Felessan is facing an Impression. As the only child of Benden Weyrleaders F’lar and Lessa, there is a certain expectation that he will “do well” and possibly impress a dragon, despite it being his first time as a candidate… Honestly, this story is a piece of fluff. It goes with the resource book The Dragonlover’s … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: “The Impression”
Tag: SF
Pern Appreciation Month: The Renegades Of Pern
The 1980s had been very good to Anne McCaffrey. She had had successes not only with the Dragonriders novels, but with so many of her other books as well: by the end of that decade she had sold nearly fourteen million copies of her books. It didn’t hurt that Dragonsdawn explicitly stated that the Pern … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: The Renegades Of Pern
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsdawn
I don’t normally enjoy prequels. Too often you have authors trying to shoehorn a future onto a situation that feels forced. Sometimes a story just needs to have happened without it being explained too much. However, when you are dealing with an imagined history, sometimes you do need to fill some gaps. Such a situation … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsdawn
Pern Appreciation Month: “The Girl Who Heard Dragons”
(Like “A Time When,” the extract from The White Dragon, this was first published in a limited edition hardback, this time by the ironically-named publisher Cheap Street in 1986.) Aramina and her family are on the run from the vicious ex-noblewoman Thella. Thella is searching for them because Aramina can hear dragons, which would be … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: “The Girl Who Heard Dragons”
Pern Appreciation Month: Nerilka’s Story
Nerilka is one of the daughters of Lord Tolocamp of Fort Weyr. During the events of Moreta: Dragonlady Of Pern, Tolocamp dishonoured himself by leaving his family to die of plague at Ruatha while he returned to Fort to make sure that measures were taken to protect his hold. On his arrival back at Fort, … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Nerilka’s Story
Pern Appreciation Month: Moreta: Dragonlady Of Pern
Moreta is a name that has already been dropped several times in this series. We know that she was a famous dragonlady from the past, and in Dragonsinger: Harper Of Pern, we are treated to an impromptu performance of the opera/ballad based around her life and death. We also know that she dies at the … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Moreta: Dragonlady Of Pern
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragondrums
This was published in 1979 and is set roughly three years after the events of Dragonsinger: Harper Of Pern and about four years before The White Dragon. Piemur wakes up one morning in the Harperhall, helps Menolly feed her fire lizards, has breakfast, then goes off to rehearse a new musical piece that has been … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragondrums
Pern Appreciation Month: The White Dragon
(The first part of this book was published as a chapbook entitled “A Time When” in 1975. I’ve managed to procure some copies of early versions of the novels and stories in this series for when it was relevant, but due to my parents not being named Rockefeller I was unable to obtain this.) This … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: The White Dragon
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsinger, Harper Of Pern
When we left Menolly at the end of Dragonsong, she was overjoyed to discover that she was going to live at the Harperhall. After a lifetime of abuse because of her musical talent, she was finally going to be recognised and accepted for her skills. Dragonsinger: Harper Of Pern begins with Menolly arriving at the … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsinger, Harper Of Pern
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsong
I mentioned previously that “The Smallest Dragonboy” was picked up as a short story idea because Anne McCaffrey was working through a story about a girl called Menolly. After K’van’s adventure was published, she went back to her notes and fleshed out the basic idea some more. And in 1976, Dragonsong was published as a … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonsong
Pern Appreciation Month: “The Smallest Dragonboy”
In 1973, Anne McCaffrey should have had the world at her feet: she had released several short stories and novels into the world, won some awards that no other woman had won before her, and had the beginnings of a bestselling series in Dragonflight and Dragonquest. However, she had recently divorced her husband and emigrated … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: “The Smallest Dragonboy”
Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonflight
Dragonflight first appeared as two short stories: “Weyr Search” and “Dragonrider”. These were originally published in Analog magazine in October 1967 and in the December – January 1967-68 issues. Together they make up parts 1, 3 and 4 of Dragonflight. Part 2 of the novel (named “Dragonflight” in the book) was submitted to John W. … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Dragonflight
Pern Appreciation Month: Introduction
Anne Inez McCaffrey was born on April 1, 1926. She was the first woman to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards for Science Fiction and was one of the first SF writers to appear on the New York Times bestseller list. She was also a trained opera singer, and music and the performing arts … Continue reading Pern Appreciation Month: Introduction
A Comic Collection Ian Likes: Voyager and The World Shapers featuring The Sixth Doctor
Colin Baker was announced as the sixth actor to play Doctor Who in 1983. He took over from the incumbent Time Lord in the TARDIS, Peter Davison, during the 21st season of the Classic run of the series in 1984. He made his debut in the final moments of that season’s sixth story, The Caves … Continue reading A Comic Collection Ian Likes: Voyager and The World Shapers featuring The Sixth Doctor
A Movie Ian Likes: Krull
Colwyn and Lyssa are the heirs to their respective kingdoms. They’ve come up with a plan to unite them in the face of a mysterious enemy called the Beast. The Beast has a travelling castle and has been terrorising the world of Krull. Colwyn and Lyssa’s plan is pretty simple: they’re going to get married, … Continue reading A Movie Ian Likes: Krull