Dragonheart: Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern

Todd J. McCaffrey

Nov 2008 · Pern Book 21 · Sold by Del Rey

About this ebook

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.

Ratings and reviews

I have never read a disappointing book from either McCaffrey until now. There were unfinished plot lines, stilted emotional scenes, the characters were very commonplace. The gold dragon was less powerful and more arrogant just because she was a gold. This was not a hallmark book. Using the timing sequence "again" was a groaner for me. After that, I felt I was just reading to get to the end. The almost religious "future seeing" powers in some of the traders made me cringe. This was not what the original books had in mind. Not to mention almost every last character splayed about the fact that they were from the future TO those in the past that they knew. Goodness. My biggest problem with the book however was the unfinished story. A book contains a conflict, the conflict must be solved. This conflict was not solved. It was sidetracked and forgotten. DID the original weyr survive? Was the illness cured? The book ends as the dragons return, but does not solve the problem! I felt very cheated and if I hadn't borrowed this from the library, I would not have finished it and would have asked for my money back. This is a fail Todd. Try again.

I like the book but I lost it and weren't able to finish wish it were free otherwise I would have downloaded it

Loved it from the first book to the last. So sad that it won't continue on.

About the author

Todd McCaffrey is the bestselling author of the Pern novel Dragonsblood, and the co-author, with his mother, Anne McCaffrey, of Dragon’s Kin, Dragon’s Fire, and Dragon Harper. A computer engineer, he currently lives in Los Angeles. Having grown up in Ireland with the epic of the Dragonriders of Pern,® he is bursting with ideas for new stories of that world, its people, and its dragons.