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Summary: The Next Great Advance on Pern
Review: For those of us who have waited to see what will happen after Thread stops falling, this book is the answer. It also gives us some insight into what Dragons and their riders will be doing. I was very satisfied with the plot, the development of the newer characters and even the romantic interest held my attention. I especially liked seeing K'van and Heth again, as their story, "The Littlest Dragon Rider" (at least that's what I remember the title to be) is what started me on my journey to Pern.The book also shows a developing society. While some may nitpick with how dragons are referred to (calling Golanth Golly), I see this as an indication of an evolving people who are exploring their new found societal mores. I find nothing wrong with having seperate classes, ie; Holders, Weyrfolk, Craftspeople, as this is the society that was put in place by the original settlers of the planet. Instead of trying to put some type of modern PC spin on the series, readers should remember that it is a work of fiction, not a thesis on how to live. If I had to complain about any one thing, it would be the way the Abominators are dealt with. It seemed a bit deus ex machina for my taste, but one quibble in an otherwise terrific book doesn't stop me from wholeheartedly reccomending this book. Go out and order this one, it is the prelude of great things to come on Pern.
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Summary: Annie Mac does it again! ! ! !
Review: A must read for any McCaffrey fan!! As good as any of the Dragonriders books, with answers to many questions that the reader might have about Pern. My daughter and I both read and thouroughly enjoyed.
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Summary: A sad denouement for two great trilogies
Review: The Dragonrider and Harper trilogies helped shape my standards for fantasy when I was younger. Unfortunately, McCaffrey has succumbed to series-itis, along with a David Eddings-like propensity for making everything nice in the end -- every dragonrider with his mate, every problem with a solution. The biggest problem with this book is that its plot revolves around grass-roots resistance to technological change in a quasi-medieval society, but McCaffrey is unwilling to acknowledge the form of governance she's set up. Holdings generally descend by birth; Weyrs are governed by the guy with the fastest bronze dragon; Crafts allow somewhat more opportunity for advancement, though still not in a democratic or even republican fashion; and there are ubiquitous "drudges," though they seem to have wandered away in this book, replaced by the more p.c. "weyrfolk" etc. Fine by me, but don't set up a world that way and then tell me -- as McCaffrey explicitly does -- that the problem with the grass-roots movement is that the Abominators (great name) are thwarting the will of "the people." "The people" didn't get a choice about what new technologies would be adopted, and frankly the Abominators have about as good a claim to representing them as Weyrleaders, etc. This is simply the least palatable aspect of McCaffrey's Candide-like insistence that her characters live in the best of all possible worlds, natural disasters aside. And note the miraculous change in women's status in less than a generation -- Pernese may generally want to preserve the "old ways," but they sure are progressive when it comes to the gals! It may work when she's inventing a deus ex machina to save people from Thread, but as a description of a human political system it's bizarre.
Rating: 
Summary: Flessan and Tai's Story
Review: The Pern series is moving from the old generation favourite characters to the new younger generation. This particular instalment focuses on F'lessan, Lessa and Flar's son. It is essentially a love story set amongst the political upheaval that all the new technology has brought to Pern. The "Abominators" are forming an organised movement to try to rid the plantet of anything that is not part of the old lifestyle. Lies and rumours are being circulated among the people and are fuelling the fear and uncertainty surrounding the new advances. To further make their point, destructive rampages are being waged upon the new craft halls destroying all the new technology and leaving the old untouched. The Lord Holders are now faced with this new dilemma and have to work out how to address it. The Dragon riders are faced with the dilemma of life after Thread, but the solution is found in the creation of a new crafthall. The love story focuses on F'lessan and Tai, a greeenrider. The relationship is unusual given that Flessan's dragon is a bronze, but it is the dragons who initiate matters and the riders eventually follow. The culmination of the story is the most emotionally charged event in all of the series' books. I thought the storyline in this book was very good. I initially loved the Pern series for the fantasy genre, the characters and good storylines. I still love the characters and storyline, but I feel that things are shifting too much towards the science-fiction side as opposed to fantasy. That is why I rated this book 4 stars instead of 5.
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Summary: To be continued
Review: Overall a very good book. It does a very good job of portraying the transition as a society faces a major upheaval. However, I was very disappointed with the "to be continued" near the end of the book. All of her other Dragonrider books had closure but left room for sequels without being so overt as in this one. On the other hand even though they played relatively minor rolls in this book it was still nice to meet some of my favorite characters again, Flar, Lessa, Jaxom, as well as learn more about some of the others.
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Summary: Taste Great, yet Less Filling.
Review: I really enjoyed this book, as I have all Pern novels. I was a little disappointed at the end however, everything seemed rushed as if the book was done by the deadline whether it was finished or not. This is still a must read for Pern fans since it does deal with the main "thread" of the Dragonrider saga. I just wish is had been a little longer in order to go into more detail about some of the characters and their views of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a Pern novel that isn't backfill!
Review: It has been many years since Anne MacCaffrey came out with a forward-moving story for her Pern novels -- most of the recent books have been mostly back-fillers around the main four (Present Pass) books _Dragonflight_, _Dragonquest_, _The White Dragon_, and _All the Weyrs of Pern_, or the two prequels (First Pass), _Dragons' Dawn_ and _The Chronicles of Pern_. I really enjoyed this book, and had trouble putting it down. The story focuses around F'lessan, bronze rider of Gollanth, and only son of the Benden Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar. It also has the requsite unsure, talented, young girl (this time dragonrider of green Zaranth), who must learn to stand up for herself. And of course, all the political intrigue (new Lords Holder and Weyrleaders to replace retired/deceased older leaders, and as a new threat, The Abominators -- those who oppose AIVAS innovation as polluting Pern's "purity" of tradition) and powerplays (Southern's power-hungry Lord Holder, Toric). Yes, it's a familiar formula, but it at least moves the timeline forward a and answers the question of what Dragonriders will do when thread will no longer fall on Pern. I understand some of the other reviewers' problems with the non-linear storyline, but the fact that the story moved back and forth in time didn't bother me... the dragons were, after all, "timing it" during that section of the story. And yes, the solution to Dragonriders' occupation after the Present Pass seems degrading by comparison to their present duties, but it does make sense. BTW, the book did have there is one scene that drew tears to my eyes... something I haven't done with the Pern series since Robinton and his fire lizard died in _All the Weyrs of Pern_. My main complaint is that I expected this to be the last of the Pern novels. Instead, it has the ending leaves the door open for *many* new sequels. As Anne MacCaffrey is getting up there in age, I suspect that she is getting ready to hand off the reins to another writer. If that is the case (handing the franchise to another author), and *especially* if it is Jody Lynn Nye, who co-authored the *attrocious* _Doona_ sequels, I will no longer follow the Pern dragons (I have previously collected all of the Pern novels in hardback).
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a Pern novel that isn't backfill!
Review: It has been many years since Anne MacCaffrey came out with a forward-moving story for her Pern novels .... I really enjoyed this book, and had trouble putting it down. The story focuses around F'lessan, bronze rider of Gollanth, and only son of the Benden Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar. It also has the requsite unsure, talented, young girl (this time dragonrider of green Zaranth), who must learn to stand up for herself. And of course, all the political intrigue (new Lords Holder and Weyrleaders to replace retired/deceased older leaders, and as a new threat, The Abominators -- those who oppose AIVAS innovation as polluting Pern's "purity" of tradition) and powerplays (Southern's power-hungry Lord Holder, Toric). Yes, it's a familiar formula, but it at least moves the timeline forward a and answers the question of what Dragonriders will do when thread will no longer fall on Pern. ...the story moved back and forth in time didn't bother me... the dragons were, after all, "timing it" during that section of the story. And yes, the solution to Dragonriders' occupation after the Present Pass seems degrading by comparison to their present duties, but it does make sense. BTW, the book did have there is one scene that drew tears to my eyes... something I haven't done with the Pern series since Robinton and his fire lizard died in _All the Weyrs of Pern_. My main complaint is that I expected this to be the last of the Pern novels. Instead, it has the ending leaves the door open for *many* new sequels. ....
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Summary: The whole world is coming into a new era
Review: This book is probably going to be the last in the series, and it sets the Dragonriders of Pern up nicely. Now that thread is iradicated, what will they do? Well, they will still watch the skies, but instead of thread, they will search the stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Good in parts, disappointing overall
Review: I have long loved the Pern novels but sadly this book is disappointing. The plot itself runs on two main tracks. First, the resistance of conservatives to the changes in Pernese life following from the learning gained through AIVAS and second, the need for the dragon riders to find a new role for themselves, post-thread. However, in trying to weave the two together, the book ends up trivializing both. Neither the psyche nor the inner motivation of the "Abominators" is delved into; the various events of sabotage occur almost in the background. One gets the feeling of large scale resistance acts; yet there is little detail of the kind of people or organization needed to arrange such attacks. The book is best where it does explore the effect of change on Pern - evidence the discontent of the Runners who fear Dragonriders displacing their role. Sadly, this is not taken further. On the other hand, the book does an excellent job of introducing dragon telekinesis and deriving a use for it. Yet again however, this seems to happen almost in passing and still the reader senses it long before the characters themselves work it out. Flashes of the old Anne McCaffrey are there in the description of the evacuations at tsunami time and the tremendous battle with the felines. On the whole however, the book does not live up to the Pern standard. Old canons of dragon life, so clearly laid down by McCaffrey are cavalierly disregarded to the point of confusion. On finishing the book, I was left with a feeling as if I had sat down to a good meal yet rose from the table still empty.
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