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lizzie_purplephoenix 's review for:
Dragonquest
by Anne McCaffrey
*4.5 stars
Reread - one of my favourite series since I first read it in my late teens/early 20s.
I really enjoyed this. Quite cleverly told predominantly through dialogue, it's an easy fast-paced read, despite the complex politics and world-building problems the characters have to try and solve.
If you're a modern fantasy reader, I think it definitely helps to recognise a couple of aspects of this series:
(a) What's dated - the sexual politics is abysmal in a few places, though it helps that McCaffrey does include some great 'strong female characters' too, probably trying her best to offset the patriarchy of the society, albeit it sadly alongside what I think is clearly some unrealised internalised misogyny. It is particularly an issue in the first half of the book.
And (b) In terms of character, it feels more like science fiction than fantasy, which of course it partly is - this is sci-fantasy. You shouldn't read the Pern books expecting the character focus, depth, and arcs that you would find in modern fantasy - the characters are vehicles for the politics and world-building, not the other way round, although they do of course make decisions that drive the plot, and there are a few likeable characters (as well as rather on-the-nose unlikeable ones too!) Instead though, read Pern for the awesome dragons (pioneering in the context of fantasy literature), the politics, world-building, and the way their discovery of their lost advanced technologies unfolds.
Reread - one of my favourite series since I first read it in my late teens/early 20s.
I really enjoyed this. Quite cleverly told predominantly through dialogue, it's an easy fast-paced read, despite the complex politics and world-building problems the characters have to try and solve.
If you're a modern fantasy reader, I think it definitely helps to recognise a couple of aspects of this series:
(a) What's dated - the sexual politics is abysmal in a few places, though it helps that McCaffrey does include some great 'strong female characters' too, probably trying her best to offset the patriarchy of the society, albeit it sadly alongside what I think is clearly some unrealised internalised misogyny. It is particularly an issue in the first half of the book.
Spoiler
The scene when F'nor and Brekke first sleep together is particularly appalling, another example of r*pe that is written as though it isn't (the other being F'lar and Lessa in book 1). That said, I realised later in the book that Brekke's feelings about the mating ritual being "wrong" and "evil", may well be McCaffrey's way of challenging the status quo in her own world - acknowledging the awfulness of their mating rituals in terms of the impact on the queen's rider (if she is not up for it!). I can't remember whether it all plays out differently in later books, but I for one do not understand why the two riders involved in the dragons' mating have to sleep with each other! I also really struggled with Kylara, the way she was written and treated (by the author), given the context of the sexual politics of the book.And (b) In terms of character, it feels more like science fiction than fantasy, which of course it partly is - this is sci-fantasy. You shouldn't read the Pern books expecting the character focus, depth, and arcs that you would find in modern fantasy - the characters are vehicles for the politics and world-building, not the other way round, although they do of course make decisions that drive the plot, and there are a few likeable characters (as well as rather on-the-nose unlikeable ones too!) Instead though, read Pern for the awesome dragons (pioneering in the context of fantasy literature), the politics, world-building, and the way their discovery of their lost advanced technologies unfolds.