Dragonriders of Pern, For those that love McCaffrey Options

[hockeygod]

Thanks allyk. See, Clinton, that's all we wanted. (hockeygod, off to buy Dragonsong.)

[Clinton]

hockeygod, dont buy dragonsong first, buy dragonflight, dragonquest, and the white dragon

buy dragonsong, dragonsinger, and dragondrums next

they parallel dragonflight, et al, and you really need to read dragonflight etc. to understand the dragonsong etc (commonly known as the harper hall trilogy)

and I wasnt in a bad mood, I just figger its more fun to find out yourself.

the entire series really isnt a series, its rather convoluted and strange and bizarre the way things intertwine and stuff like that

well, thats all
now to start an orson scott card ender series thread.

CCC

[Robert]

Jennie,

if you haven't read McCafrey's books then yuo've really missed something. They are FANTASTIC!

My favorite character is Master Robinton.

BTW, I've met Anne McCaffrey & got her autograph in one of my books. It was right after she finished writing All the Weyrs of Pern and had just sent it off to the publishers. We (the crowd at the bookstore) immediately volunteered to proofread it!

Glen Echo Theatre in the Washington DC area also did a theatrical play of Dragonsinger, which I went to opening night. Mrs McCaffrey even said the girl playing Menolly had her exactly as she envisioned the character.

I also have the very rare 1984 Dragonrider's calender featuring art by the Hildebrant brothers.

Robert

[Clinton]

hehehe
I, too, love Master Rob, though I really like Menolly and Piemur as well.

it'd be hard to pick a favourite character, but if I had to, it'd be......dunno.....bah!

CCC

[Entropy]

I'm assuming this isn't a touchy-feeling , never disagree board, but if it is just shoot me. I dare you.

I have read about half of the Pern stories (not in several years, mind you, but I have) and I was wondering if I was the only one who felt that McCaffrey's writing changed massively. I remember being irritated that when she would bring in characters from her other books their personalities would have changed a lot. I actually stopped reading the series after..... hmmmmmm, I don't remember the title and I don't know how to describe it without a major spoiler.
The one(s) where they brought in the lovely computer that fixes everything(or tries to). Also when she killed off one of the characters who's personality (in my opinion) she _didn't_ change. *Sigh* That was definately a throw-at-the-wall book, and not in a good way.
By the way, anyone want to make bets on whether or not they will ever make the t.v. series? I'm kinda hoping not.

[hockeygod]

Thanks for that opinion Entropy. I have never read the books, and was contemplating if I want to. If I decide to I'll be on the lookout for changing personalities.

[Entropy]

No problem. I would definately suggest reading a few, especially if you're just branching widely into scifi/fantasy. I just wouldn't buy any hardcovers of them without a read; there are books I would suggest more worth the money. I'd also suggest reading one of the first several (that she wrote, not chronologically).

[Clinton]

I havent read the latest one yet, since I am too pake to spring for the hardcover. It was written with the help of her son, so I am not sure how it will be.

as for writing style changing, that's only understandable when one ages, and views and opinions change. As for the death of in the first "computer" book, it was understandable, and I cant say more without the spoiler bbcode tag.

CCC

[Entropy]

I'm not talking writing style so much (the changes I saw with that were to the better), I'm talking about the fact that when she would bring some of her characters back in after a while they would be completely different people. (Of course I got in an argument about that with someone last night and they gave me an _almost_ acceptable reason. )
And as for the death, it was understandable and I'll admit I saw it comming, it was just that that happened to be just about the only character I still felt made the series worth reading.

[Entropy]

Interesting thing happened today. Mind you, I haven't touched the PERN books for years, but when I came home I found a copy of Dragon's Kin sitting on the table for me to read. I skimmed it... not too bad, but I didn't read it closely enough to place it on the little 'timeline'.

Just felt like sharing that
~Entropy

[hockeygod]

Whoa, that's a little freaky. Any idea how the book got on the table?

[Entropy]

My Mum said she grabbed it for me when she saw it on the 'New Book' shelf. She does that occasionally (it's been a very long time since I've read any of the ones that she's grabbed, but she tries). *Sigh* Returning to my agonizing decision over which book to order from Amazon now (it's finally down to 3).

~Entropy

[Roxanne]

I love the Pern books too, from WAY back. I have the first mass-market paperback editions of the first trilogy in the series (Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon).

I think one reason the computer seems so abrupt is that we as readers tend to get lost in the dragons and the medieval lifestyle and forget we're reading science fiction. I love "lost colony" stories (since I live in North Carolina, where there's a real-life one in our history), and to me, the computer and what followed brought the story full-circle, back to its origins and the prologue of the first book.

Robert, I'm so jealous that you've actually met the author! Ms McCaffrey is like a bellwether for me - if I see a blurb by her on another author's book, I'm almost sure to like it.

I don't have the last few in the series yet. I got sidetracked onto her Rowan series for a while.

[Ignotus]

I've only read one of the series. Why? Can't find any of the others!

[Robert]

If you haven't found them its because you haven't looked hard enough. Check any used book store, I can gaurantee you'll find some copies.