The fairytale continues (Dragonsinger - Anne McCaffrey)

Member Name: Ariel_uk

Product:	Dragonsinger - Anne McCaffrey
Date:	07/09/01 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good storytelling, engaging characters

Disadvantages: Can onlybe readas a sequal, Nota good place to start the series

This sequel to Dragonsong, continues the action from the final moment of Dragonsong. Part of Anne Maccaffrey’s Dragons of Pern series, these two stories focus on the early life of a teenage girl, Mellony, as she escapes her family home, and finds her spiritual family in the Harper Hall.

Unlike Dragonsong, this book does not explain how the civilization of Pern comes to be, so I will try and give you some context. The books are set way into the future, Pern is a planet colonised by settlers determined to reduce to a minimum their dependence on technology. Some years after first settling the colonists discovered a deadly problem with their Eden – periodic attacks from the sky in the form of flesh eating ‘Thread’ falling from a rouge planet as it’s orbit brings it close to Pern. Bioengineers amongst the colonists set about modifying a native animal dubbed fire lizards, to combat this threat. Almost a thousand years later, these futuristic beginnings are long forgotten, and a complex quasi-medieval society thrives on Pern, protected from Thread by stone walls, and flaming dragons that were created from the fire lizards. A tripartite system of Holds (land owning, farming communities), Halls (craft groups) and Weyrs (The Dragons and their riders) is the backdrop to Anne McCaffrey’s Pern tales.

At the end of Dragonsong we leave Mellony rescued from thread, and her abilities with the fire lizards being celebrated at Benden Wyre. In the final moments of the book she discovers that she is to accompany two of the unhatched fire lizard eggs, and the Master Harper of Pern back to Harper Hall. Dragonsinger begins at the other end of that journey, as she lands at the Harper Hall.

Although quite short (only 252 pages long) this is quite an intense book, completing as it does reversal of Mellony’s fortunes, packed into a mere seven days. Immersed in the hive of activity that is Harper Hall, school university, an
d communications center for the whole of Pern, as well as a busy home for hundreds. Mellony’s arrival presents her with practical problems in fitting in, as ell as emotional hurdles – so great a contrast is the hall to her previous life. The story follows Mellony from her first night in the guest rooms, being assessed as an apprentice, and being welcomed as a colleague by senior members of the craft hall making both new friends and new enemies. Not even several thousand years in time and space can stop teenage girls forming spiteful gangs it would seem. Within seven days Mellony goes from homeless foundling, to being awarded the status of Journeyman – surely the shortest apprentaship ever!

I’ve always enjoyed the Harper Hall stories of the Pern series – I guess because although no musician, I am a harper myself (storing and passing on information, and storytelling). This novel gives us a very intimate portrait of a craft hall in a time of change, so as well as a compelling human interest story, it is also an intriguing bit of fictional sociology.

My only bugbear with this book, as with it’s predecessor, is that they are two short, and if buying new copies I wold probably balk at paying £5.99 for each, when I think they could advantageously be packaged as a double story for £8 or £10. The story would probably not make a lot of sense if you hadn’t first read Dragonsong, and I cold not in all honestly recommend this as a good starting point for someone new to the series. However, if you liked Dragonsong, then you’ll devour this one too. It’s a grand story, but relies too heavily on the reader having read Dragonsong for me to recommend it wholeheartedly.

Dragonsinger-Harper of Pern- Anne McCaffrey
Corgi; ISBN: 0552108812

The official website http://www.randomhouse.com/delrey/pern/ seems to be a) American and b) about a year out of date, but nevertheless has some interestin
g information aboutthe series and its spin-offs as well as about the author herself.

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