The Master Harper of Pern

Copyright 1992

VERSION 1.1 (Oct 08 01). If you find and correct errors in the text, please update the version number by 0.1 and redistribute.

As long as the people of Pern could remember, the Holds had protected them from Thread, the deadly silver strands that fell from the sky. In exchange for sanctuary in the huge stone fortresses, the people tithed to their Lord Holders, who in turn supported the dragonriders, Pern’s greatest weapon against Thread.

But not everyone on Pern was protected. Some had been rendered holdless as punishment for wrongdoing. Some, like Jayge’s trader clan, simply preferred the freedom of the roads to the security of a hold. Others, like Aramina’s family, had lost their holds. And they all feared the outlaws who preyed on holds and holdless alike.

The Lady Thella’s renegades were the most dangerous yet—all they needed was Aramina, whose telepathic link with dragons could help them evade the dragonrider patrols. But Jayge was out to stop Thella…and he would never let her have Aramina!

With the Dragonriders of Pern, McCaffrey has given us more than just an extraordinary masterwork of imagination. She has given us a whole world-and has taught us to fly. Now, in this triumphant return to Pern, Anne McCaffrey takes us on an adventure as surprising and unforgettable as any that has come before…

"SUPERB STORYTELLING AND ENGAGING CHARACTERS…

McCaffrey's most popular series takes on a new dimension with the latest installment, as familiar characters feel the weight of their years, giving way to a new generation of humans and their dragon companions."

–Library Journal

"The continuing evolution of this world is carefully handled and always fascinating… . Multifaceted as the eyes of their dragons, these novels offer romance, adventure, medieval pageantry, intrigue… [and] a satisfyingly complex society. In McCaffrey serves up a buffet which can satisfy virtually anyone who steps up to its table."

–SciFi Weekly

First Hardcover Edition: April 2001 First Mass Market Edition: January 2002