Customer Reviews

The DragonRiders of Pern

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

In The Dragonriders of Pern, Anne McCaffrey creates a stunning and richly detailed world. It's clear on reading these stories that they are very dear to McCaffrey's heart. Her blend of science, music and human drama are supported by a wholly believable mythology which bridges the gap between our earth and Pern.

Unfortunately, this edition was hastily thrown together without any regard for the author's hard work. On seemingly every page there are typographical errors so severe that McCaffrey's spell is broken. Character names constantly shift spelling. Words are misspelled, mixed up and changed to the point that the prose completely falls apart. At times geographic locations on Pern are switched with character names...this is a work of Science Fiction/Fantasy but when the place where you live starts talking all believability goes out the window. The sloppy editing of the edition was so bad I ended up buying individual copies of Dragonflight, Dragonquest and The White Dragon. I noticed none of the errors I saw in the three-in-one volume.

I highly recommend reading Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon, but save yourself the confusion and disappointment of this three-in-one edition. Buy each separately.

I read these books years ago. I am glad to say I enjoyed rereading them just as much now as I did then. However, as at least one other reviewer noted, this is a lousy edition. There are numerous typographical errors that totally ruin the joy of a good read. Read these books, just not this edition.

Ever since I first picked up this book, Anne McCaffrey has been my favorite author. The Pern series is the most incredible I have ever read, from the majestic, yet empathetic dragons to the likable and unique characters who ride them. I cannot begin to calculate the number of times I have read and re-read the Pern series, especially these first three books. Anne McCaffrey pulls off wonders with her writing -- no other author could have concocted or done justice to Pern and its people as she does. Lessa especially is such an intricate, complicated, and wonderful character that I would have loved this book if she were the only detailed character, and I look to her as my first role-model. Not only am I in love with F'lar, Masterharper Robinton, and Jaxom, but they make this series more than just my favorite, but one that really affects my life as well. I have read every book about Pern that I could, and I will never tire of this world and its dragons. Anybody who likes science fiction or fantasy will love it, as will anybody who likes to read at all.

First, I'd like to say that I love these books. I re-read them ever couple years and it's a fresh story with new meaning each time. For me it's a timeless series.

I offer many thanks to Anne MaCaffery and her son Todd McCaffery who has picked up the reins of story telling with the Realms of Pern.

As for the Kindle Edition of this book, I am sorely disappointed in the typographical errors. In a time when we have simple spell checking on just about every application we use, it's depressing to see this digital media plagued with such inconsideration for the reader.

The spelling of the character names are misspelled, sometimes from paragraph to paragraph. There are major typographical mistakes in connection words that require the reader to read, and then re-read the entire sentence to discern the actual word intended as different words could change then entire feel and meaning of the sentence.

Paying roughly the same for this Kindle Edition as I would for a new mass-market paperback, I question why anyone would pay full price when a print copy can be acquired, used, at a faction of the cost.

The Kindle Edition is a sad disservice to the readers and fans of Anne McCaffery.

Del Rey and Random House Digital should be ashamed of themselves for releasing such a poor quality product!!

I have read every "Pern" book that I could get my hands on. The last being "The Masterharper of Pern". They are so well written that you forget that you are reading and can visualize them in your head. I am a huge fan of Sci-Fi and Fantasy and I love it when the Author can write in a way that allows you to see the characters not just read about them. The Dragonriders Of Pern is one of the best series of books that I have read. I found that I could not wait for the next book. When I would sit down to read one, I would tend to forget about the things that I needed to do and read the book until it was done. I couldn't put it down. I look forward to more books in this series if she has more to give.

This trilogy stands as one of the best series I've ever read -- and it will bring you into a long series of books on the people and dragons of Pern. I first read "Dragonflight" when I was 13, and it hooked me on fantasy novels in general and Anne McCaffrey in particular. If you haven't read any of her work, this is a great place to start; and, if you have read her work, you will love this trilogy. It is the epic story of how one man, believing in the tales of the past when everyone else ignored them, managed with the help of his co-leader and his brother to save the world, and make themselves legends in the process

This trilogy is so enthralling and interesting that it's hard to put it down before finishing all three books. It's too bad that sleep is necessary and interferes with the reading. The charming affinity between the people and dragons and their telepathic connections was a new thing when these were written. The "Dragonriders" was actually "plowing new ground all the way" and was unique unto itself at the time. It has a lot of action and is well developed as a story and the characters are well done. I believe that it's up there with the best of the best in fantasy writing.

Anne McCaffery has written a lot of stories in this series but these, the original three, stand fort as a an astounding display of a frightening talent. How McCaffery can invent and describe a world in such explicit detail, as well as plot-lines that so enthrall that one is lost while reading, I will never know.

Her 'Pern' is an incredible world, populated by the descendants of long-ago, Earth-originating, space farers stranded upon a Terra-like planet populated only by strange animals. Their bizarre history is only revealed in full in the third book, as the true interest of the stories is the planet's fight against 'thread,' a deadly spore that rains upon the planet from time to time.

The characters are fully developed and the plot twists enthralling. While it is more entertainment than psychologicaly insightful, it is an experience you can't help but walk away from shaken.

I love these three books, regardless of the hit-or-miss value of her other stories. This, along with a few choice others, belongs next to Asimov's Foundation Trilogy in sci-fi history.

Yeah, the books were great. The plot ran smoothly and it had just the right amount of everything for me, but I have one problem with it. In not just my edition of this book, but in some others I saw too, there were millions of spelling errors. I aslo was missing pages 757 to 788 in my book wich made me really upset. I hope this helps you.

The Dragonriders of Pern is an omnibus edition of the first three novels in the Pern series, including Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon.

In Dragonflight, Lessa had been the lawful heir of Ruatha Hold, but Fax has conquered this hold and four others and now Lessa is posing as a kitchen drudge. Benden Weyr has come to the High Reaches looking for candidates to impress a Queen in the next hatching. After visiting Lord Fax's Hold, Crom, and the various guild halls, they travel to the other five held by the high reaches, finally coming to Ruatha. There Lessa provides Fax with a vile experience and uses the Dragonriders to cause his downfall. Nonetheless, much to her surprise, they select Lessa to be Presented to the queen egg at the next hatching.

In Dragonquest, Lessa and F'lar are the Weyrleaders of Benden Weyr. However, the Red Star is passing, thread is falling again and the two young weyrleaders are having problems with the Oldtimers. F'nor, the brother of F'lar, has learned bits and pieces about the Red Star and is obsessed by the quest to find out more about it.

In The White Dragon, Jaxom, the son of Fax and Lady Gemma, has become Lord Holder of Ruatha after Lessa abdicated her claim. His guardian, Lytol, is a former dragonrider who has lost his dragon, so Jaxom has heard a lot about dragons and welcomes the opportunity to witness a hatching. When one of the hatchlings is undersized and cannot break out of the egg on its own, Jaxom helps a little and finds himself with a small white dragon. Seeing this, the Lord Holders have a hissy fit.

This series introduces the dragons of Pern, which have gone on to become a staple of the SF publishing industry. None of the sequels, however, quite matches these three novels and the subsequent Harper Hall trilogy.

Highly recommended to McCaffrey fans and anyone who enjoys exotic societies, intelligent animals, and political intrigue.