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Pern #11
All the Weyrs of Pern
For generations, the dragonriders had dedicated their lives to fighting Thread, the dreaded spores that periodically rained from the sky to ravage the land. On the backs of their magnificent telepathic dragons they flew to flame the deadly stuff out of the air before it could reach the planet's surface. But the greatest dream of the dragon riders was to find a way to eradicate Thread completely, so that never again would their beloved Pern be threatened with destruction.
Now, for the first time, it looked as if that dream could come true. For when the people of Pern, led by Masterharper Robinton and F'Lar and Lessa, Weyrleader and Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr, excavated the ancient remains of the planet's original settlement, they uncovered the colonist's voice-activated artificial intelligence system - which still functioned!
And the computer had incredible news for them: There was a chance - a good chance - that they could, at long last, annihilate Thread once and for all!
Now, for the first time, it looked as if that dream could come true. For when the people of Pern, led by Masterharper Robinton and F'Lar and Lessa, Weyrleader and Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr, excavated the ancient remains of the planet's original settlement, they uncovered the colonist's voice-activated artificial intelligence system - which still functioned!
And the computer had incredible news for them: There was a chance - a good chance - that they could, at long last, annihilate Thread once and for all!
404 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1991
About the author
Anne McCaffrey
487 books7,419 followersAnne Inez McCaffrey was an American writer known for the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, Weyr Search, 1968) and the first to win a Nebula Award (Best Novella, Dragonrider, 1969). Her 1978 novel The White Dragon became one of the first science-fiction books to appear on the New York Times Best Seller list.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 456 reviews
April 21, 2024
Anne McCaffrey, aka the Dragonlady, had a way with words and worlds; this book proves it. Can't wait to read the next ones!
November 8, 2018
The leaders of Pern discover technology from their ancestors that landed and made Pern their home. Finding the landing site has given them access to a computer with a ton of knowledge. They learn new ways of doing things and above all, they are on their way to becoming thread free in the future.
It is interesting to see how everyone on Pern reacts to the new unearthed computer.Some embrace the new ways of thinking and doing things. Others think of this as an evil abomination and do everything they can to get rid of it. This book focuses on the struggles within the society, the enhancements that come out of learning such new and inventive things and doing what they can to move the red planet so that thread will not fall in Pern's future.
Very enjoyable with an extremely sad ending that had me crying. I've become very attached to these characters. I'm almost to the end with only two more to go to finish this series reading them in chronological order. This was a fantastic addition to the series.
It is interesting to see how everyone on Pern reacts to the new unearthed computer.Some embrace the new ways of thinking and doing things. Others think of this as an evil abomination and do everything they can to get rid of it. This book focuses on the struggles within the society, the enhancements that come out of learning such new and inventive things and doing what they can to move the red planet so that thread will not fall in Pern's future.
Very enjoyable with an extremely sad ending that had me crying. I've become very attached to these characters. I'm almost to the end with only two more to go to finish this series reading them in chronological order. This was a fantastic addition to the series.
January 13, 2023
This novel shifts the story more solidly into the SiFi realm. Great world building and amazing characters. Very recommended
April 2, 2012
During the reading of this book, I couldn't put it down. At the end, I basically wanted to throw it across the room, cry out my hate of it and pretend I'd never read it. That being said, it wasn't because I hated the book itself. I hated the irrevocably sad ending that nearly left me in tears. I don't normally get that way with most books, but I had become attached to Robinton.
They have done what they set out to do in the beginning of the series- destroy the threat of "Thread". However, this has fundamentally changed the Pernese society in that the AI they uncovered of the first settlers begins what could be considered a minor industrial "re-revolution". Many Holders were reluctant at first, though some held on to that reluctance to the point of blatantly attempting to sabotage the efforts of AIVAS and those who were learning from...him/it.
In great courage, as always, Jaxom and the white dragon Ruth come through in the end with all the weyrs of Pern to do what must be done.
I only wish that Anne McCaffrey were still alive to write more.
They have done what they set out to do in the beginning of the series- destroy the threat of "Thread". However, this has fundamentally changed the Pernese society in that the AI they uncovered of the first settlers begins what could be considered a minor industrial "re-revolution". Many Holders were reluctant at first, though some held on to that reluctance to the point of blatantly attempting to sabotage the efforts of AIVAS and those who were learning from...him/it.
In great courage, as always, Jaxom and the white dragon Ruth come through in the end with all the weyrs of Pern to do what must be done.
I only wish that Anne McCaffrey were still alive to write more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2023
This was a really good story, though, the first time I read it (ages ago) I found the direction the author had taken her world in surprising... Pern was settled by colonists from Earth but that knowledge and technology had been lost to the pre-industrial, agrarian society that the reader knew so well from Dragonflight and the other Dragon books. In All The Weyrs, the original landing site of the colonists is uncovered and it holds amazing things. The settlers were forced to flee the Southern continent and the landing site due to volcanic activity so it is all there to be uncovered by the curious Peimur and Jaxom. I gather that the previous book (which I don't have) sets the story for how they come to be excavating there, but I got along well enough without that information. In the facility they come across a dormant but still functioning, voice activated computerised system which had been tasked with finding a way of eliminating thread, Avias is still active and keen to get on with it's task...
The whole slant of the story, rapid education bringing the agrarian into the modern is an intriguing concept and well done. The vast number of characters with their different interests and goals gives the reader a very multifaceted view of the developing society but the concentration on Jaxom and Ruth as main characters allows the story to continue in a linear fashion. The slow steady progression toward elimination of thread using a very unexpected tactic is fun to watch and the social upheaval is interesting, if brief. I cannot imagine a better swan song could be found for MasterHarper Robinton either.
The book suffers from a few issues; first and foremost, do not even consider reading it if you have read none of the others! There is virtually no attempt to establish or describe any of the characters, the assumption, obviously, is that we already know them from previous books. There is virtually no character development either, the book stretches over a quite long time, so the characters have a lot of experiences. Really startling experiences, which should lead to a lot of personal change and development, yet they remain identical on page 490 to what they were on page 9. That sameness means they feel invariably very wooden and two dimensional and few if any characters are exempt from this. So much so in fact, that knowing those characters from previous books one will occasionally wince a bit, because they used to be more dynamic. Obviously the story, not the characters was the focus of the author while writing.
While the story is good it is also long, this need not be a problem, but I feel that with further editing it didn't have to be quite as long because there is a fair bit of repetition at times and in places: An example, in the early chapters Mirrim refers to 'my green Path' EVERY time she mentions her dragon. Yes, we know she is green. We know, she is yours. We know her name..... We do not need to read it on every single page. Later in the book we get told over and over why Aivas did not help the settlers eliminate thread. over, and over.... It might be an attempt to show us, the readers, how little people on Pern understood the concept? Anyway it feels clumsy and repetitious.
There are a few plot holes, that are minor for the most part and one huge glaring one that is impossible to ignore So this problem, I found upsetting. However, despite the plot holes and other small issues there were good things as well. This is the most technological of Anne's books that I have ever read and I think belongs firmly in sci-fi rather than fantasy based on the minuteness of the details that went into the technological advances.
Pretty good story, despite the small issues.
The whole slant of the story, rapid education bringing the agrarian into the modern is an intriguing concept and well done. The vast number of characters with their different interests and goals gives the reader a very multifaceted view of the developing society but the concentration on Jaxom and Ruth as main characters allows the story to continue in a linear fashion. The slow steady progression toward elimination of thread using a very unexpected tactic is fun to watch and the social upheaval is interesting, if brief. I cannot imagine a better swan song could be found for MasterHarper Robinton either.
The book suffers from a few issues; first and foremost, do not even consider reading it if you have read none of the others! There is virtually no attempt to establish or describe any of the characters, the assumption, obviously, is that we already know them from previous books. There is virtually no character development either, the book stretches over a quite long time, so the characters have a lot of experiences. Really startling experiences, which should lead to a lot of personal change and development, yet they remain identical on page 490 to what they were on page 9. That sameness means they feel invariably very wooden and two dimensional and few if any characters are exempt from this. So much so in fact, that knowing those characters from previous books one will occasionally wince a bit, because they used to be more dynamic. Obviously the story, not the characters was the focus of the author while writing.
While the story is good it is also long, this need not be a problem, but I feel that with further editing it didn't have to be quite as long because there is a fair bit of repetition at times and in places: An example, in the early chapters Mirrim refers to 'my green Path' EVERY time she mentions her dragon. Yes, we know she is green. We know, she is yours. We know her name..... We do not need to read it on every single page. Later in the book we get told over and over why Aivas did not help the settlers eliminate thread. over, and over.... It might be an attempt to show us, the readers, how little people on Pern understood the concept? Anyway it feels clumsy and repetitious.
There are a few plot holes, that are minor for the most part and one huge glaring one that is impossible to ignore So this problem, I found upsetting. However, despite the plot holes and other small issues there were good things as well. This is the most technological of Anne's books that I have ever read and I think belongs firmly in sci-fi rather than fantasy based on the minuteness of the details that went into the technological advances.
Pretty good story, despite the small issues.
June 20, 2024
Liked this, but was starting to loose interest in Pern -- the plot had moved so far away from the original idea, it did not appeal to me as much anymore.
May 28, 2024
11 books into the story of Pern and this is the book that brought it all together, for me!
At the end of book 10 the folks of Pern had uncovered technology from the ancestors. This book begins there and takes, not only the inhabitants of Pern but the reader too, on a marvelous journey of exploration! ! The new technology is promising a eradication of Thread! Not all the Holders and Craftsmen are accepting of the new technology but those who are grasp onto it take it all in and Pern begins to hope that life can be better!
I so enjoyed this book, it was hard turning that last page. I have heard that the books remaining begin to take a dive...I can hope that is not true.
At the end of book 10 the folks of Pern had uncovered technology from the ancestors. This book begins there and takes, not only the inhabitants of Pern but the reader too, on a marvelous journey of exploration! ! The new technology is promising a eradication of Thread! Not all the Holders and Craftsmen are accepting of the new technology but those who are grasp onto it take it all in and Pern begins to hope that life can be better!
I so enjoyed this book, it was hard turning that last page. I have heard that the books remaining begin to take a dive...I can hope that is not true.
May 22, 2013
This is by far my favorite Pern book, and probably the last truly good one she wrote before they really started going downhill. I love fantasy and I love sci-fi, so you give me a story about traveling in space on a dragon and I am in heaven. So many interesting ideas and concepts, about space travel, time travel, dragons, and all of my favorite Pernese characters, even Sorka and Sean. Wonderful, wonderful book.
October 2, 2020
This isn’t a story, it’s an extended and somewhat windy episode of a soap opera. Was wonderful to see my youthful friends again and to see who they’d become, but a lack of anything resembling a narrative structure, some very sketchy and clumsily nailed-on sub-plots, plus a couple of holes you could have flown a dragon through... yeah. Nice to take a peek back at my youth, and worth the read to find that final closure, but kind of a struggle to finish.
April 2, 2024
Review updated April 2, 2024
This is one of the last three Pern novels in the core series (Ninth Pass). The people of Pern have rediscovered the original Landing settlement, where their ancestors first landed on the planet Pern. Toward the end of the book just prior to this, The Renegades of Pern, Journeyman Smith Jancis has located the building containing an interface with the starship Yokohama's computer. The interface accesses an AI called Artificial Intelligence Voice-Address System (AIVAS) and has lain buried under the ash of the volcano that drove the original settlers out of Landing in the Southern Continent.
The Aivas has sat idle for some 2,525 years, but those ancestors apparently knew how to build them (there's a need for a bit of suspended disbelief here), and one of the original spaceship captains, Ezra Keroon, had added special covering and protection to keep it safe from the volcano's ash and heat. Fortunately, it was not buried under lava, only ash. The solar panels that power it are intact and once uncovered begin to charge its batteries.
This story begins, in the prologue, with a glimpse from Aivas's point of view, of being wakened out of its long slumber to find that humans have returned to Landing.
Aivas immediately presents a history of the initial colonization of Pern to the small group that includes Journeyman Harper Piemur, Jancis, retired Masterharper Robinton, Benden Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar, and young Lord Holder Jaxom of Ruatha (rider of The White Dragon, Ruth). They are all amazed to learn that their ancestors came to Pern from another world, and designed the dragons to fight Thread, using the genetics of the little firelizards. During this recitation (with video) of Pern's early habitation by humans, other people keep flocking into the room, Lord Holders and Craftmasters from all over Pern.
Not everyone is equally impressed, or trusting of this strange "talking wall" called Aivas, and that's what causes many of the conflicts in this story, people who are resistant to or fearful of change, even when it's change back toward how they were intended to live when humans first settled Pern. Aivas informs them that their ancestors intended to establish a more agrarian society but retain enough of their technology for comfort, safety, and convenience. Instead the culture has regressed to a near medieval state, though in recent years the Craft Halls have begun to rediscover or reinvent a little of what they've lost, such as paper. The Lord Holders seem intent on maintaining their current political system, and in fact that is somewhat in line with much of what was included in the original charter, except for the existence of drudges and a downtrodden class of holdless people. What isn't said in so many words, but seems obvious is that the repeated struggle to survive against the threat of Thread has not only held humans back on Pern, it has caused them to regress.
Aivas's final mission, before the volcano erupted, was to find a way to eradicate Thread. Now that it's been uncovered and charged, Aivas takes up that goal again, by beginning to teach a group of dedicated students, which it insists must include dragonriders and specifically Lord Jaxom as rider of the white dragon, up to a level of knowledge and technology that will enable the current generation of humans to carry out its plan to eradicate Thread as well as set them on a technological path toward where their ancestors were when they settled on Pern.
I love this story, mainly because I find it so exciting to imagine being suddenly presented with knowledge of one's history, and the chance to improve one's world and free it from such an old problem, one that has taxed the resources of every person now living on Pern. But this is no promise of utopia that Aivas provides. There is still so much ignorance and cognitive dissonance, and people who just want to retain their power and find it convenient not to have people learn anything new. Human nature? Well I'm not sure I believe human nature is naturally so awful, but power and wealth and greed seem to make almost any of us a little worse.
It is odd to read how Aivas is teaching these people all these new things, basically enlightening them, at the same time they're having drudges bring them food and drink. I can't help rankling at the fact that this is never mentioned by the author, but of course she knew we would see the irony of that. Lessa herself served as a drudge in the first novel of the series, so we all have that point of view as well.
I won't go into the tragedy this novel includes, because even though it breaks my heart every time I read this, it provides kind of an inevitable organic development to the series, reminding us that life goes on. The main thrust of the story is the plan to eradicate Thread, which Aivas only feeds to the people of Pern a bit at a time, saying things like "one must learn to walk before one can run" and so forth.
There was a little problem with continuity, between this story and the last installment in the series. When did Jancis gain Master status? She was a Journeyman at the end of the last story, when she discovered Aivas's chamber. And when did she and Piemur get engaged? When was Robinton forced to actually retire? I thought Sebell was just filling in for him while he was ill. It seemed like there was a time lapse, even though the prior story ended with finding Aivas and this one starts just after finding Aivas.
But the story is so compelling in its human aspects that I can forgive almost any small inconsistencies, lapses, and a bit of overwriting. I realize there are readers who never reread, but every time I reread this series, I'm glad I did.
This is one of the last three Pern novels in the core series (Ninth Pass). The people of Pern have rediscovered the original Landing settlement, where their ancestors first landed on the planet Pern. Toward the end of the book just prior to this, The Renegades of Pern, Journeyman Smith Jancis has located the building containing an interface with the starship Yokohama's computer. The interface accesses an AI called Artificial Intelligence Voice-Address System (AIVAS) and has lain buried under the ash of the volcano that drove the original settlers out of Landing in the Southern Continent.
The Aivas has sat idle for some 2,525 years, but those ancestors apparently knew how to build them (there's a need for a bit of suspended disbelief here), and one of the original spaceship captains, Ezra Keroon, had added special covering and protection to keep it safe from the volcano's ash and heat. Fortunately, it was not buried under lava, only ash. The solar panels that power it are intact and once uncovered begin to charge its batteries.
This story begins, in the prologue, with a glimpse from Aivas's point of view, of being wakened out of its long slumber to find that humans have returned to Landing.
Aivas immediately presents a history of the initial colonization of Pern to the small group that includes Journeyman Harper Piemur, Jancis, retired Masterharper Robinton, Benden Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar, and young Lord Holder Jaxom of Ruatha (rider of The White Dragon, Ruth). They are all amazed to learn that their ancestors came to Pern from another world, and designed the dragons to fight Thread, using the genetics of the little firelizards. During this recitation (with video) of Pern's early habitation by humans, other people keep flocking into the room, Lord Holders and Craftmasters from all over Pern.
Not everyone is equally impressed, or trusting of this strange "talking wall" called Aivas, and that's what causes many of the conflicts in this story, people who are resistant to or fearful of change, even when it's change back toward how they were intended to live when humans first settled Pern. Aivas informs them that their ancestors intended to establish a more agrarian society but retain enough of their technology for comfort, safety, and convenience. Instead the culture has regressed to a near medieval state, though in recent years the Craft Halls have begun to rediscover or reinvent a little of what they've lost, such as paper. The Lord Holders seem intent on maintaining their current political system, and in fact that is somewhat in line with much of what was included in the original charter, except for the existence of drudges and a downtrodden class of holdless people. What isn't said in so many words, but seems obvious is that the repeated struggle to survive against the threat of Thread has not only held humans back on Pern, it has caused them to regress.
Aivas's final mission, before the volcano erupted, was to find a way to eradicate Thread. Now that it's been uncovered and charged, Aivas takes up that goal again, by beginning to teach a group of dedicated students, which it insists must include dragonriders and specifically Lord Jaxom as rider of the white dragon, up to a level of knowledge and technology that will enable the current generation of humans to carry out its plan to eradicate Thread as well as set them on a technological path toward where their ancestors were when they settled on Pern.
I love this story, mainly because I find it so exciting to imagine being suddenly presented with knowledge of one's history, and the chance to improve one's world and free it from such an old problem, one that has taxed the resources of every person now living on Pern. But this is no promise of utopia that Aivas provides. There is still so much ignorance and cognitive dissonance, and people who just want to retain their power and find it convenient not to have people learn anything new. Human nature? Well I'm not sure I believe human nature is naturally so awful, but power and wealth and greed seem to make almost any of us a little worse.
It is odd to read how Aivas is teaching these people all these new things, basically enlightening them, at the same time they're having drudges bring them food and drink. I can't help rankling at the fact that this is never mentioned by the author, but of course she knew we would see the irony of that. Lessa herself served as a drudge in the first novel of the series, so we all have that point of view as well.
I won't go into the tragedy this novel includes, because even though it breaks my heart every time I read this, it provides kind of an inevitable organic development to the series, reminding us that life goes on. The main thrust of the story is the plan to eradicate Thread, which Aivas only feeds to the people of Pern a bit at a time, saying things like "one must learn to walk before one can run" and so forth.
There was a little problem with continuity, between this story and the last installment in the series. When did Jancis gain Master status? She was a Journeyman at the end of the last story, when she discovered Aivas's chamber. And when did she and Piemur get engaged? When was Robinton forced to actually retire? I thought Sebell was just filling in for him while he was ill. It seemed like there was a time lapse, even though the prior story ended with finding Aivas and this one starts just after finding Aivas.
But the story is so compelling in its human aspects that I can forgive almost any small inconsistencies, lapses, and a bit of overwriting. I realize there are readers who never reread, but every time I reread this series, I'm glad I did.
October 30, 2020
I'm sitting here with tears running down my face, I'm an emotional wreck sometimes and when a beloved character dies or is killed it can rip me up pretty good.
Rid Pern of thread? That's the promise F'lar made and every dragonrider dreams of. With the great majority of the population of hall, weyr and hold working together towards a singular goal and advised by the revived AI that accompanied the original settlers over twenty five hundred years ago they begin the task they all. . . Well, not all. As in any society there are those who fear change. To whom when the status quo of centuries changes they rebel and lash out in fear. Can they stop the changes rippling across Pern?
Well I'm not going to tell you! If you want to find out, read the book. I don't often give five stars in a review and I've even been criticized for praising something but only. . . Only, giving it four stars. Too many people are willing to give top marks even to items they found flaws in. That's never made sense to me. If a book can make me cry, that's something special. This is something special. Mccaffrey and family should have stopped here. It's the perfect place for the stories to stop.
Rid Pern of thread? That's the promise F'lar made and every dragonrider dreams of. With the great majority of the population of hall, weyr and hold working together towards a singular goal and advised by the revived AI that accompanied the original settlers over twenty five hundred years ago they begin the task they all. . . Well, not all. As in any society there are those who fear change. To whom when the status quo of centuries changes they rebel and lash out in fear. Can they stop the changes rippling across Pern?
Well I'm not going to tell you! If you want to find out, read the book. I don't often give five stars in a review and I've even been criticized for praising something but only. . . Only, giving it four stars. Too many people are willing to give top marks even to items they found flaws in. That's never made sense to me. If a book can make me cry, that's something special. This is something special. Mccaffrey and family should have stopped here. It's the perfect place for the stories to stop.
December 14, 2023
Pern dragons in space! What's not to like?! Definitely a favorite!
June 29, 2019
Space dragons!
February 5, 2022
Good storyline, ending was a little surprising. Can't wait for the next one!
September 15, 2015
I was excited for this book because I thought it was going to uncover all the secrets of the Red Star and Thread. Unfortunately not everything is actually understood.
In All the Weyrs of Pern, the characters uncover Aivas, an ancient computer left by the original settlers of the planet. Aivas teaches the characters different subject areas and helps fill in their history. However, Aivas wants to stop the Fall of Thread, and all of its efforts to teach are based on that end goal.
Jaxom and Ruth are the main focus, although F'lar, Lessa, Piemur, Robinton, etc. are all present. They do get to travel a spaceship in orbit, and of course, make a long journey on dragonback at the end.
This book has very little tension. Any problem that occurs is resolved within a few paragraphs. What is left is boring, meandering conversation among the characters about Aivas and the things they are learning from Aivas.
I found it very hard to believe that Aivas could provide enough instruction and education for the people of Pern, which is essentially in an Iron Age, to understand and input computer commands, manufacture and fix parts on a spaceship, and so forth. Pern has basic industries, but nothing advanced in engineering, science or mathematics.
With the help of Aivas, all the characters rapidly learn and advance their knowledge in a really short time frame. It makes everything very easy. Not to mention most of the book is a montage of scenes asking Aivas questions.
I did find interesting the dissidents who thought that Aivas was some sort of devil, but of course the tension fizzles out with that subplot.
My preference for an alternate story would be Aivas turning into a giant fighting robot and the dragonriders have to fight him. And there might as well be space battles because for some reason the dragons can fly out in space.
Dragons in space? They normally live in a temperate climate, and somehow they can survive in -450 degree F? All they have to do is hold their breath? Sounded a bit far-fetched to me, considering this series is more sci-fi than it is fantasy.
Some action would have been great. The characters don't get much development because they have been featured in multiple books, so there's no exploration into issues that would have been interesting other than all the Aivas chat.
Overall, it was really boring and it reads very dated. The last few books have trended the same way. The actual meat of the story is really short, but it's drawn out for so long. There is a touching scene with Robinton at the end, but other than that I had little interest.
In All the Weyrs of Pern, the characters uncover Aivas, an ancient computer left by the original settlers of the planet. Aivas teaches the characters different subject areas and helps fill in their history. However, Aivas wants to stop the Fall of Thread, and all of its efforts to teach are based on that end goal.
Jaxom and Ruth are the main focus, although F'lar, Lessa, Piemur, Robinton, etc. are all present. They do get to travel a spaceship in orbit, and of course, make a long journey on dragonback at the end.
This book has very little tension. Any problem that occurs is resolved within a few paragraphs. What is left is boring, meandering conversation among the characters about Aivas and the things they are learning from Aivas.
I found it very hard to believe that Aivas could provide enough instruction and education for the people of Pern, which is essentially in an Iron Age, to understand and input computer commands, manufacture and fix parts on a spaceship, and so forth. Pern has basic industries, but nothing advanced in engineering, science or mathematics.
With the help of Aivas, all the characters rapidly learn and advance their knowledge in a really short time frame. It makes everything very easy. Not to mention most of the book is a montage of scenes asking Aivas questions.
I did find interesting the dissidents who thought that Aivas was some sort of devil, but of course the tension fizzles out with that subplot.
My preference for an alternate story would be Aivas turning into a giant fighting robot and the dragonriders have to fight him. And there might as well be space battles because for some reason the dragons can fly out in space.
Dragons in space? They normally live in a temperate climate, and somehow they can survive in -450 degree F? All they have to do is hold their breath? Sounded a bit far-fetched to me, considering this series is more sci-fi than it is fantasy.
Some action would have been great. The characters don't get much development because they have been featured in multiple books, so there's no exploration into issues that would have been interesting other than all the Aivas chat.
Overall, it was really boring and it reads very dated. The last few books have trended the same way. The actual meat of the story is really short, but it's drawn out for so long. There is a touching scene with Robinton at the end, but other than that I had little interest.
August 8, 2014
That book was pretty awful, but I felt I had to get through it to finish the main "thread" of the story. McCaffrey has no sense of climax, conflict, or tension. The main conflict of the story was predistened to be succesful, and what should have been a thrilling climax turned out to be a little more than an errand, followed by a little waiting to see what would happen. McCaffrey frequently has this problem; any real conflict is either resolved to quickly, or is hardly a conflict at all. Characters solve all their problems immediately.
For example, the whole story of destroying thread for good doesn't create any dramatic tension, since the Dragonriders clearly have no problem stopping it once it falls. There is no imminent threat or danger. One of the only interesting bits, the kidnapping of Harper Robinton, is resovled so quickly and in such a one-sided manner that it barely warranted attention. A reader wants to see characters struggle and fight and strain, not be mildly inconvenienced. The worst that happens to Jaxxon is that he gets tired and hungry. Literally.
And don't get me started on her lack of desciption... most of the time, I can't picture any of the characters or settings. Sorry, Pern, but I won't be coming back.
For example, the whole story of destroying thread for good doesn't create any dramatic tension, since the Dragonriders clearly have no problem stopping it once it falls. There is no imminent threat or danger. One of the only interesting bits, the kidnapping of Harper Robinton, is resovled so quickly and in such a one-sided manner that it barely warranted attention. A reader wants to see characters struggle and fight and strain, not be mildly inconvenienced. The worst that happens to Jaxxon is that he gets tired and hungry. Literally.
And don't get me started on her lack of desciption... most of the time, I can't picture any of the characters or settings. Sorry, Pern, but I won't be coming back.
October 7, 2021
I have just this minute finished this story, and am not ashamed to say that I'm still crying at the ending!
What a tale Anne wrote here!
There are so many layers to this story, that it would take writing it all again to explain it, but what it really boils down to, in the end, is human perseverance, and love, and loss - but also of humanity's fear the unknown.
I've read this book before, around four years ago, and it didn't affect me as much then but, having lost the love of my life three years ago, and finishing the book on the eve of what should have been our thirty eighth wedding anniversary, Robinton's death was hard to read about - especially as my love was a Robert!
But, despite my loss, reading this book also gives me the hope that, despite all that's going on in our world right now, I'm sure that eventually, just like in this story, hope will win, and humanity will wake up to what's needed to keep our own world safe!
What a tale Anne wrote here!
There are so many layers to this story, that it would take writing it all again to explain it, but what it really boils down to, in the end, is human perseverance, and love, and loss - but also of humanity's fear the unknown.
I've read this book before, around four years ago, and it didn't affect me as much then but, having lost the love of my life three years ago, and finishing the book on the eve of what should have been our thirty eighth wedding anniversary, Robinton's death was hard to read about - especially as my love was a Robert!
But, despite my loss, reading this book also gives me the hope that, despite all that's going on in our world right now, I'm sure that eventually, just like in this story, hope will win, and humanity will wake up to what's needed to keep our own world safe!
November 17, 2015
Epic and ambitious, as I remembered it, but also flawed in more ways than one. The sexism that so annoyed me in the previous books was even more present here, and there were some clumsy inconsistencies in plot and naming that were distracting. Nonetheless, hail Pern and its dragons - a wonderful world.
March 18, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. When I first started this series, I didn't anticipate it exploring the ancestors of the dragon riders as much as it did. For lack of a better concept, I kind of thought this was going to be He-Man on dragon back, and it has scratched my sci-fi itch far more than I expected. This book tackles dealing with the source of thread in a way that I didn't think was going to be handled, especially not through use of an AI, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I will say, the manipulation of the thread DNA and the abduction of Robinson both did not have especially satisfying payoffs. While they were resolved, they didn't tie as strongly into the main storyline as I would have expected. Especially in regard to the thread genetic manipulation, I hope that crops up again in one of the last chronological books.
There are only two more books - the dolphins of pern and the skies of Kern - that chronologically come after this one, and I'm excited to learn the final steps in the story. Although, that only puts me roughly halfway through the series in total, which means the series will explore its past in the second half of the collection, and I'll be sad to see the technological parts of the story vanish.
I will say, the manipulation of the thread DNA and the abduction of Robinson both did not have especially satisfying payoffs. While they were resolved, they didn't tie as strongly into the main storyline as I would have expected. Especially in regard to the thread genetic manipulation, I hope that crops up again in one of the last chronological books.
There are only two more books - the dolphins of pern and the skies of Kern - that chronologically come after this one, and I'm excited to learn the final steps in the story. Although, that only puts me roughly halfway through the series in total, which means the series will explore its past in the second half of the collection, and I'll be sad to see the technological parts of the story vanish.
March 11, 2022
Actual Star rating is 3.75.
This book is about how and what happens when the people who live in the current time on Pern run into the remnants of the time when people first came to Pern.
F'lar has always vowed that somehow he was going to rid Pern of the threat of thread forever, so when they find and dig up Landing, the first place on Pern where people lived. Jaxom and Masterharper Robinson find inside the building they decided to dig up, the computer system called avias. Avias' last orders were to figure out how to stop the threat that was destroying the original people's lives. Once avias learns all it can about the current time and has come up with a plan for all the weyrs to rid the planet of the threat of thread forever in a little over 4 years.
During the time everyone who will need to be involved have lots to learn and avias also agrees to teach others the things they have lost knowledge of over the last 2500+ years. The problem is not everyone thinks that the lost knowledge needs to be found again.
This book is about how and what happens when the people who live in the current time on Pern run into the remnants of the time when people first came to Pern.
F'lar has always vowed that somehow he was going to rid Pern of the threat of thread forever, so when they find and dig up Landing, the first place on Pern where people lived. Jaxom and Masterharper Robinson find inside the building they decided to dig up, the computer system called avias. Avias' last orders were to figure out how to stop the threat that was destroying the original people's lives. Once avias learns all it can about the current time and has come up with a plan for all the weyrs to rid the planet of the threat of thread forever in a little over 4 years.
During the time everyone who will need to be involved have lots to learn and avias also agrees to teach others the things they have lost knowledge of over the last 2500+ years. The problem is not everyone thinks that the lost knowledge needs to be found again.
May 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this book...this is Book #11 in the Pern Series. I do have Book #1 to read which is called Dragonflight. Book #11 is the only one that I have read so far in this series. Eventually I will read all of the Books in this series and since i have read Book #11 I don't need to re-read that one again.
I give this book 5/5 Stars here on Goodreads.
Anne McCaffrey is one of my all time favorite top Authors. I love her books.
I give this book 5/5 Stars here on Goodreads.
Anne McCaffrey is one of my all time favorite top Authors. I love her books.
August 10, 2018
Dit deel van de Pern boeken gaat over de ontdekking van allerlei dingen die door de eerste bewoners van Pern zijn achtergelaten. Dat zorgt voor de nodige spanning tussen de mensen die vast willen houden aan de 'oude' manier en zij die de gevonden machines weer willen gebruiken. Dit alles onder de bezielende leiding van Vakin en de bard Robinton. Geweldig boek. Een 9, maar hier een acht.
July 9, 2024
Doing a reread of the series and found I hadn’t commented on this one. I like this book almost more than the originals. The world of Pern and the dragonriders is fully established, so now we get to some serious business. The people of Pern rediscover their origins thanks to a computer that has been in standby mode for a very long time. (Okay, that part was a bit hard to accept but I’ll go with it.) The computer reintroduces their history and trains them so they can hopefully eliminate the biggest problem of their existence. By this point in the series I know the characters very well and have enjoyed seeing them grow.
September 13, 2024
Great books, great writer, great story. A classic fantasy series. If you like dragons, fantasy and sci-fi you should read these books about the planet Pern, its human inhabitants, dragons and dolphins.
March 3, 2020
As good as the first time I read it.
October 2, 2018
This was a very satisfying ending to the series. I know, I know, there are more books that Anne and her son wrote but this felt very clean and whole all on its own. From what I’ve seen in my research into this series; this was the original ending before Anne and Todd revived it with new books (which I also have learned through my research- were not as good as the originals!)
SO, on the record, I’m going to view THIS as the end of the series. I may go on to read the later additions but I’m going to hold the series as a whole, glowing, satisfying, breathtaking, feels-inducing gem in my mind having been concluded with All the Weyrs of Pern.
SPOILER AHEAD:
Omgggggg the scene with Sallah Telgar’s funeral made me cry and hug the book to my heart with so many FEELINGS. I kept thinking about her final words to Tarvi: “you....loved....me?” AND THEN ALL OF PERN LOVED HER AND HONORED HER AND OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
SO, on the record, I’m going to view THIS as the end of the series. I may go on to read the later additions but I’m going to hold the series as a whole, glowing, satisfying, breathtaking, feels-inducing gem in my mind having been concluded with All the Weyrs of Pern.
SPOILER AHEAD:
Omgggggg the scene with Sallah Telgar’s funeral made me cry and hug the book to my heart with so many FEELINGS. I kept thinking about her final words to Tarvi: “you....loved....me?” AND THEN ALL OF PERN LOVED HER AND HONORED HER AND OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
March 17, 2020
Reread
August 6, 2022
Wow!!!! What an amazing book. Absolutely loved All the Weyrs of Pern. So many different tropes within this story. And a really good Sequel to The Renegades of Pern, concluding a story that began towards the end of that book.
Great read for any Pern fan!!!
Great read for any Pern fan!!!
October 21, 2017
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...
Et voila on arrive enfin au tome tant attendu, celui qui conclu le cycle principale de cette merveille Ballade sur Pern.
Dans mon souvenir celui ci était mon préféré de tous, et il n'a pas faillit je dois dire.
Au final ceux qui attendent un livre palpitant plein d'action ou un livre de type thriller seront vraiment déçu de cette série. Je trouve que son titre résumé vraiment très bien le type de récit qu'il nous sert : c'est vraiment une Ballade. En fait on est le témoin des événements à travers plein de personnages différents, mais le but n'est pas du tout les habituels schémas classique des romans ou la tension est palpable, pas du tout.
Ce fait, qui se retrouve dans tous les autres tomes aussi est vraiment particulier à cette série, et je pense que les personnes qui arrivent à ce niveau de l'intrigue savent déjà bien à quoi s'attendre et ne seront donc pas du tout déçu par celui ci.
Pour moi c'est vraiment ce ton qui fait l'originalité de cette série.
J'ai beaucoup aimé la réintroduction de la technologie avancée dans ce tome. Siav est vraiment terriblement humain en fait, c'est un personnage à part entière et seul sa façon d'être toujours conciliant quoi qu'il arrive nous rappelle de temps en temps que c'est une machine.
Du coup on a aussi pas mal de réponses sur l'ancien Pern, celui des premiers colons. C'est aussi ça qui nous donne aussi cette impression de fin de série, même si il me reste des tomes à lire ensuite. On pourrait très bien s'arrêter ici et avoir vraiment l'impression d'être allé au bout des questionnements qu'on avait.
En fait le seul point que j'ai remarqué (pas forcement uniquement dans ce tome non plus d'ailleurs, c'est un défaut général au cycle) c'est un petit manque d'indications de temps qui passe. On sait qu'il se passe des années entre le début et la fin mais d'un chapitre sur l'autre on crois être juste à la suite du précédent et non on s'aperçoit brusquement que le temps avance plus vite que ce qu'on imaginait.
Ce n'est pas non plus hyper gênant mais j'avoue qu'à certains moments mon questionnement à réussi à me faire sortir du récit.
C'est un très bon tome final. On a vraiment cette impression de globalité de tout Pern contre la menace. J'ai limite versé ma petite larme quand se sont les personnages du premier tome, Lessa et F'lar qui ont donné la touche finale au plan de Siav, la boucle est bouclée.
17/20
Et voila on arrive enfin au tome tant attendu, celui qui conclu le cycle principale de cette merveille Ballade sur Pern.
Dans mon souvenir celui ci était mon préféré de tous, et il n'a pas faillit je dois dire.
Au final ceux qui attendent un livre palpitant plein d'action ou un livre de type thriller seront vraiment déçu de cette série. Je trouve que son titre résumé vraiment très bien le type de récit qu'il nous sert : c'est vraiment une Ballade. En fait on est le témoin des événements à travers plein de personnages différents, mais le but n'est pas du tout les habituels schémas classique des romans ou la tension est palpable, pas du tout.
Ce fait, qui se retrouve dans tous les autres tomes aussi est vraiment particulier à cette série, et je pense que les personnes qui arrivent à ce niveau de l'intrigue savent déjà bien à quoi s'attendre et ne seront donc pas du tout déçu par celui ci.
Pour moi c'est vraiment ce ton qui fait l'originalité de cette série.
J'ai beaucoup aimé la réintroduction de la technologie avancée dans ce tome. Siav est vraiment terriblement humain en fait, c'est un personnage à part entière et seul sa façon d'être toujours conciliant quoi qu'il arrive nous rappelle de temps en temps que c'est une machine.
Du coup on a aussi pas mal de réponses sur l'ancien Pern, celui des premiers colons. C'est aussi ça qui nous donne aussi cette impression de fin de série, même si il me reste des tomes à lire ensuite. On pourrait très bien s'arrêter ici et avoir vraiment l'impression d'être allé au bout des questionnements qu'on avait.
En fait le seul point que j'ai remarqué (pas forcement uniquement dans ce tome non plus d'ailleurs, c'est un défaut général au cycle) c'est un petit manque d'indications de temps qui passe. On sait qu'il se passe des années entre le début et la fin mais d'un chapitre sur l'autre on crois être juste à la suite du précédent et non on s'aperçoit brusquement que le temps avance plus vite que ce qu'on imaginait.
Ce n'est pas non plus hyper gênant mais j'avoue qu'à certains moments mon questionnement à réussi à me faire sortir du récit.
C'est un très bon tome final. On a vraiment cette impression de globalité de tout Pern contre la menace. J'ai limite versé ma petite larme quand se sont les personnages du premier tome, Lessa et F'lar qui ont donné la touche finale au plan de Siav, la boucle est bouclée.
17/20
January 27, 2018
All the Weyrs of Pern (1991) by Anne McCaffrey strives hard to recreate the golden age of Pern, seeking that alchemy that made The White Dragon. The results contained all the same ingredients, but the culinary results weren't quite as appetizing, striving to meet the expectations of a shrinking fanbase and a changing SF market.
Continuing from where The Renegages of Pern ended, the AI called Aivas leads humans in the final eradication of thread. Meanwhile, a small group of objectors to this new technology express their concerns badly, only to have their concerns put aside and never examined. Opportunity wasted, which is par for McCaffrey.
While the writing is reasonable, most of the book consists of conversations between various people talking about their problems, and other other part is a summary of what they did. Wedged between those two thrusts are the actual adventures of the main characters.
Jaxom and Ruth get the bulk of time in the work, and even with all that time, they and their relationship feels like they didn't get enough time and what time they did get they got short shrift. The same is true of Jaxom and Sharra. These are the characters that we know, on autopilot with little need to grow, but they're the reason why we're reading these books.
Aside from the leads, the rest of the book has an ensemble cast, where you either know the characters or you don't. If you know them, they make enough sense, and if you don't, they're just names on the page. There's little to distinguish one person from another. This is especially true of third tier characters, who are little more than names, titles, and political positions.
For a Pern fan, the book will itch enough itches, but it won't capture what made Pern so alluring. For a non-Pern fan, this is the wrong book to start with.
Continuing from where The Renegages of Pern ended, the AI called Aivas leads humans in the final eradication of thread. Meanwhile, a small group of objectors to this new technology express their concerns badly, only to have their concerns put aside and never examined. Opportunity wasted, which is par for McCaffrey.
While the writing is reasonable, most of the book consists of conversations between various people talking about their problems, and other other part is a summary of what they did. Wedged between those two thrusts are the actual adventures of the main characters.
Jaxom and Ruth get the bulk of time in the work, and even with all that time, they and their relationship feels like they didn't get enough time and what time they did get they got short shrift. The same is true of Jaxom and Sharra. These are the characters that we know, on autopilot with little need to grow, but they're the reason why we're reading these books.
Aside from the leads, the rest of the book has an ensemble cast, where you either know the characters or you don't. If you know them, they make enough sense, and if you don't, they're just names on the page. There's little to distinguish one person from another. This is especially true of third tier characters, who are little more than names, titles, and political positions.
For a Pern fan, the book will itch enough itches, but it won't capture what made Pern so alluring. For a non-Pern fan, this is the wrong book to start with.
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