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A review by novelinsights
Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey
4.0
This was an interesting second book in the series. I really enjoyed the world-building that happened in this book as new creatures and technological discoveries were added. It was fun to see characters in a medieval-inspired fantasy world uncovering present-day technology; I love science fantasy as a genre and it isn't done nearly often enough.
I did, however, feel that the pacing/structure of this book was a little less traditional than that of Book 1. Dragonflight had a very clear three act structure, whereas this book felt more like we were just following developments in the society in general. Some characters had goals during the book, but I didn't feel like there were any specific driving forces that moved the characters reliably throughout the whole book. I didn't mind this that much, however, because it was still very interesting to see the daily life of this society and the drama that occurred.
Probably the most common complaint I've seen about these books (especially the early ones) is that they are sexist, and while this society is inherently very misogynistic, I definitely disagree that the books are sexist in themselves. It was clear to me from the second half of Book 1 that McCaffrey's point was to undermine the sexist norms of the society she created, and more of those norms were being challenged and broken in Dragonquest. In fact, a prevailing theme throughout this book was that it's dangerous and problematic to be stuck in the traditions of the past. I'm excited to see where she goes with this in the future, as there is much room to revolutionize the world that she's created over the 20-some books that take place there.
In general, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a unique take on dragon fiction that doesn't mind exploring politics and drama at the potential sacrifice of plot.
I did, however, feel that the pacing/structure of this book was a little less traditional than that of Book 1. Dragonflight had a very clear three act structure, whereas this book felt more like we were just following developments in the society in general. Some characters had goals during the book, but I didn't feel like there were any specific driving forces that moved the characters reliably throughout the whole book. I didn't mind this that much, however, because it was still very interesting to see the daily life of this society and the drama that occurred.
Probably the most common complaint I've seen about these books (especially the early ones) is that they are sexist, and while this society is inherently very misogynistic, I definitely disagree that the books are sexist in themselves. It was clear to me from the second half of Book 1 that McCaffrey's point was to undermine the sexist norms of the society she created, and more of those norms were being challenged and broken in Dragonquest. In fact, a prevailing theme throughout this book was that it's dangerous and problematic to be stuck in the traditions of the past. I'm excited to see where she goes with this in the future, as there is much room to revolutionize the world that she's created over the 20-some books that take place there.
In general, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a unique take on dragon fiction that doesn't mind exploring politics and drama at the potential sacrifice of plot.