Dragonquest (Dragonriders of Pern) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Anne McCaffrey (Author) "HOW TO BEGIN?..." (more)
Key Phrases: fire lizard, brown rider, bronze rider, Red Star, Benden Weyr, Fort Weyr (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The second in the Dragonriders of Pern trilogy.

From the Publisher
There are dragons all over Anne McCaffrey's house. Some she's bought, but many have been made for her by adoring fans and given to her as gifts. I don't make dragons, of course. But whenever circumstances allow, I do try to bring her American bacon, something she can't get easily in Ireland, and something which she has taught all her friends there to love, as well! I remember the first time I went to visit her, when she was still living in her old, much smaller but very homey, house. My husband and I arrived at the doorstep, and she immediately began bustling about, frying up some of the bacon we'd brought and sharing a lovely late breakfast with us before sending us off to the hotel for a nap. She made us dinner that night, too--the one and only time in my life that I've actually liked shrimp cocktail. Maybe that's because if you squint your eyes and look sideways, shrimp are kind of dragonlike, and I was eating them in the right company!
                        --Shelly Shapiro, Executive Editor

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (October 13, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345335082
• ISBN-13: 978-0345335081
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,804 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 2 in The Dragonriders of Pern Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fantasy/Sci Fi About Dragons!, May 7, 2003

By	Silmarwen (Huntington Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Dragonquest begins seven Turns after Dragonflight and the reader is immediately plunged back into the complex world of Pern. F'lar and Lessa are still Weyrleaders at Benden and are struggling to unite all of Pern to fight the deadly Thread. It is true that the 5 weyrs who jumped through time to come forward to aid Benden were there in Pern's time of need, but they are set in their ways and not willing to change. F'lar has heard too many complaints from Holds and Crafthalls under the protection of the Oldtimers' Weyrs to disregard them any longer. When the Weyrleaders even go so far as to keep other Weyrs uninformed of irregular Threadfall, F'lar has no choice but to take action. He immediately starts looking for alternative ways of fighting Thread and easing relations between the dragonmen and the rest of the Pernese, but it is an uphill battle all the way. Meantime, there are other problems brewing inside the Weyrs themselves. Kylara, Weyrwoman of the Southern Weyr, has caused much dissent and no end of headaches for the Weryleaders. Brekke, a new queen, is desperately afraid of what will happen when her queen rises to mate. F'nor is trying to support his half-brother F'lar in all of his endeavors, but he has many problems of his own. Outside of the Werys, the Lord Holders cannot understand why the dragonmen simply do not go to the Red Star and kill the Thread there, before it falls on Pern. Emotions are running high and F'lar and Lessa have their hands full trying to keep everything tied together, but will they be able to unite Pern?

This is the second book in The Dragonriders of Pern book and is just as good as the first one in the series. I felt that this book was a little more complex than the first because the author could spend more time on intertwining people's lives since the reader is more familiar with the world of Pern. This will make it a little more difficult for those who have not read Dragonflight, however. I simply love Anne McCaffrey's characters so it is wonderful to have a series where you get to see the characters grow and change. Even McCaffrey's supporting characters are well-fleshed out and fun to read about. If you enjoy fantasy or science fiction or dragons, do not miss out on this series!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Second Dragonriders of Pern book, August 9, 2003

By	Mimi (Benicia, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Before you read this book, you should read Dragonflight to get to know background info and characters, but it isn't extremely necessary.
This book starts seven turns after Dragonflight.
Lessa and F'lar (the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader of Benden Weyr)are having difficulties with the Oldtimers. A lot has changed in four hundred years and some of the Oldtimers won't accept that change. Most of the Oldtimers don't want to have anything to do with the modern world and try to isolate themselves. Some even try to pick fights with Benden Weyr and take things that are not part of the tithing of the Holds.
Fire lizards are rediscovered in this book and F'nor and Brekke both Impress.
The Dragonriders must unite together to save Pern from the deadly Thread. The Thread is falling out of pattern thus becomes unpredictable. None of the Oldtimers are telling the other Weyrs about unpredictable Threadfall in their Hold and Weyr areas.
F'lar knows he must do something before Pern is destroyed.

Some events in this book lead to other key events in other books such as The White Dragon and all the Weyrs of Pern.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 2nd Installment of the Dragonriders of Pern, July 24, 2000

By	Rita (Portugal) - See all my reviews

I cannot say bad of any book I have read of Anne McCaffrey's because, simply, I cannot find a reason to. And when you come across such a world as Pern and such a wonderful civilization this author has developed, you can only hope to keep on reading and reading and re-reading countless times the stories of this world she has created.

The second installment on the Dragonriders of Pern was actually my third (I read Dragonsdawn before this one but after Dragonflight) and you are introduced to the wonderful Fire-Lizards or re-introduced in my case since I read Dragonsdawn first. In this book you are faced with a world further developed but still not rid of danger. Though the Dragonriders of Pern fly again to fight Thread, their quarrels are now inside within their midst. And without the unity within the Dragonriders, the world of Pern is doomed. New adventures, new developments and new discoveries are made on this wonderful book. You are here introduced to the young Jaxom, holder of Ruatha Hold, son of ungrieved Fax and the missed Lady Gemma, to whom Lessa, Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr has renounced her right to the Hold, rightful hers. Young Jaxom will have a great part in the 3rd volume of the Dragonriders Chronicles and you will be able to witness the true danger of the Red Star which brings the dangerous Silver Threads to the wonderful world of Pern.

Another book you have to buy and read, re-read and enjoy thoroughly as you will never forget the land of Pern... and you should not...