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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bigger isn't necessarily better, even in dragons, 3 Dec 2004
Picking up threads begun in DRAGONSONG and DRAGONSINGER, this book follows not only Masterharper Robinton, but the early career of Ruth and his rider, Jaxom. They're a problem to hidebound traditionalists everywhere. Ruth is a throwback in size to the early generations of the dragon species, when they were just large enough to carry human riders. He's the runt of his particular clutch, of course - and if he hadn't been too weak to break out of the shell of his abnormally thick-walled egg, Jaxom might never have Impressed him. Awkward all around; Jaxom is the only heir to Ruatha Hold since Lessa left it for Benden Weyr, and the rest of the Ruatha bloodline was wiped out in Fax's wars of conquest.An Impression can't be gainsaid; Ruth and Jaxom are paired for life. Jaxom can't be treated like an ordinary weyrling and bundled off to become a proper dragonrider without touching off a bloodbath among the younger sons of Lord Holders vying for Ruatha. The problem of these hotheads is another plot thread, as the Weyrleaders and Lord Holders work on the problem of gradually opening up the Southern continent as a pressure valve without stirring up trouble with the Oldtimer dragonriders of Southern Weyr. Alas, trouble sometimes shows up even if you don't ask for it. Fortunately, Ruth's small size makes it possible for him to live at Ruatha itself rather than in the huge confines of a weyr, and Fort Weyr isn't far away. Jaxom's life hasn't been easy; he's the only surviving son of the late, unlamented conqueror Fax, and after his mother's death in childbirth, Jaxom's future was decided for him, including fosterage with Lytol, who serves as his regent; another problem, since Lytol was himself a dragonrider who by chance survived his dragon's death, and still mourns him. Lytol's lost so much in life that he doesn't let himself become visibly attached to people anymore. Jaxom has never had open affection from anyone, until Ruth came into his life, nor any control over his own destiny (not to mention that he's reaching the rebellious stage of youth anyway). He doesn't care about other kids' taunts about Ruth not being a 'proper' dragon; he's determined not only to fly, but to learn to direct Ruth to teleport and breathe flame, and in short, to learn all the skills used by a dragonrider fighting thread. After all, while he's Lord Holder in name, Lytol is really in charge. Ruth himself is happy being wherever Jaxom is, and has some unusual talents that eventually manifest themselves. And eventually, they encounter a problem that no 'proper' dragonrider could have hoped to solve. This volume is rather different from its predecessors in the Dragonriders of Pern series; the dragonriders of Benden are only supporting players, and there are intimations of mortality creeping up on the older generation, as Jaxom's generation begins coming of age, the generation that's grown up during this Pass of the Red Star. Robinton's schemes for giving young craftsmen, holders, and journeymen training across disciplines is beginning to bear fruit, even as he himself finally begins feeling his age. The exiled Oldtimers are becoming desperate, growing old with no new blood coming in; even those who didn't go to Southern have had enough threadfall for several lifetimes.
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by Anne McCaffrey
by Anne McCaffrey
by Anne McCaffrey
by Anne McCaffrey
by Anne McCaffrey
