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Dragonheart: Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern, The) | 
| Author: Todd J. Mccaffrey
Publisher: Del Rey
Category: Book
List Price: $27.00
Buy New: $17.82
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Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 1338
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 560
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.6 x 1.8
ISBN: 0345491149
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345491145
ASIN: 0345491149
Publication Date: November 11, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
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Product Description
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.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Strangely Compelling November 16, 2008
Robert Shepard Jr. (USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
What is the matter with the weyrlings? This has, no doubt, been a common complaint for exasperated Weyrlingmasters the past 500 Turns or so, but in this instance there really IS something wrong with the youngsters -- a number of them are frequently inattentive, lack energy, and want to sleep a lot. A handful of the older dragonriders also suffer from this mysterious malady to a degree. Even the newly hatched dragons are sleepier than they ought to be.
Thus begins Todd McCaffrey's "Dragonheart", set at the very start of Pern's Third Pass, in the year (or "Turn") 507 After Landing. At age 13, Fiona, the only surviving child of Bemin, Lord Holder of Fort Hold, has unexpectedly Impressed gold dragon Talenth. As a junior Weyrwoman she has much to learn with little time to spare. Not only does she have to care for her rapidly growing young dragon, she has to learn all about managing a Weyr populated by hundreds of dragons, their riders, and the support staff.
To make things worse, Harper Kindan's fire-lizard dies of a serious lung ailment, and all fire-lizards are banished to the Southern Continent. Given how closely related these creatures are to dragons, no one can risk cross-species infection. Not with Thread so close to falling. Without dragons to flame this ancient menace from the sky, Pern would rapidly be rendered uninhabitable.
Alas, dragons begin to fall ill and then to die, and Thread begins to fall for the first time in 200 Turns. The ranks of the inexperienced dragonriders are decimated by injury from threadscoring. The situation is even worse when they're forced to fight Thread at night, when they can't see what they're fighting. Unexpected allies prevent utter catastrophe, but still the situation is getting more dire by the moment.
Given how many of Todd's Pern novels have dealt with plague, either among humans or among dragons, I should by all rights be completely fed up with yet another plague novel. Yet, as always, I've enjoyed reading this one.
One difference between this story and "Dragonsblood", a parallel novel taking place at roughly the same time, is the scope of the story. While in "Dragonsblood" the focus is on the likes of Kindan and Lorana, of Benden Weyr, desperately trying to find a cure for the dragon plague, in "Dragonheart" the focus is mainly on Fiona at Fort Weyr, and how she copes with growing up in a time of disaster and upheaval. She remarks at one point to Cisca, another Weyrwoman, that she's never really had a childhood, given how her mother and all her siblings had succumbed to another plague, described in the book "Dragon Harper". As a likely future Lady Holder she has always had to set an example for the underlings -- it's no different now, being a Weyrwoman.
Thankfully, about halfway through the book we get a respite from the dragon plague as the Fort Weyr leadership implements a daring plan for giving the injured dragons and their riders, plus the weyrlings, some breathing space to recover from their injuries, or grow up, before the next threadfall.
I guessed the cause of the mysterious muzzy-headedness almost immediately, but no matter. The main attraction of this book is in seeing sides of Weyr life we haven't seen before in such detail:
- How do young riders and their dragons train for flying and going "between" one place and another?
- What's the most efficient way of delivering firestone to dragonriders in the middle of fighting thread?
- How do dragonriders resolve their differences when the traditional Pernese sword duel is too dangerous, given how the dragon commits suicide if its rider dies?
- What happens if a young green dragon has her first mating flight before she has started chewing firestone?
Carrying on from Todd's earlier books, he also goes into more details about the Watch-whers, nocturnal cousins of the dragons long thought to be of dubious use, but now proving to be most valuable indeed.
There are lots of unanswered questions at the end of "Dragonheart", which will likely be covered in a future story. First and foremost, who is this mysterious queen dragon rider who can communicate with Fiona telepathically, and leads her and her fellow weyrlings to undertake a very dangerous journey at such a young age, only to disappear right afterward? Fiona and T'mar, a bronze dragonrider, have their suspicions, but they don't know for sure.
Also, what will become of Xhinna, a young virtually outcast girl whom Fiona befriends near the beginning of the book, but ends up having to leave behind for a number of Turns? It seems likely that Todd has something in mind for her, along with another girl named Terin. Only time will tell.
There's also a prophesy of sorts uttered by one of the desert traders encountered later in the story. This was one of the things that gave me a bit of a pause: a bit of mysticism that is traditionally absent from Pern books. Todd's mother, Anne, has always been adamant that the Pernese are non-religious, though they have a form of spirituality.
Also, while I can't think of any physical reason why Thread couldn't fall at night, it does seem like something Anne's characters two thousand Turns in the future would have encountered in the Ninth Pass, yet no mention was ever made of it.
My main concern with Todd's work is that, in a few places, I found myself a bit confused as to what time of the Turn it was. Some of those later chapters span weeks or months at a time, and I found it hard to keep track. Also, it seems like characters repeat themselves more than they ought. Todd probably could have tightened up the plot a bit by getting rid of some needlessly redundant conversations and observations.
So, should you read this story? If you're new to Pern, you're going to want to start with Anne's early works, such as "Dragonflight" and "Dragonquest". If you're new to Todd's books, you'll likely want to start with his earlier works as well -- a number of characters, like Harper Kindan, Lorana and Nuella the WherMaster, are introduced elsewhere.
Ultimately, if you like Todd's earlier works, I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't like this one as well. But, given the cost of hardcover novels, you might want to check some of the other reviews first.
 Dragonheart by Todd McCaffrey most entertaining November 13, 2008
Monkey (Seattle)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
You always have to wonder what happens when a new writer takes over for a person who has had such a monumental influence with the Dragon riders of Pern series. There is a reason why no one plays around in another writer's backyard; the only time this has been pulled off was with Niven's Known Space. Yet Todd McCaffrey pulls this one off, using standard elements from his mom's work, he charts no new course for the Dragon Rider series, while expanding on the Heroic Tale that his mom, Anne, did oh so very well.
There are customary elements in this, dragon seeks person from the audience, this was first broached in Dragon Drums, there is the dragon riders being decimated by a plague that was broached in Moretta's Ride. These standards work well, and carry the tradition of Pern forward as a recognizable entity, rather than rewrite Pern to suit Todd, Todd has rewritten Todd to suit Pern. That is what makes this book so fantastic and so worth reading. It is a new tale set amongst the familiar for anyone who has spent time in the Dragon Riders universe. Everything is recognizable down to Fort Hold and digging through dusty bins (yet again), and time travel via dragon. Combining many elements from various stories into a new hand crafted believable story is what gives this book its powerful entry into the Pern world.
Todd has carried on his mom's tradition, but has also set his own voice, and has created an outlet for a number of follow on Pern Novels that explore the subject matter completely. It would be great to see a prequel to First Landing; it would be great to see a second and third volume after First landing. It would also be interesting to explore more about the planet in relationship to the full time line of events. This book is a great step forward in hoping to realize that goal. Todd has set himself both as a permanent part of the world of Pern, and a welcome addition to the Dragons Riders series.
Well worth buying, well worth reading, five of five stars for just being true to the world that Anne created, and Todd is carrying forward.
entertaining Pern fantasy November 11, 2008
Harriet Klausner
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
On the planet Pern, Fort Hold Lord Holder Bemin and his daughter Fiona sit in the audience observing the young candidates trying to impress the newborn dragons. However everyone is stunned when Talenth leaves the staging area to enter the audience as that has never occurred before. The dragon chooses Fiona as his future rider in the fight against thread which periodically falls, destroying organic matter.
However, due to a Plague, the dragon-rider teams are way below the battle strength numbers needed to win. Thread is coming soon while the pandemic infection is killing the dragons. At Fort Weyr a mysterious weyrwoman convinces Fiona to take the injured into the past so they can heal and spend years training before returning to the present to fight thread. Heeding the advice, Fiona takes them back one decade to Iser Weyr so they can heal and train under the tutelage of experience dragon riders with the goal to come home to fight thread.
Continuing the tradition of his mother, the great Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey provides an exciting Pern thriller (his second - see DRAGONSBLOOD) starring a feisty female who will remind the audience of Lessa (see DRAGONFLIGHT). However the enjoyment is in watching how a weyr functions; especially insightful is the class distinctions between Traders and Riders, etc. Talenth like all fledgling dragons owns the book as he innocently charms his rider and readers. DRAGONHEART is an entertaining Pern fantasy.
Harriet Klausner
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