Next book confusion

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

So, I looked on the calendar, and it says we are reading The Dragon Riders of Pern next month. Now, I haven't read Mccaffrey before, but I've wanted to for a while, and I think my mum has the books to lend me, so great! ...only I'm a little confused about what we are actually reading. From what I can tell, book listed isn't actually a book at all, but books from the series which seem to have been grouped together in America. The books listed seem to be Dragon Flight, Dragon Quest and The White Dragon. When I look at the books I have, it tells me the order is Flight, Quest, then Dragon Song and Dragon Singer and THEN The White Dragon. So what's the deal? Will you guys be skipping two books to jump to the 5th, or are they included in the big book and weirdly not mentioned... and isn't 5 books a bit much for one month? Or am I wrong, and the book mentioned is actually something different?

[Camilla]

It's a collection of Flight, Quest and White Dragon, because Dragon Song and Dragon Singer are #1 and #2 in a independent trilogy within the series :)

I think independent at least. But nevertheless a trilogy within the series.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Hmm, really? But then why is it suggested I read them BEFORE White Dragon? Do they not connect within the story? I don't want to miss out.

[Serendi]

I'd definitely suggest reading Dragonsong and Dragonsinger before The White Dragon. Menolly, who's the lead in those books, is a fairly significant character in TWD, in a very "This is who I became after those events" way.

[Camilla]

I've only read the Harper Hall of Pern trilogy, so I wouldn't know, sorry :) But I know the two first in the trilogy was RELEASED before White Dragon and after Dragon Quest.

[Matthew]

It looks like there are two interwoven trilogies.

The "original" -flight (1968), -quest (1970), White Dragon (1978)

and "Harper Hall" -song (1976), -singer (1977), -drums (1979)

Gotta love wikipedia.

Reading them in order of the publication date is probably ideal but seeing as they're collected into two separate volumes I can't imagine it will be too disorienting to read the original trilogy by itself.

Is there anyone out there who's read them and can let us know either way?

[Phil]

Flight, Quest, and White Dragon tell the main story. The others tell the backstory of one of the characters. They are not needed for the main story. I never read any but the main three until many years later and did not feel that I had missed anything important. Not to say that the others are not good but just unnecessary to the main story.

[Trike]

I think you should read Dragonflight, Dragonquest and The White Dragon. If you really like them, then go back to read the others. Those three are the core -- and best, in my opinion -- books in the series.

[Christopher]

So i do hope we get some clarification on the books while audible still has them on sale

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Oh dear, I really hope we are only reading the first book. Now it seems like to read the books in the recommended order, I would have to cover 6 books in one month, and that just isn't possible for me, but I'd feel so wrong reading out of order, even if two of the middle books are not completely necessary - it's just a thing I have about order which I know is really silly, but I can't seem to shake it. :(

[Serendi]

To amend my earlier comment: I was suggesting Ruth should read them because she didn't want to miss out, not because I think they *have* to be read before The White Dragon.

I adored Menolly's books, Dragonsong and Dragonsinger, when they came out (in my early twenties). Seriously adored them. Dragondrums came out after The White Dragon but takes place before it; it mostly follows Piemur (whom we meet in Dragonsinger) but also has a fair amount with Menolly. Both Menolly and Piemur are in The White Dragon, and IMO both have had something of a personality change.

If you read the Harper Hall trilogy before The White Dragon, you'll know more about some of the characters. You'll also know a bit more about certain events. But if you don't, I don't think it's a problem.


ETA: The Harper Hall trilogy is YA, which in this case means shorter books, younger characters, hardly any sex. There is overlap with the main series, but it is indeed a side series. (Which I liked better than Dragonflight and Dragonquest, but hey... Liked The White Dragon, though.)

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Thanks for the advice. I find a lack of clear order very off-putting and my knee jerk reaction is to ignore the books altogether, but I'm sure the story is good if I can get over it. I hope for this club we will only read the first book, and then I can worry about it without a time limit, and then maybe I will just start reading and see what feels right once I'm in the story.