The Dolphins Of
Pern
(Bantam, 1995) (first published 1994)
"When Master Fishman Alemi took young Readis
out to catch redfins for the evening feast, neither of them realized it heralded
a new chapter in the history of Pern. For when a sudden black squall blew
up, their mast splintered and broke and their boat capsized. It was the shipfish
who saved them, swooping up from the deep, holding them firm above the water,
guiding them back to land, and above all speaking to them. Alemi,
called to the all-encompassing power of AIVAS, learned that the shipfish
were dolphins - brought to Pern with the early colonists to help and guide
man theough the oceans of the new planet. Now all the old dolphin law had
been rediscovered. Readis, fascinated by the many gifts of the dolphins -
gifts unshared by any other creature on Pern - longed to work with them.
Helped by T'lion, the young dragonrider with his bronze Gadranth (who established
his own particular friendship with the dolphins), Readis, fighting against
vehement parental opposition, set out to become Pern's first
dolphineer."
Red Star
Rising (Bantam, 1996)
(first published 1996)
"For two hundred years there had been peace
on Pern - but now the signs were ominous. Violent winter storms and erupting
volcanoes heralded the coming of the second Pass of Thread, when the red
planet would rain down its horrifying harvest and destroy every living organism
on the face of Pern. No human or dragon or animal or planet was safe from
the hideous death inflicted by Thread. Weyrs and Holds tried to prepare,
but they had serious problems. Over the generations much of the old technology
had been lost. AIVAS, the giant information bank, was buried under tons of
volcanic ash, and valuable and skilled men and women had succumbed to disease
and old age, taking with them the knowledge of a great civilisation. They
had to prepare as best they could, training the great flights of dragons
and ensuring that the Lord Holders did their part by protecting their people
in every possible way. Only Lord Chalkin, Holder of Bitra, refused to co-operate.
He did not believe in Threadfall. It was a plot of the Weyrs to gain ascendancy
over the Holds. He would do nothing to protect Bitra or its people. The Lord
Holders and Weyrleaders were of one accord. Chalkin must be impeached and
removed from his lands if the planet was to be made
safe."
The MasterHarper Of
Pern (Corgi, 1999) (first published
1998)
"MasterSinger Merelan and Harper Petrion were
a brilliant and devoted couple. Merelan was the most outstanding soprano
ever heard on Pern, and was often the only one who could master Petiron's
technically accomplished compositions. When, after a long and difficult birth,
Robinton was born to them, it should have been the culmination of a unique
partnership.
But Petiron, almost from the first day, had no time for his son, refusing
to see the incredible talent the boy possessed, ignoring his achievements
and maintaining a strict and disapproving vigilance over him at all times.
Carefully, secretly, the Harper Hall took over, training the greatest talent
Pern had ever seen - a talent that was more than just musical, for Robinton
was able to talk to the dragons of Pern.
As constant sadness beset his personal life, so a startling career sent him
like a meteor through the Holds and Weyrs of Pern, until, as MasterHarper,
he became part of the great plan to rescue Lessa from the brutal rule of
Holder Fax - Lessa, who was to be the saviour of the dragons of
Pern"
The Skies of
Pern (BCA, 2001) (first publsihed
2001)
"A new age is dawning on Pern, for since the
dragons have changed the orbit of the Red Star, the horrors of Threadfall
will soon be a thing of the past. But even as the dragon riders are trying
to decide what their future role will be, further dangers are beginning to
emerge, as those calling themselves the Abominators plot together to destroy
all the learning from the records of the Old Ones. Their first vicious assault
is on the Healer Halls - irrevocable damage is done and it is obvious that
this is a worldwide movement with a dangerous mind leading those who would
destroy all of the new knowledge. And now comes a freah and terrible catastrophe
- a large cometary fragment is hurtling towards Pern and cannot be deflected.
Everyone - dragons, riders, holders and craftmen - must stand by to perform
a giant rescue operation. As F'lessan, son of Lessa and F'lar, plays his
heroic part in the events that follow, he is helped by Tai, his new weyrmate.
But it is the dragons, bronze Golanth and the brilliant green Zaranth, who
will provide the solution to the dangers of the skies."
Dragon's
Kin (with Todd McCaffrey) (Corgi,
2004) (first published 2003)
"Young Kindan has no expectations other than
joining his father in the mines of Camp Natalon. However, mining is fraught
with danger and a disaster leaves Kindan orphaned. Grieving, Kindan is taken
in by the camp's new Harper and finds a measure of solace in a burgeoning
musical talent... and in a new friendship with the mysterious Nuella. Nuella
helps Kindan when he is elected to hatch and train a new watch-wher for the
camp, a creature distantly related to dragons and uniquely suited to specialized
work in the cool, dark mineshafts.
Meanwhile, long-simmering tensions are dividing the
camp. As warring factions threaten to explode, Nuella and Kindan begin to
dicover hidden taklents in the watch-wher - talents that could very well
save an entire Hold and which show them that even a seemingly impossible
dream is never completely out of reach..."
Dragonsblood (by Todd McCaffrey)
(Bantam, 2005) (first published 2005)
"A deadly plague has begun to wipe out the
dragons and firelizards, leaving mankind no defence against the deadly Thread
which has begun to fall in the Third Pass. Tantalized by a song that seems
to suggest that Lorana can find out how to heal the dragons, the Harper Kindan
and Lorana race against time to solve the clues that Wind Blossom left
behind.
Can they find the cure in time to save Lorana's queen,
Arith, and the rest of the dragons? If they don't, there will be no dragons
left, and all life on the planet will be devoured.
And how could Wind Blossom, Pern's last geneticist, know
of a peril 400 Turns after her death?"
