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Petaybee #3
Power Play
“Riveting . . . exciting . . . The writing and characterization, as well as the infusions of Celtic and Inuit lore, remain of high quality.”—BooklistPetaybee is growing up. Day by day, the feeling planet—like any child—is learning to recognize and understand the meaning of outside stimuli, to respond to those stimuli, to communicate its own needs and desires . . . even to use human speech. Yanaba Maddock has appointed herself defender of her adopted planet, and has even succeeded in proving its sentience to nonbelievers. But despite her efforts, few outsiders truly care for the emotions and intelligence of what they perceive to be a giant hunk of rock. Then Yanaba is kidnapped. The price of her control of the planet itself. But the only one who can speak for Petaybee is Petaybee—and no one knows what a living planet can do once it finds its voice. . . .“Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough collaborate seamlessly to tell a first-rate sf adventure.”—Library Journal, on Power Lines
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1995
109 people are currently reading
1129 people want to read
About the author
Anne McCaffrey
483 books7,841 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 68 reviews
April 21, 2024
Cleaner content this time around, but an inferior story. I'm glad this series is done.
January 31, 2011
I'm guessing this is where McCaffrey checked out of this series. The tone changes entirely - it's a marked difference, and not a good one. Suddenly there's a lot of "she caught her own unspoken pun and chuckled", and you read back thinking "what pun? Oh, that - why are we noting that?" There are a lot more jokey slang phrases as well, which were out of date when the book was published and so now just sound totally bizarre; I don't really believe that that lingo is still alive on a deep-space station. And the political maneuvering from the first two books has moved from bureaucratic in nature to some sort of high-society chess game. Ugh.
There's this awkward attempt at comedy going through the entire book, and it's bizarre. For instance: there are pirates, who are dressed in some sort of frankensteined space pirate gear - literally a cutoff spacesuit with bandanas and striped shirts. One of them lurches around saying stuff like "make them walk the plank". It's community theatre in space, and even the characters note how anachronistic the behaviour is, suggesting the pirates have been watching old movies. Which I find incredibly realistic, given how much of my leisure time I spend cranking up the old Gramophone and enjoying some late 19th century tunes. It would be like soldiers suddenly putting on Crusades-era chainmail, or me running around dressed up like Mata Hari when I feel like doing a spot of espionage. And then there's the fact that multiple people from different planets and backgrounds seem to know of Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas, down to singing "Model Major General". Most people on Earth today cannot quote or identify Shakespeare's work, so again, this is some random authorial whim that is completely illogical. These are ridiculous, contrived scenes, and they derail the whole plot - not to mention they are painfully unfunny.
At the heart of it, the characters just change too much. Part of it is that the new style of writing (Scarsborough, I assume) creates much more distance and feels superficial. But a lot of it is also wholesale character alterations. I liked Yana, so to see this scarred military veteran suddenly turn into someone who stands at a space station window, thinking of the "man of her heart" (the hell?!) and nibbling on the edge of a memo is horrifying. Uh, no. No. She's 40-50 years old, if I'm getting the "too old to have kids" miracle right, and she's a war veteran, and there is no way in hell she would be handed a printout and proceed to fatuously eat it. Come ON. It makes Yana sound incredibly dumb - and that's not even getting into her sudden tingly experiences whenever she touches an aristocrat who's wearing what sounds like Spanx for Men. Because that's sexy.
Back on Peytabee things are not as bad, but overall it's not the same voice writing. And there's no subtlety to it at all, so it doesn't feel like a natural continuation. Luckily, this is not a very good series in the first place, so it doesn't hurt as much as I imagine the handover of Pern has for people reading Todd McCaffrey's books.
There's this awkward attempt at comedy going through the entire book, and it's bizarre. For instance: there are pirates, who are dressed in some sort of frankensteined space pirate gear - literally a cutoff spacesuit with bandanas and striped shirts. One of them lurches around saying stuff like "make them walk the plank". It's community theatre in space, and even the characters note how anachronistic the behaviour is, suggesting the pirates have been watching old movies. Which I find incredibly realistic, given how much of my leisure time I spend cranking up the old Gramophone and enjoying some late 19th century tunes. It would be like soldiers suddenly putting on Crusades-era chainmail, or me running around dressed up like Mata Hari when I feel like doing a spot of espionage. And then there's the fact that multiple people from different planets and backgrounds seem to know of Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas, down to singing "Model Major General". Most people on Earth today cannot quote or identify Shakespeare's work, so again, this is some random authorial whim that is completely illogical. These are ridiculous, contrived scenes, and they derail the whole plot - not to mention they are painfully unfunny.
At the heart of it, the characters just change too much. Part of it is that the new style of writing (Scarsborough, I assume) creates much more distance and feels superficial. But a lot of it is also wholesale character alterations. I liked Yana, so to see this scarred military veteran suddenly turn into someone who stands at a space station window, thinking of the "man of her heart" (the hell?!) and nibbling on the edge of a memo is horrifying. Uh, no. No. She's 40-50 years old, if I'm getting the "too old to have kids" miracle right, and she's a war veteran, and there is no way in hell she would be handed a printout and proceed to fatuously eat it. Come ON. It makes Yana sound incredibly dumb - and that's not even getting into her sudden tingly experiences whenever she touches an aristocrat who's wearing what sounds like Spanx for Men. Because that's sexy.
Back on Peytabee things are not as bad, but overall it's not the same voice writing. And there's no subtlety to it at all, so it doesn't feel like a natural continuation. Luckily, this is not a very good series in the first place, so it doesn't hurt as much as I imagine the handover of Pern has for people reading Todd McCaffrey's books.
April 15, 2026
An enjoyable conclusion to this trilogy. It takes some kidnapping & violence, but eventually Petaybee is recognised as a sentient planet & agrees that its medicinal plant resources may be used in recompense for the loss of mineral resources. Everyone understands their link to the plant - a symbiosis between humans, animals, plants & planet. Yana & Sean's romance becomes a fruitful union thanks to Petaybee's healing skills allowing Yana to reproduce.
I enjoyed the trilogy & look forward to reading about the new generation in the Twins of Petaybee series.
I enjoyed the trilogy & look forward to reading about the new generation in the Twins of Petaybee series.
January 14, 2022
I think this one was definitely my favourite of the trilogy. It takes a slightly different direction, with a bunch of Petaybeans going off-world in an effort to convince the Galactic community about how unique their planet is. Instead, they get kidnapped and the planet is the ransom to be paid.
There was a lot more cohesion to this story, despite still being a lot going on. It was nice to see the 'bad guys' getting their just desserts, although I'm not sure I can buy in to Dinah's complete turnaround (and everyone else just laughing off her years of crime as Irish high jinks!). Still, there's something appealing about a world that can defend itself and punish those it doesn't like.
Looking forward to reading the second trilogy set on this world.
There was a lot more cohesion to this story, despite still being a lot going on. It was nice to see the 'bad guys' getting their just desserts, although I'm not sure I can buy in to Dinah's complete turnaround (and everyone else just laughing off her years of crime as Irish high jinks!). Still, there's something appealing about a world that can defend itself and punish those it doesn't like.
Looking forward to reading the second trilogy set on this world.
December 9, 2014
Wince. Much weaker than I remembered.
I know nothing of how these books came into existence, but having just reread the trilogy with more knowledge of publishing in general, I have to say it reads like the authors had a great idea that inflamed them and powered the first, very strong and dynamic novel... and then it was sold to the publisher as a trilogy.
See, the second book comes a bit out of left field and comes across as forced in multiple places, but generally works.
This third one, oof. All over the map, with flat characters resorting to stereotype. And then the ending with its multitudes of loose ends flapping, shamelessly begging to be turned into a longer running series, despite the previous several hundred pages confirming that the well was dry.
But I'd reread the first one. It has aged really well.
I know nothing of how these books came into existence, but having just reread the trilogy with more knowledge of publishing in general, I have to say it reads like the authors had a great idea that inflamed them and powered the first, very strong and dynamic novel... and then it was sold to the publisher as a trilogy.
See, the second book comes a bit out of left field and comes across as forced in multiple places, but generally works.
This third one, oof. All over the map, with flat characters resorting to stereotype. And then the ending with its multitudes of loose ends flapping, shamelessly begging to be turned into a longer running series, despite the previous several hundred pages confirming that the well was dry.
But I'd reread the first one. It has aged really well.
July 25, 2020
The conclusion of the Petaybe trilogy that barely makes it to three stars. Bad guys remain cartoonish and the good guys are very standard, but the story wasn't bad and the authors' world isn't too bad.
Yana goes to testify and is kidnapped by the most annoying pirate invented. Yawn.
Yana goes to testify and is kidnapped by the most annoying pirate invented. Yawn.
July 1, 2019
This is the final book in the Petaybee trilogy, and my least favorite. While there is a lot to like about this book and much of the world building is fun, there are too many things that feel off or downright bizarre. The book starts off with Yana, Bunny, and Diego being carted off planet to testify at a hearing on the planet’s sentience. Since only young people or new residents can leave the planet for any length of time without dying there isn’t much choice in who goes—even though Yana is pregnant with a baby that might not be entirely human so there could be some risk.
But they are assured that it won’t take long, and they’ll be back in a few weeks. As usually life doesn’t go as planned and there is one delay after another. Before the hearing can actually happen the whole group are kidnapped and stolen away! In the meantime down on the planet there are also problems. Someone is sabotaging Petaybee by sending tons of people, more than can be supported by the few resources on the frozen planet.
Spoilers:
The bad guys from earlier books: Young Captain Fiske, and Mathew Luzon are behind all of the problems. They are responsible for the Pirates kidnapping Yana and co, and also for the planet being overloaded by new visitors who are causing damage left and right. The planet, of course, can deal with the interlopers and does—but that leaves Yana to deal with the pirate who seems to think Sean will be able to ransom them with ore from the surface, even though that was the reason the planet rebelled against the company in book one.
The pirates are convinced to bring Yana home before she gets sicker than she already is and, predictably the planet has its way with them. The dread alien pirate Louchard turns out to be the little human woman Dinah which was no surprise at all to be honest. And one of the things that bothers me a lot is at the end she is let off entirely even though she’s been pirating for years and broken who knows how many crimes. Mathew and Captain Fiske are arrested for their part in the crime, but we don’t see what happens to them.
The book wraps up with the planet being accept as it is. There’s talk about how it’s just a baby planet and it’s still learning. Apparently, it’s able to communicate much better now. But then there is a weird scene where it blows warm air up the pant’s leg of the judge and it hits his crotch and he’s relieved? I had no clue what the point of that was at all.
Even though there was much mention about how the people on the planet didn’t want any newfangled stuff modernizing their life in previous books there is much joy over all the prefab buildings they are given, and the modern plumbing, and a spaceship. So, I guess they changed their minds about being modern? There’s mention that now lots of Petaybee natives are being welcomed home—which I also didn’t get because none of them had been forced to leave or barred from returning in the first place.
Natives usually left to join the military and mostly returned when they were tired of traveling the universe and ready to settle down. At least that was the understanding I had from pervious books. The epilogue has Yana delivering healthy twins, which of course were predictably a boy and girl. Easy, fast labor, no problem because the planet helps her and then it welcomes her children which are selkies like their dad. So there were really no surprises, everything followed in predictable lines and it seemed like it had gone off canon from earlier books.
It’s still worth reading because as always McCaffrey has a great way with words and it’s fun to catch up on the characters you like but it’s definitely not the best in the series.
But they are assured that it won’t take long, and they’ll be back in a few weeks. As usually life doesn’t go as planned and there is one delay after another. Before the hearing can actually happen the whole group are kidnapped and stolen away! In the meantime down on the planet there are also problems. Someone is sabotaging Petaybee by sending tons of people, more than can be supported by the few resources on the frozen planet.
Spoilers:
The bad guys from earlier books: Young Captain Fiske, and Mathew Luzon are behind all of the problems. They are responsible for the Pirates kidnapping Yana and co, and also for the planet being overloaded by new visitors who are causing damage left and right. The planet, of course, can deal with the interlopers and does—but that leaves Yana to deal with the pirate who seems to think Sean will be able to ransom them with ore from the surface, even though that was the reason the planet rebelled against the company in book one.
The pirates are convinced to bring Yana home before she gets sicker than she already is and, predictably the planet has its way with them. The dread alien pirate Louchard turns out to be the little human woman Dinah which was no surprise at all to be honest. And one of the things that bothers me a lot is at the end she is let off entirely even though she’s been pirating for years and broken who knows how many crimes. Mathew and Captain Fiske are arrested for their part in the crime, but we don’t see what happens to them.
The book wraps up with the planet being accept as it is. There’s talk about how it’s just a baby planet and it’s still learning. Apparently, it’s able to communicate much better now. But then there is a weird scene where it blows warm air up the pant’s leg of the judge and it hits his crotch and he’s relieved? I had no clue what the point of that was at all.
Even though there was much mention about how the people on the planet didn’t want any newfangled stuff modernizing their life in previous books there is much joy over all the prefab buildings they are given, and the modern plumbing, and a spaceship. So, I guess they changed their minds about being modern? There’s mention that now lots of Petaybee natives are being welcomed home—which I also didn’t get because none of them had been forced to leave or barred from returning in the first place.
Natives usually left to join the military and mostly returned when they were tired of traveling the universe and ready to settle down. At least that was the understanding I had from pervious books. The epilogue has Yana delivering healthy twins, which of course were predictably a boy and girl. Easy, fast labor, no problem because the planet helps her and then it welcomes her children which are selkies like their dad. So there were really no surprises, everything followed in predictable lines and it seemed like it had gone off canon from earlier books.
It’s still worth reading because as always McCaffrey has a great way with words and it’s fun to catch up on the characters you like but it’s definitely not the best in the series.
August 7, 2021
With Petaybee becoming ever more aware, and the inhabitants of the planet having to make ever more serious decisions, as Intergal leaves them to cope, Yana, Bunny, and Diego leave for Gal Three, the center of the federated planets, to give their depositions in order to finalise Petaybee's independence.
Unfortunately, Matthew Luzon is still determined to get the planet back, and stop it's autonomy, and yo do that he starts planning the worse thing he could do - inundate the planet with as many people as possible.
So, while Yana and the gang travel to Gal Three, Sean is left the task of dealing with such a variety of people, with none of them acclimatised to the weather there.
And then, just when things are at their worst, Sean hears from a gang of Pirates, asking him for ransom of Yana, Bunny and Diego...
What happens next, can only be something that these particular peoples could cope with and, as things slowly, but surely get sorted out, they will find new friends and old, new family and old, and a future that looks brighter than ever.
I enjoyed most of this book, although there were times when I wondered where Anne's voice was in the story but, overall, it was a good ending to this series.
So, it's on to the following series to this one, the Twins of Petaybee, book one being: Changelings!
Unfortunately, Matthew Luzon is still determined to get the planet back, and stop it's autonomy, and yo do that he starts planning the worse thing he could do - inundate the planet with as many people as possible.
So, while Yana and the gang travel to Gal Three, Sean is left the task of dealing with such a variety of people, with none of them acclimatised to the weather there.
And then, just when things are at their worst, Sean hears from a gang of Pirates, asking him for ransom of Yana, Bunny and Diego...
What happens next, can only be something that these particular peoples could cope with and, as things slowly, but surely get sorted out, they will find new friends and old, new family and old, and a future that looks brighter than ever.
I enjoyed most of this book, although there were times when I wondered where Anne's voice was in the story but, overall, it was a good ending to this series.
So, it's on to the following series to this one, the Twins of Petaybee, book one being: Changelings!
July 4, 2017
This is the 3rd book in the Petaybee series by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. The planet Petaybee was terraformed two hundreds years ago. It is still an arctic world so it was forcibly settled by Inuit peoples from old Earth. In this one Yanaba, Bunny and Diego travel to Gal 3 the largest space station in the galaxy. There they hope to finally gain independence for Petaybe and it's peoples but they are kidnapped by a notorious pirate and held for ransom. Things don't go as planned for the pirate's when they find out that the people of Petaybe have no way to pay any ransom. The pirate's travel to Petaybe with their hostages and find that the planet has a mind of it's own. This book is another good read in this series and I recommend it.
September 5, 2020
Great end to a trilogy
This third book follows the fascinating characters we know and love. The idea of a sentient planet is awesome! Figuring out how it all works and the drama it creates makes it a terrific book to tie up loose ends yet makes you want to read more!! The family dynamic is such a fun blend how everything connects to the whole lifestyle of the planet dynamic. It pulls no punches about actions and consequences within the storyline. You feel the emotional flow of choices made or not made and their effects on many lives.
This third book follows the fascinating characters we know and love. The idea of a sentient planet is awesome! Figuring out how it all works and the drama it creates makes it a terrific book to tie up loose ends yet makes you want to read more!! The family dynamic is such a fun blend how everything connects to the whole lifestyle of the planet dynamic. It pulls no punches about actions and consequences within the storyline. You feel the emotional flow of choices made or not made and their effects on many lives.
April 26, 2023
As I mentioned before, the starts and stops of these books sort of blend together. The last book had more action and plot than the others, so there was a bit more to focus on with this one.
I enjoyed Marina Sirtis's narration of these books, and I think that I also enjoyed the fact that they were (apparently) abridged.
The story really isn't bad, but this wasn't really a universe in which I simply wanted to linger with little going on and/or things moving slowly.
I enjoyed Marina Sirtis's narration of these books, and I think that I also enjoyed the fact that they were (apparently) abridged.
The story really isn't bad, but this wasn't really a universe in which I simply wanted to linger with little going on and/or things moving slowly.
March 18, 2019
Anne McCaffrey is an author I always enjoy reading. I really loved the way this series started although I felt it lost a bit of its appeal as the books went on.I do find it to be a very fascinating world with great characters but I am not sure I love the formula of the story telling. But I still quite like it.
June 11, 2025
Another good story about Petaybee and the Shongili’s
This is another well written story by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Scarborough. It is both exciting and interesting, holding your attention throughout. It is a great lead in to other books, including Changelings, Maelstrom, and Deluge.
This is another well written story by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Scarborough. It is both exciting and interesting, holding your attention throughout. It is a great lead in to other books, including Changelings, Maelstrom, and Deluge.
July 27, 2017
I enjoy how the planet Petaybee demonstrates sentience more clearly in this conclusion to the trilogy. The echoing and phosphorescence were clever communications. Some of the story got a hit to hokey, however, to get more stars in this rating.
December 9, 2017
A great gift
Anyone that likes stories that build on each other. Anne McCaffrey was as master at this and her co-writer close behind. We lost a great writer when McCaffrey passed. I hope to see more of than Pern series continued by her son Todd.
Anyone that likes stories that build on each other. Anne McCaffrey was as master at this and her co-writer close behind. We lost a great writer when McCaffrey passed. I hope to see more of than Pern series continued by her son Todd.
May 19, 2020
I raced through this final book as I did with the other two. I haven't read books that quickly since I was in my teens. It was exhilarating. And also satisfying. This is what happens when women collaborate and write Science Fiction.
March 1, 2021
It seems like Anne and Elizabeth Ann got together for a couple weeks, hammered out the unwanted child of the trilogy, gave it a name and sent it out into the world. Enough said without beating it to death.
January 13, 2022
A nice revisit to this world and this combination of writers. The story matures nicely - although I miss the rather lovely naïveté presented in the first book, the story is smart and tragically totally reflective of corporate and bureaucratic cultures. Solid story and storytelling.
August 27, 2017
Nice world building, good characters. The plot and writing were good. Solid series, but I don't love it.
October 13, 2017
great syfy story a must read
April 24, 2018
I've read this a couple of times now, and I don't have any idea how many lol It was one of my favorite books as a teenager, but it was at least a decade between this read and the last one.
January 2, 2022
Overall enjoyable conclusion to this series. There is definitely a marked change in writing style and tone from the first two novels.
March 15, 2022
What a wonderful conclusion to this delightful trilogy! The story took off into a very different direction with much excitement and suspense along the way. Excellent ending too.
March 5, 2023
Partner's growing pains
This is a lovely strange story with a happy and satisfying ending. I really enjoyed it and can thoroughly recommend it.
This is a lovely strange story with a happy and satisfying ending. I really enjoyed it and can thoroughly recommend it.
March 26, 2023
Cheesy and oddly Irish? Sci-fi, complete with alien Selkies. What's not to love? It's dated to say the least, but an interesting time in another world.
September 14, 2024
Not a bad book at all, just not as good, or brilliant as some of her other books. Clever idea though.
January 1, 2026
I rated this 4 stars. The end of the Petaybee series. Yanaba, Bunny, Diego and Marmion are kidnapped, and the planet is the price. Petaybee continues to surprise. It was a fun series.
January 17, 2026
I love the idea that decisions can be done for the good of a planet. This conclusion to the trilogy was more satisfying for me although the bad guys continue deeply bad.
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February 12, 2026review text for 880
March 4, 2026
A really great story and further development of the characters, ending perfectly. A really great read and good to see the whole series hold up to the end!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews