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A review by readerpants
Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey
2.0
Oh, Pern. Oh, middle-school reader me.
Reread to settle a debate between my partner and I about whether Pern is super porny or just subtexty, before passing off to a fifth grade reader who is less discriminating about quality than the grown-ups. The answer is that it is somewhere in between on the porniness but much worse than we remembered on consent and general misogyny.
So: obvs, if you're a grown-up, don't bother (re)reading. In terms of recommendations to the young readers in your life, the sex is less heaving bosoms and throbbing manhood but sadly more "you're resisting now but really you want to surrender to my manliness." Misogyny all the way through, esp F'lar, who is the worst. On the other hand, Lessa's definitely a badass and an unapologetic prickler, manipulator, and strategic leader. Which, yay. It *was* published nearly 50 years ago and isn't any worse than other SF or romance of the time, and it's a little less squicky than Stranger in a Strange Land, I guess?
Reread to settle a debate between my partner and I about whether Pern is super porny or just subtexty, before passing off to a fifth grade reader who is less discriminating about quality than the grown-ups. The answer is that it is somewhere in between on the porniness but much worse than we remembered on consent and general misogyny.
So: obvs, if you're a grown-up, don't bother (re)reading. In terms of recommendations to the young readers in your life, the sex is less heaving bosoms and throbbing manhood but sadly more "you're resisting now but really you want to surrender to my manliness." Misogyny all the way through, esp F'lar, who is the worst. On the other hand, Lessa's definitely a badass and an unapologetic prickler, manipulator, and strategic leader. Which, yay. It *was* published nearly 50 years ago and isn't any worse than other SF or romance of the time, and it's a little less squicky than Stranger in a Strange Land, I guess?