Basic Information

Author: Anne McCaffrey
Age Rating: Adult (AD)
Series: Dragonflight is the first novel in the Dragon Riders of Pern trilogy, followed by Dragonquest and The White Dragon.

Review

The world of Pern combines elements of science fiction and fantasy, with dangerous and destructive Thread from outer space countered solely by dragons and their riders. Telepathy and psychic communication meet medieval-like fortresses and holds.

Lessa, the protagonist, is a strong female character, which in science fiction and fantasy in particular can be hard to find, but the caliber of the characters otherwise was dull. The development and progress of each character felt stagnant. The ranks of the dragons are determined by the dragon's colors alone, and life in the Weyr reads a bit musty.

Despite its shortcomings, the plot of Dragonflight brings this novel to light. The pacing of the novel is well done, and the conflicts keep the pages turning.

Ratings

Characters Plot Structure
White Dragon Rating Black Dragon Rating Red Dragon Rating