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The Skies of Pern

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
In this triumphant return to Pern, Anne McCaffrey takes us on an adventure as surprising and unforgettable as any that has come before . . .
It is a time of hope and regret, of endings and beginnings. The Red Star, that celestial curse whose eccentric orbit was responsible for Thread, has been shifted to a harmless orbit, and the current Threadfall will be the last. Technological marvels are changing the face of life on Pern. And the dragonriders, led by F'lessan, son of F'lar and Lessa and rider of bronze Golanth, and Tia, rider of green Zaranth, must forge a new place for themselves in a world that may no longer need them.
But change is not easy for everyone. There are those who will stop at nothing—not even violence—to keep Pern and its people pure. And now a brand-new danger looms from the skies . . . and threatens a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.
Once again, the world looks to the dragons and their riders to solve the crisis and save the world. But now, as the friendship of F'lessan and Tia begins to bloom into something more, unforeseen tragedy strikes: a tragedy destined to forever change the future—not just of the two young lovers, but of every human and dragon on Pern . . .
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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 19, 2001

      Bestseller McCaffrey's first Pern novel in three years returns to the world of her most popular series, Dragonriders of Pern, reprising almost all the best-loved Pernese characters. In earlier episodes, hero and heroine F'lar and Lessa summoned the captivating dragons and their riders from the remote past to save Pern from a devastating rain of Thread, while the later discovery of Aivas, the artificial intelligence that guided Pern's original human settlers, brought technological marvels like printing to Pern and helped shift the Thread-producing Red Star from its lethal orbit before it self-destructed. Now neo-Luddite Abominators are bent on destroying all of Aivas's gifts and returning watery Pern to its primitive state, while the Dragonriders struggle to find new purpose in a Threadless world. F'lar and Lessa uneasily contemplate second careers or—horrors!—retirement, while their genteel and amorous son F'lessan and perceptive green rider Tai arrive at both a dragon-assisted romance and a whole new role for the telepathic and telekinetic dragons. McCaffrey's various themes—traditionalism vs. technology, the necessity of societal change, feminist commentary on draconian psychology—are at times awkwardly integrated. And her slightly watered-down villains seem peripheral to the action, merely a means to showcase familiar personalities performing during crises. Nonetheless, as all her Pern novels amply demonstrate, McCaffrey's sexy and cunning dragons carry the day—and the novel—with impeccable, irresistible panache. (Apr. 3)Forecast:A likely genre bestseller, but some younger Pern fans may be put off by the emphasis on retirement, unable to appreciate the angst of inexorably approaching age.

    • Library Journal

      December 20, 2000
      McCaffrey's famed dragonriders have been called back after three years. Pern may be free of Threadfall, but a new danger is coming.

      Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      January 1, 2001
      In "The Dolphins of Pern" (1994), Aivas (an acronym for artificial intelligence voice address system), a recently discovered artifact from the Pern settlers' original landing, taught the later people of Pern how to end the deadly Thread falls by moving the satellite that caused them. But problems remain. The Dragonriders, longtime defenders against Thread, must find new occupations in a Threadfree society. There is also the matter of which of the long-lost technologies reintroduced by Aivas can be adopted without disrupting the planet's culture. Those who consider Aivas an "abomination" resume their efforts to stamp out all new technology through brutal attacks on various Holds and Craft Halls. Then a massive comet crashes into Eastern Ring Sea, causing destructive tsunamis throughout the planet. F'lar and Lessa, Weyrleaders of Benden, and their dragons Ramoth and Mnementh, and Lord Jaxom and his white dragon Ruth--all familiar from earlier series installments--figure in the tale, but the main characters are F'lar and Lessa's son, F'lessan; his dragon, Golanth; young Tai; and her green dragon, Zaranth. The love that grows between F'lessan and Tai provides lovely romantic relief from the exciting action, and the realization that dragons are capable of telekinesis as well as telepathy and teleportation promises that "there will always be dragons in the skies of Pern!" (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)

    • Library Journal

      February 15, 2001
      With the discovery of Aivas, the artificial intelligence hidden for centuries in Pern's southern continent, the residents of the third planet of the sun called Rukbat have learned how to end the threat posed by the periodic fall of Thread from the erratic red star that orbits the planet. Despite the abundance of rediscovered knowledge, new dangers and old fears surface, forcing Dragonriders, Holders, and Craftmasters all to reconsider their purpose and functions in society. McCaffrey's most popular series takes on a new dimension with the latest installment, as familiar characters feel the weight of their years, giving way to a new generation of humans and their dragon companions. Superb storytelling and engaging characters make this a priority purchase for most libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/00.]

      Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:920
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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