omnibus of four short stories that include bullying in the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series and revolving around the dragons and culture of Pern.
The Series
"The Smallest Dragonboy” (a year or so before “The Girl Who Heard Dragons”)
"The Girl Who Heard Dragons” (a few years after Dragonflight , 1 (14))
”Runner of Pern” (while Silvina is headwoman at the Harper Hall)
"Ever the Twain” (any time)
The Stories
"The Smallest Dragonboy"
It’s egg-hatching time at Benden Weyr, and Keevan is hoping against all hope that he’ll Impress. Only, the riders are talking of excluding the younger Candidates.
The Characters
Keevan is the youngest and shortest of the Candidates. Mende is his foster mother. K’last rides a brown and is Keevan’s father. Beterli is the most senior Candidate — and has been rejected at eight Impressions. Hmph.
F’lar is the Weyrleader with Menementh as his bronze dragon. Lessa, the Weyrwoman, rides Ramoth. F’nor, F’lar’s brother, rides Canth, the biggest brown. Other riders include L’vel with his blue.
"The Girl Who Heard Dragons”
There’s reason to be glad that Lord Fax was finally “executed”, only it takes a few years before Dowell and his family learns of it. What they hear of Lytol encourages the family to start the return journey to Ruatha, only, a horrible accident may prevent it.
The Characters
Aramina can hear dragons. Her parents are Dowell, a gifted wood joiner, and Barla who has seeings. The bragging Pell is her brother and Nexa is the youngest. Nudge and Shove are their dray beasts. Her parents had left their hold to hold onto their honor.
A cavern in Igen is providing shelter for hundreds of holdless folk. Lemos is said to have wood; Asgenar is its lord. They’re calling the mean Thella, Lady Holdless. Giron, a rider who lost his dragon, is her second-in-command. Lytol is the new ruler over Ruatha Hold. Belior and Timor are Pern’s moons.
Mirrim rides Path, a green; K’van rides Heth; T’gellan rides bronze Monarth; and, Lamanth is a queen who has clutched thirty eggs. F’lar is the Weyrleader with Menementh as his bronze dragon. Lessa, the Weyrwoman, rides Ramoth.
”Runner of Pern”
A fun and unexpected story about the runners of Pern, how they test for it, the traces they run, their concerns, their experiences, and the culture and history of their craft. The first half of the story concentrates on Tenna and her concerns while the second half pulls in other runners and a Gather at Fort Hold. It’s cute how Tenna doesn’t want kids, as she’d prefer to run rather than to raise runners.
Until a case of mistaken identity . . .
The Characters
Tenna is a fairly new runner from a family of runners. Cesila is her mother and manages a large runner station, Station 97 in Keroon Hold. Fedri is her father and she has a total of eight siblings, including Sedra and Silan.
Mallum is a runner at Telgar station. Other runners include Masso. Irma runs a nearby station.
Station 300 is at Fort Hold where Lord Groghe rules. Torlo is the station master; Penda is his mate. Some of their runners include Misler, Grolly, Rosa, Spacia, and Cleve who is the runner Rosa is sweet on. Delfie is a southern runner. Haligorn and the bullying Horon are twin brothers and sons of Groghe’s. Beveny is a good-hearted Healer. Silvina is the headwoman at the Harper Hall. Felisha is from the Weaver Hall and determined to snag Cleve. Ligand is a tanner journeyman.
"Ever the Twain”
The primary concern is of the twins being separated. Oh, they know, it’ll happen one day . . . in the distant future! It’s that desperate hope of theirs that keeps them together, even though this doesn’t feel very realistic. It’s also interesting that C’tic takes it as no big deal about his dragon speaking to Ru and Nian.
It’s a slightly different look at life in the Weyr with Ru and Nian helping the injured dragons. Impression is a crack-up with the twins’ roaring needs, lol. I gotta love those dragonets. They have got their priorities and don’t you forget it, lol.
The Characters
The sixteen-year-old Neru “Ru” and Nian “Ninny” are twins. Nerith is Ru’s dream dragon. Palla is their mother. Niall is the youngest sibling.
Lord Lado and Lady Cirine rule Lado Hold on Ista Island. Flamel, the son of the Hold’s smith, is a bully. Orla is the daughter of the Hold’s weaver and has been recommended for apprenticing to Master Elaine at Fort Hold. Chaum is also sixteen. Master Ruart is their Harper.
Clidith, a queen dragon, has recently clutched. R’dik rides blue Shalanth; Sarty is green Ledith’s rider; and Conna rides green Oswith. Kilpie is in charge of the Lower Caverns. H’ran is the Weyrlingmaster and rides bronze Prinith. C’tic gets help with his bronze Brith. Robina, a Masterfarmer’s daughter, is a snotty Candidate.
The Cover and Title
The cover is golden in its mottled sky filled with dragons emerging from a decorated treasure box above snowy mounds of mountains and flat plateaus with its bronze rounded border around the outer edges. At the top is the author’s name in burgundy. The title is at the bottom in a white shadowed deep blue. Below that is an info blurb about illustrated stories.
The title, A Gift of Dragons, technically only applies to three of the stories, as these dragons are a gift . . . to the individual and to all of Pern.
The Series
"The Smallest Dragonboy” (a year or so before “The Girl Who Heard Dragons”)
"The Girl Who Heard Dragons” (a few years after Dragonflight , 1 (14))
”Runner of Pern” (while Silvina is headwoman at the Harper Hall)
"Ever the Twain” (any time)
The Stories
"The Smallest Dragonboy"
It’s egg-hatching time at Benden Weyr, and Keevan is hoping against all hope that he’ll Impress. Only, the riders are talking of excluding the younger Candidates.
The Characters
Keevan is the youngest and shortest of the Candidates. Mende is his foster mother. K’last rides a brown and is Keevan’s father. Beterli is the most senior Candidate — and has been rejected at eight Impressions. Hmph.
F’lar is the Weyrleader with Menementh as his bronze dragon. Lessa, the Weyrwoman, rides Ramoth. F’nor, F’lar’s brother, rides Canth, the biggest brown. Other riders include L’vel with his blue.
"The Girl Who Heard Dragons”
There’s reason to be glad that Lord Fax was finally “executed”, only it takes a few years before Dowell and his family learns of it. What they hear of Lytol encourages the family to start the return journey to Ruatha, only, a horrible accident may prevent it.
The Characters
Aramina can hear dragons. Her parents are Dowell, a gifted wood joiner, and Barla who has seeings. The bragging Pell is her brother and Nexa is the youngest. Nudge and Shove are their dray beasts. Her parents had left their hold to hold onto their honor.
A cavern in Igen is providing shelter for hundreds of holdless folk. Lemos is said to have wood; Asgenar is its lord. They’re calling the mean Thella, Lady Holdless. Giron, a rider who lost his dragon, is her second-in-command. Lytol is the new ruler over Ruatha Hold. Belior and Timor are Pern’s moons.
Mirrim rides Path, a green; K’van rides Heth; T’gellan rides bronze Monarth; and, Lamanth is a queen who has clutched thirty eggs. F’lar is the Weyrleader with Menementh as his bronze dragon. Lessa, the Weyrwoman, rides Ramoth.
”Runner of Pern”
A fun and unexpected story about the runners of Pern, how they test for it, the traces they run, their concerns, their experiences, and the culture and history of their craft. The first half of the story concentrates on Tenna and her concerns while the second half pulls in other runners and a Gather at Fort Hold. It’s cute how Tenna doesn’t want kids, as she’d prefer to run rather than to raise runners.
Until a case of mistaken identity . . .
The Characters
Tenna is a fairly new runner from a family of runners. Cesila is her mother and manages a large runner station, Station 97 in Keroon Hold. Fedri is her father and she has a total of eight siblings, including Sedra and Silan.
Mallum is a runner at Telgar station. Other runners include Masso. Irma runs a nearby station.
Station 300 is at Fort Hold where Lord Groghe rules. Torlo is the station master; Penda is his mate. Some of their runners include Misler, Grolly, Rosa, Spacia, and Cleve who is the runner Rosa is sweet on. Delfie is a southern runner. Haligorn and the bullying Horon are twin brothers and sons of Groghe’s. Beveny is a good-hearted Healer. Silvina is the headwoman at the Harper Hall. Felisha is from the Weaver Hall and determined to snag Cleve. Ligand is a tanner journeyman.
"Ever the Twain”
The primary concern is of the twins being separated. Oh, they know, it’ll happen one day . . . in the distant future! It’s that desperate hope of theirs that keeps them together, even though this doesn’t feel very realistic. It’s also interesting that C’tic takes it as no big deal about his dragon speaking to Ru and Nian.
It’s a slightly different look at life in the Weyr with Ru and Nian helping the injured dragons. Impression is a crack-up with the twins’ roaring needs, lol. I gotta love those dragonets. They have got their priorities and don’t you forget it, lol.
The Characters
The sixteen-year-old Neru “Ru” and Nian “Ninny” are twins. Nerith is Ru’s dream dragon. Palla is their mother. Niall is the youngest sibling.
Lord Lado and Lady Cirine rule Lado Hold on Ista Island. Flamel, the son of the Hold’s smith, is a bully. Orla is the daughter of the Hold’s weaver and has been recommended for apprenticing to Master Elaine at Fort Hold. Chaum is also sixteen. Master Ruart is their Harper.
Clidith, a queen dragon, has recently clutched. R’dik rides blue Shalanth; Sarty is green Ledith’s rider; and Conna rides green Oswith. Kilpie is in charge of the Lower Caverns. H’ran is the Weyrlingmaster and rides bronze Prinith. C’tic gets help with his bronze Brith. Robina, a Masterfarmer’s daughter, is a snotty Candidate.
The Cover and Title
The cover is golden in its mottled sky filled with dragons emerging from a decorated treasure box above snowy mounds of mountains and flat plateaus with its bronze rounded border around the outer edges. At the top is the author’s name in burgundy. The title is at the bottom in a white shadowed deep blue. Below that is an info blurb about illustrated stories.
The title, A Gift of Dragons, technically only applies to three of the stories, as these dragons are a gift . . . to the individual and to all of Pern.
March 18, 2019
Nothing out of the ordinary here. I was looking for something else and snagged this too; it happened to be nearby.
I was reminded that some of the sexual dynamics in the author's Pern setting are, well, weird.
2019: checked out the ebook to read "Runner of Pern", one of the stories in this book, because it seemed like I was missing something after I read The Skies of Pern. (Actually, several things, but I couldn't remember messengers called runners being mentioned before.) Some of the characters from "Runner" reappear in Skies but this only makes sense if they are several decades younger.
I was reminded that some of the sexual dynamics in the author's Pern setting are, well, weird.
2019: checked out the ebook to read "Runner of Pern", one of the stories in this book, because it seemed like I was missing something after I read The Skies of Pern. (Actually, several things, but I couldn't remember messengers called runners being mentioned before.) Some of the characters from "Runner" reappear in Skies but this only makes sense if they are several decades younger.
January 25, 2008
I started with McCaffrey's Pern books many years ago, enjoyed them immensely. The themes were fresh, the characters engaging, the story line sometimes unpredictable. So when I saw this book with short stories set in this world, I anticipated a good read. I was disappointed, the stories were very predictable, boy wants to be dragon rider, boy is hassled, bonding with dragon happens anyway, girl hears and speaks to dragons, rescues family, etc. I could have predicted the outcome (happy ending) after reading the first paragraph or two. In a phrase from Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass", this was a "much of a muchness".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2020
If you are a fan of her Pern books, then these are fun. More objectively, the first two stories are too short, ending very abruptly. The third story maybe doesn't age so well. The main character is referred to as "pretty" at least once almost every page, and she earns justice merely because she is pretty. For me, the 4th worked a bit better as a short story.
July 30, 2017
I love this book, have read it many times. It is a collection of 4 shorts in the Pern world.
The Smallest Dragonboy is the story in this collection. It follows Keevan the youngest and littlest candidate to stand on the hatching sands. Will he succeed in impressing a dragonet? Especially when he gets injured and is not there when the hatching starts?
The Girl Who Heard Dragons is the next story. Aramina is of the Ruthan blood line, and her parents are holdless thanks to Fax. They discovered that she could hear all the dragons when they close enough. Then one day she desperately needs their help when he father gets caught under their wagon. This brings her to the notice of Benden Wyer, which helps when the Lady Holdless Thalla tries to kidnap her for her own purpose. Wonderful story.
Runner of Pern shows a totally different aspect of Pern society that we don't normally get to see, the Runners who take messages all over Pern. How they train, run, and live. Tenna belongs to a family of Runners, generations of her family have run the taces of Pern and now she on her first CrossCountry run. Just before she reaches Fort Hold, almost the end of her crosscountry run, she run off the traces by a man on a runnerbeast who is not supposed to be on the traces. delightful little story with a smattering of possible young romance.
Ever the Twain is the last story in this book. A set of twins are both are searched for the eggs on the Ista Wyer sands. Can the both impress on hatching day or will one be left while one takes to the skies?
This ebook is a delightful look at the younger people of Pern, and some different aspects not in the Wyers or Holds. A must have for anyone that loves Pern and her dragons. Five stars.
The Smallest Dragonboy is the story in this collection. It follows Keevan the youngest and littlest candidate to stand on the hatching sands. Will he succeed in impressing a dragonet? Especially when he gets injured and is not there when the hatching starts?
The Girl Who Heard Dragons is the next story. Aramina is of the Ruthan blood line, and her parents are holdless thanks to Fax. They discovered that she could hear all the dragons when they close enough. Then one day she desperately needs their help when he father gets caught under their wagon. This brings her to the notice of Benden Wyer, which helps when the Lady Holdless Thalla tries to kidnap her for her own purpose. Wonderful story.
Runner of Pern shows a totally different aspect of Pern society that we don't normally get to see, the Runners who take messages all over Pern. How they train, run, and live. Tenna belongs to a family of Runners, generations of her family have run the taces of Pern and now she on her first CrossCountry run. Just before she reaches Fort Hold, almost the end of her crosscountry run, she run off the traces by a man on a runnerbeast who is not supposed to be on the traces. delightful little story with a smattering of possible young romance.
Ever the Twain is the last story in this book. A set of twins are both are searched for the eggs on the Ista Wyer sands. Can the both impress on hatching day or will one be left while one takes to the skies?
This ebook is a delightful look at the younger people of Pern, and some different aspects not in the Wyers or Holds. A must have for anyone that loves Pern and her dragons. Five stars.
January 31, 2023
I remember the utter joy when this was first published - the illustrations throughout this little hardback book are wonderful and bring the world of Pern to life in a new way (although the depiction of dragons seems a little off to the image I have in my head!).
'The Smallest Dragonboy' was my introduction to Pern, although I didn't know it at the time. It was in a anthology of SF stories I had as a child, so had probably read it many times. It was only after I'd been given a copy of Dragonflight, and become hooked on the series, that I remembered it. To me, it's everything that I love about Pern - someone with a good heart and determination, fulfils their dream of becoming a Dragonrider.
'The Girl Who Heard Dragons' shows some of the fallout of Fax's reign of Ruatha, with a family fleeing and becoming Holdless, despite having the skills and the bloodline to be Holders in their own right. I also love the fact that K'van, from the previous story, is back and has a big part to play.
'A Runner of Pern' focuses on a part of life not really explored in the novels - it has a real sense of humour and provides a light-hearted break from some of the weightier themes explored.
'Ever the Twain' is the only story that doesn't do it for me. It's nice enough and a good read, but doesn't really bring a lot new to the mix.
But on the whole, I love this collection and look forward to returning to it many times in the future.
'The Smallest Dragonboy' was my introduction to Pern, although I didn't know it at the time. It was in a anthology of SF stories I had as a child, so had probably read it many times. It was only after I'd been given a copy of Dragonflight, and become hooked on the series, that I remembered it. To me, it's everything that I love about Pern - someone with a good heart and determination, fulfils their dream of becoming a Dragonrider.
'The Girl Who Heard Dragons' shows some of the fallout of Fax's reign of Ruatha, with a family fleeing and becoming Holdless, despite having the skills and the bloodline to be Holders in their own right. I also love the fact that K'van, from the previous story, is back and has a big part to play.
'A Runner of Pern' focuses on a part of life not really explored in the novels - it has a real sense of humour and provides a light-hearted break from some of the weightier themes explored.
'Ever the Twain' is the only story that doesn't do it for me. It's nice enough and a good read, but doesn't really bring a lot new to the mix.
But on the whole, I love this collection and look forward to returning to it many times in the future.
December 27, 2019
Ulmemini 2, Teos, milles on mainitud lohed: Anne McCaffrey A gift of dragons. 304 lk, Del Rey 2002 #Ulmekirjandus
Riiulitel tuhlates meenus, et ma olen Anne McCaffrey kaunist lohelugemist eesti keeles nautinud, kuid nagu juba mitmes lõimes kurdetud, siis need pooleli jäänud fantaasiasarjad...
Ostsin selle peale Perni lugude sarjast ühe väikese loo. Loo moraal on loomulikult, et ära osta Kindlesse illustreeritud teoseid, sest meisterlikud ja detailsed joonistused ei pääse kahjuks must-valgel ekraanil kuidagi mõjule.
Aga lood - raamatus on neli jutustust lohemaailmast Pernist, kolmes loos on juttu lohedest, ühes tegutsevad hoopis jooksjad. McCaffrey ikka oskab kirjutada. Jooksja lugu on selles mõttes minu täielik lemmik, sest see tunne, kuidas ööpimeduses on tunne, et võiks veel lõputult joosta, see on väga usutavalt kirja pandud. Emotsioonid, kirjeldused, iga lugu on tervik, kuid siiski samas ka selgelt millegi suurema osa. Ma pole piisavalt kogu sarja nn suuri raamatuid lugenud ja seetõttu ei tundnud ma ära, kuhu iga üksik mosaiigikild suures pildis paigutub. Aga raamat ajas täiega isu peale, nii et otsin nüüd Perni sarja lohelood üles ja võtan nende lugemise jälle ette. 4/5
Riiulitel tuhlates meenus, et ma olen Anne McCaffrey kaunist lohelugemist eesti keeles nautinud, kuid nagu juba mitmes lõimes kurdetud, siis need pooleli jäänud fantaasiasarjad...
Ostsin selle peale Perni lugude sarjast ühe väikese loo. Loo moraal on loomulikult, et ära osta Kindlesse illustreeritud teoseid, sest meisterlikud ja detailsed joonistused ei pääse kahjuks must-valgel ekraanil kuidagi mõjule.
Aga lood - raamatus on neli jutustust lohemaailmast Pernist, kolmes loos on juttu lohedest, ühes tegutsevad hoopis jooksjad. McCaffrey ikka oskab kirjutada. Jooksja lugu on selles mõttes minu täielik lemmik, sest see tunne, kuidas ööpimeduses on tunne, et võiks veel lõputult joosta, see on väga usutavalt kirja pandud. Emotsioonid, kirjeldused, iga lugu on tervik, kuid siiski samas ka selgelt millegi suurema osa. Ma pole piisavalt kogu sarja nn suuri raamatuid lugenud ja seetõttu ei tundnud ma ära, kuhu iga üksik mosaiigikild suures pildis paigutub. Aga raamat ajas täiega isu peale, nii et otsin nüüd Perni sarja lohelood üles ja võtan nende lugemise jälle ette. 4/5
December 2, 2020
This book contains 4 novellas set on Pern. The first, the story of a boy impressing a dragon despite the odds, is the oldest and imo the best. Keevan is a likable kid and the glimpse into Weyr life is interesting. The Girl Who Heard Dragons is a nice companion piece to Renegades of Pern. Aramina is a little less likable than Keevan, but really has some strong eldest sister vibes and it's a pretty fun adventure overall. Also Keevan shows up again, so it's nice to see him doing well.
Runner of Pern was written much later than either of those, and it shows. It's definitely a departure from McCaffrey's usual Pern characters, featuring a couple of randos from before the start of the Ninth pass. Tenna is fairly likable, and it does wrap up with a cute little romance if that's your thing.
The last story is easily the weakest of the bunch. The twins are not very engaging as characters, and both of them getting The Bestest Dragons Ever is not very juicy in terms of story. idk, it's whatever.
Other things to note: this book is illustrated, so that's a neat touch. I don't know if it's worth getting for anyone other than die hard fans, though.
Runner of Pern was written much later than either of those, and it shows. It's definitely a departure from McCaffrey's usual Pern characters, featuring a couple of randos from before the start of the Ninth pass. Tenna is fairly likable, and it does wrap up with a cute little romance if that's your thing.
The last story is easily the weakest of the bunch. The twins are not very engaging as characters, and both of them getting The Bestest Dragons Ever is not very juicy in terms of story. idk, it's whatever.
Other things to note: this book is illustrated, so that's a neat touch. I don't know if it's worth getting for anyone other than die hard fans, though.
September 5, 2024
4/6
A cute little collection of short stories in the YA age range. The first two, “the smallest dragon boy” and “the girl who heard dragons” were the better of the 4, as they involve character from the 9th pass and so make appearances in other PERN stories.
“The runner of pern” was a bit boring, the being a runner part was interesting, but the gather was boring and Tenna constantly being told she’s pretty and that being how she solved her problem was a let down.
“Ever the Twain” was ok, to me it was weird that the twins were so close, and how obsessed Nian was of her brother. SPOILERS she got the Queen and her brother got a bronze, which has weird implications in a PERN book… the brother “clears it up” by saying that Queens get transferred to different weyrs all the time for mating flights but still….the boy could’ve gotten a blue or brown and it would have been perfectly fine. I do wonder (and I know there’s been discussion in the fandom) about when this takes place in the timeline, since there’s a girl who impresses a green, but none of the other characters seem to be recognizable.
A cute little collection of short stories in the YA age range. The first two, “the smallest dragon boy” and “the girl who heard dragons” were the better of the 4, as they involve character from the 9th pass and so make appearances in other PERN stories.
“The runner of pern” was a bit boring, the being a runner part was interesting, but the gather was boring and Tenna constantly being told she’s pretty and that being how she solved her problem was a let down.
“Ever the Twain” was ok, to me it was weird that the twins were so close, and how obsessed Nian was of her brother. SPOILERS she got the Queen and her brother got a bronze, which has weird implications in a PERN book… the brother “clears it up” by saying that Queens get transferred to different weyrs all the time for mating flights but still….the boy could’ve gotten a blue or brown and it would have been perfectly fine. I do wonder (and I know there’s been discussion in the fandom) about when this takes place in the timeline, since there’s a girl who impresses a green, but none of the other characters seem to be recognizable.
February 16, 2025
My review is broken into pieces following each individual story in the order I read them in.
“Ever the Twain”: Interesting little story. I like Nian, but Neru was just kind of a blip of a character for me.
“Runner of Pern”: Actually really neat to get a look at an aspect of life on Pern that is vaguely mentioned but otherwise untouched by the overall narrative. I quite like Tenna. Her little romance with Haligon was rather obviously going go happen, but it was sweet.
“The Smallest Dragonboy”: I first read this story in sixth grade, I believe. It appeared in an English textbook. Pretty sure it was my introduction to Pern.
I’m honestly tired of the bully stories, especially ones where grievous bodily harm comes to the victim. This is one of those. And of course Keevan overcomes his injuries to Impress a bronze. Because of course he does.
“The Girl Who Heard Dragons”: Quite the little adventure. Nice to get a little more K’van.
The artwork in this book is sketchy and completely in sepia tone. It works fairly well for the portraits, but a few of the landscapes just turned out muddy. Unfortunately the worst of these is the one of Heth running through the forest in "The Girl Who Heard Dragons."
“Ever the Twain”: Interesting little story. I like Nian, but Neru was just kind of a blip of a character for me.
“Runner of Pern”: Actually really neat to get a look at an aspect of life on Pern that is vaguely mentioned but otherwise untouched by the overall narrative. I quite like Tenna. Her little romance with Haligon was rather obviously going go happen, but it was sweet.
“The Smallest Dragonboy”: I first read this story in sixth grade, I believe. It appeared in an English textbook. Pretty sure it was my introduction to Pern.
I’m honestly tired of the bully stories, especially ones where grievous bodily harm comes to the victim. This is one of those. And of course Keevan overcomes his injuries to Impress a bronze. Because of course he does.
“The Girl Who Heard Dragons”: Quite the little adventure. Nice to get a little more K’van.
The artwork in this book is sketchy and completely in sepia tone. It works fairly well for the portraits, but a few of the landscapes just turned out muddy. Unfortunately the worst of these is the one of Heth running through the forest in "The Girl Who Heard Dragons."
December 15, 2025
Two books by Anne McCaffrey, the short story collection A Gift of Dragons and The Dragon Lover’s Guide to Pern, with Jody Lynn Nye, have within them five adorable little stories set about Pern in no particular order. All five stories deal with young people and appear set in time after Robinton has become Masterharper, Lord Groghe has become Fort’s Lord Holder, and F’lar and Lessa are the Benden Weyrleaders, all at the beginning of the Ninth Pass of the Red Star, around Turn 2508. A time somewhere between Dragonflight of Turn 2505 and Dragonquest of Turn 2515.
In A Gift of Dragons, there are “The Smallest Dragonboy,” (K’van); “The Girl Who Heard Dragons,” (Aramina); “Runner of Pern,” (Tenna); and “Ever the Twain,” (Neru and Nian). In The Dragon Lover’s Guide to Pern is the story “The Impression,” (F’lessan and Mirrim).
None of these stories are great turning points in the Pern saga. But they do flesh out, just a little bit more, the marvelous Pern universe and its peoples.
Also, the majority of the dates (Turns) within these Reviews come from The Atlas of Pern by Karen Wynn Fonstad.
All three of these books are highly recommended—if you can find them.
In A Gift of Dragons, there are “The Smallest Dragonboy,” (K’van); “The Girl Who Heard Dragons,” (Aramina); “Runner of Pern,” (Tenna); and “Ever the Twain,” (Neru and Nian). In The Dragon Lover’s Guide to Pern is the story “The Impression,” (F’lessan and Mirrim).
None of these stories are great turning points in the Pern saga. But they do flesh out, just a little bit more, the marvelous Pern universe and its peoples.
Also, the majority of the dates (Turns) within these Reviews come from The Atlas of Pern by Karen Wynn Fonstad.
All three of these books are highly recommended—if you can find them.
July 3, 2018
A delightful collection of 4 short stories from the Pern universe. From a small lad wanting to impress a dragon hatchling to a girl who can hear and talk to dragons telepathically to a runner completing her first complete run across the continent and finding love along the way to a set of twins picked as potential future dragon riders to come to a hatching, these stories captivate and entrance in the way only Anne McCaffrey's stories can. It's been a long time I've been able to read something new by her. I've gobbled up her stories as soon as they were released for several years. She will be missed.
June 3, 2025
Nothing says "summer reading" to me more than a good Fantasy read, a glass of wine, and the back porch, and even better if dragons are included.
This is a short anthology of McCaffery's short stories. 4 stories, 3 that included past characters from her Pern series, and the final one, something and someone new. Unfortunate that I did not enjoy the last story as much as I anticipated. It was hurriedly put together as filler for the book, in my opinion. *Sigh* Still a wonderful dive in the world of Pern. I do not have many more of this series to read, and so anything I can get my hands on is a bonus to me
This is a short anthology of McCaffery's short stories. 4 stories, 3 that included past characters from her Pern series, and the final one, something and someone new. Unfortunate that I did not enjoy the last story as much as I anticipated. It was hurriedly put together as filler for the book, in my opinion. *Sigh* Still a wonderful dive in the world of Pern. I do not have many more of this series to read, and so anything I can get my hands on is a bonus to me
March 10, 2019
One of my favorite authors and such a pleasure to read.
Smallest Dragonboy was a reread but worth rereading.
Girl Who Heard Dragons, I think was also a reread. It revisits some of Ruatha's history from holder's point of view.
Runner of Pern was new to me. Maybe not my favorite since I do love the dragons, but still enjoyable to get a new story about another aspect of Pern and a nice romantic bit.
Ever the Twain was the new story and maybe my least favorite. I really dislike stories of the female putting a male's desires ahead of her own, even if he is her twin.
Smallest Dragonboy was a reread but worth rereading.
Girl Who Heard Dragons, I think was also a reread. It revisits some of Ruatha's history from holder's point of view.
Runner of Pern was new to me. Maybe not my favorite since I do love the dragons, but still enjoyable to get a new story about another aspect of Pern and a nice romantic bit.
Ever the Twain was the new story and maybe my least favorite. I really dislike stories of the female putting a male's desires ahead of her own, even if he is her twin.
August 16, 2023
Stories of Pern from young adult perspective
Each of the stories center on teens who are learning who they are and deciding what to do with their lives. The girl from the first story is a refugee from a "hold" where a new lord has made a violent takeover. When her beautiful mother is targeted, the entire family must run. The story fields in what happens to people on this world who step outside of the political system that has been set up. Just as in our world refugees and immigrants are taken advantage of and they struggle to find a safe place for their family.
Each of the stories center on teens who are learning who they are and deciding what to do with their lives. The girl from the first story is a refugee from a "hold" where a new lord has made a violent takeover. When her beautiful mother is targeted, the entire family must run. The story fields in what happens to people on this world who step outside of the political system that has been set up. Just as in our world refugees and immigrants are taken advantage of and they struggle to find a safe place for their family.
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