Rating: 
Summary: Down in the Coal Mine
Review: Dragon's Kin is the twentieth novel in the Pern series, following The Skies of Pern. However, this novel takes place in the past towards the end of the Second Interval, sixteen years prior to the third return of the Red Star. Miners Hall had begun to experiment with deep shaft mines as the surface deposits began to give out. One of the new Camps was headed by Master Miner Natalon.In this novel, Kindan is the youngest child of Master Miner Danil. His sister Silstra is betrothed to Journeyman Smith Terregar. So he is very excited when his friend Zenor shouts that the caravan carrying the Smith is within sight of the watch station on the heights. Running and even bouncing up the hill, Kindan arrives breathlessly to see the large drays and brightly painted wagons of the traders. He convinces Zenor to run the news back to Natalon. When Zenor interrupts a discussion to tell the chief miner the news, Natalon's Uncle Tarik carps about his style of reporting; Uncle Tarik complains about a lot of things and obviously feels that he should have been selected as chief miner. Zenor is then sent to inform the rest of the Camp. On the way, he is called aside by his friend Nuella, Natalon's daughter whose presence is being kept secret from the rest of the camp; Natalon is afraid that her blindness is genetic and knowledge of it could damage the marital chances of his other children. Zenor is the only one outside her immediate family who knows Nuella is there. Terregar is not the only person to arrive with the trader caravan; Master Harper Zist has come to replace Journeyman Harper Jofri. Master Zist has formerly been the Vocals Master at Harper Hall, but a tragedy in his family has led to him leaving the Hall. One of the reasons for selecting this obscure mining camp was Journeyman Jofri's reports on Kindan's fine voice. Master Zist has plenty of opportunity to hear for himself as they rehearse for Silstra's wedding. After the wedding, Kindan is apprenticed to Master Zist and gets some intensive coaching in vocals and drums. Soon thereafter an accident in the mine leaves Kindan an orphan and he moves in with Master Zist; Tarik and his family acquire the house built by Kindan's father. With many of the older children working in the mine to make up for their losses, Kindan is the eldest child remaining and takes over the supervision of all work schedules for the younger children. Along with the human casualties, the accident has also cost the miners their only remaining watch-wher. Minor accidents and mishaps start plaguing the miners and Natalon is convinced that some of the problems result from the lack of a watch-wher. He secretly negotiates the trade of a lot of coal for a watch-wher egg. Since his father was the previous wherhandler for the mine, Kindan is chosen to hatch and raise the new watch-wher. The whole deal is news to Kindan and he wonders if he knows enough to raise a watch-wher properly. He does remember enough to beg permission for the egg from the queen watch-wher and he does ask the wherhandler what to feed the newly hatched watch-wher, but so much else is unknown to him. Nuella and Zenor, however, pitch in to help him and soon Master Zist obtains additional help from the Benden Weyr Leader. In this story, Kindan and his friends learn much more about watch-whers than anyone else on Pern. Since watch-whers are nocturnal and used in the deeps of the mine, Nuella contributes her knowledge of moving through darkness. Kindan learns a lot about moving in the dark and has the bruises to prove it. Needless to say, this story turns Kindan and his friends into heroes. Despite the disparaging remarks from Uncle Tarik and his cronies, the watch-wher proves herself in the worst possible conditions. Moreover, the knowledge they develop leads to better communications between the common folk and the Dragonriders. This story is suitable for younger readers, but was also enjoyable for this much older one. Recommended for McCaffrey fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of young people and smart animals learning together. -Arthur W. Jordin
Rating: 
Summary: Exlpore another species
Review: Each time I think that McCaffrey has covered all aspects of Pern, she comes up with another angle. Watch-whers are rarely viewed in a positive light in the other books, and in this book the watch-wher is the star and the reader learns many things about them. Also, a mining community has never been the focus of any of the books, and all these things combined make for a great story. I was glad to see Todd as co-author and hopes that means new Pern books will keep on coming.
Rating:
Summary: From one Pern lover to another.
Review: First let me say I have wanted to go and live on Pern since I first read about it in 1978. ANY book about it is welcome. This one was too short and yes, it wasn't perfect. The ending was good, tho : ) I'm looking forward to Todd's solo, DRAGONSBLOOD, for my next Pern experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Warning, only the last 1/3 is good
Review: For some reason, the later Pern books have very little about dragons (or their kin) in them. They go on and on and ON about the people and their relationships. You can read any book about people. You can only read about dragons and the fabulous dragon/human bond in Pern books. (I've tried others, but no other world is as compelling). It's too bad there is so little of it lately. Finally, at the end of the book, the story picks up considerably. It took me months to read the first two thirds, because I constantly set it down. The last third went by in a flash, and was over way too soon. I see a new Pern novel is coming out. I sure hope it isn't another book on dragons with no dragons in it...
Rating:
Summary: Watch-whers deserved a book and finally got one!
Review: Good book. Worth buying in paperback, not hardcover. Not one you should start your Pern reading on, but a Pern fan would enjoy this book. Dragon's Kin is about a mine camp lead by Natalon. Natalon is trying to prove himself to the Master Miner so that his camp could be turned into an official mine.
Unfortunately, his camp is split with people having different oppinions about the camp's watch-wher.
Disaster strikes when Kindan's family dies in a cavein and gets put in Master Harper Zist's care. Eventually, Natalon expects Kindan to take his father's place as the Watch-wher keeper for the mine forcing Kindan to put his other dreams aside.
Meanwhile, a blind girl named Nuella joins the picture and makes friends with Kindan, Master Zist and a few others. Unfortunately, this book is only 292 pages long compared with the usual 800, and I read this book in one setting.
I am definately looking forward to seeing how Todd McCaffrey develops as an author.
Rating: 
Summary: Uninspired
Review: I always have high hopes for a new Pern book. This one did not fulfill at all.
In a way, it reminds me of the early Harper books. Unfortunately, this one is severely limited in scope, uninspired, has a bad plot, and is not satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Too many inconsistensies!
Review: I did enjoy Dragon's Kin by Anne and Todd McCaffrey, but I thought that it had alot of inconsistencies.
*spoilers*
At one pointt in the book, Anne(or possibly Todd) tells us that whers always base their name on their handler's name, hence Kindan's wher calling herself Kisk at first and later Nuellsk when she bonds with Nuella. She also tells us that their names always end in -sk. This really irritated me because in another book(The Masterharper of Pern, I think), there is a watchwher named Burr. Did anyone else notice this? It was almost as annoying as the mixup involving Larth, Lytol's dragon.
Rating:
Summary: simply put: another great one
Review: I got the book, read it, and re-read it only a week later, because I felt it was worth the 2nd read so soon after the first time. I highly recommend *all* of Anne McCaffrey's books (not just the Dragonriders series, but all of them).
Rating:
Summary: Not quite as sophisticated
Review: I have been a fan of McCaffrey's Dragonrider series for years..always looking for the newest tale which I buy in hardback. Can't wait for paperback. Dragon's Kin, though, is a book where paperback would have been more than sufficient. The protagonist is a youngster, and the tale seems aimed at a young audience. Not quite as smooth as Harry Potter, and not McCaffrey's usual offering.
The pace was slow.
I have always wondered about watchwhers since Lessa's first tale in Dragonriders of Pern, and was really looking forward to this book. After almost 110 pages we finally got an egg, and by the end of the book, more questions were unanswered than answered.
At this juncture, Todd McCaffrey isn't quite as polished as his mum, and it shows.
Rating: 
Summary: A real disappointment
Review: I have been an avid "Pern" fan ever since publication of the very first book. Granted, not every book in the series has lived up to expectations, but none were total disappointments until now. Dragon Kin seems written for children, not for an adult audience. Hollow stickfigure characters and unbelievable action. I'm very glad I read a library copy rather than wasting my money.
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