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Pern #11
All the Weyrs of Pern
For generations, the dragonriders had dedicated their lives to fighting Thread, the dreaded spores that periodically rained from the sky to ravage the land. On the backs of their magnificent telepathic dragons they flew to flame the deadly stuff out of the air before it could reach the planet's surface. But the greatest dream of the dragon riders was to find a way to eradicate Thread completely, so that never again would their beloved Pern be threatened with destruction.
Now, for the first time, it looked as if that dream could come true. For when the people of Pern, led by Masterharper Robinton and F'Lar and Lessa, Weyrleader and Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr, excavated the ancient remains of the planet's original settlement, they uncovered the colonist's voice-activated artificial intelligence system - which still functioned!
And the computer had incredible news for them: There was a chance - a good chance - that they could, at long last, annihilate Thread once and for all!
Now, for the first time, it looked as if that dream could come true. For when the people of Pern, led by Masterharper Robinton and F'Lar and Lessa, Weyrleader and Weyrwoman of Benden Weyr, excavated the ancient remains of the planet's original settlement, they uncovered the colonist's voice-activated artificial intelligence system - which still functioned!
And the computer had incredible news for them: There was a chance - a good chance - that they could, at long last, annihilate Thread once and for all!
404 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1991
About the author
Anne McCaffrey
404 books6,943 followersAnne McCaffrey was born on April 1st, 1926, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Her parents were George Herbert McCaffrey, BA, MA PhD (Harvard), Colonel USA Army (retired), and Anne Dorothy McElroy McCaffrey, estate agent. She had two brothers: Hugh McCaffrey (deceased 1988), Major US Army, and Kevin Richard McCaffrey, still living.
Anne was educated at Stuart Hall in Staunton Virginia, Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey, and graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College, majoring in Slavonic Languages and Literatures.
Her working career included Liberty Music Shops and Helena Rubinstein (1947-1952). She married in 1950 and had three children: Alec Anthony, b. 1952, Todd, b.1956, and Georgeanne, b.1959.
Anne McCaffrey’s first story was published by Sam Moskowitz in Science Fiction + Magazine and her first novel was published by Ballantine Books in 1967. By the time the three children of her marriage were comfortably in school most of the day, she had already achieved enough success with short stories to devote full time to writing. Her first novel, Restoree, was written as a protest against the absurd and unrealistic portrayals of women in s-f novels in the 50s and early 60s. It is, however, in the handling of broader themes and the worlds of her imagination, particularly the two series The Ship Who Sang and the fourteen novels about the Dragonriders of Pern that Ms. McCaffrey’s talents as a story-teller are best displayed.
She died at the age of 85, after suffering a massive stroke on 21 November 2011.
Obituaries: Locus, GalleyCat.
Her parents were George Herbert McCaffrey, BA, MA PhD (Harvard), Colonel USA Army (retired), and Anne Dorothy McElroy McCaffrey, estate agent. She had two brothers: Hugh McCaffrey (deceased 1988), Major US Army, and Kevin Richard McCaffrey, still living.
Anne was educated at Stuart Hall in Staunton Virginia, Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey, and graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College, majoring in Slavonic Languages and Literatures.
Her working career included Liberty Music Shops and Helena Rubinstein (1947-1952). She married in 1950 and had three children: Alec Anthony, b. 1952, Todd, b.1956, and Georgeanne, b.1959.
Anne McCaffrey’s first story was published by Sam Moskowitz in Science Fiction + Magazine and her first novel was published by Ballantine Books in 1967. By the time the three children of her marriage were comfortably in school most of the day, she had already achieved enough success with short stories to devote full time to writing. Her first novel, Restoree, was written as a protest against the absurd and unrealistic portrayals of women in s-f novels in the 50s and early 60s. It is, however, in the handling of broader themes and the worlds of her imagination, particularly the two series The Ship Who Sang and the fourteen novels about the Dragonriders of Pern that Ms. McCaffrey’s talents as a story-teller are best displayed.
She died at the age of 85, after suffering a massive stroke on 21 November 2011.
Obituaries: Locus, GalleyCat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 420 reviews
November 8, 2018
The leaders of Pern discover technology from their ancestors that landed and made Pern their home. Finding the landing site has given them access to a computer with a ton of knowledge. They learn new ways of doing things and above all, they are on their way to becoming thread free in the future.
It is interesting to see how everyone on Pern reacts to the new unearthed computer.Some embrace the new ways of thinking and doing things. Others think of this as an evil abomination and do everything they can to get rid of it. This book focuses on the struggles within the society, the enhancements that come out of learning such new and inventive things and doing what they can to move the red planet so that thread will not fall in Pern's future.
Very enjoyable with an extremely sad ending that had me crying. I've become very attached to these characters. I'm almost to the end with only two more to go to finish this series reading them in chronological order. This was a fantastic addition to the series.
It is interesting to see how everyone on Pern reacts to the new unearthed computer.Some embrace the new ways of thinking and doing things. Others think of this as an evil abomination and do everything they can to get rid of it. This book focuses on the struggles within the society, the enhancements that come out of learning such new and inventive things and doing what they can to move the red planet so that thread will not fall in Pern's future.
Very enjoyable with an extremely sad ending that had me crying. I've become very attached to these characters. I'm almost to the end with only two more to go to finish this series reading them in chronological order. This was a fantastic addition to the series.
January 13, 2023
This novel shifts the story more solidly into the SiFi realm. Great world building and amazing characters. Very recommended
September 17, 2022
Anne McCaffrey, aka the Dragonlady, had a way with words and worlds; this book proves it. Can't wait to read the next ones!
April 2, 2012
During the reading of this book, I couldn't put it down. At the end, I basically wanted to throw it across the room, cry out my hate of it and pretend I'd never read it. That being said, it wasn't because I hated the book itself. I hated the irrevocably sad ending that nearly left me in tears. I don't normally get that way with most books, but I had become attached to Robinton.
They have done what they set out to do in the beginning of the series- destroy the threat of "Thread". However, this has fundamentally changed the Pernese society in that the AI they uncovered of the first settlers begins what could be considered a minor industrial "re-revolution". Many Holders were reluctant at first, though some held on to that reluctance to the point of blatantly attempting to sabotage the efforts of AIVAS and those who were learning from...him/it.
In great courage, as always, Jaxom and the white dragon Ruth come through in the end with all the weyrs of Pern to do what must be done.
I only wish that Anne McCaffrey were still alive to write more.
They have done what they set out to do in the beginning of the series- destroy the threat of "Thread". However, this has fundamentally changed the Pernese society in that the AI they uncovered of the first settlers begins what could be considered a minor industrial "re-revolution". Many Holders were reluctant at first, though some held on to that reluctance to the point of blatantly attempting to sabotage the efforts of AIVAS and those who were learning from...him/it.
In great courage, as always, Jaxom and the white dragon Ruth come through in the end with all the weyrs of Pern to do what must be done.
I only wish that Anne McCaffrey were still alive to write more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2022
This was a really good story, the first time I read it I found the direction the author had taken her world in surprising. Pern was settled by colonists from Earth and the technology lost into the pre-industrial, agrarian society that the reader knew so well from Dragonflight and the other Dragon books. In All The Weyrs, the original landing site of the colonists is uncovered and it holds amazing things. The settlers were forced to flee the Southern continent and the landing site due to volcanic activity so it is all there to be uncovered by the curious Peimur and Jaxom. I gather that the previous book (which I don't have) sets the story for how they come to be excavating there, but I got along well enough without that information. In the facility they come across a dormant but still functioning voice activated computerised system which had been tasked with finding a way of eliminating thread, Avias is still active and keen to get on with it's task...
The whole slant of the story, rapid education bringing the agrarian into the modern is an intriguing concept and well done. The vast number of characters with their different interests and goals gives the reader a very multifaceted view of the developing society but the concentration on Jaxom and Ruth as main characters allows the story to continue in a linear fashion. The slow steady progression toward elimination of thread using a very unexpected tactic is fun to watch and the social upheaval is interesting, if brief. I cannot imagine a better swan song could be found for MasterHarper Robinton either.
The book suffers from a few issues; first and foremost, do not even consider reading it if you have read none of the others! There is virtually no attempt to establish or describe any of the characters, the assumption, obviously, is that we already know them from previous books. There is virtually no character development either, the book stretches over a quite long time, so the characters have a lot of experiences. Really startling experiences, which should lead to a lot of personal change and development, yet they remain identical on page 490 to what they were on page 9. That sameness means they feel invariably very wooden and two dimensional and few if any characters are exempt from this. So much so in fact, that knowing those characters from previous books one will occasionally wince a bit, because they used to be more dynamic. Obviously the story, not the characters was the focus of the author while writing.
While the story is good it is also long, this need not be a problem, but I feel that with further editing it didn't have to be quite as long because there is a fair bit of repetition at times and in places: An example, in the early chapters Mirrim refers to 'my green Path' EVERY time she mentions her dragon. Yes, we know she is green. We know, she is yours. We know her name..... We do not need to read it on every single page. Later in the book we get told over and over why Aivas did not help the settlers eliminate thread. over, and over.... It might be an attempt to show us, the readers, how little people on Pern understood the concept? Anyway it feels clumsy and repetitious.
There are a few plot holes, that are minor for the most part and one huge glaring one that is impossible to ignore So this problem, I found upsetting. However, despite the plot holes and other small issues there were good things as well. This is the most technological of Anne's books that I have ever read and I think belongs firmly in sci-fi rather than fantasy based on the minuteness of the details that went into the technological advances.
Pretty good story, despite the small issues.
The whole slant of the story, rapid education bringing the agrarian into the modern is an intriguing concept and well done. The vast number of characters with their different interests and goals gives the reader a very multifaceted view of the developing society but the concentration on Jaxom and Ruth as main characters allows the story to continue in a linear fashion. The slow steady progression toward elimination of thread using a very unexpected tactic is fun to watch and the social upheaval is interesting, if brief. I cannot imagine a better swan song could be found for MasterHarper Robinton either.
The book suffers from a few issues; first and foremost, do not even consider reading it if you have read none of the others! There is virtually no attempt to establish or describe any of the characters, the assumption, obviously, is that we already know them from previous books. There is virtually no character development either, the book stretches over a quite long time, so the characters have a lot of experiences. Really startling experiences, which should lead to a lot of personal change and development, yet they remain identical on page 490 to what they were on page 9. That sameness means they feel invariably very wooden and two dimensional and few if any characters are exempt from this. So much so in fact, that knowing those characters from previous books one will occasionally wince a bit, because they used to be more dynamic. Obviously the story, not the characters was the focus of the author while writing.
While the story is good it is also long, this need not be a problem, but I feel that with further editing it didn't have to be quite as long because there is a fair bit of repetition at times and in places: An example, in the early chapters Mirrim refers to 'my green Path' EVERY time she mentions her dragon. Yes, we know she is green. We know, she is yours. We know her name..... We do not need to read it on every single page. Later in the book we get told over and over why Aivas did not help the settlers eliminate thread. over, and over.... It might be an attempt to show us, the readers, how little people on Pern understood the concept? Anyway it feels clumsy and repetitious.
There are a few plot holes, that are minor for the most part and one huge glaring one that is impossible to ignore So this problem, I found upsetting. However, despite the plot holes and other small issues there were good things as well. This is the most technological of Anne's books that I have ever read and I think belongs firmly in sci-fi rather than fantasy based on the minuteness of the details that went into the technological advances.
Pretty good story, despite the small issues.
October 2, 2020
This isn’t a story, it’s an extended and somewhat windy episode of a soap opera. Was wonderful to see my youthful friends again and to see who they’d become, but a lack of anything resembling a narrative structure, some very sketchy and clumsily nailed-on sub-plots, plus a couple of holes you could have flown a dragon through... yeah. Nice to take a peek back at my youth, and worth the read to find that final closure, but kind of a struggle to finish.
May 22, 2013
This is by far my favorite Pern book, and probably the last truly good one she wrote before they really started going downhill. I love fantasy and I love sci-fi, so you give me a story about traveling in space on a dragon and I am in heaven. So many interesting ideas and concepts, about space travel, time travel, dragons, and all of my favorite Pernese characters, even Sorka and Sean. Wonderful, wonderful book.
Read
June 12, 2022About killed me, too, when Robinton died.
March 12, 2020
This is one of the last three of the Pern stories.
The people of Pern have rediscovered the original Landing settlement, and sometime after that, toward the end of the prior book, The Renegades of Pern, Jancis has located the building containing an interface with the Yokohama's computer, called Artificial Intelligence Voice-Address System (AIVAS), which has lain buried under the ash of the volcano that drove the original settlers out of Landing in the Southern Continent, and into the Northern Continent where they could more easily protect themselves from Thread without the added threat of active volcanoes.
The Aivas has sat idle for some 2,525 years, but those ancestors knew how to build them, and one of the original spaceship captains, Ezra Keroon, had added special covering and protection (tiles from the landing shuttles) to keep it safe from the volcano's ash and heat. Fortunately, it was not buried under lava as well. The solar panels that power it are intact and once uncovered begin to charge its batteries.
This story begins, in the prologue, with a glimpse from Aivas's point of view, of being wakened out of its long slumber to find that humans have returned to Landing.
Aivas immediately presents the small group, which includes retired Masterharper Robinton, Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar of Benden Weyr, and young Lord Holder Jaxom of Ruatha (rider of The White Dragon, Ruth), with the first nine years' history of the settlement. They are all amazed to learn that their ancestors came to Pern from another world, and designed the dragons specifically to fight Thread, using the genetics of the little firelizards. During this recitation (with video) of Pern's early habitation by humans, others keep flocking into the room, Lord Holders and Craftmasters from all over Pern.
Not everyone is equally impressed, or trusting of this strange talking wall called Aivas, and that's what causes many of the conflicts in this story, people who are resistant to change, even if it's change back toward how they were intended to live when humans first settled Pern. Aivas informs them that their ancestors intended to establish a more agrarian society but retain enough of their technology for comfort, safety, and convenience. Instead the culture has regressed to a near medieval state, though in recent years the Craft Halls have begun to rediscover or reinvent a little of what they've lost. The Lord Holders seem intent on maintaining their feudal system, and in fact that is in line with much of what was included in the original charter, except for the existence of drudges and a downtrodden class of holdless people. It isn't said in so many words, but it's obvious that the repeated struggle to survive against the threat of Thread has not only held humans back on Pern, it has caused them to regress.
Aivas's final mission, though, was to find a way to eradicate Thread, and although that was interrupted by the loss of communication with early settlers, now it takes up that goal again, by beginning to teach a group of dedicated students, which it insists must include dragonriders and specifically Lord Jaxom, up to a level of knowledge and technology that will enable the current generation of humans to carry out its plan.
I love this story, mainly because I find it so exciting to imagine being suddenly presented with knowledge of one's history, and the chance to improve one's world and free it from such an old problem, one that has taxed the resources of every person now living on Pern. But this is no promise of utopia that Aivas provides. There is still so much ignorance and cognitive dissonance, and people who just want to retain their power and find it convenient not to have people learn anything new. Human nature? Well I am not sure I believe human nature is naturally so awful, but power and wealth and greed seem to make almost any of us a little worse.
It was odd to read how Aivas was teaching these people all these new things, basically enlightening them, at the same time they were having drudges bring them food and drink. I couldn't help rankling at the fact that this is never mentioned by the author, but of course she knew we would see the irony of that. Lessa herself was a drudge in the first novel of the series, so we all have that point of view as well.
I won't go into the tragedy, because even though it breaks my heart every time I read this, it provides kind of an organic development to the story, reminding us that life goes on. The main thrust of the story is that plan to eradicate Thread, which Aivas only feeds to the people of Pern a bit at a time, saying things like "one must learn to walk before one can run" and so forth. The Bible references do get to me - sorry, I'm not a fan, though I can appreciate its literary value as a part of human history, so okay. Whatever.
There was a little problem with continuity, between this story and the last installment in the series. When did Jancis gain Master status? She was a Journeyman at the end of the last story. And when did she and Piemur get engaged? When was Robinton forced to actually retire? I thought Sebell was just filling in for him while he was ill. It seemed like there was a time lapse, even though the prior story ended with finding Aivas and this one starts just after finding Aivas. Okay, well I realize the author was getting on in years when she wrote this.
But if there's a serious problem I had with reading this, this time around, it's that the Kindle version has missing text! It was mostly toward the end of the story, where it was most annoying. I counted at least five places where parts of passages were obviously missing, and I can only wonder how many I didn't even notice. I wish publishers would be more careful converting to e-books. I used to do that for a living, and you don't just scan something and make it digital, you proofread it!
The people of Pern have rediscovered the original Landing settlement, and sometime after that, toward the end of the prior book, The Renegades of Pern, Jancis has located the building containing an interface with the Yokohama's computer, called Artificial Intelligence Voice-Address System (AIVAS), which has lain buried under the ash of the volcano that drove the original settlers out of Landing in the Southern Continent, and into the Northern Continent where they could more easily protect themselves from Thread without the added threat of active volcanoes.
The Aivas has sat idle for some 2,525 years, but those ancestors knew how to build them, and one of the original spaceship captains, Ezra Keroon, had added special covering and protection (tiles from the landing shuttles) to keep it safe from the volcano's ash and heat. Fortunately, it was not buried under lava as well. The solar panels that power it are intact and once uncovered begin to charge its batteries.
This story begins, in the prologue, with a glimpse from Aivas's point of view, of being wakened out of its long slumber to find that humans have returned to Landing.
Aivas immediately presents the small group, which includes retired Masterharper Robinton, Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar of Benden Weyr, and young Lord Holder Jaxom of Ruatha (rider of The White Dragon, Ruth), with the first nine years' history of the settlement. They are all amazed to learn that their ancestors came to Pern from another world, and designed the dragons specifically to fight Thread, using the genetics of the little firelizards. During this recitation (with video) of Pern's early habitation by humans, others keep flocking into the room, Lord Holders and Craftmasters from all over Pern.
Not everyone is equally impressed, or trusting of this strange talking wall called Aivas, and that's what causes many of the conflicts in this story, people who are resistant to change, even if it's change back toward how they were intended to live when humans first settled Pern. Aivas informs them that their ancestors intended to establish a more agrarian society but retain enough of their technology for comfort, safety, and convenience. Instead the culture has regressed to a near medieval state, though in recent years the Craft Halls have begun to rediscover or reinvent a little of what they've lost. The Lord Holders seem intent on maintaining their feudal system, and in fact that is in line with much of what was included in the original charter, except for the existence of drudges and a downtrodden class of holdless people. It isn't said in so many words, but it's obvious that the repeated struggle to survive against the threat of Thread has not only held humans back on Pern, it has caused them to regress.
Aivas's final mission, though, was to find a way to eradicate Thread, and although that was interrupted by the loss of communication with early settlers, now it takes up that goal again, by beginning to teach a group of dedicated students, which it insists must include dragonriders and specifically Lord Jaxom, up to a level of knowledge and technology that will enable the current generation of humans to carry out its plan.
I love this story, mainly because I find it so exciting to imagine being suddenly presented with knowledge of one's history, and the chance to improve one's world and free it from such an old problem, one that has taxed the resources of every person now living on Pern. But this is no promise of utopia that Aivas provides. There is still so much ignorance and cognitive dissonance, and people who just want to retain their power and find it convenient not to have people learn anything new. Human nature? Well I am not sure I believe human nature is naturally so awful, but power and wealth and greed seem to make almost any of us a little worse.
It was odd to read how Aivas was teaching these people all these new things, basically enlightening them, at the same time they were having drudges bring them food and drink. I couldn't help rankling at the fact that this is never mentioned by the author, but of course she knew we would see the irony of that. Lessa herself was a drudge in the first novel of the series, so we all have that point of view as well.
I won't go into the tragedy, because even though it breaks my heart every time I read this, it provides kind of an organic development to the story, reminding us that life goes on. The main thrust of the story is that plan to eradicate Thread, which Aivas only feeds to the people of Pern a bit at a time, saying things like "one must learn to walk before one can run" and so forth. The Bible references do get to me - sorry, I'm not a fan, though I can appreciate its literary value as a part of human history, so okay. Whatever.
There was a little problem with continuity, between this story and the last installment in the series. When did Jancis gain Master status? She was a Journeyman at the end of the last story. And when did she and Piemur get engaged? When was Robinton forced to actually retire? I thought Sebell was just filling in for him while he was ill. It seemed like there was a time lapse, even though the prior story ended with finding Aivas and this one starts just after finding Aivas. Okay, well I realize the author was getting on in years when she wrote this.
But if there's a serious problem I had with reading this, this time around, it's that the Kindle version has missing text! It was mostly toward the end of the story, where it was most annoying. I counted at least five places where parts of passages were obviously missing, and I can only wonder how many I didn't even notice. I wish publishers would be more careful converting to e-books. I used to do that for a living, and you don't just scan something and make it digital, you proofread it!
May 18, 2017
Pern dragons in space! What's not to like?! Definitely a favorite!
October 30, 2020
I'm sitting here with tears running down my face, I'm an emotional wreck sometimes and when a beloved character dies or is killed it can rip me up pretty good.
Rid Pern of thread? That's the promise F'lar made and every dragonrider dreams of. With the great majority of the population of hall, weyr and hold working together towards a singular goal and advised by the revived AI that accompanied the original settlers over twenty five hundred years ago they begin the task they all. . . Well, not all. As in any society there are those who fear change. To whom when the status quo of centuries changes they rebel and lash out in fear. Can they stop the changes rippling across Pern?
Well I'm not going to tell you! If you want to find out, read the book. I don't often give five stars in a review and I've even been criticized for praising something but only. . . Only, giving it four stars. Too many people are willing to give top marks even to items they found flaws in. That's never made sense to me. If a book can make me cry, that's something special. This is something special. Mccaffrey and family should have stopped here. It's the perfect place for the stories to stop.
Rid Pern of thread? That's the promise F'lar made and every dragonrider dreams of. With the great majority of the population of hall, weyr and hold working together towards a singular goal and advised by the revived AI that accompanied the original settlers over twenty five hundred years ago they begin the task they all. . . Well, not all. As in any society there are those who fear change. To whom when the status quo of centuries changes they rebel and lash out in fear. Can they stop the changes rippling across Pern?
Well I'm not going to tell you! If you want to find out, read the book. I don't often give five stars in a review and I've even been criticized for praising something but only. . . Only, giving it four stars. Too many people are willing to give top marks even to items they found flaws in. That's never made sense to me. If a book can make me cry, that's something special. This is something special. Mccaffrey and family should have stopped here. It's the perfect place for the stories to stop.
June 29, 2019
Space dragons!
February 5, 2022
Good storyline, ending was a little surprising. Can't wait for the next one!
September 15, 2015
I was excited for this book because I thought it was going to uncover all the secrets of the Red Star and Thread. Unfortunately not everything is actually understood.
In All the Weyrs of Pern, the characters uncover Aivas, an ancient computer left by the original settlers of the planet. Aivas teaches the characters different subject areas and helps fill in their history. However, Aivas wants to stop the Fall of Thread, and all of its efforts to teach are based on that end goal.
Jaxom and Ruth are the main focus, although F'lar, Lessa, Piemur, Robinton, etc. are all present. They do get to travel a spaceship in orbit, and of course, make a long journey on dragonback at the end.
This book has very little tension. Any problem that occurs is resolved within a few paragraphs. What is left is boring, meandering conversation among the characters about Aivas and the things they are learning from Aivas.
I found it very hard to believe that Aivas could provide enough instruction and education for the people of Pern, which is essentially in an Iron Age, to understand and input computer commands, manufacture and fix parts on a spaceship, and so forth. Pern has basic industries, but nothing advanced in engineering, science or mathematics.
With the help of Aivas, all the characters rapidly learn and advance their knowledge in a really short time frame. It makes everything very easy. Not to mention most of the book is a montage of scenes asking Aivas questions.
I did find interesting the dissidents who thought that Aivas was some sort of devil, but of course the tension fizzles out with that subplot.
My preference for an alternate story would be Aivas turning into a giant fighting robot and the dragonriders have to fight him. And there might as well be space battles because for some reason the dragons can fly out in space.
Dragons in space? They normally live in a temperate climate, and somehow they can survive in -450 degree F? All they have to do is hold their breath? Sounded a bit far-fetched to me, considering this series is more sci-fi than it is fantasy.
Some action would have been great. The characters don't get much development because they have been featured in multiple books, so there's no exploration into issues that would have been interesting other than all the Aivas chat.
Overall, it was really boring and it reads very dated. The last few books have trended the same way. The actual meat of the story is really short, but it's drawn out for so long. There is a touching scene with Robinton at the end, but other than that I had little interest.
In All the Weyrs of Pern, the characters uncover Aivas, an ancient computer left by the original settlers of the planet. Aivas teaches the characters different subject areas and helps fill in their history. However, Aivas wants to stop the Fall of Thread, and all of its efforts to teach are based on that end goal.
Jaxom and Ruth are the main focus, although F'lar, Lessa, Piemur, Robinton, etc. are all present. They do get to travel a spaceship in orbit, and of course, make a long journey on dragonback at the end.
This book has very little tension. Any problem that occurs is resolved within a few paragraphs. What is left is boring, meandering conversation among the characters about Aivas and the things they are learning from Aivas.
I found it very hard to believe that Aivas could provide enough instruction and education for the people of Pern, which is essentially in an Iron Age, to understand and input computer commands, manufacture and fix parts on a spaceship, and so forth. Pern has basic industries, but nothing advanced in engineering, science or mathematics.
With the help of Aivas, all the characters rapidly learn and advance their knowledge in a really short time frame. It makes everything very easy. Not to mention most of the book is a montage of scenes asking Aivas questions.
I did find interesting the dissidents who thought that Aivas was some sort of devil, but of course the tension fizzles out with that subplot.
My preference for an alternate story would be Aivas turning into a giant fighting robot and the dragonriders have to fight him. And there might as well be space battles because for some reason the dragons can fly out in space.
Dragons in space? They normally live in a temperate climate, and somehow they can survive in -450 degree F? All they have to do is hold their breath? Sounded a bit far-fetched to me, considering this series is more sci-fi than it is fantasy.
Some action would have been great. The characters don't get much development because they have been featured in multiple books, so there's no exploration into issues that would have been interesting other than all the Aivas chat.
Overall, it was really boring and it reads very dated. The last few books have trended the same way. The actual meat of the story is really short, but it's drawn out for so long. There is a touching scene with Robinton at the end, but other than that I had little interest.
August 8, 2014
That book was pretty awful, but I felt I had to get through it to finish the main "thread" of the story. McCaffrey has no sense of climax, conflict, or tension. The main conflict of the story was predistened to be succesful, and what should have been a thrilling climax turned out to be a little more than an errand, followed by a little waiting to see what would happen. McCaffrey frequently has this problem; any real conflict is either resolved to quickly, or is hardly a conflict at all. Characters solve all their problems immediately.
For example, the whole story of destroying thread for good doesn't create any dramatic tension, since the Dragonriders clearly have no problem stopping it once it falls. There is no imminent threat or danger. One of the only interesting bits, the kidnapping of Harper Robinton, is resovled so quickly and in such a one-sided manner that it barely warranted attention. A reader wants to see characters struggle and fight and strain, not be mildly inconvenienced. The worst that happens to Jaxxon is that he gets tired and hungry. Literally.
And don't get me started on her lack of desciption... most of the time, I can't picture any of the characters or settings. Sorry, Pern, but I won't be coming back.
For example, the whole story of destroying thread for good doesn't create any dramatic tension, since the Dragonriders clearly have no problem stopping it once it falls. There is no imminent threat or danger. One of the only interesting bits, the kidnapping of Harper Robinton, is resovled so quickly and in such a one-sided manner that it barely warranted attention. A reader wants to see characters struggle and fight and strain, not be mildly inconvenienced. The worst that happens to Jaxxon is that he gets tired and hungry. Literally.
And don't get me started on her lack of desciption... most of the time, I can't picture any of the characters or settings. Sorry, Pern, but I won't be coming back.
November 17, 2015
Epic and ambitious, as I remembered it, but also flawed in more ways than one. The sexism that so annoyed me in the previous books was even more present here, and there were some clumsy inconsistencies in plot and naming that were distracting. Nonetheless, hail Pern and its dragons - a wonderful world.
March 11, 2022
Actual Star rating is 3.75.
This book is about how and what happens when the people who live in the current time on Pern run into the remnants of the time when people first came to Pern.
F'lar has always vowed that somehow he was going to rid Pern of the threat of thread forever, so when they find and dig up Landing, the first place on Pern where people lived. Jaxom and Masterharper Robinson find inside the building they decided to dig up, the computer system called avias. Avias' last orders were to figure out how to stop the threat that was destroying the original people's lives. Once avias learns all it can about the current time and has come up with a plan for all the weyrs to rid the planet of the threat of thread forever in a little over 4 years.
During the time everyone who will need to be involved have lots to learn and avias also agrees to teach others the things they have lost knowledge of over the last 2500+ years. The problem is not everyone thinks that the lost knowledge needs to be found again.
This book is about how and what happens when the people who live in the current time on Pern run into the remnants of the time when people first came to Pern.
F'lar has always vowed that somehow he was going to rid Pern of the threat of thread forever, so when they find and dig up Landing, the first place on Pern where people lived. Jaxom and Masterharper Robinson find inside the building they decided to dig up, the computer system called avias. Avias' last orders were to figure out how to stop the threat that was destroying the original people's lives. Once avias learns all it can about the current time and has come up with a plan for all the weyrs to rid the planet of the threat of thread forever in a little over 4 years.
During the time everyone who will need to be involved have lots to learn and avias also agrees to teach others the things they have lost knowledge of over the last 2500+ years. The problem is not everyone thinks that the lost knowledge needs to be found again.
May 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this book...this is Book #11 in the Pern Series. I do have Book #1 to read which is called Dragonflight. Book #11 is the only one that I have read so far in this series. Eventually I will read all of the Books in this series and since i have read Book #11 I don't need to re-read that one again.
I give this book 5/5 Stars here on Goodreads.
Anne McCaffrey is one of my all time favorite top Authors. I love her books.
I give this book 5/5 Stars here on Goodreads.
Anne McCaffrey is one of my all time favorite top Authors. I love her books.
August 10, 2018
Dit deel van de Pern boeken gaat over de ontdekking van allerlei dingen die door de eerste bewoners van Pern zijn achtergelaten. Dat zorgt voor de nodige spanning tussen de mensen die vast willen houden aan de 'oude' manier en zij die de gevonden machines weer willen gebruiken. Dit alles onder de bezielende leiding van Vakin en de bard Robinton. Geweldig boek. Een 9, maar hier een acht.
March 3, 2020
As good as the first time I read it.
October 2, 2018
This was a very satisfying ending to the series. I know, I know, there are more books that Anne and her son wrote but this felt very clean and whole all on its own. From what I’ve seen in my research into this series; this was the original ending before Anne and Todd revived it with new books (which I also have learned through my research- were not as good as the originals!)
SO, on the record, I’m going to view THIS as the end of the series. I may go on to read the later additions but I’m going to hold the series as a whole, glowing, satisfying, breathtaking, feels-inducing gem in my mind having been concluded with All the Weyrs of Pern.
SPOILER AHEAD:
Omgggggg the scene with Sallah Telgar’s funeral made me cry and hug the book to my heart with so many FEELINGS. I kept thinking about her final words to Tarvi: “you....loved....me?” AND THEN ALL OF PERN LOVED HER AND HONORED HER AND OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
SO, on the record, I’m going to view THIS as the end of the series. I may go on to read the later additions but I’m going to hold the series as a whole, glowing, satisfying, breathtaking, feels-inducing gem in my mind having been concluded with All the Weyrs of Pern.
SPOILER AHEAD:
Omgggggg the scene with Sallah Telgar’s funeral made me cry and hug the book to my heart with so many FEELINGS. I kept thinking about her final words to Tarvi: “you....loved....me?” AND THEN ALL OF PERN LOVED HER AND HONORED HER AND OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
March 17, 2020
Reread
August 6, 2022
Wow!!!! What an amazing book. Absolutely loved All the Weyrs of Pern. So many different tropes within this story. And a really good Sequel to The Renegades of Pern, concluding a story that began towards the end of that book.
Great read for any Pern fan!!!
Great read for any Pern fan!!!
October 21, 2017
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...
Et voila on arrive enfin au tome tant attendu, celui qui conclu le cycle principale de cette merveille Ballade sur Pern.
Dans mon souvenir celui ci était mon préféré de tous, et il n'a pas faillit je dois dire.
Au final ceux qui attendent un livre palpitant plein d'action ou un livre de type thriller seront vraiment déçu de cette série. Je trouve que son titre résumé vraiment très bien le type de récit qu'il nous sert : c'est vraiment une Ballade. En fait on est le témoin des événements à travers plein de personnages différents, mais le but n'est pas du tout les habituels schémas classique des romans ou la tension est palpable, pas du tout.
Ce fait, qui se retrouve dans tous les autres tomes aussi est vraiment particulier à cette série, et je pense que les personnes qui arrivent à ce niveau de l'intrigue savent déjà bien à quoi s'attendre et ne seront donc pas du tout déçu par celui ci.
Pour moi c'est vraiment ce ton qui fait l'originalité de cette série.
J'ai beaucoup aimé la réintroduction de la technologie avancée dans ce tome. Siav est vraiment terriblement humain en fait, c'est un personnage à part entière et seul sa façon d'être toujours conciliant quoi qu'il arrive nous rappelle de temps en temps que c'est une machine.
Du coup on a aussi pas mal de réponses sur l'ancien Pern, celui des premiers colons. C'est aussi ça qui nous donne aussi cette impression de fin de série, même si il me reste des tomes à lire ensuite. On pourrait très bien s'arrêter ici et avoir vraiment l'impression d'être allé au bout des questionnements qu'on avait.
En fait le seul point que j'ai remarqué (pas forcement uniquement dans ce tome non plus d'ailleurs, c'est un défaut général au cycle) c'est un petit manque d'indications de temps qui passe. On sait qu'il se passe des années entre le début et la fin mais d'un chapitre sur l'autre on crois être juste à la suite du précédent et non on s'aperçoit brusquement que le temps avance plus vite que ce qu'on imaginait.
Ce n'est pas non plus hyper gênant mais j'avoue qu'à certains moments mon questionnement à réussi à me faire sortir du récit.
C'est un très bon tome final. On a vraiment cette impression de globalité de tout Pern contre la menace. J'ai limite versé ma petite larme quand se sont les personnages du premier tome, Lessa et F'lar qui ont donné la touche finale au plan de Siav, la boucle est bouclée.
17/20
Et voila on arrive enfin au tome tant attendu, celui qui conclu le cycle principale de cette merveille Ballade sur Pern.
Dans mon souvenir celui ci était mon préféré de tous, et il n'a pas faillit je dois dire.
Au final ceux qui attendent un livre palpitant plein d'action ou un livre de type thriller seront vraiment déçu de cette série. Je trouve que son titre résumé vraiment très bien le type de récit qu'il nous sert : c'est vraiment une Ballade. En fait on est le témoin des événements à travers plein de personnages différents, mais le but n'est pas du tout les habituels schémas classique des romans ou la tension est palpable, pas du tout.
Ce fait, qui se retrouve dans tous les autres tomes aussi est vraiment particulier à cette série, et je pense que les personnes qui arrivent à ce niveau de l'intrigue savent déjà bien à quoi s'attendre et ne seront donc pas du tout déçu par celui ci.
Pour moi c'est vraiment ce ton qui fait l'originalité de cette série.
J'ai beaucoup aimé la réintroduction de la technologie avancée dans ce tome. Siav est vraiment terriblement humain en fait, c'est un personnage à part entière et seul sa façon d'être toujours conciliant quoi qu'il arrive nous rappelle de temps en temps que c'est une machine.
Du coup on a aussi pas mal de réponses sur l'ancien Pern, celui des premiers colons. C'est aussi ça qui nous donne aussi cette impression de fin de série, même si il me reste des tomes à lire ensuite. On pourrait très bien s'arrêter ici et avoir vraiment l'impression d'être allé au bout des questionnements qu'on avait.
En fait le seul point que j'ai remarqué (pas forcement uniquement dans ce tome non plus d'ailleurs, c'est un défaut général au cycle) c'est un petit manque d'indications de temps qui passe. On sait qu'il se passe des années entre le début et la fin mais d'un chapitre sur l'autre on crois être juste à la suite du précédent et non on s'aperçoit brusquement que le temps avance plus vite que ce qu'on imaginait.
Ce n'est pas non plus hyper gênant mais j'avoue qu'à certains moments mon questionnement à réussi à me faire sortir du récit.
C'est un très bon tome final. On a vraiment cette impression de globalité de tout Pern contre la menace. J'ai limite versé ma petite larme quand se sont les personnages du premier tome, Lessa et F'lar qui ont donné la touche finale au plan de Siav, la boucle est bouclée.
17/20
January 27, 2018
All the Weyrs of Pern (1991) by Anne McCaffrey strives hard to recreate the golden age of Pern, seeking that alchemy that made The White Dragon. The results contained all the same ingredients, but the culinary results weren't quite as appetizing, striving to meet the expectations of a shrinking fanbase and a changing SF market.
Continuing from where The Renegages of Pern ended, the AI called Aivas leads humans in the final eradication of thread. Meanwhile, a small group of objectors to this new technology express their concerns badly, only to have their concerns put aside and never examined. Opportunity wasted, which is par for McCaffrey.
While the writing is reasonable, most of the book consists of conversations between various people talking about their problems, and other other part is a summary of what they did. Wedged between those two thrusts are the actual adventures of the main characters.
Jaxom and Ruth get the bulk of time in the work, and even with all that time, they and their relationship feels like they didn't get enough time and what time they did get they got short shrift. The same is true of Jaxom and Sharra. These are the characters that we know, on autopilot with little need to grow, but they're the reason why we're reading these books.
Aside from the leads, the rest of the book has an ensemble cast, where you either know the characters or you don't. If you know them, they make enough sense, and if you don't, they're just names on the page. There's little to distinguish one person from another. This is especially true of third tier characters, who are little more than names, titles, and political positions.
For a Pern fan, the book will itch enough itches, but it won't capture what made Pern so alluring. For a non-Pern fan, this is the wrong book to start with.
Continuing from where The Renegages of Pern ended, the AI called Aivas leads humans in the final eradication of thread. Meanwhile, a small group of objectors to this new technology express their concerns badly, only to have their concerns put aside and never examined. Opportunity wasted, which is par for McCaffrey.
While the writing is reasonable, most of the book consists of conversations between various people talking about their problems, and other other part is a summary of what they did. Wedged between those two thrusts are the actual adventures of the main characters.
Jaxom and Ruth get the bulk of time in the work, and even with all that time, they and their relationship feels like they didn't get enough time and what time they did get they got short shrift. The same is true of Jaxom and Sharra. These are the characters that we know, on autopilot with little need to grow, but they're the reason why we're reading these books.
Aside from the leads, the rest of the book has an ensemble cast, where you either know the characters or you don't. If you know them, they make enough sense, and if you don't, they're just names on the page. There's little to distinguish one person from another. This is especially true of third tier characters, who are little more than names, titles, and political positions.
For a Pern fan, the book will itch enough itches, but it won't capture what made Pern so alluring. For a non-Pern fan, this is the wrong book to start with.
April 26, 2012
I was gratified to finally read in 2007 how my old friends F'lar and Lessa managed to eliminate the threadfall forever in this installment of the Dragonriders of Pern books, which I began reading back in 1967 when "Dragonflight" was first published in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact magazine in three successive issues. "Hooray" for F'lar!- for finally destroying his nemesis, with the help of the recently discovered AIVAS, forgotten in the buried ruins of the colonist's landing site for over 2500 years - along with the crucial assistance of Jaxon and his unique white dragon Ruth.
Lord Holder Jaxom and Ruth turn out to be instrumental in carrying out AIVAS' plans, which involve "timing" over a period of centuries using Ruth's innate sense of time & place.
Despite opposition from some older riders and hyper-conservative holders and craftmasters, the technology of Pern is revolutionized by AIVAS' innovations, which ultimately allow both the Dragons and their riders to opperate in the vacuum of space and even in the harsh environment of the wandering planet itself. Masterharper Robinton and Jaxom were vocal supporters of AIVAS' plans and the renewed technology which Pern had done withyout for so long.
- Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert -
Even though the triumph over Pern's deadly foes was made bittersweet by the loss of the Masterharper, at least Robinton knew of the Weyrs' success before dying of old age.
Lord Holder Jaxom and Ruth turn out to be instrumental in carrying out AIVAS' plans, which involve "timing" over a period of centuries using Ruth's innate sense of time & place.
Despite opposition from some older riders and hyper-conservative holders and craftmasters, the technology of Pern is revolutionized by AIVAS' innovations, which ultimately allow both the Dragons and their riders to opperate in the vacuum of space and even in the harsh environment of the wandering planet itself. Masterharper Robinton and Jaxom were vocal supporters of AIVAS' plans and the renewed technology which Pern had done withyout for so long.
- Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert - Spoiler Alert -
Even though the triumph over Pern's deadly foes was made bittersweet by the loss of the Masterharper, at least Robinton knew of the Weyrs' success before dying of old age.
April 7, 2008
Okay . . . I'm done with Pern for now. Why read it . . . at my age!?
Well, being sci-fi and fantasy geek all one's young life can wear off after an adult lifetime of earning a living and raising a family (or starting a new one as in my case). Now middle aged, I remember the series and also recall I never read it although my adolecent friends in the highschool sci-fi club were all enthused about it. The decades passed and I found (and still find) that I'm in need of something to which I can listen on those long drives from customer to customer. Been through marriage . . . divorce . . . marriage . . . a couple of religions . . . a stint in the Army (okay . . . try over a decade) and a couple of career changes. I decided on trying something light for a change. Something that does not require as much mental effort (like Peikoff on Objectivism) or as much concentration (as any of the Roman or Middle Ages histories I've reviewed). Pern is like Coke Zero. Bubbly, sweet, non-challanging, and forgotten without a trace of after taste/thought (or extra poundage on the middle). Sometimes, you just need a mental break. Could think of worse places to visit than Pern with its magnificent if unlikely teleporting dragons. Recommended for those who go in for this kind of stuff.
Well, being sci-fi and fantasy geek all one's young life can wear off after an adult lifetime of earning a living and raising a family (or starting a new one as in my case). Now middle aged, I remember the series and also recall I never read it although my adolecent friends in the highschool sci-fi club were all enthused about it. The decades passed and I found (and still find) that I'm in need of something to which I can listen on those long drives from customer to customer. Been through marriage . . . divorce . . . marriage . . . a couple of religions . . . a stint in the Army (okay . . . try over a decade) and a couple of career changes. I decided on trying something light for a change. Something that does not require as much mental effort (like Peikoff on Objectivism) or as much concentration (as any of the Roman or Middle Ages histories I've reviewed). Pern is like Coke Zero. Bubbly, sweet, non-challanging, and forgotten without a trace of after taste/thought (or extra poundage on the middle). Sometimes, you just need a mental break. Could think of worse places to visit than Pern with its magnificent if unlikely teleporting dragons. Recommended for those who go in for this kind of stuff.
January 17, 2020
"Get up, take heart – go make a start, sing out the truth you came for. Then when you die, your heart may fly, to halls we have no name for."
This is less like a cool dragon science-fiction adventure, and more like an actual science-fiction space adventure. The natives unearth AIVAS, the original colonists voice activated computer and (magically) it still works! So we've got relatively primitive people, learning about their history (including spaceships and interplanetary travel) and trying to unravel a means to eradicate Thread completely (meaning they have to learn about astronomy and some pretty in-depth mathematics).
I like the plot for what it is, for it IS very interesting. It's a glimpse of maybe what it would be like for us on earth if we discovered say, the Fortress of Solitude, and attempted to learn from it. Minus the dragons, of course. But as a Pern book, I'm interested to see were it goes, because if there's no more Thread, does Pern even need dragonriders?
This is less like a cool dragon science-fiction adventure, and more like an actual science-fiction space adventure. The natives unearth AIVAS, the original colonists voice activated computer and (magically) it still works! So we've got relatively primitive people, learning about their history (including spaceships and interplanetary travel) and trying to unravel a means to eradicate Thread completely (meaning they have to learn about astronomy and some pretty in-depth mathematics).
I like the plot for what it is, for it IS very interesting. It's a glimpse of maybe what it would be like for us on earth if we discovered say, the Fortress of Solitude, and attempted to learn from it. Minus the dragons, of course. But as a Pern book, I'm interested to see were it goes, because if there's no more Thread, does Pern even need dragonriders?
August 9, 2012
This picks up a few years after the end of The White Dragon. (the books' internal dates would probably indicate what the gap separating the two is, and I'm sure fans have it calculated to the day, but I can't be bothered) The advanced computer AIVAS has guided the inhabitants of Pern in recovering the technology available to their predecessors who landed on the planet over 2500 years previously; this suits most Pernese quite well, but a few resent the machine which they call "Abomination". Despite these naysayers' efforts, AIVAS engineers the end of Thread on Pern through two methods: a) moving the Red Star's orbit such that it will no longer pass through the Oort cloud and b) creating a parasite which will destroy Thread at its source, ensuring that the threat will never recur. This and the death of (retired) Masterharper Robinton ends an era on Pern...and, frankly, I think this book should have ended the series of Pern books, although the dedicated fans think otherwise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2013
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
I was rather surprised when, toward the very end of the book, Ecclesiates 3:1 was quoted, particularly since the series has been completely devoid of any religious reference.
As for the book, it is alright. While I like science fiction and I like fantasy, I'm not all that keen on putting the two together. While it works alright, and McCaffrey includes the strains major technological shifts put on a culture, it's just okay as a story. Definitely best paired with "Renegades of Pern" as far as following the timeline and plot.
Another 'eh' element was the fact that there was a different reader for this audio addition. After having Dick Hill for the others (and enjoying his take on them), having someone new is difficult. The reader does a fine job, but definitely gives lots of characters very different voice qualities.
I was rather surprised when, toward the very end of the book, Ecclesiates 3:1 was quoted, particularly since the series has been completely devoid of any religious reference.
As for the book, it is alright. While I like science fiction and I like fantasy, I'm not all that keen on putting the two together. While it works alright, and McCaffrey includes the strains major technological shifts put on a culture, it's just okay as a story. Definitely best paired with "Renegades of Pern" as far as following the timeline and plot.
Another 'eh' element was the fact that there was a different reader for this audio addition. After having Dick Hill for the others (and enjoying his take on them), having someone new is difficult. The reader does a fine job, but definitely gives lots of characters very different voice qualities.
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