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Dragon Harper (Pern Book 20) by [Anne McCaffrey, Todd J. McCaffrey]

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Anne McCaffrey

Todd J. McCaffrey

Dragon Harper (Pern Book 20) Kindle Edition

by Anne McCaffrey (Author), Todd J. McCaffrey (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

746 ratings

Book 20 of 25: Pern

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Captivating . . . The McCaffreys are well known for their brilliant characterizations, and they do not disappoint here.”—Booklist

In Fort Hold, a clutch of fire-lizard eggs is about to hatch, and Lord Bemin’s beautiful young daughter, Koriana, is determined to Impress one of the delightful creatures. At the hatching, apprentice harper Kindan Impresses a fire-lizard of his own . . . and wins the heart of Koriana. But Lord Bemin mistrusts harpers and will not hear of a match between his daughter and the low-born Kindan. Then fate intervenes in the form of a virulent plague as fast-spreading as it is deadly. Arising suddenly, as if out of nowhere, the contagion decimates hold after hold, paying no heed to distinctions of birth. In this feverish crucible, friendship and love will be tested to the breaking point and beyond. For with Threadfall scant years away, the Dragonriders dare not expose themselves to infection, and it will fall to Kindan and his fellow apprentices to bravely search for a cure and save humanity.

“Strong storytelling and compelling drama, along with memorable characters.”—Library Journal

Print length

386 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Del Rey
Publication date

December 26, 2007
File size

2116 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey

Dragon’s Fire

“The McCaffreys’ second fire-breathing collaboration . . . proves why these fabled dragons still cast a spell.”
–Publishers Weekly

“Grittier than the early parts of the series; Todd’s apparently brought a wider, more current worldview to Pern.”
–The San Diego Union-Tribune

Dragon’s Kin

“Superb storytelling . . . essential for Pern fans of all ages.”
–Library Journal (starred review)

“A guaranteed pleaser [in] one of SF’s most splendid and longest-lived sagas.”
–Booklist

From the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

As a terrible plague sweeps Pern, a brave Harper apprentice emerges as a true hero in this satisfying third collaboration between McCaffrey mère and fils (after 2006's Dragon's Fire). The danger this time is not the deadly Thread but a virulent disease, similar to our world's 1918 influenza epidemic or the more recent outbreaks of SARS. Kindan, a young apprentice of the Harpers' Guild who's dedicated to music, education and healing, had hoped to become a dragonrider, but failed to bond with a dragon at the last hatching. Then his education and budding romance with a lord's daughter are disrupted by the epidemic, which poses a particular threat to the dragons and dragonriders who will be needed to fight the approaching Thread. The McCaffreys depict the crisis vividly, with enough detail to make the tragedy all too real and with enough hope to keep fantasy fans happy. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Booklist

In this sequel to Dragon’s Fire (2006), young Kindan is now a Harper Hall apprentice and proud owner of a fire lizard. Hall, Hold, and Weyr (three sections of Pernese society) are threatened by a deadly plague, and Kindan and his fellow apprentices are racing to find the cure before the Third Pass begins. In a smooth, clear reading that is somewhat lacking in intensity, Ericksen does not create distinct voices for each character. Series fans, however, will undoubtedly have no trouble identifying the principal players. Featuring a large cast of adolescent characters, this coming-of-age tale is suggested where earlier Pern titles by the McCaffreys (mother and son) are popular. --Jessica Moyer --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From AudioFile

Kindan feels like he's on the top of the world. Life as an apprentice at Harper Hall is good. He's friends with dragons and dragon riders, and he seems on track to go to the Bendon Weyr when he becomes a journeyman. Finally, a clutch of fire lizards is about to hatch! Then rumors of illness begin, and too soon Pern is under the pall of a dreadful plague. Susan Ericksen conveys the naïveté that helps Kindan succeed in aiding his people amid the epidemic. She picks up the pace as his exuberance moves him forward and becomes more somber as he is worn down by tending the sick and witnessing so many deaths around him. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Anne McCaffrey, the Hugo Award-winning author of the bestselling Dragonriders of Pern® novels, is one of science fiction’s most popular authors. With Elizabeth Ann Scarborough she co-authored Changelings and Maelstrom, Books One and Two of The Twins of Petaybee. McCaffrey lives in a house of her own design, Dragonhold-Underhill, in County Wicklow, Ireland.

Todd McCaffrey is the bestselling author of the Pern novels Dragonsblood and Dragonheart, and the co-author, with his mother, Anne McCaffrey, of Dragon’s Kin, Dragon’s Fire, and Dragon Harper. A computer engineer, he currently lives in Los Angeles. Having grown up in Ireland with the epic of the Dragonriders of Pern,® he is burst-ing with ideas for new stories of that world, its people, and its dragons.

Audie award winner Susan Ericksen performs on the East Coast on stage and television. She also appears regularly with the Hope College Summer Repertory Company, of which her husband David Colacci, another Brilliance Audio narrator, is artistic director. Susan has recorded over 90 titles for Brilliance Audio, including J. D. Robb's In Death series. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

CHAPTER I

Put this on,” D’vin said to Cristov as they rushed to the Hatching Grounds. The white robe was the traditional garb for candidates, as every child on Pern knew from the Teaching Ballads.

Cristov suddenly realized that his heart was racing, his throat dry. In not much longer than it took D’vin’s bronze dragon to go between—no more time than it took to cough three times—Cristov went from being a miner recovering from an injury to being a candidate for a Hatching.

This can’t be happening, he thought. It should have been Pellar.

Pellar was the mute Harper who had rescued Cristov when his mine had collapsed, had saved Cristov when Tenim had purposely exploded the old firestone mine, and who had had a fire-lizard before Tenim’s hunting bird had killed it—and had nearly killed Pellar, as well.

Pellar deserved to be a candidate . . . but Pellar had insisted upon remaining at the newly named Fire Hold to help the young holdless girl, Halla, manage the Shunned of Pern to redeem their honor by mining the firestone of Pern.

“Cristov!” The voice, close by his ear, startled him. “You’re here! Excellent!”

Cristov’s eyes widened as he recognized Kindan. Turns back, he and Kindan had been enemies. Back then, Cristov had despised watch-whers, just as he’d been taught by his father. Kindan’s father had been a wherhandler, a person bonded to the ugly night-loving creatures who were only distant cousins to the great dragons that protected Pern. Infected by his father’s attitudes, Cristov had despised Kindan, and they’d fought many times as youngsters. In the end, however, Cristov had realized that it was Kindan who had been right and his father who had been wrong—and Cristov had found himself, at an early age, making a grown man’s choice and doing what was right instead of what was expected. He’d even come to regard the ugly watch-whers with respect bordering on awe. And now he greeted Kindan with a huge grin.

Kindan saw the robe clasped in Cristov’s hand and his eyebrows rose. He held up his hand and showed Cristov that he, too, had the white robe of a candidate.

“Great, we can go together,” he said to Cristov, as he pulled his robe over his head and tied it with the white belt.

“I thought you wanted to be a harper,” Cristov said in surprise.

“Harpers can be dragonriders, too,” Kindan replied with a big grin.

“You’ll be certain to Impress, after your watch-wher,” Cristov said. “Probably a bronze, too!”

Kindan shook his head. “I’ll just be happy to Impress,” he replied. “I’ll leave the bronzes to you.”

“Cristov, Kindan, hurry!”

They both turned and saw Sonia, the healer’s daughter, also dressed in white robes. “Oh, I do hope that egg’s a queen!”

Cristov knew that Sonia had been eyeing the funnily marked egg on the Hatching Grounds for some time. Traditionally, though, the queen dragon would carefully push aside any queen eggs, and Jessala’s Garirth hadn’t done so.

In fact, the egg looked so odd that the Weyr’s healer, Sonia’s father S’son, had been asked to examine it to be sure it was whole.

Garirth was so old that her gold hide was a mere pale yellow, and Jessala, her rider, was so pained with age that she rarely moved from her quarters. It was entirely possible that age had caused this egg to have come out wrong somehow. But S’son had declared it fine.

D’vin gestured for them to go forward, saying, “I’ll watch from the stands!”

Together the three moved to join the other candidates on the Hatching Grounds.

There were only twenty-three eggs on the Grounds. Cristov had learned that traditionally a queen would lay as few as thirty and as many as forty or more eggs. That Garirth had lain so few was a further indication of her extreme age.

Sonia, who had been examining the other candidates carefully, groaned. “There aren’t enough candidates! There are only twenty boys and twenty-two eggs. And there are no other girls, either.”

A rush of cold air from dragon wings startled them and they turned to see a smattering of boys and girls rush forward, dressed in white robes.

“Those are Benden colors,” Sonia said, pointing to a dragonrider waving in the distance. “B’ralar must have sent for them.”

“It’s M’tal!” Kindan exclaimed, waving excitedly to the Benden Weyrleader. M’tal waved back and gave him a thumbs-up for good luck.

“What if one of the Benden girls Impresses the queen?” Cristov asked.

“She’ll stay here,” Sonia said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if she found herself Weyrwoman at the moment of Hatching.” She cast a worried look at Garirth, whose head lolled listlessly on the ground beyond them. “I think Garirth and Jessala are only waiting for the hatchlings before they go between forever; they’re both so tired with age.” --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000W93AEM
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Del Rey; 1st edition (December 26, 2007)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 26, 2007
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2116 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 386 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #70,973 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
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- #749 in Colonization Science Fiction
- #1,054 in Space Opera Science Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
746 ratings

About the authors

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Anne McCaffrey
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Anne McCaffrey, the Hugo Award-winning author of the bestselling Dragonriders of Pern® novels, is one of science fiction's most popular authors. With Elizabeth Ann Scarborough she co-authored Changelings and Maelstrom, Books One and Two of The Twins of Petaybee. McCaffrey lives in a house of her own design, Dragonhold-Underhill, in County Wicklow, Ireland.
Photo by Anna Creech from Ellensburg, WA (Anne McCaffrey signing. Cropped prior to upload.) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
See more on the author's page
Todd J. McCaffrey
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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Todd McCaffrey is a New York Times bestselling author of over thirty books, including eight in the Dragonriders of Pern (R) universe.
His latest books are in the Canaris Rift series, starting with Raw Space, a space opera involving the sole laundry ship for the five fleets of the Kingdom of Nouveau Franconia.
Prior to that he has: Ellay, about the first artificial intelligence; The Jupiter Game, a first contact space opera; and The Steam Walker, a historical fantasy.
Visit his website is at http://www.toddmccaffrey.com
He is co-authoring with the multiple award-winning Winner Twins to write the Twin Soul Series with twenty books currently available Learn more at: http://twinsoulseries.com
In February 2021, he and the award-winning Winner Twins released their first full-length historical fantasy novel, The Magpie's War.
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

5 star		81%
4 star		13%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Amy Good

Meh...

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2020

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It was just okay...I really loved about half of the books in the Pern series and the rest were just okay for me. This one was just okay. I really liked a lot of the characters. It just didn't have the same feel as say, Dragonflight or Dragonquest. It's just starting to get stretched too thin.

That, and the fact that we already had a plague of flu in Moreta and just two books earlier a plague of something flu-like that effected the dragons rather than people in Dragon's Blood. The third time plague was the theme started to feel like time to let it go. Either find some new dramatic catalyst for your story, or don't write another one!

7 people found this helpful

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FRED MASSEY

A New Beginning!

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2017

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For me, this has been emotionally the hardest of the Series to read so far. It begins with a tragedy leading to the start of character development in a small boy, Kindan. Through an increasing series of more challenging difficulties, without realizing it, he is being prepared to face the most difficult challenge of his life: one that threatens all of PERN.

This story brought tears of sadness and joy to me, as I read of his adventures in learning accountability, accepting responsibility, and dealing with loss in family, friendship, fellowship, and love. This is a story of how he grew up to be a quiet strong man dedicated to serving others. It represents the making of a true leader.

7 people found this helpful

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Sam Mishael

I think this may be the best Pern story since we were introduced to Lessa

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2020

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I can’t stop crying. There is a friggin pandemic worse than in Moretta’s ride. Characters you love, die, like a George R R Martin story. But there are also characters you love that survive unbearable sorrow to help the Halls, Holds and Weyrs find a way to help each other and survive. READ THIS BOOK.

I have just retired and have binged re-reading the Pern series after 30 years. It’s so worth it. But had not come across the continuing series by Todd McCaffrey before. Dragon Harper is the third by Todd and while the first two were good, the third is as good as the best his mother ever wrote. Read the Todd books in order

The ending is happy, But only after a lot of sorrow.

2 people found this helpful

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Plague on Pern

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2016

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DRAGON HARPER stars apprentice harper Kindan. It begins with him standing up for the girl apprentices from bullying by an older apprentice Vaxoram. They fight a duel with the loser becoming a servant to the winner. Kindan wins and is determined to redeem Vaxoram. But events intervene....

A new virulent plague is infesting all of Pern and threatens to kill everyone. The Dragonriders need to stay away from the infected Holds because Pern won't survive the next Threadfall without the Dragonriders. And it isn't long before the trusted elders at Harper Hall succumb to it, leaving the fate of Pern in the hands of Kindan and his fellow apprentices.

There is a romance too. Both the Lord Holder's daughter Koriana and Kindan impress two from a clutch of fire lizards and fall in love. But the Lord Holder isn't going to let his daughter marry a lowly harper.

This was an entertaining story that makes me eager to read the next book in the Pern series.

2 people found this helpful

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sunglasslady19

Kindan the young Harper apprentice is friends with Dragon Riders and miners and harpers. This is how he grew to be the best the

Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2014

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Kindan was always in trouble because of his guestioning mind. At the same he was making friends with the very ones who appreciated his quests. The lead to unusual answers to things needing fixing. The master Harper supervised his training and allowed some leeway in the growth of Kindan. After all he was attached to a former green watch weyr, he was friends with Dragon Riders and Miners, and he had befriended the weaker apprentices at Harper hall.
Kindan fights a duel to protect the girls of Harper hall from harassment. In winning the fight he becomes responsible for the loser and make a great friend. But a plague hits Pern and Kindan is called on to grow up fast and try to find a way to bring Weyr, hold, hall, and dragon riders to the aid of Pern.
This is a very heartbreaking story of the devastation a plague can bring. But is also the story of a young mans growth in awfull times and the strength that has been brought to the survivors .

2 people found this helpful

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Pete

Dragon Harper

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2013

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Todd Mccaffrey, what can I say? Your mother was still alive at the time of you writing this book yet you couldn't pull this story out of the doldrums. It is an interesting story arc but to be told in such a manner as to kill the franchise. You labor too hard on the background and mild geo politics.
Maybe I just got spoiled by the way your mother wrote all of her books (okay,not the Acorna ones). But your plodding needs help. Have you considered working with any of the people who collaborated with Anne, on any of her other series? I think you are too close to your mother's style to handle it lighter. It shouldn't be rocket science for you. Although Anne, did have some great rocket science books and some truly spectacular short story anthologies. Please get some writing help.

10 people found this helpful

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Shay Tracy

Devastating

Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2021

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A devastating read during a pandemic when I'm already drowning in real life stories about people choking and trying to read.

I love Kindan and his group of outcasts, and this book is less focused on dragons and their riders than a regular Pern book- and I love it.

Can't stop crying, but this is another great story of Pern.

Helpful

That being said I do like the characters and I got very invested in them ...

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2015

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The first thing with the time knot books that Todd McCaffrey has written is that they are a tad confusing and difficult to get into. It is hard to tell how much of that is the time traveling concept and how much of that is the writing style of the author. That being said I do like the characters and I got very invested in them and their story. I also got the feeling that Todd was settling into his story and writing style a little better. These books only make sense if you read them all together so as a whole even though some books weren't my favorite I really liked the whole story line over all and will read it again.

I will read this book again and look forward to other Todd McCaffrey Pern books.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Jennine

Dragon Harper - good but not quite there.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2015

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This was written by Todd McCaffrey and even though it still has the input and feel of Anne McCaffrey, his mother, I'm sorry to say that Todd's books are not as good as Anne's. The characters simply don't grab you. I was left very disconnected from the characters. I also found the plot terribly contrived - the various "eureka" moments the main character has seem to be quite obvious for the reader. And the characters just don't grow and evolve with the story, at least not in a believable manner. It has always been Anne McCaffrey's ability to create lovable, believable characters that has drawn me to her books. Perhaps in a few decades Todd's writing will be as good as his mother's but for now - no, sorry.
Apart from that, the story of an epidemic on Pern has already been told, in a much more enjoyable way - I recommend a re-read of "Moreta".

4 people found this helpful

Bobkat

Really doesn't do justice to the Dragons of Pern

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2016

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I have been a reader of the Dragons of Pern books for 30 years now and have always loved them, coming back to re-read them as an adult. However, I have found the new Pern books to be very disappointing. This has been the worst and means I will not go on to read the further books in this series by Todd McCarthy. The plot is wafer thin, the characters are two dimensional so you simply don't engage with them or find them believable. In fact I found Kindan so annoying I nearly stopped reading - what a martyr. he takes the blame for everything like being a victim is a kind of hobby. As someone else has noted, I also found the various 'eureka' moments that Kindan had so obvious they felt contrived and the story simply didn't flow very well. I am sorry I wasted my time and money on this book, but I will not be making the same mistake with further ones I'm sad to say.

4 people found this helpful

merriman

Disappointing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2019

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Not up to Anne McCaffrery's usual standard, probably because it was co-written with her son who doesn't appear to have the same imagination and flair.

One person found this helpful

Jonno in UK

Probably the most moving Perm story I have read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2021

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Humour, sadness, courage, fortitude, love, grief and mourning. They are all there in plenitude, along with strong characters and bold storylines, with joy in the finale.

In all, a damned good read!

Martin Dexter

Dragon harper

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2019

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I borrowed the book read it loved it and handed it back but wanted my own copy!

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Anne McCaffrey
705
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Todd J. McCaffrey
514
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Todd J. McCaffrey
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Todd J. Mccaffrey
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Anne Mccaffrey
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Anne McCaffrey
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