Rating: 
Summary: Good coming of age tale, but not great
Review: "Dragon's Kin," while not up to the standard of most of the earlier Pern novels, is far better than the last bunch about F'lessan.The basic plot is as follows. Kindan wants to be a Harper, and has vocal and musical talent. He's about eleven or twelve when the book opens, and is kind of at loose ends; his favorite sister is marrying, his brothers are distant, and as the youngest of nine children, his father seems rather remote. Kindan does have a close friend, Zenor, who's a few months older, but that's about it. And things are even more odd in this family than in most, because Kindan's father is bonded to a watchwher (distant cousins of both the fire lizards and the dragons), and lives different hours than most people as watchwhers are nocturnal. At any rate, Kindan doesn't realize how different his life is than most, although his friend Zenor does (and is envious of it). And because of where he lives, Kindan gets to know more about watchwhers than most people. This might be considered an advantage by many, but not by Kindan. His heart is elsewhere. Then disaster strikes, and most of Kindan's family gets wiped out in a mining accident. The watchwher dies helping to get the few miners who survived the accident out of the mine, and Kindan is left totally alone for the first time in his life. He has mixed feelings about this, but for the most part, those feelings are never brought to the fore. Because of this, Kindan doesn't feel totally fleshed out as a character; he's never allowed to fully grieve. And even amidst a bunch of folks who are also grieving, I doubt Kindan -- or any child, no matter how mature -- would be as matter of fact about losing all his family. Be that as it may, because Kindan is no more than twelve, he can't live alone, and he's not cut out for work in the mine. Fortunately, everyone realizes this, and he goes to live with the Harper. A brief idyll ensues, as Kindan enjoys helping the Harper and gets to know Nuella, a blind girl whose been hidden from most of the folks at the minehold due to her disability. Then another disaster happens in the mine, and its determined that another watchwher must be sought. For whatever reason, the minehold of Natalon (that's the head miner) is now considered to be accursed by some (although this is never fully gone into, either), and no grown watchwher or his/her handler will go there. However, if a watchwher can be raised from the egg, then they'll have some protection. Watchwhers are good in mines; they can detect bad air faster than humans can, and as they see by infrared, they're very good at rescue as well (as was seen by the loss of the previous watchwher). What does this have to do with Kindan? Plenty, as he's the only person in the minehold -- the only one -- who knows anything at all about watchwhers. (Spoiler warning below) ***** Basically, Kindan is forced to go find a watchwher egg despite not really knowing much about how to raise a watchwher. Then, after he brings it home and it hatches, Nuella shows a great talent with the watchwher, but does not bond with the new fledgling, so the new watchwher (dubbed Kisk) stays with Kindan. How does this all play out? It's for you to read. (Don't want to spoil it any more than that.) **** end of spoiler warning **** The reason this gets three stars, rather than the four I was initially contemplating, is that the characterization (other than that of the blind Nuella) isn't as strong as most of the other Pern books. But it is at least the equal in characterization of the latter books (starting with "All the Weyrs of Pern" and continuing outward from that year), and it reads easier than most of those. But is it the equal of the earliest of the Pern books about Lessa and F'lar? No. Is it the equal of the earlier YA novels about Menolly, Sebell, and Piemur? No. So, although this is a good coming of age tale (and is definitely intended for younger audiences in my opinion, although older readers also will enjoy the book), and although it reads fast and easily, it's not great. And what makes it less than what it could have been lays solely along the lines of characterization. This book doesn't make the reader look for underlying meaning. In "Dragon's Kin," the underlying meanings are either too plain, or too subtle; either one might have worked, but not both. One final comment: I believe that Todd McCaffrey helped this book, rather than hindered. This book has much more life than most of the last books (anything after "All the Weyrs of Pern" in sequence) except for "Master Harper of Pern," and I think that's because of Mr. McCaffrey's contribution. And it's because of the life and liveliness of the book that I read until the end, and (for the most part) enjoyed it. Three stars. (...)
Rating:
Summary: Good coming of age tale, but not great
Review: "Dragon's Kin," while not up to the standard of most of the earlier Pern novels, is far better than the last bunch about F'lessan. The basic plot is as follows. Kindan wants to be a Harper, and has vocal and musical talent. He's about eleven or twelve when the book opens, and is kind of at loose ends; his favorite sister is marrying, his brothers are distant, and as the youngest of nine children, his father seems rather remote. Kindan does have a close friend, Zenor, who's a few months older, but that's about it. And things are even more odd in this family than in most, because Kindan's father is bonded to a watchwher (distant cousins of both the fire lizards and the dragons), and lives different hours than most people as watchwhers are nocturnal. At any rate, Kindan doesn't realize how different his life is than most, although his friend Zenor does (and is envious of it). And because of where he lives, Kindan gets to know more about watchwhers than most people. This might be considered an advantage by many, but not by Kindan. His heart is elsewhere. Then disaster strikes, and most of Kindan's family gets wiped out in a mining accident. The watchwher dies helping to get the few miners who survived the accident out of the mine, and Kindan is left totally alone for the first time in his life. He has mixed feelings about this, but for the most part, those feelings are never brought to the fore. Because of this, Kindan doesn't feel totally fleshed out as a character; he's never allowed to fully grieve. And even amidst a bunch of folks who are also grieving, I doubt Kindan -- or any child, no matter how mature -- would be as matter of fact about losing all his family. Be that as it may, because Kindan is no more than twelve, he can't live alone, and he's not cut out for work in the mine. Fortunately, everyone realizes this, and he goes to live with the Harper. A brief idyll ensues, as Kindan enjoys helping the Harper and gets to know Nuella, a blind girl whose been hidden from most of the folks at the minehold due to her disability. Then another disaster happens in the mine, and its determined that another watchwher must be sought. For whatever reason, the minehold of Natalon (that's the head miner) is now considered to be accursed by some (although this is never fully gone into, either), and no grown watchwher or his/her handler will go there. However, if a watchwher can be raised from the egg, then they'll have some protection. Watchwhers are good in mines; they can detect bad air faster than humans can, and as they see by infrared, they're very good at rescue as well (as was seen by the loss of the previous watchwher). What does this have to do with Kindan? Plenty, as he's the only person in the minehold -- the only one -- who knows anything at all about watchwhers. (Spoiler warning below) ***** Basically, Kindan is forced to go find a watchwher egg despite not really knowing much about how to raise a watchwher. Then, after he brings it home and it hatches, Nuella shows a great talent with the watchwher, but does not bond with the new fledgling, so the new watchwher (dubbed Kisk) stays with Kindan. How does this all play out? It's for you to read. (Don't want to spoil it any more than that.) **** end of spoiler warning **** The reason this gets three stars, rather than the four I was initially contemplating, is that the characterization (other than that of the blind Nuella) isn't as strong as most of the other Pern books. But it is at least the equal in characterization of the latter books (starting with "All the Weyrs of Pern" and continuing outward from that year), and it reads easier than most of those. But is it the equal of the earliest of the Pern books about Lessa and F'lar? No. Is it the equal of the earlier YA novels about Menolly, Sebell, and Piemur? No. So, although this is a good coming of age tale (and is definitely intended for younger audiences in my opinion, although older readers also will enjoy the book), and although it reads fast and easily, it's not great. And what makes it less than what it could have been lays solely along the lines of characterization. This book doesn't make the reader look for underlying meaning. In "Dragon's Kin," the underlying meanings are either too plain, or too subtle; either one might have worked, but not both. One final comment: I believe that Todd McCaffrey helped this book, rather than hindered. This book has much more life than most of the last books (anything after "All the Weyrs of Pern" in sequence) except for "Master Harper of Pern," and I think that's because of Mr. McCaffrey's contribution. And it's because of the life and liveliness of the book that I read until the end, and (for the most part) enjoyed it. Three stars. (...)
Rating: 
Summary: decent, but nothing to get excited about
Review: 'Dragon's Kin' is Anne McCaffrey's latest offering in her long-running and best-selling 'Dragonriders of Pern' series. It is also the first time she has permitted a co-author into the Pern universe: her son, Todd. This time McCaffrey tells the story of an earlier time in Pern's history. The time is more than halfway through the second Interval, 16 years before the next Threadfall and the next pass of the Red Star. We are several hundred years before the events in 'Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern' and perhaps a hundred years from the events of 'Dragonseye'. So, this is the time period we are looking at. The story is set in the Natalon mining camp, and this is one of the first times we've had a look at the miners. This is the story of Kindan, a twelve year old boy who seemed older when I read the book. Kindan does not expect anything more out of his life than to follow his father into the mines when he is old enough. All of this changes when there is an accident at the mine and Kindan's father and brothers are all killed. He is left an orphan and he is taken in by the Masterharper, Zist. What the title of this book refers to is the watch whers (they appear in several of the Pern novels). The watch whers are dragon like, though smaller and nocturnal, and are used typically as a nighttime guard or as the first warning if anything is going wrong. They are kin to dragons (hence the title) from when humans first settled on Pern. Watch whers play a prominent role in this book (though, the watch wher egg does not appear until close to half way through the book). At times, 'Dragon's Kin' did not feel like a Pern novel. Dragons play such a limited role, and this story is such a sub-set off of what became the primary storyline throughout Pern. This was a quick reading story, but none of the characters were as engaging as previous characters. There is no Menolly, or Lessa, or F'lar, or Jaxom, or even any of the characters from 'Dragonsdawn'. Kindan is too young, and while he may grow into a better character (assuming McCaffrey follows up with these characters), he isn't interesting enough to build a novel around. The minor character, Nuella, she has potential. 'Dragon's Kin' is a decent enough Pern novel, but it is nothing to get excited about.
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: Big Anne McCaffrey Fan
Review: I have loved all of Anne's books, all the different series. I hope she keeps writing. I am not sure how much of this book is Anne's and how much is Todd's but I enjoyed it and would recommed it to any McCaffrey fan.
Rating:
Summary: fill in about watch-whers
Review: I have read this & own it in paper back excellant book fills in a lot about the watch-whers since the first book Dragonsdawn. Todd McCaffrey is an excellant writer can't wait for his next book in the Pern series
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