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41st out of 228 books
—
147 voters
Dragonsong (Pern: Harper Hall #1)
Journey to the wonder-filled world of Pern in the first volume of Anne McCaffrey's best-selling Harper Hall Trilogy. Dragonsong is the spellbinding tale of Menolly of Half Circle Hold, a brave young girl who flees her seaside village and discovers the legendary fire lizards of Pern.
All her life, Menolly has longed to learn the ancient secrets of the Harpers, the master mus...more
All her life, Menolly has longed to learn the ancient secrets of the Harpers, the master mus...more
Paperback, 176 pages
Published
January 1st 1977
by Bantam
(first published March 1976)
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A book doesn't have to be Great Literature or even particularly good to appear on my "formative fiction" shelf, it just has to be a book with a meaning that changed me or helped me to understand myself and the world in a new way. Fortunately, Dragonsong is also a very good book of its type.
The best friend of my childhood was different from me in many ways: middle-class to my trailer-trash, older, weak where I was strong (he suffered from a heart condition that would kill him while still a teenag...more
The best friend of my childhood was different from me in many ways: middle-class to my trailer-trash, older, weak where I was strong (he suffered from a heart condition that would kill him while still a teenag...more
Sep 14, 2008
Jon
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who loves dragons and music.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I didn't particularly enjoy this book, but I don't think it was really the book's fault. I had previously read one short story in the Pern series, and it was intriguing enough for me to buy this book for 50 cents. But I didn't realize that not only was this the third book in the overall Pern series, it was the first book in the Harper Hall trilogy. Reading it, I was like, "Menolly who? Constrictive gender roles, whatever. She's unhappy, whatever. WHERE ARE THE DAMN DRAGONS? Fire lizards? What th...more
5 likes · like · see review
Just reread this for the first time in years.
A bit heavy on the "Menolly is a girl, oh no!" and things don't really pick up until the fire lizards show up, but even so ... good stuff. And still the comfort read it was 20 years ago. :-)
A bit heavy on the "Menolly is a girl, oh no!" and things don't really pick up until the fire lizards show up, but even so ... good stuff. And still the comfort read it was 20 years ago. :-)
5 likes · like · see review
5* when I was very young & foolish, doesn't hold up in present day. Ireland-based Anne McCaffrey's first Dragonrider fantasy, of dragons, riders, music, poetry finds a home where you can be your true self. The world and individual characters intrigue me, without feeling forced, to read more of the series.
I think that the magical creation and rhymes cannot be spoiled by revealing the plot bare bones, but do not read on too far if you disagree. I was disappointed by the reality that final app...more
I think that the magical creation and rhymes cannot be spoiled by revealing the plot bare bones, but do not read on too far if you disagree. I was disappointed by the reality that final app...more
1 like · like · see review
I just reread this for the first time in 17 years... I love this trilogy so much! It introduced me to the world of Pern and was one of the few things I have ever been able to give back to my Aunt Debbie to repay her for her kindness in introducing me to science-fiction/fantasy, Isaac Asimov, John Bellairs...
Dragonsong serves both as an introduction for young adult readers to the Dragonrider series, an examination of gender roles and tradition in their society (and perhaps in ours), as well as a...more
Dragonsong serves both as an introduction for young adult readers to the Dragonrider series, an examination of gender roles and tradition in their society (and perhaps in ours), as well as a...more
I picked this up on a lark after giving up one CD into Redwall. Having just started the first 3 Dragonriders of Pern novels, I was a tad miffed right at the beginning to be given a summary of the ending to those novels. Didn't matter though, because I was quickly sucked into the life of Menolly, a musically gifted girl born into a horribly dull and stifled by tradition fishing community.
I did almost give up on the book at the beginning because I just couldn't take all the crap that was happening...more
I did almost give up on the book at the beginning because I just couldn't take all the crap that was happening...more
A brief forward to the review: “Dragonsong” is the first book in Anne McCaffrey’s Harper Hall trilogy. The series is generally catalogued as children’s (at least in the nypl catalog) but is really for any readers. Like many of McCaffrey’s novels, it’s set in the world of Pern. I haven’t read anything but this trilogy yet, but am pretty sure these novels (from the 1970s) operate as prequels to the other more adult oriented novels. Oh, and I absolutely loved the entire trilogy.
On to the review:
Men...more
This book has an amazing story. It is a short read that is incredibly easy and so much fun!
Menolly is the the main character, she is a girl only 15 years old, and she has an incredible talent. She is a gifted signer and musician, she would make for the perfect harper. Only one problem, Harpers cannot be girls. After embarrassing her father -The Sea Holder- with her talent she runs away to a cave full of fire lizards. She manages well on her own with the clutch of nine lizards, until one day she...more
Menolly is the the main character, she is a girl only 15 years old, and she has an incredible talent. She is a gifted signer and musician, she would make for the perfect harper. Only one problem, Harpers cannot be girls. After embarrassing her father -The Sea Holder- with her talent she runs away to a cave full of fire lizards. She manages well on her own with the clutch of nine lizards, until one day she...more
Hmmm.... remember writing a review for this.
My introduction to Anne McCaffrey. I was trying to start The Dragonriders of Pern trilogy, but was unsure about the title of the first book, and ended up with this one from the library.
A quick read, was listed as Juvenile Fantasy for the library. I really liked this book, and for having a very simple, not very complex or intricate storyline, it really held my interest.
Basically a coming of age story. Well written, and it gave me that happy feeling. I...more
My introduction to Anne McCaffrey. I was trying to start The Dragonriders of Pern trilogy, but was unsure about the title of the first book, and ended up with this one from the library.
A quick read, was listed as Juvenile Fantasy for the library. I really liked this book, and for having a very simple, not very complex or intricate storyline, it really held my interest.
Basically a coming of age story. Well written, and it gave me that happy feeling. I...more
A great trilogy, set in the world of Pern where dragons and their riders guard against the fall of the voracious Thread organism from the sky. This trilogy focuses Menolly, a young girl with a gift for music. She runs away from home and eventually finds a place for herself at the Harpercraft Hall, where Harpers are trained. Harpers function as entertainers, teachers, spies, and distributors of information. They are especially important now, as society has been destabilized by the return of Threa...more
Dec 07, 2007
Wendi
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
All fantasy and SciFi readers
This was the first book I ever bought from a bookstore, and it was my introduction into the world of fantasy reading. I love the cover---it captured my young imagination completely. This is the story of a girl who overcomes tremendous odds to not only survive, but to begin down the path that leads to her dreams. She is a strong, inventive, brave, and lovable heroine. She will forever be one of my favorites. Though her story is relatively small, it taught me many things at in important time in my...more
Product Description
...more
Every two hundred years or so, shimmering Threads fall from space, raining death and black ruin on Pern. The great dragons of Pern hurl themselves through the beleagured skies, flaming tongues of fire to destroy deadly Thread and save the Planet. But it was not Threadfall that made young Menolly unhappy. It was her father who betrayed her ambition to be a Harper, who thwarted her love of music. Menolly had no choice but to run away. When, suddenly, she came upon a group of f
I knew this book wouldn't take long to read. I didn't expect it to go THIS fast, and in looking back I'm not sure what it is about the story - pretty low on action - that kept me racing through it, devouring the pages and unable to get myself to do anything else from beginning to end except sleep, and that only because my eyes were too heavy to continue.
The story is a pretty simple and basic one, well-trod territory where a young person has special gifts which no one around them understands and...more
The story is a pretty simple and basic one, well-trod territory where a young person has special gifts which no one around them understands and...more
Re-read this book after a gap of about 30 years and, although I saw a few more faults with it this time, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
The reason I re-read it was I was talking SF/Fantasy novels with one of my pupils. He was being hugely enthusiastic, in the way only a 12 year old can, about Eragon. I on the other hand, in the way that only a grumpy old man can, was being... well old and grumpy, about Eragon! His killer argument was the great ideas in the novel, especially the telepathic link f...more
The reason I re-read it was I was talking SF/Fantasy novels with one of my pupils. He was being hugely enthusiastic, in the way only a 12 year old can, about Eragon. I on the other hand, in the way that only a grumpy old man can, was being... well old and grumpy, about Eragon! His killer argument was the great ideas in the novel, especially the telepathic link f...more
"Dragonsong" steps back into the Sea Hold to bring us the story of how Mennolly both became a Harper – and how she almost didn't. She is the youngest child of the Holder at Half-Circle Sea Hold, and from earliest childhood sang and played music. She was indulged in this by the old Harper Petiron, but after his death, is only allowed to sing in order to make sure the children learn their teaching songs.
As soon as the new Harper arrives though, Menolly is forbidden to sing or play, and instead is...more
As soon as the new Harper arrives though, Menolly is forbidden to sing or play, and instead is...more
I probably rate this book higher than it objectively deserves, simply because it is a comfort book for me.
I first read this book back in the late 70's when it was relatively new. I admit, that if you had not read the previous three Pern books (which I hadn't) that you can feel lost and confused about many of the world's political background details that are mentioned only briefly in Dragonsong. However.... I think that's the point.
As an 8-9 year old girl, Anne McCaffrey's book helped me to sta...more
I first read this book back in the late 70's when it was relatively new. I admit, that if you had not read the previous three Pern books (which I hadn't) that you can feel lost and confused about many of the world's political background details that are mentioned only briefly in Dragonsong. However.... I think that's the point.
As an 8-9 year old girl, Anne McCaffrey's book helped me to sta...more
Aug 05, 2012
Pctrollbreath
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction
This was one of multiple rereads of this very easy pleasant and relaxing reads.
I've picked up a bit of a summer cold, and don't feel like any heavy reading, so as usual I went for an old favourite for some comfort reading. The Pern series is high on my list of books to read when sick.
To ice the cake, it's now come out on Kindle. I don't know about anyone else, but when it comes to re reads electronic format is much better because it disciplines you to read the whole book rather than just skip th...more
I've picked up a bit of a summer cold, and don't feel like any heavy reading, so as usual I went for an old favourite for some comfort reading. The Pern series is high on my list of books to read when sick.
To ice the cake, it's now come out on Kindle. I don't know about anyone else, but when it comes to re reads electronic format is much better because it disciplines you to read the whole book rather than just skip th...more
the pern series is really hit or miss. some of the books are absolutely fantastic, some are meh, and some are awful. this book is a member of the latter category.
one thing that annoys me is how many writers of strong female protagonists take the easy way out: instead of showing a woman functioning powerfully and intelligently in an ordinary society, they put her in a patriarchal society where women are basically teh suck for no reason other than - wait for it - PLOT DEVICES!
it's very grating.
men...more
one thing that annoys me is how many writers of strong female protagonists take the easy way out: instead of showing a woman functioning powerfully and intelligently in an ordinary society, they put her in a patriarchal society where women are basically teh suck for no reason other than - wait for it - PLOT DEVICES!
it's very grating.
men...more
It’s easy to explain the popularity of Anne McAffrey’s Pern series:
* She creates a world where people overcome hardships against a faceless, non-sentient enemy.
* The world is familiar to us even as it is new and interesting.
* Protagonists who are “misunderstood” have telepathic links to dragons, who are always completely empathetic with them and who have “chosen” them (a process called Impressing).
It’s the type of world a reader can easily throw himself or herself into. It’s the kind of world wh...more
* She creates a world where people overcome hardships against a faceless, non-sentient enemy.
* The world is familiar to us even as it is new and interesting.
* Protagonists who are “misunderstood” have telepathic links to dragons, who are always completely empathetic with them and who have “chosen” them (a process called Impressing).
It’s the type of world a reader can easily throw himself or herself into. It’s the kind of world wh...more
This is one of my favorite books of all time - I can't count how many times I've read it. It was the first fantasy/science fiction/speculative fiction book I've read, which opened me up to these genres that I love so much. As a terribly lonely and misunderstood adolescent, Menolly's story resonated with me strongly that it still has great meaning to me these 20 or 25 years later.
The latest re-reading: a few weeks after Anne McCaffrey passed away, while getting over a bad cold, I listened to the...more
The latest re-reading: a few weeks after Anne McCaffrey passed away, while getting over a bad cold, I listened to the...more
The first of the Pern "Harper Hall" trilogy -- and chronologically the third book of the overall Pern saga (taking place around the same time as Dragonquest), this book is much more of a YA saga. That makes it much lighter (and shorter) reading, and it relies far too heavily on the unfair woes of Menolly being a musically inclined (and immensely talented) girl in an isolated Hold where neither music nor female creativity (let alone a combination thereof) are appreciated, if even allowed.
There ar...more
There ar...more
Jun 25, 2011
Sally
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
youth and adults
Recommended to Sally by:
Katherine Kosterman
Shelves:
audiobooks
Although I have been vaguely aware of Anne McCaffrey's Pern books, the idea of "dragon rider" did not appeal to me enough to drawn me into them. However, my daughter, a musician as am I, recommended the Harper Hall series mainly because of the music aspect, and also because she knew I liked fantasy stories (particularly more palatable ones as written for young adults).
I enjoyed this story, although the pace and voice of the reader in the audiobook version was a little off-setting at first. With...more
I enjoyed this story, although the pace and voice of the reader in the audiobook version was a little off-setting at first. With...more
I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved reading the Harper Hall trilogy. It has been a pure moment of wonder and pleasure and I am definitely an addict by now (had just finished reading Dragonsong in a sitting that I started Dragonsinger!).
Dragonsong starts with a very descriptive foreword explaining the creation of Pern, the dragons and the existence of Threads (deadly things falling from the Red Star) but as soon as the book starts, Anne McCaffrey's brilliant story-telling gets you ho...more
Dragonsong starts with a very descriptive foreword explaining the creation of Pern, the dragons and the existence of Threads (deadly things falling from the Red Star) but as soon as the book starts, Anne McCaffrey's brilliant story-telling gets you ho...more
Mar 27, 2011
Paradoxical
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-reading-list,
books-otherwise
Dragonsong is a charming book. I actually very much like it, while for the previous Pern books (the Dragonrider ones) leave me a bit cold in comparison. It helps that the book generally sticks to Menolly for a main character, and when the POV switches, there is both good reason for it, and it doesn't last so very long in another person's POV. Menolly is also a character one can't help but cheer on, especially when she's faced in a situation that seems very much hopeless from the beginning.
The pl...more
The pl...more
My father read the entire Pern series when I was a kid. I loved seeing the books with dragons on the covers and the word PERN somewhere in the title. He even named our dog, Jaxom. And yet, it took me 20 years to get around to reading ANY of the series!
And I'm sad that it did. I enjoyed Dragonsong immensely, but I think I could have loved it more if I could have sympathized with Menolly more. I have to say, the way her parents treat her made me upset for her as well as wonder if any teenage feeli...more
And I'm sad that it did. I enjoyed Dragonsong immensely, but I think I could have loved it more if I could have sympathized with Menolly more. I have to say, the way her parents treat her made me upset for her as well as wonder if any teenage feeli...more
Since I read this book originally something like five years ago, I figured that it was high-time I read it again. The world of Pern that Anne McCaffrey has created is so vibrant and wonderful, and her characters are also thoroughly enjoyable. I'm a sucker for dragons, and this book doesn't disappoint.
My main complaints are these: some of the writing/grammar is awkward, and a few of the names are tricky/cumbersome to pronounce. However, these are the only reasons that could possibly dock a star f...more
My main complaints are these: some of the writing/grammar is awkward, and a few of the names are tricky/cumbersome to pronounce. However, these are the only reasons that could possibly dock a star f...more
Lovely, all over again.
1 like · like · see review
Dec 19, 2012
Nicole
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fantasy, dragon, adventure lovers! And people who enjoy strong female leads!
Recommended to Nicole by:
Library
I've not read this book in ten years, but reading it through for the second time ever it's just as wonderful and engaging as I remember it. I ate this book up like you devour your favorite treat in a bakery. It was so wonderful to read! The main character Menolly is strong, intelligent, creative, determined, humble, and has a beautiful personality. And the side characters are all appropriately monstrous, in ways that'll horrify and anger you, or infinitely entertaining, in the way that fills you...more
This was a great book.
I've enjoyed the three other books I've read by McCaffrey, but they were so much more epic than this one. However, I really enjoyed revisiting this world and seeing the events that happend in the previous books through the eyes of other characters. What makes this book so good is that the readers get to see what was happening in the Pern world on a day to day basis, not just through the view of the rulers and incredibly powerful. The characters in Dragonsong are more of th...more
I've enjoyed the three other books I've read by McCaffrey, but they were so much more epic than this one. However, I really enjoyed revisiting this world and seeing the events that happend in the previous books through the eyes of other characters. What makes this book so good is that the readers get to see what was happening in the Pern world on a day to day basis, not just through the view of the rulers and incredibly powerful. The characters in Dragonsong are more of th...more
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Anne McCaffrey was born on April 1st, 1926, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 1:30 p.m., in the hour of the Sheep, year of the Fire Tiger, sun sign Aries with Taurus rising and Leo mid-heaven (which seems to suggest an early interest in the stars).
Her parents were George Herbert McCaffrey, BA, MA PhD (Harvard), Colonel USA Army (retired), and Anne Dorothy McElroy McCaffrey, estate agent. She had two...more
More about Anne McCaffrey...
Her parents were George Herbert McCaffrey, BA, MA PhD (Harvard), Colonel USA Army (retired), and Anne Dorothy McElroy McCaffrey, estate agent. She had two...more
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“Oh, Tongue, give sound to joy and sing
Of hope and promise on dragonwing”
—
29 people liked it
Of hope and promise on dragonwing”
“Harper, your song has a sorrowful sound,
Though the tune was written as gay.
Your voice is sad and your hands are slow
And your eye meeting mine turns away.”
—
23 people liked it
More quotes…
Though the tune was written as gay.
Your voice is sad and your hands are slow
And your eye meeting mine turns away.”
Feb 27, 2013 07:32pm
Apr 01, 2013 06:20pm