Dragon's Fire

June 5, 2006
The McCaffreys' second fire-breathing collaboration (after 2003's Dragon's Kin
) again proves why these fabled dragons still cast a spell. Pellar, a mute Apprentice Harper; Halla, a homeless girl; and Cristov, a miner's son, learn invaluable life lessons as the planet Pern prepares for the return of the deadly Red Star and its annihilating "Thread," which can only be destroyed by firestone-fueled dragonfire. But mining firestone is dangerous work, often carried out by children of disenfranchised criminals called the Shunned. Accompanied by his new fire-lizard Chitter, Pellar joins Masterharper Zist in a search for Moran, a missing Journeyman Harper who's involved with the Shunned. Pellar finds his fate intertwined with Halla, but his tangle with Tenim, a ruthless thief, almost keeps them apart. Their friend Cristov learns about the Shunned firsthand after a terrible mine explosion. Fortunately, events lead to dragon-riding wish fulfillment and a remarkable discovery. While it allegorizes the risks of mining fossil fuels and the horrors of slave labor, this coming-of-age fantasy offers suitable dragon play for all ages.

August 1, 2006
Gr 7 Up -The McCaffreys return to Pern. The story is set in the same time period as "Dragon -s Kin" (Del Rey, 2003), the second Interval after landing, but has a different focus. The colonists are preparing for the next 50-year pass of the Red Star and the start of Thread, a mindless killer that falls from the skies destroying all organic material in its path. To combat this threat, the dragons must chew firestone to burn Thread from the sky. However, the mining of the firestone is difficult -any drop of moisture makes it explode, and it has killed countless dragons and miners. The other problem is what to do with the Shunned. They are holders who have committed crimes that have banished them from the holds but with Thread coming, they will die if they are holdless. The story is brought to life by a mute harper -s apprentice, Pellar, and a miner -s son, Cristov, who take it upon themselves to save the Shunned and the dragonriders alike. This novel reintroduces readers to well-known characters such as Kindan and Master Zist and introduces new characters and concepts of the world of Pern. A companion volume, it also stands on its own." -June H. Keuhn, Corning East High School, NY"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2006
The sequel to " Dragon's Kin" (2003) is another successful McCaffrey mother-and-son collaboration. The deadly Thread has not fallen on Pern for nearly 200 turns, but it is due to in another 18, and the firestone needed by the dragons to breathe fire and fight Thread is in short supply. On top of that, mining the volatile firestone is very dangerous and is usually done by the Shunned, people who have been ousted for committing crimes. When the last firestone mine explodes, killing virtually every miner, young Cristov, son of a miner who was Shunned for causing a coal mine to collapse, volunteers to find and work a new mine. But will that be enough to save Pern? On another front, apprentice harper Pellar, the mute, adopted son of a masterharper, is involved in searching for the Shunned and their children to help them survive the coming Thread. A number of well-limned major characters move the plot forward with the long series' expected momentum, and as usual, the interactions between humans, dragons, fire lizards, and whers put the richly detailed story on a par with the rest of the Pern canon.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)