rasha_reads 's review for:

Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey

4.75

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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And so continues my re-read of The Dragonriders of Pern series (please see review of “Dragonflight”) with the 9th book in this classic series… if you have seen my previews reviews, you may be asking what happened to numbers 7 and 8? Well, I am of the opinion that “Moreta” & “Nerilka’s Story” are decent books and stories which I have read but can be skipped if you want to stick to the basic overall arc that began with “Dragonflight” and are better read after “All the Weyrs of Pern” or anytime after.

So, returning to “Dragonsdawn”: with this volume, we leave behind the characters we know from reading the first six books in the series and go back to the origins of humanity’s colonisation of Pern, the beginnings of Pernese society - including the evolution of dragons. 

As always, McCaffrey tells a science fiction tale of epic proportions that is well written and touching. She introduces us to the original colonists from Admiral Paul Benden to Sallah Telgar (whose names were given to areas known to readers from earlier books) as well as the younger generation of Sorka and Sean. Each character’s story is woven into the greater tapestry into an unforgettable tale made even more epic for those that have read the series. 

Reading it again this time around with a more critical eye, it would have been nice to have the relationships/antipathy between certain people more fleshed out but then again, that would have led to a much more dense novel that would not have been as suitable for a younger audience. It is possible to read this book before reading the others, or even as a standalone, but its impact is (IMHO) due to the reader’s familiarity with the Perniverse. 

As always, even though there are hints of more adult content, this is still a YA read that hints at the mature aspects of relationships but does not contain any overt spice. The plot and story arc do not contain any huge surprises given that this is a prequel but there are some truly heart rending moments that still have me reaching for a tissue.

A very satisfying read, even after all these years.

🤓📚 4.75 stars. 

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