Dragonriders of Pern

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#1

I thought I may as well start a thread (what an appropriate phrase :smiley: ) for this series of books. I don’t know how suitable this would be for a group reread due to the sheer scale of the series. I think it’s up to 20 odd books at the moment, with at least two more on the way. Anyway, I’m in the middle of a personal reread. I’ve finished Dragonflight, Dragonquest and the Harper Hall trilogy. I’ll probably get stuck into The White Dragon sometime this week.

On first glance this series might be considered fantasy. But on reading it (especially once you read Dragonsdawn) it is almost definatly. Almost everything is explained somewhat scientifcally (in that it doesn’t set of my internal BS meter too much). I don’t want to go into too much detail in the opening post, I’d hate to spoil this epic series. What I really like about it is that it covers around 2,500 years, although on first reading it is not read in chronological order, the books set in the ‘past’ (ie pre ninth pass) really help in undestanding of the pernese culture and how certain things came to be.

Anyway, any other fans of this Anne McCaffrey series? Hopefully some of you out there have read it as I have had barely any chance to discuss this wonderful set of books.

#2

I’m a fan . . . I finished Weyrs of Pern a few months ago now . . . and was looking forward to seeing how these characters would live in a world of technology, but that was the last book in that era as it turned out. . .

I might start reading the books of the later era if they’re any good . . . but I’m so used to having Lessa and Robinton and all those peeps.

#3

NO! No more threads!!!

I did a power read of these when I was in high school, but haven’t kept up. Thanks for the reminder.

#4

I know what you mean, but they are worth the read, there are some great charachters throughout the series not just the ninth pass books. Dragonsdawn really should be read just before All the Weyrs of Pern. It really helps with the detail of Landing amoung other things. Here’s a suggested reading order http://pern.srellim.org/readorder.htm . It’s good for the first read through, but can be easily modified for a reread, for example this time I’m just going through the ninth pass books first and then I’ll go back to the earliest chronologically. Todd McCaffrey started his own little series within his mother’s, set in the third pass. I thought Dragon’s Blood was very good, but I didn’t much care for Dragon’s Fire. I’m sure he’ll get better with more experience though

#5

Yeah I read Dragonsdawn first . . . I’m not interested in going back to the 3rd pass . . .

#6

They do take a bit of getting used to, but probably once ‘After the Fall’ has been released third pass books will be all there will be for a while.