Dragonseye
by Anne McCaffrey
Dragonriders of Pern: Chronological (4 {257-258 AL: End of 1st Interval–2nd Pass}), Dragonriders of Pern: Publication Order (1st Interval - 2nd Pass)
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On the planet Pern, two farseeing dragon riders train their troops--mounted on genetically engineered dragons--for the battle with the Thread, an evil force. Portents of all sorts, including violent storms and erupting volcanos, point to the Thread's coming, but most of the planet prefers to ignore them, lulled into complacency by 200 years of peace.Tags
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This Pern prequel follows up on Dragonsdawn and The Chronicles of Pern, moving us to the tail end of the First Interval, just before the first return of the Thread in the Second Pass. Though it shares no characters in common with those books, it works to show the transition from Pernese society at the time of the First Pass to what we're used to from later books.
I found this element a bit hit or miss. One thing it wants to set up is the transition to the Crafthall/Harper system. On the one hand, having all the computers finally go down, meaning educators decide to transition to easily reproduced songs, discarding most pre-Landing history, makes sense. (It is pretty jarring to see the word "PCs" used in a Pern book, though!) On the other show more hand, there's a single College in this book. How does this become the various Crafthalls of later stories? Well, one character is just like, "What if we were a bunch of separate Crafthalls operating on an apprenctice/journeyman system?" As sort of frustrated me in Chronicles, things don't slowly evolve to be like they are later on; instead some character just decides it will be that way. Similarly, in the two hundred years since the last Fall, the feudal system we know from the later novels has totally implanted itself... but why? Why did everyone decide this was best to the point of writing it up in an official Charter? That said, I did appreciate the explanation as to why fire lizards, so common in the time of Dragonsdawn, were all but mythical by the time of Dragonsong.
Overall, I think the idea of this book was much better than the actual book. The conflict ought to be, I think anyway, that this is the first return the Thread has made to Pern; there haven't been thousands of years of Passes and Intervals for Pernese society to organize itself around. Yes, they know from the predictions made in Dragonsdawn that the Thread will return... but the scientific predictions of experts often don't receive wide acceptance in society, as we know fairly well by this point in the twenty-first century. So some won't believe the Thread is really coming back; why do all the hard work of preparing for it? How do you convince everyone else it is coming back?
The problem is that only one Lord Holder doesn't believe it's coming back, and he is an awful awful person. He's a gambler, he's stingy, he doesn't pay his debts, he charges high taxes, he tacitly condones rape, and he tortures his citizens. So obviously he's a bad person, and obviously the other characters are going to take care of him. I think it would have been much more interesting for a character much more reasonable to doubt the coming of Thread, and for removing him to be a politically more difficult undertaking. It seems to me that the tension of this book ought to be if Pern will be ready for the Second Pass... but there's never any tension, because barring one guy, everyone is ready from the novel's very beginning.
Like all McCaffrey novels, it reads fairly easily (I allotted five days to read it and ended up zipping through it in three) and it has its moments, but it goes on a bit, and it felt to me like she ran out of plot about a hundred pages from the end because suddenly the book shifts to focus on two characters we barely saw in the rest of the book. As is too often the case in her later books, it loses the "hardscrabble" feeling that made the early Pern books. The return of the Thread is a moment of triumph! But surely it ought to be a moment of grim resignation, surely everyone ought to have been hoping the predictions were wrong, because the return of the Thread means that Pern is doomed to this terrible cycle for all time. show less
I found this element a bit hit or miss. One thing it wants to set up is the transition to the Crafthall/Harper system. On the one hand, having all the computers finally go down, meaning educators decide to transition to easily reproduced songs, discarding most pre-Landing history, makes sense. (It is pretty jarring to see the word "PCs" used in a Pern book, though!) On the other show more hand, there's a single College in this book. How does this become the various Crafthalls of later stories? Well, one character is just like, "What if we were a bunch of separate Crafthalls operating on an apprenctice/journeyman system?" As sort of frustrated me in Chronicles, things don't slowly evolve to be like they are later on; instead some character just decides it will be that way. Similarly, in the two hundred years since the last Fall, the feudal system we know from the later novels has totally implanted itself... but why? Why did everyone decide this was best to the point of writing it up in an official Charter? That said, I did appreciate the explanation as to why fire lizards, so common in the time of Dragonsdawn, were all but mythical by the time of Dragonsong.
Overall, I think the idea of this book was much better than the actual book. The conflict ought to be, I think anyway, that this is the first return the Thread has made to Pern; there haven't been thousands of years of Passes and Intervals for Pernese society to organize itself around. Yes, they know from the predictions made in Dragonsdawn that the Thread will return... but the scientific predictions of experts often don't receive wide acceptance in society, as we know fairly well by this point in the twenty-first century. So some won't believe the Thread is really coming back; why do all the hard work of preparing for it? How do you convince everyone else it is coming back?
The problem is that only one Lord Holder doesn't believe it's coming back, and he is an awful awful person. He's a gambler, he's stingy, he doesn't pay his debts, he charges high taxes, he tacitly condones rape, and he tortures his citizens. So obviously he's a bad person, and obviously the other characters are going to take care of him. I think it would have been much more interesting for a character much more reasonable to doubt the coming of Thread, and for removing him to be a politically more difficult undertaking. It seems to me that the tension of this book ought to be if Pern will be ready for the Second Pass... but there's never any tension, because barring one guy, everyone is ready from the novel's very beginning.
Like all McCaffrey novels, it reads fairly easily (I allotted five days to read it and ended up zipping through it in three) and it has its moments, but it goes on a bit, and it felt to me like she ran out of plot about a hundred pages from the end because suddenly the book shifts to focus on two characters we barely saw in the rest of the book. As is too often the case in her later books, it loses the "hardscrabble" feeling that made the early Pern books. The return of the Thread is a moment of triumph! But surely it ought to be a moment of grim resignation, surely everyone ought to have been hoping the predictions were wrong, because the return of the Thread means that Pern is doomed to this terrible cycle for all time. show less
It is two-hundred years since the first Thread fell on Pern. Old Earth technology is failing or has already failed. Old attitudes are going away except for some die-hard traditionalists. This story follows a number of people who are getting ready for Thread to fall.
We get the story of a young woman named Debera who was Searched but whose father didn't tell her that she had a chance to Impress a dragon because he had made other more advantageous (to him) plans for her future. When she finds the letter, she runs away from home followed by her father, the man he made the deal with, and her potential mate. She gets to the hatching ground in time to Impress the green Dragon Morath.
We get the story of an artist whose first commission is to show more paints miniatures of the young children of the Lord Holder of Bitra. Iantine learns just how badly a Hold can be run as he meets Lord Holder Chalkin who doesn't believe that Thread is really going to fall.
We see that various Lord Holders and Weyr Leaders as they meet to decide what to do about Lord Chalkin and get to know the personalities of the first group to fight Thread without old Earth technology but with dragons.
We meet the teachers who are tasked with finding a way to continue teaching their necessary curriculum now that the final computers have died. We see the development of the Teaching Songs and Ballads.
This was an excellent story that sets up the Pern that readers see in the books that take place in times long past this second Thread fall. The characters were engaging and the plot was fast moving. show less
We get the story of a young woman named Debera who was Searched but whose father didn't tell her that she had a chance to Impress a dragon because he had made other more advantageous (to him) plans for her future. When she finds the letter, she runs away from home followed by her father, the man he made the deal with, and her potential mate. She gets to the hatching ground in time to Impress the green Dragon Morath.
We get the story of an artist whose first commission is to show more paints miniatures of the young children of the Lord Holder of Bitra. Iantine learns just how badly a Hold can be run as he meets Lord Holder Chalkin who doesn't believe that Thread is really going to fall.
We see that various Lord Holders and Weyr Leaders as they meet to decide what to do about Lord Chalkin and get to know the personalities of the first group to fight Thread without old Earth technology but with dragons.
We meet the teachers who are tasked with finding a way to continue teaching their necessary curriculum now that the final computers have died. We see the development of the Teaching Songs and Ballads.
This was an excellent story that sets up the Pern that readers see in the books that take place in times long past this second Thread fall. The characters were engaging and the plot was fast moving. show less
The main plot of this Pern novel, set just prior to the Second Pass of thread, is about a despotic Lord Holder who refuses to believe the danger is real. Unfortunately, the villain is a little too villainous - he's really a caricature, with no redeeming qualities, making you wonder why his subjects aren't willing to rebel more. Though seeing him brought down is still quite satisfying.
However, the secondary plotline about preparations for Thread is pretty interesting. The second pass is coinciding with the breakdown of the last of Pern's advanced technology - they have a few computers, but all are on their last legs. Several characters are busy reinventing substitutes such as the abacus and the fountain pen. Not to mention revamping show more their entire educational system to ensure that all have the necessary survival skills, at the possible expense of the knowledge of life elsewhere. The characters involved in this plot - mostly educators and musicians - are much more well-rounded, with both strengths and weaknesses. And some of their solutions are very creative - I think it's worth reading for that aspect alone. show less
However, the secondary plotline about preparations for Thread is pretty interesting. The second pass is coinciding with the breakdown of the last of Pern's advanced technology - they have a few computers, but all are on their last legs. Several characters are busy reinventing substitutes such as the abacus and the fountain pen. Not to mention revamping show more their entire educational system to ensure that all have the necessary survival skills, at the possible expense of the knowledge of life elsewhere. The characters involved in this plot - mostly educators and musicians - are much more well-rounded, with both strengths and weaknesses. And some of their solutions are very creative - I think it's worth reading for that aspect alone. show less
A solid entry in the Pern verse. The characters are sympathetic and the plot moves apace. The adventures in the Southern Continent were something of a surprise to me, but enjoyable enough. Iantine is far and away the best part of this book, and I did feel like we could have spent more time getting to know the Telgar Weyrleaders. Overall, it’s a good book that I will never think about again after finishing it.
This is subtitled The Second Chronicles of Pern, so I assumed that, like the The Chronicles of Pern : First Fall, it was a collection of short stories. It is actually a novel (known in the US as Dragonseye), and I found this was one of the rare Pern novels I hadn't read before - so all's well. Both Chronicles fill in the gap between the stories of the original colonists from Earth and the later Pernese of Moreta's and then Lessa's times.
Red Star Rising is the story, told (in the third person) from the viewpoints of different characters, of the time when the colonists - now living in the northern hemisphere, know that the red planet, which brings the parasite Thread with it, is once again approaching Pern (the second time in their show more history). The original technology brought from Earth is finally failing, and they have to use their ingenuity to find alternatives; but dragons and dragon riders are now a firmly established facet of their society. Unlike the stories later in the chronology, the people of Pern do know about the original colonists, and pay heed to the stories of the renewed threat from the skies.
This is the story of how they set the traditions for the generations to come, of how to deal with the threat of Thread, of how to teach and spread knowledge without computers and printouts. I think the US title, Dragonseye refers to what are called the Starstones in other stories; the sculptures (for want of a better word) that are conceived of and set in place in this novel, that warn of the approach of the Red Star. show less
Red Star Rising is the story, told (in the third person) from the viewpoints of different characters, of the time when the colonists - now living in the northern hemisphere, know that the red planet, which brings the parasite Thread with it, is once again approaching Pern (the second time in their show more history). The original technology brought from Earth is finally failing, and they have to use their ingenuity to find alternatives; but dragons and dragon riders are now a firmly established facet of their society. Unlike the stories later in the chronology, the people of Pern do know about the original colonists, and pay heed to the stories of the renewed threat from the skies.
This is the story of how they set the traditions for the generations to come, of how to deal with the threat of Thread, of how to teach and spread knowledge without computers and printouts. I think the US title, Dragonseye refers to what are called the Starstones in other stories; the sculptures (for want of a better word) that are conceived of and set in place in this novel, that warn of the approach of the Red Star. show less
For two hundred years thread has not fallen, only the dragons and their riders are prepared for the second pass of the red planet that rains destruction on Pern. Spellbinding.
Thread: deadly silver strands that fall from the sky like rain, devouring every organic thing in their path - animals, plants, and people alike. Who could believe that such a horrible thing could exist? After all, it's been 200 years since Thread supposedly fell on Pern. No one alive remembers that first onslaught. There's no sign of it anywhere in the world. Only the dragons, originally created to be a weapon against Thread, are still around to remind people that once before their population was decimated, their hopes and dreams and livelihoods almost destroyed show more forever.
For two centuries the dragonriders have been practicing and training, passing down from generation to generation the Threadfighting techniques learned on the fly by their besieged ancestors. And most of the Lord Holders are prepared to protect their people, to provide sanctuary, to assemble groundcrews to search out and destroy any Thread that might be missed by the dragons soaring overhead. All but one.
Even now the ominous signs are appearing: the violent winter storms and volcanic eruptions that are said to herald the approach of the Red Star and its lethal spawn. Impossibly, one stubborn Lord Holder, Chalkin of Bitra, refuses to believe - and that disbelief could spell disaster for all of Pern. So while the dragonriders desperately train to face an enemy they've never fought before, they and the other Lord Holders must find a way to deal with Chalkin and protect Bitra. show less
Thread: deadly silver strands that fall from the sky like rain, devouring every organic thing in their path - animals, plants, and people alike. Who could believe that such a horrible thing could exist? After all, it's been 200 years since Thread supposedly fell on Pern. No one alive remembers that first onslaught. There's no sign of it anywhere in the world. Only the dragons, originally created to be a weapon against Thread, are still around to remind people that once before their population was decimated, their hopes and dreams and livelihoods almost destroyed show more forever.
For two centuries the dragonriders have been practicing and training, passing down from generation to generation the Threadfighting techniques learned on the fly by their besieged ancestors. And most of the Lord Holders are prepared to protect their people, to provide sanctuary, to assemble groundcrews to search out and destroy any Thread that might be missed by the dragons soaring overhead. All but one.
Even now the ominous signs are appearing: the violent winter storms and volcanic eruptions that are said to herald the approach of the Red Star and its lethal spawn. Impossibly, one stubborn Lord Holder, Chalkin of Bitra, refuses to believe - and that disbelief could spell disaster for all of Pern. So while the dragonriders desperately train to face an enemy they've never fought before, they and the other Lord Holders must find a way to deal with Chalkin and protect Bitra. show less
I read most of the series about 20 years ago in publication order.
Stopped before I got to this book.
I'm now reading the complete series in chronological order, making this the third book.
I found this book pleasant and enjoyable enough to read. It doesn't really add that much background to the original couple of trilogies - not as much as Dragonsdawn. The characters were likable enough, but I had a feeling of deja vu and think they will be remarkably similar to Lessa etc in the 'later' books.
This almost feels like a 'reboot' that never made it past one book.
Anyhow, on to Dragon's Kin and the Todd/Anne written books before back to Moretta.
Stopped before I got to this book.
I'm now reading the complete series in chronological order, making this the third book.
I found this book pleasant and enjoyable enough to read. It doesn't really add that much background to the original couple of trilogies - not as much as Dragonsdawn. The characters were likable enough, but I had a feeling of deja vu and think they will be remarkably similar to Lessa etc in the 'later' books.
This almost feels like a 'reboot' that never made it past one book.
Anyhow, on to Dragon's Kin and the Todd/Anne written books before back to Moretta.
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Author Information
257+ Works 207,449 Members
Anne McCaffrey was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on April 1, 1926. She received a degree in Slavonic languages from Radcliffe College. She worked in advertising for Helena Rubenstein from 1947 to 1952. Her first publication was a short story in Science Fiction Magazine, and her first novel, Restoree, was published in 1967. She is a well-known show more author of over 100 books, mostly science fiction, including the Dragonriders of Pern series, the Crystal Singer series, Acorna's Children series, The Twins of Petaybee series, and Barque Cats series. She won numerous awards including the Hugo Award for Best Novella for the short story Weyr Search in 1968 and the Nebula Award for Best Novella for Dragonrider in 1969. In 2006, she was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. She has also written books under the pseudonym Jody Lynn. She died of a stroke on November 21, 2011 at the age of 85. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Series
Dragonriders of Pern: Chronological
31 works (4 {257-258 AL: End of 1st Interval–2nd Pass})
Dragonriders of Pern: Publication Order
26 works (1st Interval - 2nd Pass)
Belongs to Publisher Series
Pocket (5677)
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Dragonseye
- Original title
- Red Star Rising (UK) (UK); Dragonseye (US) (US)
- Alternate titles
- Dragonseye
- Original publication date
- 1996 (UK) (UK)
- People/Characters*
- Chalkin van Bitra; K'vin
- Important places
- Benden Weyr, Pern
- Epigraph
- The Finger points
To an Eye blood-red.
Alert the Weyrs
To sear the Thread.
From Dragonflight - Dedication
- This book is most respectfully dedicated to
Dieter Clissmann,
who sorts out my various computers and never fails to answer my pleas for HELP! - First words
- DRAGONS IN SQUADRONS WOVE, and interwove, sky trails, diving and climbing in wings, each precisely separated by the minimum safety distance so that occasionally the watchers thought they saw an uninterrupted line of dragons a... (show all)s the close order drill continued.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)And thus began the Second Pass of Thread on Pern!
- Original language
- English
- Disambiguation notice
- Red Star Rising was the original UK title. It was changed to Dragonseye for publication in the US.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Reviews
- 25
- Rating
- (3.74)
- Languages
- 5 — Dutch, English, French, German, Polish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 35
- ASINs
- 13