Product Description

Kindan is an apprentice harper at the Harper Hall but he is finding the lessons very difficult and although he has his friends, Nonala, Kelsa and Verilan, he also has enemies, such as the bully Vaxoram. Things begin to improve for Kindan when he beats Vaxoram in a duel and Vaxoram becomes first his servant and then gradually his trusted friend. Then Kindan impresses a fire-lizard and becomes the proud owner of the magnicent Valla. At the hatching he meets Koriana, daughter of Lord Holder Bemin of Fort Hold. She also impresses and she and Kindan fall in love, but her parents disapprove and she has to return to Fort Hold. Then a plague begins to spread across Pern, killing nearly everyone infected.Kindan and his friends search the harper records to see if they can find a cure, but all they can find is mention of a similar plague over a hundred Turns past. As the plague gets worse Kindan and Vaxoram are sent to Fort Hold to help tend the sick. Kindan will be reunited with Koriana, but will she be free of the plague, and will he be able to find a cure before more people die?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11544 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

From the Back Cover
All Kindan ever wanted was to become a Harper, singing and teaching the ballads of Pern, and he is thrilled when he becomes an Apprentice at the Harper Hall. But then he is offered the chance to attend a hatching and succeeds in Impressing the magnificent bronze fire-lizard, Valla.

There he meets Koriana, daughter of Lord Holder Bemin of Fort Hold. She also Impresses, in her case a gold fire-lizard, and there is an instant attraction between her and Kindan. Unfortunately an Apprentice Harper is not considered a suitable consort for a Fort Holder’s daughter and they are quickly separated. Things go from bad to worse for Kindan when he is accused of starting a fire which destroys ancient and extremely precious Records. He is banished to Fort Hold in shame and dishonour but his own worries soon pale into insignificance when a terrible plague starts to spread across Pern, killing nearly everyone infected. As it reaches Fort Hold, Kindan and the rest of Pern’s inhabitants know their very survival is in doubt.

'A proper Pern novel...bodes well for future volumes'SFX on Dragonsblood

About the Author
Anne McCaffrey was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College, majoring in Slavonic Languages and Literatures. A prolific bestselling author, she is best known for her handling of broad themes and the worlds of her imagination, particularly in her tales of the Talents and the novels about the Dragonriders of Pern. Anne McCaffrey lives in a house of her own design, Dragonhold-Underhill, in County Wicklow, Ireland. Visit the author's website at www.annemccaffrey.net Todd McCaffrey, Anne's son, is a licensed pilot and software engineer living in Los Angeles. Todd took up writing full time in 2002 and hasn't looked back. He is the author of several books, including Dragonsblood, his first solo Pern novel, and Dragon's Kin and Dragon's Fire, which he co-wrote with his mother. For more information on Todd McCaffrey and his books, see his website at www.toddmccaffrey.org

Customer Reviews

Another box of tissues, please..
I'm a huge, huge fan of Anne McCaffrey's work and own every book she's written. Unlike some i'm really optimistic about the collaborative work she's done with Todd, and lots of solo adventures from the son in the near future.
However, and there usually has been a however with Todd so far, he has got to give us some happiness! I get the opinion this is mostly Todd's work, his plan and execution only being 'supervised' by mummy.
I felt with Dragon's Blood, and I feel with this that the majority of the book is simply too bleak, and gives a fairly majorly unsatisfactory ending. It is poignant, evocative and does have a real sense of place that shows incredible skill in storytelling - that said I will not read this book a second time.
Would I recommend it to people? Yes. Because if you're a fan of Pern, like me, you will suffer anything to delve in to that incredible fantasy world. But the books recently are breaking my heart, and I feel that Todd needs to let some sunshine in from time to time!

As a product I have given it '4', because it outclasses anything else i've read in style and technique. However, on a scale of 'Novels of Pern' this would not rate highly for me, and I would be flabergasted to be found in the minority.

Give us something to smile about while the tears flow down our cheeks, Todd!

Couldnt put the book down! These books just get better!
Must say it was a tear jerker in places. Wont spoil it by saying why, but must say Todd McCaffrey sure can work well with his Mum Anne. When it finally come to Todd taking over fully, the series is in safe hands!
Highly recommend reading the book, but read the few just before it as it follows on from them & gives you a better background on some of the characters. Tho the book does give some of that itself through the book for 1st time readers.
Now cant wait for the next paperback to follow!!

Dragon Harper of pern
This was an exquisite book, one of the best she has written. I found the story line strong imaginative and exciting. One of those books you can't put down but don't want to it to end!! Ann Mccaffrey has just the right balance of pathos, humour and adventure in them. Definatly a recommended read. For those who love SciFi, fantasy and excitement I strongly recommend you read the rest of the 'Dragons of Pern' series. Another fantastic triology of hers is 'Chrystal singer'.

ENJOY!
Tanya