Two boys, one of them a dragonrider, re-establish crucial contact with the wise dolphins, the legendary "shipfish" of Pern. read full description
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Jul 16, 2008
Kat
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To borrow a TV phrase, I consider All the Weyrs of Pern (the book immediately proceeding Dolphins of Pern chronologically) to be where McCaffrey jumped the shark with the Dragonriders series. I will refrain from including any spoilers here and only say that All the Weyrs has the natural feel of a conclusion about it. Then McCaffrey had to go and write two Pern books to follow it! To put it another way, all the books written before All the Weyrs of Pern have warrented multiple rereadings. All the
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Jan 19, 2012
Kaila
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This review can also be read on my blog, Stumptown Books.
This book will always have a special place in my heart. It was my first introduction to Anne McCaffrey, probably when I was about 12 or 13. According to my mom, my grandpa called asking what I wanted for my birthday, and she said “Oh, any book with dragons or dolphins will make her happy.” How right she was! I didn’t get much out of it on my first read through, as you really need to have read the rest of the series first, but i More...
This book will always have a special place in my heart. It was my first introduction to Anne McCaffrey, probably when I was about 12 or 13. According to my mom, my grandpa called asking what I wanted for my birthday, and she said “Oh, any book with dragons or dolphins will make her happy.” How right she was! I didn’t get much out of it on my first read through, as you really need to have read the rest of the series first, but i More...
Nov 25, 2011
Darlene
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I read this long ago. I recently picked up a large collection of McCaffrey hardback (many first edition) novels. I felt somehow in Her presence as I was about halfway through this book when she passed to 'between.'
This is not my favorite book of the Pern novels, but it ranks very high. I am passionate about dolphins and swimming... and dragons. But at times I wished for more of Readis's life than the life of the 'politicians' of the planet. I wished for more science discovery. There wa More...
This is not my favorite book of the Pern novels, but it ranks very high. I am passionate about dolphins and swimming... and dragons. But at times I wished for more of Readis's life than the life of the 'politicians' of the planet. I wished for more science discovery. There wa More...
Nov 25, 2011
Darlene
rated it:
I read this long ago. I recently picked up a large collection of McCaffrey hardback (many first edition) novels. I felt somehow in Her presence as I was about halfway through this book when she passed to 'between.'
This is not my favorite book of the Pern novels, but it ranks very high. I am passionate about dolphins and swimming... and dragons. But at times I wished for more of Readis's life than the life of the 'politicians' of the planet. I wished for more science discovery. There wa More...
This is not my favorite book of the Pern novels, but it ranks very high. I am passionate about dolphins and swimming... and dragons. But at times I wished for more of Readis's life than the life of the 'politicians' of the planet. I wished for more science discovery. There wa More...
Mar 02, 2010
Tamcamry
rated it: 
• I have to admit that I didn’t like this book as much as some of A.M.’s past Pern novels. The story just seemed a little too happy. There was very little conflict at all, and the conflict that happened seemed to be resolved in the most boring, undramatic way. It’s not that I necessarily need there to be all sorts of rampant plot twists, but this was just too quaint. It just seemed like no matter what happened, everything ended up fine and happy, and no one in Pern ever had bad things happen
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Dec 05, 2010
Alsha
rated it:
It's a second-tier Pern book, and not really comparable to the key novels in the series, but I have a soft spot for it nonetheless. Dolphins and dragons! AM does a wonderfully authentic job of conveying the dolphin personalities, which are really the strong point of the novel. It's like a watchable made-for-tv sequel to a stunning feature film: you aren't blown away, but the return to a familiar world with glimpses of familiar faces is still an extension of something you love, and so you forgive
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Jul 30, 2011
Luke
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This book runs mostly paralell to the events of All the Weyrs of Pern, with the final events of ATWOP occuring about 3/4 of the way through. It follows the story of Readis, the son of the Paradise Hold Lord Holder Jayge. Readis and his Uncle Alemi are out fishing when caught in a strom and capsised.
In a surprising turn of events they're rescued by Dolphins, intelligent sentient creatures who arrived with the original settlers of Pern. The book follows the efforts of Readis and young More...
In a surprising turn of events they're rescued by Dolphins, intelligent sentient creatures who arrived with the original settlers of Pern. The book follows the efforts of Readis and young More...
Jan 20, 2012
Angie
rated it: 
I really enjoyed this one. The dolphins add a new dimension to the Pern stories. I wish they could have been reintroduced earlier. However, I love what they bring to the series.
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Nov 02, 2011
Hengest
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In this book we are properly introduced to the dolphins of Pern which were brought to the planet by the settlers.
Over time the relationship between man and the dolphins diminished to the point where they were known as nothing more than "shipfish". Despite numerous sailors having been saved by these "fish" following shipwrecks few would dare to recount the tales for fear of ridicule.
But when a young boy, Readis (Son of Aramina and Jayge), is rescued by More...
Over time the relationship between man and the dolphins diminished to the point where they were known as nothing more than "shipfish". Despite numerous sailors having been saved by these "fish" following shipwrecks few would dare to recount the tales for fear of ridicule.
But when a young boy, Readis (Son of Aramina and Jayge), is rescued by More...
Aug 02, 2008
Kathryn
rated it: 
Oh for crying out loud...what the heck HAPPENED? The book right before this one, "All the Weyrs Of Pern" was fantastic and startling and different and beautiful. And then this one was AWFUL. McCaffrey took one of my favorite characters from the last book, Aramina, and turned her into a shrewish, unsympathetic, two-dimensional twit. The storyline with her son going off to make his own hold was like something out of a nine-year-old's diary ("I'm going to run away and make my own hol
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Jun 14, 2008
Tara
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I liked this book. While not as enjoyable as Dragonflight or Dragonsong, it is an enjoyable read.
There are a few drawbacks, of course. Readis, the main character, is rather dull. His story has already been told in the Pern series (A young person gets crippled, faces disapproval from overbearing parents and runs away to become the first of something). Sounds familiar? Readis is just a carbon copy of Menolly, but less interesting. T'lion is also rather dull. So it is a good thing More...
There are a few drawbacks, of course. Readis, the main character, is rather dull. His story has already been told in the Pern series (A young person gets crippled, faces disapproval from overbearing parents and runs away to become the first of something). Sounds familiar? Readis is just a carbon copy of Menolly, but less interesting. T'lion is also rather dull. So it is a good thing More...
Feb 14, 2009
Foomy
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Not a lot of dragons in this book. Events are concurrent with the latter part of Renegades, All The Weyrs, and a little past. Mostly deals with a boy who loves dolphins and the reintroduction of their working relationship with the Pernese after centuries of neglect. Not what you normally look for in a Pern novel, really, but at least many of the main characters from the other books made an appearance (unlike in Nerilka).
Jul 27, 2009
Daniel
rated it:
McCaffrey attempts to rewrite Menolly's story... instead of a girl loving music and running away to live in caves, the boy runs away because his parents think he spends too much time with dolphins. Not much crisis, and too much parental angst. Add to that the continued ruining of Pern with the sudden influx of technology, and you have one of the worst books of the series.
Jan 03, 2011
Amelia
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There was a little bit of the "same story from a different point of view" that she has been doing on and off - which irritates me. But, it went far beyond All The Wyers of Pern and had little to do with much that happened in the other book. I really liked it. I've ordered the rest of the series from Amazon as soon as I finished this book, so I would have to say that I am a "Pern fan".
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Feb 05, 2008
Mary
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The Dolphins of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey. 3.5/5 This was not her best book ever and had some serious flaws, in my opinion, but we still enjoyed it. One of the things that I did not like about it is that it left the story to talk about ongoing Pern business without good background, so that it doesn't stand alone and the thread of the story was broken. It would be a much better story if those parts of the book were removed or woven in much more skillfully. The main story was good but had many
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Jul 01, 2011
Suicide-blonde
rated it:
It reached five stars for me in the middle with Readis - I actually kind of wish it had focused on Readis and not so much on Toric's schemes again. They're getting old. XD But even the Readis thing was resolved way too neatly. I wish the scene where the Tillek talks to his parents had been included, but oh well.
Jan 30, 2011
Victoria
rated it:
I think I once attempted to read this book before. It suffers from the usual post-core-series volumes in having a familiar plot, a young person who pioneers a forgotten function of dealing with dolphins. This time I enjoyed the book well enough.
Aug 06, 2011
Jackie
rated it:
The McCaffreys have got to be my favorite science fiction authors ever. I got hooked on Pern during high school when I read the Harper Hall Trilogy, and then I went on to explore the rest of the world with Anne and Todd in the book adventures of a lifetime. I highly recommend any of the Dragonriders of Pern book series for any science fiction lover.
Nov 26, 2010
Jennie
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It's been a lot of years since I read a Pern novel - I listened to this in audio book version. I was NOT impressed with the reader; I've never experienced such a slow reader. But I'm not sure I would have given this book any more stores even without the poor reader.
Aug 02, 2010
Erin
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I think this is the last Pern book that I read, as it felt like they were starting to go downhill. The dolphins are nice but it's starting to get a little cheesy and expectable.
Jul 02, 2011
Rattyfleef
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Tried to re-read it. Awkward. Loved it in highschool though. Enthusiasm counts for a lot, gets better further in. Problem with women all being hinderances to adventure.
Aug 04, 2011
Hazel
rated it:
Anne McCaffrey has written an absolutely wonderful fantasy series. Her Pern novels are beautifully written and very enjoyable individually or as a whole.
Feb 24, 2011
Desi
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Listened to this book on tape. The worst book on tape voicing I've EVER heard! The story was enough to carry me through. That says a lot for the writing.
Mar 15, 2010
penny
rated it:
I'm dong marathon reviewing and running out of energy so I'll leave just the following phrases until some time in the future when I'll be able to write more:
- follow your dream
- remember the stories
- believe.
- follow your dream
- remember the stories
- believe.
Aug 30, 2010
Debbie
rated it:
When young Readis is saved from drowning by a "shipfish" that can talk, he helps to reestablish the link with the dolphins who accompanied the original colonists from Earth. When his parents forbid further contact with the dolphins, Readis, with the help of a sympathetic dragonrider, finds a way to keep his new friendships going.
This is among my favorite books in the series because the dolphins are so fun, especially when they are interacting with dragons.
This is among my favorite books in the series because the dolphins are so fun, especially when they are interacting with dragons.
Jun 03, 2010
Rebecca
rated it:
I am sad to see so many negative reviews. I love this book.
One of the other reviews says the basic plot of the book has been done before with Menolly, but even so I love this book. I reread it at least once or twice a year since I bought it.
I always get a bit blubbery at the end. Not just because Readis gets to fulful his dream and be accepted by his parents who had been so disapproving, but also that the dolphins are finally acknowledged once again as an important part of Perns fut More...
One of the other reviews says the basic plot of the book has been done before with Menolly, but even so I love this book. I reread it at least once or twice a year since I bought it.
I always get a bit blubbery at the end. Not just because Readis gets to fulful his dream and be accepted by his parents who had been so disapproving, but also that the dolphins are finally acknowledged once again as an important part of Perns fut More...
Aug 26, 2010
Livy
rated it:
I love some of the books in this series, think others are okay, and dislike very few. This is one that I love. It focuses on the dolphins and the story is told from a few perspectives. One being Readis, son of Jayge and Aramina, and one being a young dragonrider, T'lion. Both are likable characters, but my favorites were not the people, but the dolphins. This made me want to go swimming with some in hopes that they squee at me.
Dec 01, 2010
Danny
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Had a fantasy binge for quite some time so I'll be handling these reviews with canned factory responses. Decent read.
Feb 13, 2009
Melissa
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It fills in some of the stories mentioned in other books in the Pern series.
Dec 25, 2011
Kari
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Pern Lovers - I gave this 4 stars - loved that it opened up a new concept around Pern - it continued the cultural issues that arise as the red star is at the end of its menacing orbit around the planet. Book candy at it's best! :)
