The
Dragonriders of Pern books are written by
Anne McCaffrey.
The early parts of the series have a
fantasy slant to them (low levels of technology, firebreathing telepathic dragons, and a feudal society), but in later volumes the series moves more towards
science fiction as the colonists rediscover their links to the past and develop much higher levels of technology.
The core of the series is the fight against thread, and the struggle by the Dragonriders[?] to defend their planet Pern amid turmoil.
The series has fourteen books and counting, and while characters drop in and out of the stories the major players are repeated in most of them in smaller or lesser roles.
This is partly because some of the books feature overlapping timeframes, describing the same events from different viewpoints, while most of the others are closely chronological.
When reading for the first time it's generally recommended to go in the order they were written, as the details change slightly over time.
On repeat reads, a chronological order may be preferred.
The series (arranged in chronological reading order) includes:
- Dragonsdawn (1988)
- Rescue Run (1991)
- The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (1993)
- The Dolphins' Bell (1993)
- The Chronicles of Pern: Second Pass (1996)
- Red Star Rising (1996) (called Dragon's Eye[?] for US release)
- Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern (1983)
- Masterharper of Pern (1998)
- Dragonflight (1968)
- Dragonquest (1970)
- Dragonsong (1976)
- The Dragonsinger (1977)
- The White Dragon (1978)
- Dragondrums (1979)
- Nerilka's Story (1986)
- Renegades of Pern (1989)
- All the Weyrs of Pern (1991)
- The Girl Who Heard Dragons (1994)
- The Skies of Pern (2001)
Important Characters
(Rider first, dragon second)
- F'lar and Mnementh
- Lessa and Ramoth
- F'nor and Canth
- Brekke and Wirenth
- Mirrim (Brekke's fosterling, later greenrider)
- Kylara and Prideth
- Manora (Weyr housekeeper and F'nor and F'lar's foster mother)
- Felessan, later F'lessan (Lessa and F'lar's son)
- Moreta (famous Weyrwoman of history, and lead character in the 'Moreta' book)
- Master Robinton
- Sebell
- Piemur
- Menolly
- Lord Jaxom
- Lord Warder Lytol
- Lord Groghe
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