I think I have a rather interesting story and I'll try to make it short :) When I was still in college, a few people had started a Pern MUSH that just ran within our college computer system. I was on the system's bulletin board for a class I was taking. I received an email about the Pern game and was asked to join. So I checked it out despite never have had hearing anything about Pern or MUSHes. There was going to be a Hatching soon and I was "Searched" to be a Candidate. I started to learn quite a bit about MUSHing and programming and liked the friends I made while playing in that world. The Hatching day came and I Impressed a gold named Amianth. Again, I had never read the books or truly understand what was going on, but was still thrilled to have this neat puppet that they had given me. That summer, I started to read the books...and loved them. It made the game more real to me and I liked getting to play such a wonderful role. Eventually we moved that small game to the internet and I was fortunate enough to discover other games and Impress other dragons. Overall, Pern has given me an outlet for my creativity while allowing me to meet wonderful people along the way.
I started reading Pern back in the early 80s and I began with the second book of the first trilogy.. and to be honest I HATED it. I think part of the problem was jumping headlong into a world out of proper order and having no clue about any of the events leading up to the main plot lines being followed. A few years later someone showed me the Harper Hall trilogy and I read those and well.. I was addicted. After I finished those three I started rereading the first trilogy and found it much better when read in the proper order.
I do have to admit I have been mildy disappointed with some points in the more recent books, mostly related to the fact that there are contradictions to the books they are meant to 'pre-date' but i guess things like that happen when a world grows as large as Pern has.
My faves will always be the Harper Hall trilogy, Moreta and Dragonsdawn.
There I was, Christmas morning, opening gifts. And what do I get? Books. Yay. I like to read--love it, actually, but I was then very wary of books that claimed to be a part of a series, especially when they weren't the first in the series. I got The White Dragon for Christmas, which is perhaps one of the most confusing books to start upon with the Dragonriders of Pern. I hardly read half of it before I was too lost to continue. But my parents both recalled reading them, and their vague rememberances of big, "talking" gold dragons sounded good to me. I asked a neighbor about them, and was shocked to learn that they had the entire series. I bought Dragonflight, figuring I was missing out on some very important part of being a child. I never regretted my purchase. I was soon in love with the dragons, and the classic vein of fantasy that I so loved with a new twist.
I actually found the Dragonrider's Guide to Pern first, then when I looked through the guide I knew I needed to read the books. I had the complete hardcover series and read them all. Then they were sold at a garage sale. I recently found and purchased the series again and re-read ALL of them.
Give Anne a chance and she will transport you to Pern effortlessly.
In answer to your question...
I started reading them because I was given Dragonsdawn on my 17th birthday. I'd never read any of them until then, but I thought I should read it to see what it was like. The rest they say, is history. I brought every Dragonriders book as it came out, or as soon as I found it. I have most of them now and I've read them all so many times I can't remember. I love them
because they really involve you. You're really there. The situations could be ones you have personally been in. The relationships are real, the loves are true, the anger strong. Whatever happens is described so well that you feel you could actually tell the characters something...
Well, I was at the library one day and I was in a really big hurry. I was looking for a book by Garth Nix, so I had to pass the M's. The first thing I thought when I seen Dragonrider's of Pern was who would write such a thick book about dragons, and then I realized that there were 3 books bound together. I didn't have time to get anything else so I just grabbed the book and went home. After about the first 5 pages, I knew I had found a new favorite author. I don't know how Anne McCaffrey did it, but she did it good. She made me wish that I lived on Pern and had a dragon. (LOL) She really brings Pern to life and makes you feel like your right there fighting Thread or looking at the Red Star. I've only been reading for a couple of weeks, and I love Pern dearly and can't wait until they make the tv show.
Although I have only read a few books in the Pern Series, I am already
addicted. About a month ago, my English teacher told us to read Dragonsong
and answer the questions in a packet she gave us. Well, I am a very fast
reader, so I thought I had enough time to read the whole book once, then
answer the questions. At first, I was totally lost with the events, but I
told myself that it had to all come together soon, and kept on reading.
After a few more pages, I couldn't put the book down. Then, I wanted to
read the rest of the trilogy, so I begged my mom to take me to the library
where I got the other two books in the set. I will tell you the truth, I
read those two books in one day each. Then, I went back and read them over.
Once I had read those, I wanted to read them all. But, as with most people,
I was unsure of the order in which read them. I started searching for
other's opinions on which order to read them, then I found your site, which
had the books in a order that I had already started reading them. I have
also read Dragonflight, which I also loved. To me, Anne McCaffrey's Pern are
the most realistic and enjoyable books on dragons. Although her books are
about a made-up world, when I am reading her books, I fell that I am there
and I own a dragon.
For those who are having trouble with following the plot in the books, my
advice is to just stick with the book; it gets easier to understand further
into the book.
I came across your web page looking for more books. I thought I would go
ahead and tell you my story on how I got hooked.
Several years back (probably 10 or 11) a was a member of a book-of-the-month club. The current book of the month being, The Dragon Riders of Pern, which incorporated 3 of the books, which happened to be Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon.
Just recently during a move I came across the book in a box, remebering that it very good I decided to give it another read. From the being I was totally captivated. I had forgotten how it lures you in and puts you right in the drivers seat, or on top of a dragon. It drew me in so completely that I read the whole 700+ page book in a matter of several days. It is so real that you can almost touch the people and events. Great reading.
But, now I need more and am building a list that I have to aquire.
Well I was A lonely 13 year old when I read my first Pern book "Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern" I enjoyed the characters, and soon I was reading the whole series. It made me laugh and cry and It was the first set of books that gave me that reaction. Not only did I "make" friends with the people of the books I also found that the books helped me make friends of my own, In RL. Now I own most of the books and sit enjoy reading them. But It always seemed that the worls was still quite distant so I was looking on the internet and found a pern moo and joined that. Now its fun all over again
I was about 9 when I first saw the books on my father's shelf. They had dragons in their covers, and the colors were magnificent. And their titles spoke of dragons too. They fascinated me terribly, but it would take two whole years before I was allowed anywhere near them. When I turned 11, after being caught staring raptly at them, my father handed me the three translated volumes that make up for Dragonflight and Dragonquest. I devoured them in a week. That magical world of people who talked to dragons inside their minds enraptured me forever. A year later I found Moreta of Pern, and I loved it just as well. A few months later I saw White Dragon, but when I went to buy it it was out of print... and since then I haven't seen anymore Pern books. I made the mistake of lending my Pern books to a friend who never returned them, and I miss them. That world made me dream when I was a kid, and it still makes me dream right now...
It was rather an accident for me. I think... I heard about Anne McCaffrey for a long time and all.. I even lent a gaze to some of her books.. like the Acornia. But one day I forgot a book for my outside reading in school, so I borrowed Dragonflight from my teacher to read... I loved it! Now I'm hooked!
In 8th grade last year, Mrs. Thompson decided that it would be to her students advantage to read books that were on the accelerated reader list. Me, being the book worm I am, scoured the shelves looking for something remotely interesting. When I got to the Fantasy section, I came across DragonSinger. I had previously red a chapter of DragonSong in my 4th grade reading book but I didn't realize that at the time. Well anyway, on the cover, it said that DragonSinger was the second book. I looked around and all I found was DragonDrums. I read DragonSinger and liked it immensely. I kept looking for DragonSong for about six months thinking someone else must have had it out. It was then that Mrs. Thompson being the crack addict she is told me that she hadn't unpacked the rest of the fantasy books thinking that no one was reading them! Well I re read every book and now I can't keep in stock of them! I read the whole Dragon Riders of Pern Series in one week this year!
I guess u can say my dad got me started on the Pern series by just puttin' a book in front of my face and said read. so i did i am glad i did. It is really cool how Anne McCaffrey made a whole new world. i have no clue how she did it but it is very unique. The why she explains the plot and problems in the story is very different from what i have read before. And since my dad put Dragonsong in front of my face i can not stop readin' them. And i can not wait till i get her new book, The Skies of Pern. But for now i am startin' her series on Acorna till i get it. Thanx. bye now
Well, after reading...some book...I decided that all I really liked was fantasy because, well, I live a real life. A boring real life, so why should I care to read about someone else's real boring life? And, after reading every Redwall Book, every Shannara book and every other Fantasy book that I've ever read, I needed to find a new series. So I searched through the books and saw one with dragons. I skipped it, of course. Soon after, I recieved a bookmark for Christmas from my dragon loving cousin, I like dragons very much too, of course (It's about all I draw, heh). The bookmark just happened to have the art from the cover of The White Dragon. I still didn't read the Pern books. And, after another while, I saw a friend was reading them, so I finally did. And I love them! Yes, well, I'll shut up now, I have a tendency to ramble on and on about things...
