Ann Mccaffrey - Pern (In chronologic order oldest to newest)

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Anne Inez McCaffrey was born April 1, 1926 in Cambridge, Massachusetts to George Herbert McCaffrey and Anne Dorothy McElroy McCaffrey. She studied Slavonic Languages and Literature at Radcliffe College. She married in 1950 and has three children: Alec Anthony, born in 1952, Todd, born in 1956, and Georgeanne, born in 1959.  She was divorced in 1970, after which she emigrated to Ireland.  Anne McCaffrey's first novel, Restoree , was written as a protest against the absurd and unrealistic portrayals of women in science-fiction novels in the 50s and early 60s. It is, however, in the handling of broader themes and the worlds of her imagination, particularly the two series, The Ship Who Sang and the fourteen novels about the Dragonriders of Pern, that Ms. McCaffrey's talents as a storyteller are best displayed. McCaffrey's short story "Weyr Search", the initial story in the Dragonriders of Pern series, won a Hugo for Best Novella.  It was published in October 1967 in Analog.  It was the first time a woman had won a Hugo for fiction.  This story (after some rewriting) now forms the first quarter of Dragonflight.   She currently lives in County Wicklow, Ireland.  She lives in a house of her own design, Dragonhold-Underhill (because she had to dig out a hill on her farm to build it) in Wicklow County, Ireland. 


Dragonholder by Todd McCaffrey 

Anne McCaffrey's biography by her son. November 1999, Del Rey Books, Hardcover, ISBN 0-345-42217-1 


Dragonriders of Pern and/or 

Chronicles of Pern 

The Dragonriders of Pern books are written by Anne McCaffrey. The books written earlier have a fantasy slant to them (low levels of technology, fire breathing telepathic dragons, and a feudal society), however McCaffrey prefers to describe them as science fiction and stresses the scientific rationales behind the world she has created. In later written volumes the series moves towards more overt science fiction as the colonists rediscover their links to the past and develop much higher levels of technology. Pern is a fictional planet in the universe created by science fiction writer Anne McCaffrey for her Dragonriders of Pern series of novels. Pern was colonised by settlers from Earth who wanted to return to an agrarian society with a low level of technology.

Dragonflight [Dragonriders of Pern 1] by Anne McCaffrey 

After ten long Turns, Lessa was ready to come out of hiding, to reclaim her birthright and to impress the young dragon queen and become Weyrwoman of Benden. Suddenly, the deadly silver Thread once again threatened all Pern with destruction. But the mighty telepathic dragons that for centuries had defended Pern were now few in number, not nearly enough to protect the planet in its hour of greatest peril. So Lessa hatched a daring and dangerous scheme: Rally support from people who had long ago century.  July 1968 

Del Rey, ISBN:0-345-33546-5 

Corgi Books (UK), ISBN:0-552-08453-0 

0-345-41936-7 (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45395-6 (eBook) 

First of the Pern series

Dragonquest [Dragonriders of Pern 2] by Anne McCaffrey 

Another Turn, and the deadly silver Threads began falling again. So the bold dragonriders took to the air once more and their magnificent flying dragons swirled and swooped, belching flames that destroyed the shimmering strands before they reached the ground. But F'lar knew he had to find a better way to protect his beloved Pern, and he had to find it before the rebellious Oldtimers could breed any more dissent ... before his brother F'nor would be foolhardy enough to launch another suicide mission. 

May 1971

Del Rey, ISBN: 0-345-33508-2 

Corgi Books (UK) ISBN:0-552-11635-1 

0-345-41937-5 (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45396-4 (eBook) 

Second of the Pern series

Dragonsong (Harper Hall Trilogy, Volume 1) by Anne McCaffery

Dragonsong is the story of Menolly, daughter of masterfisher Yanus, Sea Holder of Halfcircle Seahold on Pern. Menolly is a gifted musician who is punished for using her musical talents after Petiron, the Harper who encouraged her talent, dies. Finding life at the fishing community unbearable, she runs away from home. This is a very dangerous thing to do because of intermittent Thread incursions. Menolly takes refuge in a cave where she discovers some fire lizard eggs.   

Mar 1976, Bantam Books, ISBN: 0-553-12044-1

UK edition: 0-552-10661-5 

Third of the Pern series

Dragonsinger (Harper Hall Trilogy, Volume 2) by Anne McCaffrey

One of my favorite McCaffrey books!  It covers Menolly's first days at Harper Hall.  As the only female harper apprentice, she struggles to fit in, making both friends and enemies.  Under the wise guidance of her beloved Master Robinton, she comes to realize what great talent she has, and comes to believe in herself.  She blossoms into a confidant young woman, secure in her musical talent and her value, ready to take the next step and become a Journeywoman.  I love the characters in this book--especially the young scamp Piemur, who becomes Menolly first friend and ally in the hall, and, of course, Master Robinton. Feb 1977 

Bantam Books, ISBN: 0-533-11835-8

UK Edition: 0-552-10881-2 

Fourth of the Pern series

Dragondrums (Harper Hall Trilogy, Volume 3) by Anne McCaffrey

Dragondrums is the coming of age story of Piemur, a small, quick, clever apprentice at Harper Hall. When Piemur's clear soprano voice changes at puberty, his place among the Harpers is no longer certain. 

Mar 1979

Bantam Books, ISBN: 0-553-20722-9

UK Edition: 0-552-11804-4 

Sixth of the Pern series

White Dragon [Dragonriders of Pern 3] by Anne McCaffrey 

Never had there been as close a bonding as the one that existed between the daring and adventurous young Lord Jaxom and his extraordinary white dragon, Ruth. Pure white and incredibly agile, Ruth was a dragon of many talents, though almost everyone on Pern thought he was a runt that would never amount to anything. But Jaxom knew better, knew he could teach his dragon to fly and to destroy the deadly silver Threads that fell from the sky. Disobeying all rules, Jaxom and Ruth trained in secret. 

Jun 1978

Del Rey, ISBN:0-345-31336-4 

Corgi Books (UK) ISBN:0-552-11313-1 

0-345-41940-5 (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45397-2 (eBook) 

Fifth of the Pern series

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern  [Dragonriders of Pern 4]  by Anne McCaffrey 

An air of pleasant anticipation hung so thickly over the Halls, Holds, and Weyrs of Pern that it had affected even the businesslike ways of Moreta, the Weyrwoman of Fort Weyr, where her dragon, Queen Orlith, would soon clutch. Then without warning, a runner beast fell ill. Soon myriads of holders, craftsmen, and dragonriders were dying; and the mysterious ailment had spread to all but the most inaccessible holds. Pern was in mortal danger. For, if dragonriders did not rise to char Thread, the parasite will take over.  

Nov 1983 

0-345-29873-X 

0-345-41957-X (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45401-4 (eBook) 

0-552-12499-0 (UK Edition) 

Seventh of the Pern series

Nerilka's Story [Dragonriders of Pern 5] by Anne McCaffrey 

A deadly epidemic was sweeping across Pern. Everyone, holder and dragon rider alike, pitched in to help--except Nerilka's father, who refused to share Fort Hold's bounty with the other Holds. So, ashamed of her family and determined to do her part, Nerilka packed up medicines and supplies and sneaked off to aid her people. Her quest to help wherever she was most needed led her finally to Ruatha Hold, where Lord Alessan was frantically preparing the precious serum needed for mass inoculations. 

Mar 1986 

0-345-33949-5 

0-345-45402-2 (eBook) 

0-345-41958-8 (Trade P-back) 

Eighth of the Pern series

Dragonsdawn [Dragonriders of Pern 6]  by Anne McCaffrey 

The beautiful planet Pern seemed a paradise to its new colonists--until unimaginable terror turned it into hell. Suddenly deadly spores were falling like silver threads from the sky, devouring everything--and everyone--in their path. It began to look as if the colony, cut off from Earth and lacking the resources to combat the menace, was doomed. Then some of the colonists noticed that the small, dragonlike lizards that inhabited their new world were joining the fight against Thread, breathing fire and teleporting from place to place. 

Nov 1988

Del Rey, ISBN:0-345-36286-1 

Corgi Books (UK) ISBN:0-552-13098-2 

0-345-41956-1 (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45398-0 (eBook) 

Ninth of the Pern series

The Renegades of Pern [Dragonriders of Pern 7] by Anne McCaffrey 

 As long as the people of Pern could remember, the Holds had protected them from Thread, the deadly silver strands that fell from the sky. In exchange for sanctuary in the huge stone fortresses, the people tithed to their Lord Holders, who in turn supported the dragonriders, Pern's greatest weapon against Thread. But not everyone on Pern was protected. Some had been rendered holdless as punishment for wrongdoing. Some, like Jayge's trader clan, simply preferred the freedom of the roads.   Nov 1990

0-345-36933-5 

0-345-41939-1 (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45404-9 (eBook) 

0-552-13099-0 (UK Edition) 

Tenth of the Pern series

All the Weyrs of Pern [Dragonriders of Pern 8]  by Anne McCaffrey 

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 dragonriders 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, they take steps to get rid of thread. December 1991  

UK Edition, 0-552-13729-4 

Del Rey Paperback, ISBN:0-345-36893-2 

0-345-41935-9 (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45405-7 (eBook) 

Eleventh of the Pern series

The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall [Dragonriders of Pern 9]  by Anne McCaffrey (Short Stories)

Four short stories (P.E.R.N. Survey, 

The Ford of Red Hanrahan, 

Second Weyr, and Rescue Run)

Travel back to the earliest days of Pernese history in this first-ever Dragonriders of Pern short-story collection! Join the original survey team as they explore Pern and decide to recommend it for colonization. Share the terror of the evacuation from the Southern Continent as a flotilla of ships, aided by intelligent, talking dolphins, braves the dreadful currents of the Pernese ocean. Learn how the famous Ruatha Hold was founded, and thrill with the dragonriders as they expand into a second hold.   

Oct 1993, 

0-345-36899-1 

0-345-41959-6 (Trade P-back) 

0-345-45399-9 (eBook) 

0-552-13913-0 (UK Edition) 

Twelfth of the Pern series

The Dolphins of Pern [Dragonriders of Pern 10]  by Anne McCaffrey 

When the first humans came to settle the planet Pern, they did not come alone: intelligence-enhanced dolphins also crossed the stars to colonize the oceans of the new planet while their human partners settled the vast continents. But then disaster struck. The deadly silver spores called Thread fell like rain from the sky, and as the human colonists' dreams of a new, idyllic life shattered into a desperate struggle for survival, the dolphins were forgotten.  

Oct 1994

0-345-36895-9 

0-345-45406-5 (eBook) 

0-552-14270-0 (UK Edition) 

Thirteenth of the Pern series

Dragonseye [Dragonriders of Pern 11] by Anne McCaffrey 

It's been two hundred years since the deadly Thread fell like rain upon Pern, devouring everything in its path. No one alive remembers that first horrific onslaught and no one believes in its return--except for the dragonriders. For two centuries they have been practicing and training, passing down from generation to generation the formidable Threadfighting techniques. Now the ominous signs are appearing: the violent winter storms and volcanic eruptions that are said to herald the approach of thread. 

Feb 1997 

0-345-41879-4 

0-345-45400-6 (eBook) 


Red Star Rising (The Second Chronicles of Pern) 

These are the same book under different titles. The UK edition was released first; Del Rey delayed their edition for supposedly editorial reasons.  The change in title was allegedly due to concerns that the American audience wouldn't recognize a Pern book without a "Dragon" title. 

Aug 1996

0-552-142727-7

MasterSinger Merelan and Harper Petiron were a brilliant and devoted couple. Merelan was the most outstanding soprano ever heard on Pern, and was often the only one who could master Petiron's technically accomplished compositions. When, after a long and difficult birth, Robinton was born to them, it should have been the culmination of a unique partnership. But Petiron, almost from the first day, had no time for his son, refusing to see the incredible talent the boy possessed, ignoring his achievements and maintaining a strict and disapproving vigilance over him at all times. Carefully, secretly, the Harper Hall took over, training the greatest talent Pern had ever seen - a talent that was more than just musical, for Robinton was able to talk to the dragons of Pern. As constant sadness beset his personal life, so a startling career sent him like a meteor through the Holds and Weyrs of Pern until, as MasterHarper, he became part of the great plan to rescue Lessa from the brutal rule of Holder Fax - Lessa, who was to be the saviour of the dragons of Pern

The Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffrey 

Thanks to Anne McCaffrey, millions of readers have soared the skies on dragonback, shared the thoughts and dreams of the great dragons of Pern, and risked life and limb to safeguard the planet from the deadly threat of falling Thread. With the Dragonriders of Pern, McCaffrey has given us more than just an extraordinary masterwork of imagination. She has given us a whole world--and has taught us to fly. Now, in this triumphant return to Pern, Anne McCaffrey takes us on an adventure. 

April 2001

Ballantine Books HB ISBN:0-345-43468-4 

Del Rey Paperback, ISBN:0-345-43469-2 

0-345-44713-1 (eBook) 

0-552-14631-5 (UK edition)

Dragon's Kin [A Novel of Pern] by Anne McCaffrey &Todd McCaffrey 

Beloved bestseller McCaffrey has joined forces with her son, Todd, to produce another delightful entry in the Pern series, which began with Dragonflight in 1968. The action here centers on Camp Natalon, the site of a coal mine. Now that the surface seams of coal have begun to run dry on Pern, it's imperative to start extracting coal from deep underground, despite the increased danger. Some of the miners rely on the expertise of the watch-whers, smaller versions of dragons, to help keep them safe in the mines. As Kindan, blind Nuella and master harper Zist puzzle out the lore, habits and abilities of these nocturnal creatures, they find out more about the watch-whers (and themselves) than they thought possible.  It is set during the 2nd Interval (16 turns before the 3rd pass). 

November 2003

0-345-46200-9 

0-345-46199-1 (eBook) 

0-552-15150-5 (UK edition)

A Gift of Dragons by Anne McCaffrey 

A Gift of Dragons is a collection of four short works in the Pern series.  Three of these works have been previously published and one is new to this book.  The Smallest Dragonboy (1973) is the story of a twelve year old boy who is the smallest candidate in his Searched group and cruelly treated by another older boy, yet perseveres in his efforts to impress a hatchling.  The Girl Who Heard Dragons (1994) is the story of a young holdless girl who can hear dragons talk to each other and, when her family is threatened, finds that she can also talk to them. Runner of Pern (1999) is the story of a young women who is a runner, carrying written messages for long distance, who comes to Fort Hold at gather time with a score to settle with someone who ran her off the runner trace the night before.  Ever the Twain (2002) is the story of a pair of twins, one of whom desperately wants to become a dragonrider, but the other is selected to be a candidate at the next hatching.  These tales are about character, courage and perseverance and not one of them has an unhappy ending.  

October 2002

Del Rey Hardcover, ISBN:0-345-45635-1

0-345-45397-2 (Hardcover) 

0-345-45860-5 (eBook) 

0-593-05151-3 (Bantam UK Hardcover)

Dragonsblood by Todd McCaffrey

After coauthoring Dragon's Kin with his mother, Anne, McCaffrey smoothly accepts the torch from her to further chronicle the world of the Dragonriders of Pern, her most famous creation. The story alternates between two times--the immediate present, more than 500 turns since the first landing on Pern, and 400 turns earlier, when geneticist Wind Blossom, whose mother had created the dragons, was still alive. The situation in the later period is dire: thread is falling, and the dragons are sickening and dying. Only Wind Blossom can save the dragons, and that seems impossible. Time is the literal cure, however, and making the impossible possible is the bond that Lorana, a marvelous young woman of the present, makes with Wind Blossom by reaching back in time to come up with the cure. McCaffrey convincingly spins a dramatic, thoroughly captivating tale, steeped in the lore and well-drawn characterizations of the people and the dragons for which the Pern novels are prized. Fans old and new will be delighted by his continuance of a beloved saga.  January 2005

0-345-44124-9 (Hardcover) 

0-345-48193-3 (eBook)

On DragonWings bv Anne McCaffery (Three Books)

Perfect for diehard fans as well as readers discovering McCaffrey for the first time, this dazzling new volume features three classic novels from the early years of Pern– Dragonsdawn, Dragonseye, and Moreta.  The spectacular planet Pern seems a paradise to its new colonists–until unimaginable terror turns it into hell. Suddenly deadly spores are falling like silver threads from the sky, destroying everyone and everything they touch. Pern is in mortal danger. The only thing that can stop the Thread is the fire from Pern’s flying dragons. Now, the colonists must join forces with the dragons to burn the Thread before the parasite devours any and all organic life–and turns lush Pern into a barren wasteland.  On Dragonwings traces the story of the early generations on Pern. From the colonists who first created the fire-breathing dragons for protection, through the rise of the dragonriders, these three novels set readers on a daring quest to protect a beautiful and extraordinary planet.  Oct 2003

0-345-46565-2 (Trade paperback)

A Diversity of Dragons by Anne McCaffrey ,Richard Woods, and John Howe 

Anne McCaffrey is as renowned for her knowledge of dragons as she is for her New York Times bestselling novels. In this beautifully designed hardcover, McCaffrey focuses her attention on the fantastical creature's existence throughout history. Her words are complemented by the stunning color portraits by John Howe, noted for his success with several J.R.R. Tolkien calendars and maps.   Engagingly conceived, McCaffrey's story is a modern day dragon fantasy, colored with excerpts of some of the most thrilling scenes taken from classic dragon tales and accompanied by John Howe's magnificent art. Dragons from the time of the Bible and the Babylonians, the Arthurian Era and the Chinese Dynasties, to the current  dragons invented by Robin McKinley, Gordon R. Dickson, Melanie Rown, and McCaffrey herself--are all fully explored and rendered in glorious detail.

1997

The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffery (Omnibus edition, Dragonriders Trilogy) 

Finally together in one volume, the first three books in the world's most beloved science fiction series, THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN, by Anne McCaffrey, one of the great science fiction writers of all time: DRAGONFLIGHT, DRAGONQUEST, THE WHITE DRAGON. Those who know these extraordinary tales will be able to re-visit with Lessa, F'lar, Ruth, Lord Jaxon, and all the others. And for those just discovering this magical place, there are incomparable tales of danger, deceit, and daring, just waiting to be explored 

1988

ISBN: 0-345-34024-8 

0-345-45739-0 (eBook)

The Girl Who Heard Dragons by and McCaffrey (Short stories)

Fifteen tales spanning a variety of eras, settings and genres (SF to mainstream).  In the haunting "Velvet Fields," colonists on a new world must make a terrible decision when the planet turns out not to be as uninhabited as it appears. The title story, the only tale set on Pern, recounts some of the circumstances leading up to Renegades of Pern, focusing on the plight of the masterless and homeless in times of peril. In "Zulei, Grace, Nimshi, and the Damnyankees," an Arab woman sold into slavery protects a plantation and its horses during the Civil War and its aftermath. A random group of people from different eras caught in a time storm are dominated by an old woman who can predict the time changes in "A Flock of Geese." The contemporary "Euterpe on a Fling" explores the relationship between a singer and an audience in producing a performance. Few horsemen have been left on the Earth depicted in "The Quiet One," where large animals have had to make way for an expanding human population.  Illustrations by Mike Whelan

May 1994

TOR books, ISBN: 0-812-51099-2 

0-552-14436-3 (UK Edition)

The Dolphins' Bell by Anne McCaffrey

"Nine years after human beings first came to the planet Pern, the colony at Landing, far to the south, faced a  catastrophe that threatened to undo much of what they had all worked so hard to accomplish.  Two lon-dormant volcanoes were on the verge of erupting, and the settlers' only hope of survival was to rejoin those  who had long since gone north, seeking a haven from Threadfall.  It was a time when the magnificent telepathic Dragons were yet in the "infancy"...a time when the humans' most  dependable allies in the taming of a world were the dolphins they'd brought from Earth.  So they rang the Big Bell at Monaco Bay to summon their seagoing friends. For with the dolphins' aid, the Landing  colonists at least stood a chance of moving not only themselves but their vital, irreplaceable equipment and supplies to  the new location.  Yet it would be a long and treacherous journey for humans and dolphins alike, filled with unexpected perils."  

1993 Science Fiction Book Club Hardcover

The People of Pern by Anne McCaffrey and illustrations by Robin Wood 

This book is a collection of portraits of the many characters in  Dragonflight, Dragonquest, The White Dragon, Moreta, and the Harper Hall trilogy.  There are artist renderings of almost every character, from Menolly, Lessa, and F'lar; to C'gan, Dorse, Moreta, even Dunca and Pona are in here!  Main characters and minor ones--they are all here, and many are uncannily just as I had pictured them in my head!  As a bonus, Ms. McCaffrey supplied little commentaries on each portrait that are fascinating to read.  All the portraits are works of true art, but the masterpiece of the book is the portrait of Robinton!  You've got  to see it--Robin Wood captures him perfectly!  Anyone who loves the Pern books should have this in their collection. 

1988

Donning Publishing

ISBN: 0-89865-635-4 (HB) 

ISBN: 0-89865-751-2 (SB)

The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern by Anne McCaffrey and Jody Lynn Nye 

A much-needed update to the classic companion to Anne McCaffrey 's canonical novels and numerous short stories about Pern, this book includes a few recipes, information about knitting patterns, Craft and Hold badges, and more. As a reference, it is marred by the lack of cross-referencing within the book, although there is an index, and by the lack of scales with the drawings of various animals and places. It will be invaluable to readers like me who can't recall just where they read that name before, or what Weyr a rider is from, or where that small Hold is, and it provides a useful overview of the high points of Pernese history.  Considered by many to be the reference work on Pern...aside from the books themselves.  Others have noted internal contradictions as well as conflicts with other published material and therefore do not consider it particularly authoritative.  The 2nd edition adds material from books published since the 1st edition. 

1st edition: Nov 1989, Del Rey Books 

0-345-35424-9 (Hardcover) 

0-345-37946-2 (Softcover) 

2nd edition: Mar 1997, Del Rey Books 

0-345-41274-5 (Softcover)

Misc Pern books

Dragonharper by Jody Lynn Nye

Journeyman Robinton's adventures as he travels to his first posting at Benden Hold. (ISBN: 0-812-56404-9) 


Dragonfire by Jody Lynn Nye

Mirrim and Path look into strange happenings on the Southern Continent shortly after the events of The White Dragon (ISBN: 0-812-56423-5). 


The Atlas of Pern by Karen Fonstead 

(Del Rey Books, ISBN: 0-345-31432-8 (HB) / 0-345-31434-4(SB))


Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey 

Eclipse Comics published a graphical adaptation of Dragonflight .  Drawings appear to be based on the artwork in The People of Pern. (March 1993) ISBN:  0-06-105003-2

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