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Pern #20
Dragonheart
Todd McCaffrey’s first solo novel in the classic Dragonriders of Pern series, Dragonsblood, was hailed by critics and embraced by the countless devoted readers of the landmark science fiction saga created by his mother, Anne McCaffrey. Now the chronicles of Pern take another captivating turn as the embattled planet, the brave pioneers who call it home, and the magnificent flame-breathing creatures who fly high to protect it confront a dire new challenge.
The grim specter of sickness looms over the Weyrs of Pern, felling fire-lizards and posing a potentially devastating threat to their dragon cousins, Pern’s sole defense against the deadly phenomenon that is Thread. Fiona, the youngest and only surviving daughter of Lord Bemin, is just coming of age, and about to assume the duties of a Weyrwoman, when word spreads that dragons have indeed begun succumbing to the new contagion. With the next season of Threadfall quickly approaching, and the already diminished ranks of the dragons once more under siege, every Weyr across Pern is in crisis mode. It is hardly the time for disturbing distractions–such as the strange voice Fiona suddenly hears in her mind at the darkest and most urgent moments.
Circumstances and the mood of the weyrfolk worsen when advance patrols relay the dreaded news that black dust–the unmistakable herald of falling Thread–has been sighted. As more dragons sicken and die, leaving only a new generation of weyrlings too young to succeed them, Weyrleader B’Nik and queen rider Lorana arrive from Benden Weyr to comb Fort Weyr’s archives in a desperate search for clues from the past that may hold the solution to the plague.
But could the actual past itself prove the pathway to salvation for Pern’s stricken dragons and the entire imperiled planet? Guided by a mysterious ally from a wholly unexpected place, and trusting in the unique dragon gift for transcending time, Fiona will join a risky expedition with far-reaching consequences for both Pern’s future and her personal destiny.
From the Hardcover edition.
The grim specter of sickness looms over the Weyrs of Pern, felling fire-lizards and posing a potentially devastating threat to their dragon cousins, Pern’s sole defense against the deadly phenomenon that is Thread. Fiona, the youngest and only surviving daughter of Lord Bemin, is just coming of age, and about to assume the duties of a Weyrwoman, when word spreads that dragons have indeed begun succumbing to the new contagion. With the next season of Threadfall quickly approaching, and the already diminished ranks of the dragons once more under siege, every Weyr across Pern is in crisis mode. It is hardly the time for disturbing distractions–such as the strange voice Fiona suddenly hears in her mind at the darkest and most urgent moments.
Circumstances and the mood of the weyrfolk worsen when advance patrols relay the dreaded news that black dust–the unmistakable herald of falling Thread–has been sighted. As more dragons sicken and die, leaving only a new generation of weyrlings too young to succeed them, Weyrleader B’Nik and queen rider Lorana arrive from Benden Weyr to comb Fort Weyr’s archives in a desperate search for clues from the past that may hold the solution to the plague.
But could the actual past itself prove the pathway to salvation for Pern’s stricken dragons and the entire imperiled planet? Guided by a mysterious ally from a wholly unexpected place, and trusting in the unique dragon gift for transcending time, Fiona will join a risky expedition with far-reaching consequences for both Pern’s future and her personal destiny.
From the Hardcover edition.
545 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
194 people are currently reading
5250 people want to read
About the author
Todd McCaffrey
111 books532 followersTodd J. McCaffrey (born as Todd Johnson) is an Irish American author of science fiction best known for continuing the Dragonriders of Pern series in collaboration with his mother Anne McCaffrey.
Todd Johnson was born 27 April 1956 in Montclair, New Jersey as the second son and middle child of Horace Wright Johnson (deceased 2009), who worked for DuPont, and Anne McCaffrey (deceased 2011), who had her second short story published that year. He has two siblings: Alec Anthony, born 1952, and Georgeanne ("Gigi", Georgeanne Kennedy), born 1959.
Except for a six-month DuPont transfer to Dusseldorf, Germany, the family lived most of a decade in Wilmington, Delaware, until a 1965 transfer to New York City when they moved to Sea Cliff, Long Island. All three children were then in school and Anne McCaffrey became a full-time author, primarily writing science fiction. About that time, Todd became the first of the children to read science fiction, the Space Cat series by Ruthven Todd. He attended his first science fiction convention in 1968, Lunacon in New York City.
Soon after the move, Todd was directed to lower his voice as an actor in the fourth-grade school play, with his mother in the auditorium. That was the inspiration for Decision at Doona (1969) which she dedicated "To Todd Johnson—of course!" The story is set on "an overcrowded planet where just talking too loud made you a social outcast".
Anne McCaffrey divorced in 1970 and emigrated to Ireland with her two younger children, soon joined by her mother. During Todd's school years the family moved several times in the vicinity of Dublin and struggled to make ends meet, supported largely by child care payments and meager royalties.
Todd finished secondary education in Ireland and returned to the United States in 1974 for a summer job before matriculation at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He studied engineering physics and discovered computers but remained only one year. Back in Dublin he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree at the College of Technology (Bolton Street). Later he earned a Politics degree at Trinity College, Dublin.
Before Trinity College, Todd Johnson served in the United States Army 1978–82, stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, and determining to pursue civilian life. After Trinity he returned to the US hoping to work in the aerospace industry but found employment in computer programming beginning 1986.
He earned a pilot's license in 1988 and spent a lot of time flying, including solo trips across North America in 1989 and 1990. Meanwhile he sold his first writings and contributed "Training and Fighting Dragons" to the 1989 Dragonlover's Guide to Pern, using his military and flight experience. Next year he quit his job to write full-time and in 1992 he attended the Clarion Workshop for new science fiction and fantasy writers.
Writing under the name Todd Johnson until 1997/98 he specialized in military science fiction, contributing one story each to several collective works
As a boy, Todd accompanied his mother to her meetings with writers, editors, publishers, and agents; and had attended conventions from age 12.
He was exposed to Pern before its beginning: soon after the move to Long Island when he was nine, his mother asked him what he thought of dragons; she was brainstorming about their "bad press all these years".
The result was a "technologically regressed survival planet" whose people were united against a threat from space, in contrast to America divided by the Vietnam War. "The dragons became the biologically renewable air force."
About thirty years later, Todd McCaffrey recalls,
"the editor at Del Rey asked me to write a "sort of scrapbook" about Mum partly to prevent Mum from writing her autobiography instead of more Pern books. That was Dragonholder [1999].
The editor had also pitched it to me that someone ought to continue Mum's legacy when she was no longer able. At the time I had misgivings and no stor
Todd Johnson was born 27 April 1956 in Montclair, New Jersey as the second son and middle child of Horace Wright Johnson (deceased 2009), who worked for DuPont, and Anne McCaffrey (deceased 2011), who had her second short story published that year. He has two siblings: Alec Anthony, born 1952, and Georgeanne ("Gigi", Georgeanne Kennedy), born 1959.
Except for a six-month DuPont transfer to Dusseldorf, Germany, the family lived most of a decade in Wilmington, Delaware, until a 1965 transfer to New York City when they moved to Sea Cliff, Long Island. All three children were then in school and Anne McCaffrey became a full-time author, primarily writing science fiction. About that time, Todd became the first of the children to read science fiction, the Space Cat series by Ruthven Todd. He attended his first science fiction convention in 1968, Lunacon in New York City.
Soon after the move, Todd was directed to lower his voice as an actor in the fourth-grade school play, with his mother in the auditorium. That was the inspiration for Decision at Doona (1969) which she dedicated "To Todd Johnson—of course!" The story is set on "an overcrowded planet where just talking too loud made you a social outcast".
Anne McCaffrey divorced in 1970 and emigrated to Ireland with her two younger children, soon joined by her mother. During Todd's school years the family moved several times in the vicinity of Dublin and struggled to make ends meet, supported largely by child care payments and meager royalties.
Todd finished secondary education in Ireland and returned to the United States in 1974 for a summer job before matriculation at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He studied engineering physics and discovered computers but remained only one year. Back in Dublin he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree at the College of Technology (Bolton Street). Later he earned a Politics degree at Trinity College, Dublin.
Before Trinity College, Todd Johnson served in the United States Army 1978–82, stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, and determining to pursue civilian life. After Trinity he returned to the US hoping to work in the aerospace industry but found employment in computer programming beginning 1986.
He earned a pilot's license in 1988 and spent a lot of time flying, including solo trips across North America in 1989 and 1990. Meanwhile he sold his first writings and contributed "Training and Fighting Dragons" to the 1989 Dragonlover's Guide to Pern, using his military and flight experience. Next year he quit his job to write full-time and in 1992 he attended the Clarion Workshop for new science fiction and fantasy writers.
Writing under the name Todd Johnson until 1997/98 he specialized in military science fiction, contributing one story each to several collective works
As a boy, Todd accompanied his mother to her meetings with writers, editors, publishers, and agents; and had attended conventions from age 12.
He was exposed to Pern before its beginning: soon after the move to Long Island when he was nine, his mother asked him what he thought of dragons; she was brainstorming about their "bad press all these years".
The result was a "technologically regressed survival planet" whose people were united against a threat from space, in contrast to America divided by the Vietnam War. "The dragons became the biologically renewable air force."
About thirty years later, Todd McCaffrey recalls,
"the editor at Del Rey asked me to write a "sort of scrapbook" about Mum partly to prevent Mum from writing her autobiography instead of more Pern books. That was Dragonholder [1999].
The editor had also pitched it to me that someone ought to continue Mum's legacy when she was no longer able. At the time I had misgivings and no stor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
May 9, 2015
I read the Pern books long ago. Decided to re-read in "chronological order". Then I got to the ones Todd McCaffrey wrote, both in conjunction with his mother and on his own. I made it through the first, Dragon's Kin, which wasn't TOO bad, and the second, Dragon Harper, which was okay, then got through about half of Dragon's Fire, and now a quarter of the way into Dragon Heart, I just can't go on. When I look at the ratings, I'm astonished to see his books rated as high as hers...is it just loyalty? Why can't people see the vast, gigantic difference between her most excellent writing and his pathetic attempts?
His books are pedantic, fluff-filled, stilted and downright boring. There is no life to them, the ones I've read are all about plagues, there's no humor, there are so many characters thrown in, I can't keep track of who's who, or even who's a dragon and who's a human. The dialog is terrible, the "plots" ramble around in circles...I am totally mystified as to why they get such high ratings. I hope that people READ the 1 and 2 star reviews and don't just assume from the star count that they're as good as the REAL Pern books. I wasted some money, won't read the rest of what he's written.
His books are pedantic, fluff-filled, stilted and downright boring. There is no life to them, the ones I've read are all about plagues, there's no humor, there are so many characters thrown in, I can't keep track of who's who, or even who's a dragon and who's a human. The dialog is terrible, the "plots" ramble around in circles...I am totally mystified as to why they get such high ratings. I hope that people READ the 1 and 2 star reviews and don't just assume from the star count that they're as good as the REAL Pern books. I wasted some money, won't read the rest of what he's written.
August 23, 2025
The dragons and dragon riders know how to time travel, but it takes a toll on them. In this book, the time changes are less challenging as they happen in consecutive chapters, different from Dragonsblood.], Todd's previous solo Pern book. Still, lots of characters, but I was more sympathetic to them this book.
One thing I do like in reading the Pern books is you get to revisit some of your favorite characters. They are human, make mistakes, and have emotions just like us. Makes them accessible.
One thing I do like in reading the Pern books is you get to revisit some of your favorite characters. They are human, make mistakes, and have emotions just like us. Makes them accessible.
May 9, 2022
Nice expansion story of the early years of the Dragonriders and Pern. Nice plot and good characters. Recommended
December 20, 2008
Preface: I love Pern and have read every single book in the series and plan to do so until I die or the McCaffrey clan stops writing them.
Overall: A great book, read it!
Details:
This one started a tiny bit rough for me in a few ways. One of the things I love most about this series is how vivid and real it's become for me (after reading what appears to be 22 books or stories). In reading this book it felt to me a bit like the author felt the same way, a little too much. Some common knowledge felt assumed to be there, and when it was regarding the several previous books set in the same time period and authored or co-authored by Todd McCaffrey, I just didn't have the same recall as with the books I've read multiple times. References were made to characters or events that I either could not remember or only remembered vaguely. And the pacing seemed a bit odd and rushed in the beginning. Both of these things could be explained by over-editing, of course. Neither was a deal-breaker at all. They were my only complaints or concerns with the book and did not bother me at all as the book hit it's stride.
This book takes place at the end of the 2nd Interval, beginning just before the 3rd Pass of the Red Star. It is the same time period used for the 3 books Todd McCaffrey co-authored with his mother, Anne McCaffrey, and the 1 other book Mr. McCaffrey solo authored. When they first began writing in this era I was hesitant, not sure that I would enjoy getting to know a whole new crew of characters and settings. But I was wrong. The stories were quite good and I enjoyed reading about aspects of the society that I had not seen before. The first several books dealt a lot with miners and watch whers in addition to the usual Holds and Weyrs. This book, while primarily about dragonriders, continues to explore these themes, and adds more by way of traders. The focus of the book is the experiences of a young woman named Fiona. Fiona is the daughter of Fort's Lord Holder who unexpectedly Impresses a queen dragon. When a dragon illness sweeps the land her big challenges begin.
What I liked best about the book is that it really compliments the others in this section of the series. The events take place at the same time as the other stories, but are told from a very different perspective. Old friends weave in and out as supporting characters, letting us know more about them and adding a sense of realism. Exploring events in this way really made the world feel even more real, adding a great deal of depth of my sense of understand this world and the events of this time. It is also very interesting to see how the line is walked between already established events both in the settling of the planet and early years and in the events of the future in relation to this time period. The consistency is excellent, allowing for a real sense that this planet was settled 500 years ago and it's people retain some memories and abilities from that time that were completely lost by the time we encounter the world in the books that introduced the series (DragonFlight, etc), which take place before and during the 9th Pass (around year 2500 After Landing or so I think). The changes in science, medicine, culture and even language are consistent with this placement in time. In fact, it bothered me at first when a few times when a character used a word that didn't feel "Pernese" to me (ex: awesome, great) until I thought that this actually reflected the more "modern" language of the earlier settlers and not the ways of speaking in the later books.
Readers should know that Fiona is a young girl, only 13 at the beginning of this book. While she is young, this is not a book written for teens, although I sure it would be enjoyed by them. Todd McCaffrey seems to enjoy writing stories of extraordinary young people who rise to the occasion during difficult times, as this theme is seen in all of his Pern books.
I didn't give you much here about the actual story, huh? Well, read the book and find out! It's enjoyable, although not as intense or dramatic as Dragonsblood. If you can, it would be best to read Dragon's Kin and Dragon Harper first, then Dragon's Fire if you wish (I didn't love it) and certainly Dragonsblood before reading this book. As a stand-alone it's a decent story but probably quite confusing and without the great sense of place and time that I found in reading it after the others.
Overall: A great book, read it!
Details:
This one started a tiny bit rough for me in a few ways. One of the things I love most about this series is how vivid and real it's become for me (after reading what appears to be 22 books or stories). In reading this book it felt to me a bit like the author felt the same way, a little too much. Some common knowledge felt assumed to be there, and when it was regarding the several previous books set in the same time period and authored or co-authored by Todd McCaffrey, I just didn't have the same recall as with the books I've read multiple times. References were made to characters or events that I either could not remember or only remembered vaguely. And the pacing seemed a bit odd and rushed in the beginning. Both of these things could be explained by over-editing, of course. Neither was a deal-breaker at all. They were my only complaints or concerns with the book and did not bother me at all as the book hit it's stride.
This book takes place at the end of the 2nd Interval, beginning just before the 3rd Pass of the Red Star. It is the same time period used for the 3 books Todd McCaffrey co-authored with his mother, Anne McCaffrey, and the 1 other book Mr. McCaffrey solo authored. When they first began writing in this era I was hesitant, not sure that I would enjoy getting to know a whole new crew of characters and settings. But I was wrong. The stories were quite good and I enjoyed reading about aspects of the society that I had not seen before. The first several books dealt a lot with miners and watch whers in addition to the usual Holds and Weyrs. This book, while primarily about dragonriders, continues to explore these themes, and adds more by way of traders. The focus of the book is the experiences of a young woman named Fiona. Fiona is the daughter of Fort's Lord Holder who unexpectedly Impresses a queen dragon. When a dragon illness sweeps the land her big challenges begin.
What I liked best about the book is that it really compliments the others in this section of the series. The events take place at the same time as the other stories, but are told from a very different perspective. Old friends weave in and out as supporting characters, letting us know more about them and adding a sense of realism. Exploring events in this way really made the world feel even more real, adding a great deal of depth of my sense of understand this world and the events of this time. It is also very interesting to see how the line is walked between already established events both in the settling of the planet and early years and in the events of the future in relation to this time period. The consistency is excellent, allowing for a real sense that this planet was settled 500 years ago and it's people retain some memories and abilities from that time that were completely lost by the time we encounter the world in the books that introduced the series (DragonFlight, etc), which take place before and during the 9th Pass (around year 2500 After Landing or so I think). The changes in science, medicine, culture and even language are consistent with this placement in time. In fact, it bothered me at first when a few times when a character used a word that didn't feel "Pernese" to me (ex: awesome, great) until I thought that this actually reflected the more "modern" language of the earlier settlers and not the ways of speaking in the later books.
Readers should know that Fiona is a young girl, only 13 at the beginning of this book. While she is young, this is not a book written for teens, although I sure it would be enjoyed by them. Todd McCaffrey seems to enjoy writing stories of extraordinary young people who rise to the occasion during difficult times, as this theme is seen in all of his Pern books.
I didn't give you much here about the actual story, huh? Well, read the book and find out! It's enjoyable, although not as intense or dramatic as Dragonsblood. If you can, it would be best to read Dragon's Kin and Dragon Harper first, then Dragon's Fire if you wish (I didn't love it) and certainly Dragonsblood before reading this book. As a stand-alone it's a decent story but probably quite confusing and without the great sense of place and time that I found in reading it after the others.
November 30, 2008
TODD MCCAFFREY IS RUINING PERN!
please stop him. dragonheart was not a very good book.
okay so he is telling the story of the dragon riders that went back in time during the dragon plague. fine...poor storytelling. i mean his books are getting worse instead of better. there were so many thing i did not like.
the dialogue was a major issue. the ages of fiona and terin was another one, a lil gross and kinda unbelievable. the needless detail about how they were going to get the weyr up and running. i mean yeah it is nice to know but really so many pages of dialogue were spent on it i got bored. oh and how about the not keeping of the secrets from the future i mean they were blabbing to everyone stuff they should not.
i am sorry it was just so ick. it was supposed to be more of a character story not a lot of action going on, the characters were great ideas but not very realistic or fully formed. i was sooo very disappointed.
i think i should start a petition and send it to todd and anne mccaffrey. i think there are writers out there that would do a much better job at continuing the story of the dragonriders of pern than todd.
please stop him. dragonheart was not a very good book.
okay so he is telling the story of the dragon riders that went back in time during the dragon plague. fine...poor storytelling. i mean his books are getting worse instead of better. there were so many thing i did not like.
the dialogue was a major issue. the ages of fiona and terin was another one, a lil gross and kinda unbelievable. the needless detail about how they were going to get the weyr up and running. i mean yeah it is nice to know but really so many pages of dialogue were spent on it i got bored. oh and how about the not keeping of the secrets from the future i mean they were blabbing to everyone stuff they should not.
i am sorry it was just so ick. it was supposed to be more of a character story not a lot of action going on, the characters were great ideas but not very realistic or fully formed. i was sooo very disappointed.
i think i should start a petition and send it to todd and anne mccaffrey. i think there are writers out there that would do a much better job at continuing the story of the dragonriders of pern than todd.
November 8, 2018
This was another good read. This story focuses on the dragons and dragonriders. The dragons are suffering from a sickness that is killing dragons as they are just beginning to fight thread. They are losing dragons from both the sickness and thread. This is causing the weyrs to not have enough dragons ready to fight thread.
With that, a group of young dragons and sick dragons and their riders all go back 10 turns so that they can heal and grow. Then they will show back up during their time three days later.
This book didn't keep me that interested. I wasn't as attached to the characters. This is also a parallel book to the other two that I have read prior. I don't know, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. I think you can only retell the same story from so many perspectives. This was a bit much and then there is one more Dragonsblood. That one is during the same time from a different perspective as well. That one isn't available on audible, so I think I will just be passing that.
With that, a group of young dragons and sick dragons and their riders all go back 10 turns so that they can heal and grow. Then they will show back up during their time three days later.
This book didn't keep me that interested. I wasn't as attached to the characters. This is also a parallel book to the other two that I have read prior. I don't know, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. I think you can only retell the same story from so many perspectives. This was a bit much and then there is one more Dragonsblood. That one is during the same time from a different perspective as well. That one isn't available on audible, so I think I will just be passing that.
April 14, 2020
Honestly. Am I the only one bothered by the pedophilia in this book?
November 20, 2008
This is the fifth book by Todd Mccaffrey and it tells the story of Fiona, last surviving daughter of Lord Bemin at Fort Hold who impresses a gold dragon, Talenth. Fiona must learn the difficult duties of a Weyrwoman despite being only thirteen Turns old. Things are further complicated by a terrible plague that is affecting dragons across Pern, just as the deadly Threads begin falling again in the Third Pass. Fiona travels back in time ten Turns to abandoned Igen Weyr to allow injured dragons and her own young dragon and the weyrlings to mature before the next Threadfall, but even if they now have enough time, their existance in the past must be kept secret . .
Inconsistant plot, characters that don't always ring true, complicated time sense, mature content due to dragon rider nature?
Inconsistant plot, characters that don't always ring true, complicated time sense, mature content due to dragon rider nature?
March 26, 2009
This is the latest in the Dragon Riders of Pern series--penned by the son of the originator. I enjoyed this book a great deal. I admit, I was a bit disappointed when I first realized that it was an explanation/fleshing out of one of the side-plots in a previous book, with no intense adventure plot of it's own. It was a good read, though. I just wish there had been a more obvious feeling of resolution at the end. This one feels like it's part of a much larger story that was broken up by the publisher into multiple volumes.
December 7, 2008
Todd does not write as well as his mother. Needs to use a larger variety of adjectives. Also uses too many formula descriptions. That said, will keep reading the Pern books even if Anne isn't writing them any more as I love the universe so well.
April 15, 2009
I read this because they had a copy at the library when I took my sons. I enjoyed parts of the story, but I did not feel like it was a complete novel, in spite of its length. I did not buy in to any of the conflict, or characters completely.
April 30, 2010
I'm always happy to be back in the world of Pern and its dragonriders - especially when I haven't been there for a while! While Todd isn't Anne, he really is the next best thing. I wish it hadn't been quite so long since I had last read Todd's books, though. They deal with this same time period and many of these same characters. I know there were connections I missed or only vaguely grasped. Overall, though, this was enjoyable to read. It didn't quite grab me up and carry me along like most of Anne's books have, but still it was quite enjoyable. Fiona is a great character and a great young Weyrwoman. Hopefully there will be more of her story in books to come! The ending seemed just a touch abrupt. 3.5 stars.
September 15, 2013
This book is the best (so far as I've read) of Todd's Pern books. At times, it was hard to put down. But, it's not a stand-alone book and the story is not finished at the end.
All of the Third Pass books need to be read together, in quick order... Parallel stories are told and reading the books without a break between would help to keep events and people straight in your head.
And having said that, I really do think that Todd could be a great writer. The scope of the Third Pass books is rather amazing when you think about it. I do wish he would continue with the Pern books, though it doesn't look like it's happening right now: maybe in the future!
All of the Third Pass books need to be read together, in quick order... Parallel stories are told and reading the books without a break between would help to keep events and people straight in your head.
And having said that, I really do think that Todd could be a great writer. The scope of the Third Pass books is rather amazing when you think about it. I do wish he would continue with the Pern books, though it doesn't look like it's happening right now: maybe in the future!
May 24, 2009
Finished the latest Pern offering by Todd McCaffrey, and it felt like an old friend. The effects of "Timing it", a few conundrums associated therewith, the banning of the fire lizards explained, leading us full circle to a setup for the original trilogy hundreds of turns later.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2022
Not as good as the Anne McCaffrey books, but entertaining enough.
July 9, 2025
Returning to Pern with the creator's son is always bittersweet. You get to enjoy another tale of a beloved world, familiar but different. Not quite right, like a favorite recipe with something missing and a few missed steps. If you grew up loving PERN as I did you will catch them. Little things that perhaps don't matter much, that the author himself is probably aware of and has chosen, but they pull you out of the story. One ought not call dirt 'earth' on Pern. Familiar earth animals aren't called sheep, horses, chickens, etc. beyond the first colonists' generation. Plants, foods and spices likewise should have descriptive but non-earthly new names.
Like some of Todd's other books there's some special emphasis on blue dragons and their riders, many of whom are gay and whose special talents are emphasized. Watchweyrs have a place of honor in his stories, too. Sickness and the early days of a generation newly fighting thread are in the plot. This feels done to death if you read the series back to back but is okay if you're returning to Pern after long absence.
There are coming of age themes for many characters, which sometimes give a Young Adult feel to his novels. With that in mind this one had me growling by the end. Hazing of the young dragonriders is inserted and taken lightly. A binge drinking passage is presented as the path to letting down inhibition enough to discuss love interests and sex. Zenor's message that kissing is good and just kissing is enough to please most seems YA but also false to the rest of the story. Most galling for me was the eldest, highest ranking bronze rider telling the sixteen-year-old Weyrwoman he has been grooming that she was getting fat... and the tale culminating with her exercising more and choosing to lose her virginity to him soon after. We as readers are well conditioned to see him as her eventual mate. Todd makes clear that by dragonrider morality she need not choose only him, but perhaps also Kindan despite him being Lorana's mate. The traders are also offered up as an outlet for dragonmen's lust without any of those traderwomen being named.
Anne McCaffrey's novels were an escapist pleasure for me as a young reader. The stories were exciting, centered on women and their relationships, provided lots of heroes and lots of room for one's own imagination. Changed sexual mores were explained by space colonists ensuring genetic diversity. Dragonrider promiscuity was favored for the same reasons and with many references to certain family lines having special talent for communing with dragons. I think part of what appealed to me as a repressed Catholic teenager - queen riders getting carried away by their mating dragons' passion and therefore blameless for their sexual encounters - is lost in adulthood.
I read Todd's blue rider asking Fiona to send him a "pretty one" from among the weyrlings (i.e. young riders, or at least riders of young dragons) to give him a massage and cringe. Gay themes belong, but the involvement of children will always bother me. "The dragon chooses" is in some ways the ultimate expression of this author's/world's acceptance of polyamory but I wonder how far he intends to push toward involving children. When I read with my Earthly values intact and my sons in mind Todd's Pern is harder to enjoy.
Like some of Todd's other books there's some special emphasis on blue dragons and their riders, many of whom are gay and whose special talents are emphasized. Watchweyrs have a place of honor in his stories, too. Sickness and the early days of a generation newly fighting thread are in the plot. This feels done to death if you read the series back to back but is okay if you're returning to Pern after long absence.
There are coming of age themes for many characters, which sometimes give a Young Adult feel to his novels. With that in mind this one had me growling by the end. Hazing of the young dragonriders is inserted and taken lightly. A binge drinking passage is presented as the path to letting down inhibition enough to discuss love interests and sex. Zenor's message that kissing is good and just kissing is enough to please most seems YA but also false to the rest of the story. Most galling for me was the eldest, highest ranking bronze rider telling the sixteen-year-old Weyrwoman he has been grooming that she was getting fat... and the tale culminating with her exercising more and choosing to lose her virginity to him soon after. We as readers are well conditioned to see him as her eventual mate. Todd makes clear that by dragonrider morality she need not choose only him, but perhaps also Kindan despite him being Lorana's mate. The traders are also offered up as an outlet for dragonmen's lust without any of those traderwomen being named.
Anne McCaffrey's novels were an escapist pleasure for me as a young reader. The stories were exciting, centered on women and their relationships, provided lots of heroes and lots of room for one's own imagination. Changed sexual mores were explained by space colonists ensuring genetic diversity. Dragonrider promiscuity was favored for the same reasons and with many references to certain family lines having special talent for communing with dragons. I think part of what appealed to me as a repressed Catholic teenager - queen riders getting carried away by their mating dragons' passion and therefore blameless for their sexual encounters - is lost in adulthood.
I read Todd's blue rider asking Fiona to send him a "pretty one" from among the weyrlings (i.e. young riders, or at least riders of young dragons) to give him a massage and cringe. Gay themes belong, but the involvement of children will always bother me. "The dragon chooses" is in some ways the ultimate expression of this author's/world's acceptance of polyamory but I wonder how far he intends to push toward involving children. When I read with my Earthly values intact and my sons in mind Todd's Pern is harder to enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2024
My partner and I are reading through this list: https://www.howtoread.me/dragonriders...
Previously: Dragonsblood
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was so riled up about little 13-year-old Fiona being "mature for her age," "come talk to me after you've had sex, little girl," and "hey, come join our meeting and sit on my lap," that I was blindsided by "oh, Daddy, that's so exciting that you and KELSA are having a baby!!!!" and "Oh, Kelsa, you know better than anyone I like harpers now, we've only known each other since you were 13 and I was 35." Excuse me. *runs to bathroom and hurls*
Oh man, and then there's the way some of the adults are trying to set Fiona up with 25 year old T'mar. Why? Jesus!
It was gross when it was just the other adults encouraging it, but then later *teehee* T'mar gets an awkward widdle crush on our 13 year old main character, as well. Then, he calls her fat for some reason causing her to get really self conscious of her calories and exercise.
An adult man wants one of the pretty children to give him a massage.
An adult man gets 16 and 12 year old girls drunk and encourages them to kiss much older men.
And, the whole thing ends with some statutory rape.
Todd, no, these kinds of dark desires are best left staying in the dark.
I don't want this to sound like I'm saying, "Ew, females having sexual feelings. The horror." When Terin and Fiona went to talk to Nuella about Fiona's new, confusing feelings, it could have been pretty positive actually. That's not what happened though.
Additionally, Cisca is entirely too fine with the fact that Nuella's mate might box her ears.
And apparently dragons are super sexist for some reason. That point gets hit hard and often, and it makes no sense as to why.
Then there's the gay hairdresser best friend character.
As for the actual plot, in the first half of the book, we're mostly just having meetings about stuff that we already know from the previous book, or about how you shouldn't embarrass men, or how dragon rider lives matter more than everyone else's.
I got excited about the time travel in the second half, and it was the better half overall, but part of what I love about a time travel story is all the mystery involved. A butterfly's wings and all that. It defeats the purpose if you tell 90% of the people you meet that you're from the future.
At it's core, the book is a coming of age story for Fiona, and some of it really is fun as we watch her take on responsibilities as the Weyrwoman.
But I really need to know how many people this went through to get published with no one raising any concerns about the pedophilia.
Next up: Dragongirl
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Previously: Dragonsblood
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was so riled up about little 13-year-old Fiona being "mature for her age," "come talk to me after you've had sex, little girl," and "hey, come join our meeting and sit on my lap," that I was blindsided by "oh, Daddy, that's so exciting that you and KELSA are having a baby!!!!" and "Oh, Kelsa, you know better than anyone I like harpers now, we've only known each other since you were 13 and I was 35." Excuse me. *runs to bathroom and hurls*
Oh man, and then there's the way some of the adults are trying to set Fiona up with 25 year old T'mar. Why? Jesus!
It was gross when it was just the other adults encouraging it, but then later *teehee* T'mar gets an awkward widdle crush on our 13 year old main character, as well. Then, he calls her fat for some reason causing her to get really self conscious of her calories and exercise.
An adult man wants one of the pretty children to give him a massage.
An adult man gets 16 and 12 year old girls drunk and encourages them to kiss much older men.
And, the whole thing ends with some statutory rape.
Todd, no, these kinds of dark desires are best left staying in the dark.
I don't want this to sound like I'm saying, "Ew, females having sexual feelings. The horror." When Terin and Fiona went to talk to Nuella about Fiona's new, confusing feelings, it could have been pretty positive actually. That's not what happened though.
Additionally, Cisca is entirely too fine with the fact that Nuella's mate might box her ears.
And apparently dragons are super sexist for some reason. That point gets hit hard and often, and it makes no sense as to why.
Then there's the gay hairdresser best friend character.
As for the actual plot, in the first half of the book, we're mostly just having meetings about stuff that we already know from the previous book, or about how you shouldn't embarrass men, or how dragon rider lives matter more than everyone else's.
I got excited about the time travel in the second half, and it was the better half overall, but part of what I love about a time travel story is all the mystery involved. A butterfly's wings and all that. It defeats the purpose if you tell 90% of the people you meet that you're from the future.
At it's core, the book is a coming of age story for Fiona, and some of it really is fun as we watch her take on responsibilities as the Weyrwoman.
But I really need to know how many people this went through to get published with no one raising any concerns about the pedophilia.
Next up: Dragongirl
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 13, 2017
This book is about a young girl named Fiona, the only surviving offspring of Lord Bemin at Fort Hold and how she grows and matures into becoming a Weyrwoman.
Fiona and her father attend the hatching grounds to see the new candidates impress the new hatching dragons. One of the eggs is a gold queen, the most powerful of all the dragons and to everyone's surprise the infant queen heads toward the stands instead of the remaining candidates. With double surprise the queen chooses Fiona and she impresses the queen. From that moment on Fiona becomes a Weyrwoman of Pern. She now has lots of responsibilities taking care of her queen dragon, Talenth plus more.
The fire lizards have attracted a sickness and to protect the dragons, all the fire lizards were sent to the southern continent. Despite their efforts, some of the dragons get sick. They try to cure the sickness but to no avail. Several dragons become lost because of the sickness and either die or go between with their riders. Fiona comforts the riders the best she can.
Thread, a non sentient organism that appears as silver threads that every 250 turns or so, rain down on Pern and it is about to start it's 50 turn pass. Thread causes severe damage to anything organic that touches it. When it does fall, the dragon riders panic when they realize there are not enough dragons to fight it. It was concluded that they needed more time for the wounded to heal so a group go between to 10 turns in the past and they set a date to return in 3 days their present time. Fiona and Talenth, though technically to young to attempt to go between, end up going with the group with the aid of a mysterious queen rider.
Fiona then sets up a string of events that are crucial to her future that end up helping a lot of Holds and Weyrs in her time. Once she and the group have settled in she starts training also. It ends with her group returning to their present.
This book was a plot developing novel. It really grabs your attention on how Fionna handles herself under intense situations but it stops abruptly. You want to know how they handle the next thread falls. Also near the end since Fiona becomes a teenager, there is some teenage drama that I think didn't need to be added. It distracts you from their real purpose for being there and some scenes were not necessary, it could be just taken out.
Fiona and her father attend the hatching grounds to see the new candidates impress the new hatching dragons. One of the eggs is a gold queen, the most powerful of all the dragons and to everyone's surprise the infant queen heads toward the stands instead of the remaining candidates. With double surprise the queen chooses Fiona and she impresses the queen. From that moment on Fiona becomes a Weyrwoman of Pern. She now has lots of responsibilities taking care of her queen dragon, Talenth plus more.
The fire lizards have attracted a sickness and to protect the dragons, all the fire lizards were sent to the southern continent. Despite their efforts, some of the dragons get sick. They try to cure the sickness but to no avail. Several dragons become lost because of the sickness and either die or go between with their riders. Fiona comforts the riders the best she can.
Thread, a non sentient organism that appears as silver threads that every 250 turns or so, rain down on Pern and it is about to start it's 50 turn pass. Thread causes severe damage to anything organic that touches it. When it does fall, the dragon riders panic when they realize there are not enough dragons to fight it. It was concluded that they needed more time for the wounded to heal so a group go between to 10 turns in the past and they set a date to return in 3 days their present time. Fiona and Talenth, though technically to young to attempt to go between, end up going with the group with the aid of a mysterious queen rider.
Fiona then sets up a string of events that are crucial to her future that end up helping a lot of Holds and Weyrs in her time. Once she and the group have settled in she starts training also. It ends with her group returning to their present.
This book was a plot developing novel. It really grabs your attention on how Fionna handles herself under intense situations but it stops abruptly. You want to know how they handle the next thread falls. Also near the end since Fiona becomes a teenager, there is some teenage drama that I think didn't need to be added. It distracts you from their real purpose for being there and some scenes were not necessary, it could be just taken out.
April 23, 2009
Todd McCaffrey has certainly proved himself equal to his mother in this latest in the Dragonriders of Pern series. He is definitely the best person to carry this series on. Once again, the Dragonriders must face the impossible if the dragons are to survive a mysterious illness that is destroying dragons and dragon lizards. And with the next turn of Thread, this is disastorous. So a group of injured dragonriders as well as Weyrlings with their young dragons, travel 10 years into to the past to grow, recover, and return to fight thread. History is changed for the future in this adventure and we are left to wonder at why so many of Fort's riders are continuing to suffer from some kind of time travel fatigue. Then there is the mysterious Weyr woman who leads the youngest Weyrwoman and weyrlings into the past where they are not meant to go. The reader is kept guessing as to what is going to happen next, even after the story ends.
February 23, 2009
I have just loved the Pern series. Some of the books are stronger than others - my favorites are the first three of the Dragonriders series and the Harper Hall trilogy - but all are wonderful. The dragon personalities are amazingly individualized and each rider distinct. I am decidedly NOT a fantasy/SF fan, but have loved these books and reread them. All of those were written by Anne McCaffrey. This book was written by her son, who just doesn't write as well - at least in this series. The book is just dull and confused. People just turn up in places and then wander away and you wonder what the point of their presence was. This is so obviously part of a series and ended very awkwardly - I'm guessing that it's assumed that everyone who reads it will automatically read the next one. I'm not sure that I really have the interest.
August 27, 2013
Fiona is from Fort Hold raised to be a holder never expecting to Impress when she's at Fort Weyr hatching. Fiona has alot to learn about being Weyrwoman and Weyrfolk. Since Impressing Fiona has felt unusual fatigue that has no explanation and it's not just her either but her fellow hatching mates. Fiona is struck by how much duties and chores at the weyr are similar to hold's. When dragons and firelizards start coughing from illness. A panic begins to form in young Fiona's mind praying that it's not like The Plague again. Especially since Thread Fall is expected shortly. Now the weyrs must prepare for Thread and more illness. How many dragons will fly Thread? How many dragons will get sick? What is Fiona prepared to do? Your answers await you in Dragonheart.
January 11, 2010
Dragonsblood
When I read Dragonsblood a couple of weeks ago, I was a sobbing mess. Yes, it really got me on the emotional level. Dragons and fire dragons dying? Oy.
I expected more of the maudlin tone in this book (Dragonheart) since it's next in the series. Fortunately, it didn't get to the same level, although it is still set in the time of the plague.
Some may dismiss it as another sci-fi/fantasy tome, but these books really capture the spirit of those who face overwhelming odds and doing what they can to survive.
When I read Dragonsblood a couple of weeks ago, I was a sobbing mess. Yes, it really got me on the emotional level. Dragons and fire dragons dying? Oy.
I expected more of the maudlin tone in this book (Dragonheart) since it's next in the series. Fortunately, it didn't get to the same level, although it is still set in the time of the plague.
Some may dismiss it as another sci-fi/fantasy tome, but these books really capture the spirit of those who face overwhelming odds and doing what they can to survive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2010
• This book was really bad. It was a particularly disappointing because the last two that T.M. wrote wear pretty good. This book tells the other side of the story for the book Dragonsblood. I know that he had a good reason to write the story, and there were some of the questions answered, but in this book T.M. went way too overboard with the deference to the dragon riders. There were also some uncomfortable references to underage sex. I know that this is a common theme in many of the Pern books, but the way T.M. uses this isn’t the best way. Overall, this one was pretty bad.
January 16, 2009
I have long been an avid Anne McCaffrey fan and have enjoyed visiting Pern with her but unfortunately her son has not quite captured her flair for storytelling. The premise is good but the story was a bit disjointed and characters appear and die off with abandon. I am still a Pern fan but I hope that the next book is a little better organized and that it doesn't end with as little resolution as this one.
December 4, 2009
Wow! This was terrific! Fiona is just wonderful, forthright, assertive, but still learning herself and leadership as a young weyrwoman! And T'mar is delightful too. A great read, with connects to Nuella, M'tal and others from Todd and Anne's joint series. I love seeing watch-whers given their proper respect. It's a shame this doesn't get picked up on later in Anne's books of the future. Maybe Todd will write sequels even later than hers?
March 2, 2013
This is the second book of a trilogy and I enjoyed the story line. That said, I did find the reading tedious and boring at times. There was a lot of unnecessary waffling that distracted from the story at times.
A group of Dragonriders and Weyrlings, jump to 10 turns in the past. The aim is that this will help heal injured dragon riders from thread injuries and to allow the Weyrlings to grow untainted by a mystery illness which is threatening Pern's dragons.
A group of Dragonriders and Weyrlings, jump to 10 turns in the past. The aim is that this will help heal injured dragon riders from thread injuries and to allow the Weyrlings to grow untainted by a mystery illness which is threatening Pern's dragons.
August 22, 2016
So what happens when an entire Weyr disappears? Well you take all the, okay only most, of the main characters from the past books and put them in the same place. While as a plot device it seems a little thin, it does make for a fun story. I am quite possibly rating these books a tad higher than they deserve, but they are fun reads, that pull on the emotions. Quickly read and easily enjoyed, they are great to read, but perhaps not the best of literature.
December 27, 2008
Todd McCaffrey seems to be as good a writer as his mother as he continues the Dragonriders of Pern series. In this gratifyingly hefty volume, first thread has started to fall after 250 years. Unfortunately the population of Pern has been decimated by a recent plague, and now dragons are falling sick. Fiona, newest Weyrwoman at Fort Weyr, is pressed to come up with a creative solution.
August 1, 2012
Great book! Can't wait for the next one to come out! This is the story of Fiona. She is the daughter of Lord Bemin of Fort Hold. She impresses a queen dragon. She and injured dragons and her weyrmates go back 10 turns to let the injured dragons heal and for the rest to grow enough to be part of the fighting wings.
April 13, 2010
Sometimes the son of the author tries to continue a series, and the reader is disappointed. I never expected this book to be as great as his mother's work, yet it truly is!
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