The planet Pern has been colonized for centuries by humans. When humans first settled on this world, they did not take notice of its sister planet, which had an indigenous life form that attempted to land on Pern when it came within reach. These silver ``threads'' fell in a destructive wave on the temperate lands of Pern once every 200 years, destroying all life they encountered. To combat this menace, the inhabitants of Pern developed a species of dragon that could burn these threads out of the sky before they touched down. Now, centuries have passed between threadfalls, and the danger of thread is considered a myth. However, a dragon rider named F'lar knows that the riders are once again needed. This fine production is recommended wherever McCaffrey ( Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern , Audio Reviews, LJ 9/15/93) is popular.-- Roxanna Herrick, Washington Univ. Lib., St. Louis
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Reviews
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The first in the famous Dragonriders of Pern series, it tells the story of a planet that has come to be inhabited by humans; however, what the humans didn’t know was that this planet was prone to destructive parasites falling from the air periodically, destroying anything it touched. However, human beings managed to cultivate a way in which humans and the native dragons, whose fire-breath can destroy the parasites (called Thread) before it touched the ground, could communicate with each other and guard the human colonies from destruction. When this story opens, humans have long forgotten their origins and the Thread hasn’t fallen in a long time; the Weyrs or dragon strong-holds are understaffed, and the Holds, which are meant to give tithes to support the Weyrs is being questioned. However, hope comes in the form of a new Queen’s egg. F’lar, wingleader of Benden Weyr, seeks out young women to Impress the egg and bond with the dragon inside, and finds Lessa, last of the ruling family of Ruatha Hold, who has survived all this time by impersonating a servant.
This is a very fun beginning to this classic series, with the world of Pern very vividly imagined and realized here. The system of empathic links between the Dragons and Dragonriders is also very well designed, and well thought out. The characters are all very done too; most are well-rounded and charismatic, especially Lessa. The writing is also very good, with vividly descriptive passages that bring the world of Pern to life. A very strong start, and highly recommended.
Every few hundred years the planet of Pern suffers from an astronomical blight. Nasty fiery stuff rains from the sky, laying waste to the civilisation.
That is, if the Dragonriders and their associates can't stop it by using their sentient huge flying lizard partners, who can handily teleport.
Keeping this animals and their pilots trained and housed costs money, and given the Threads have not fallen for a long time, no-one likes to donate this money anymore, and Dragon and Rider numbers are too low.
The first of the DragonRider books... and it is great. As good today for a rearead as it was the first time I read it in 1984. Lessa is a great heroine and Flar a great hero. Oh and the Dragons... I defy anyone who reads this book to not want a dragon of their own... someone who loves you the way a dragon does! One of her best works
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