Runner of Pern

Pern #14.5

by Anne McCaffrey

"Runner of Pern" is set shortly before the Ninth Pass. It tells of a runner (messenger) Tenna, who is new to the craft but is good at the job.

Originally appeared in Robert Silverberg's Legends

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dragons, Fiction, Short Stories, Ebooks, Science Fiction Fantasy

82 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Anne Inez McCaffrey was an American writer known for the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, Weyr Search, 1968) and the first to win a Nebula Award (Best Novella, Dragonrider, 1969). Her 1978 novel The White Dragon became one of the first science-fiction books to appear on the New York Times Best Seller list.
In 2005 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey its 22nd Grand Master, an annual award to living writers of fantasy and science fiction. She was inducted by the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on 17 June 2006. She also received the Robert A. Heinlein Award for her work in 2007.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

2022 Re-read

I love this story, it gives a bit of background on some of the people of Pern that were basically ignored by Anne and the authors that came after her. They were a group I wish had gotten more time on the page. It's a super short story and one I picked up to read during a break between taking finals and finishing papers. I'm glad to be graduating and only have to plan reading time around my work schedule.

This is my favorite short story in the Pern series. In this story, Anne McCaffrey shows us what life is like for people who aren't a part of the Weyrs. It's about the first crossing/run of one of the young messenger runners who cross Pern daily, and some of the trouble she gets into. If you're a fan of the series definitely read it, if you enjoy Fantasy give this series a try.

2016 A quick re-read, I love this story, I have no clue why. It's one of my favorite short stories by McCaffrey. It a good story to pick up when you need a short break in your day. For me, that's a break from college homework.

Re-read 2018
I needed to read a book that takes place on Pern. My favorite invention of the author Anne McCaffrey. I've been thinking about re-reading the entire series but there are so many it's a big undertaking. It would definitely be worth it though.

Re-read 2019
I saw this on my e-reader last night while looking for something short to read before bed. Something about this short story keeps bringing me back. I wish Anne McCaffrey would have written more about this part of Pern that we only get a glimpse at. Maybe one of her children will give it a shot.

[B.P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading the Pern series for the second time after many years, but this time I'm also trying to read all the short stories as well. I found this to be an interesting addition to the Pern series that I didn't read years ago. I liked that we got to see a different group of people since usually the books are heavy on dragon riders and lord holders with the occasional random craft person. I just wish the story was a bit longer and covered a bit of when the Thread started to fall. Overall, not bad, just wish it was longer.

[Janith Pathirage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading this story after 7 years brought back some nostalgic memories. It's not a special story by any means and it seems to me that Pern could be the most dull and uninteresting fantasy world out there. Yet, this story has a very warm-homely vibe to it. I felt like if I could spend the rest of my days in Tenna's station, I would be a happy man. Seems like a nice place to spend a vacation. I wouldn't even dream of reading any other Pern book though. Even their dragons are lethargic.

..................................................................................

Jan 27, 2015 - I'm not that familiar with the 'Pern series' but this is a really good fantasy story. Reminds me a bit of 'A Princess of Mars' by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Its a very simple story like all the other stories of the 'Legends' series, but sometimes its very hard to keep a story simple and make it an entertaining read at the same time like this one.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts off with Tenna, a runner from a line of runners, taking a missive to Fort Hold. She is run off of the trace by a runnerbeast and falls into a thicket of sticklebush. Sticklebush can be deadly as its long thin stickers worm their way into one's flesh and possibly get to your heart.

With help from the runner's station at Fort Hold, she reports the incident. And then she slaps the wrong man, while the man she talks to and tells the incident to makes things right (because he went to the station master and then his father, who told him that he needed to do more than throw marks (money) at her).

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely short story, and showed yet another aspect of the lives of the people of Pern.

I loved the way in which the runners, like messengers in other stories, take up the niche that our own post office does.

I enjoyed reading about Tenna, and her first Crossing of the northern lands, and how she interacted with the people she met, too.

It's one of those short stories, by Anne, that I'd love to see a full length version of her, and her fellow runner's lives.

So, now I've finished this, it's on to reading: Dragonflight - Yay!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at the life of runners, people who delivered mail by running special paths called Traces. I enjoyed the look at another aspect of life on Pern. I did not enjoy the emphasis on female's looks (how many times can the word pretty be used in a short story?) and viewing women as breeders (yes, that's the word that was used multiple times) once they married, having to give up their life as a runner.
Also, grown men examining a 15 year old girl was creepy.

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun short story this one, showing well the life of Runners in Pern, albeit before Thread reappeared. Good glimpse of a different part of society, and the characters in here were still quite well rounded despite the brevity of the tale. Only shame was that the timeline didn't encompass the Ninth Pass starting.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tenna is new to Running, although knowledgeable, having grown up in a Runner family. On her first passage to Fort, she gets pushed into sticklethorn bushes by someone who isn’t supposed to use the exclusive runner pathways, gets injured and laid up for a few days, just in time for the Gather being held there. What happens there is both justice and joy! Fun additional story to the world of Pern!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm chagrined to admit that I've never read any of McCaffrey's work before now. Runner of Pern was a perfect little story of a Runner on her first crossing and the friends and the man she meets along the way. A perfect sampling of McCaffrey's work to tantalize the taste buds for more!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun little novella of a new aspect of Pern--the Runners. Tenna is a great character, and I'd like to see more of her. (Found in A GIFT OF DRAGONS)

[Puddytatpurr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little story and nothing to do with dragons

[Liane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book decades ago and still remember bits of the story. Love McCaffrey and Pern.

[Alma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was included in "A Gift of Dragons"

[Laurla2]

read in the anthology 'a gift of dragons'

[David Sastre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good!

[Les Morton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough.

[Starr Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The runner of Pern introduced me to Anne McCaffrey... I have now read every Pern story I could get my hands on!!! I love them!!!

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

Runner of Pern was new to me. Maybe not my favorite since I do love the dragons, but still enjoyable to get a new story about another aspect of Pern and a nice romantic bit.

[Audrey Approved · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember really loving this short story as a teen; I must have read it three or four times in my lifetime - but this most recent reread is the first in the last decade. While the story is comfortingly familiar, I couldn't help being annoyed by small elements that I never noticed before, such as the number of times our main character is described as physically attractive (seriously, at least ten times in this less-than-100-page-story)! That being said, I think if you're already familiar with the world of Pern, it's worth picking up - although be warned there is no dragon content!

[Frans Kempe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story about a runner on Pern that have some trouble with on of her runs. A man almost runs her over and she falls into a dangerous bush. A story of romance

[Jeff Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1998 Robert Silverberg edited a collection of new stories in famous worlds by the original authors. I thought it would be a good way to explore new series. For me, it wasn’t. I wound up reading McCaffrey, Card (although this was my first exposure to Alvin Maker), LeGuin, and Feist. I just could not get interested in anything else, despite multiple tries.

Runner of Pern is the story of a young teenager named Tenna who is a message runner. worth my time. It is a unique look at an unknown facet of life just prior to the Ninth pass.

It is also included in the anthology A Gift of Dragons.

[Kari LaMotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story - I rated this AS a short story, and not as a full-length novel - for what it was, I thought it was great - loved the characters, how quickly they developed for less than 50 pages, and how quickly we started to connect with them. This book is NOT for someone who isn't already familiar with 'Pern' and the Dragonriders - for those of you who are thirsty for more, you'll likely enjoy it! :)

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

included in A Gift of Dragons

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent slice of life story of a different class of worker on Pern.

[taeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

read 10/13/15

[Brian Ackermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed it!

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting world building. Definitely read as a supplement to the other Pern books.