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. ...
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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.
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"Dragonsong" is a fantastic alternative entry point to McCaffrey's Pern series, especially for younger readers who might not be ready for the adult situations in the Dragonriders trilogy. The book is predominantly character-driven yet it has a solid plot, focusing on the teenager Menolly, who is musically gifted. It is a compelling story of her growth from awkward misfit in her family of fishermen into the first female "harper," or formally trained musician, in generations. Along the way she manages to attract the attention of the high and mighty dragonriders, as well as that of the respected leaders of her desired craft, before ultimately taking control of her own life and coming into her talent. It's pretty great stuff. Highly recommended.
rhiamama
Jun 1, 2007
Dragonsong tells the story of Menolly, a young girl with great musical talent who just doesn't fit in with the rest of her Hold. Having been a loner much of her life, she discovers the value and the power of unconditional love and friendship when she impresses a fair of fire lizards which were mostly thought to be imaginary. She gains self confidence by caring for them, and by becoming the first female Harper, and helps to spread joy and inspiration to the people she meets-with her songs, and her fire lizards! This story is very well written, and is a good read for both adults and children. I highly recommend it.
