Lately I have had a craving for Pern.I remember that someone from Baen's Bar recommended the series to me because of my love of Mercedes Lackey books years ago.They told me I had to read this series if I loved dragons! How could I not give it a read after that.Sadly, I was never able to finish the series.Due to Hurricane Sandy I lost about 10 books that I had planned on reading to catch up.I am not sure why lately I have been yearning for Pern but I am so glad I listened.Before ordering this book from my library I did some research. I found a 2005 document created by Hans van der Boom - Anne's Master Archivist.The list helped but I knew there had been more books added to the series since that year.So I decided to email him asking for a future update.He was nice enough to send a link to his 2010 document.http://www.pern.nl/download/Pern%20re... Based on that I figured out were I was in the series. Thus, this book was ordered.=0)It was a good read.Great setting and characters.I fell in love with the dragon riders, Harper's,and watch-wher's.I had a blast.I can't wait to read more in this series.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SpoilerNote to self: Camp NatalonKisk/Nuelsk(new watch-wher)& Kindan(miner's son,youngest bro,pal,10/11/12yo,Harper fostering,ex watch-wher partner,new Harper), Danil(miner,dad, widower,died,bonded)& Dask(watch-wher,died), Silstra(elder sis, healer)+ Terregar(smith),Kaylek(older bro,14yo,miner,died), Dakin(eldest bro,miner,died),Jaran(2nd eldest bro,miner,died),Kenil(older bro,miner,died),Jakris(older bro,carver,ex-miner),Tofir(older bro,artist,ex-miner,fostered out-->),Terra(sis)+ Riterin (woodworker)=4 kids,Zenor(pal,pal1,10/12yo)=Talmaric(31yo,Z's dad,miner,died)+Norla(new widow),Renna(eldest sis,new watcher),other sis's,Kisk/Nuelsk(new watch-wher) & Nuella(twin sis,pal1,blind,new watch-wher partner)=Journeyman Natalon(miner,26yo,nephew)+Jenella,Larissa(their baby), Dalor(twin bro),Jofri(Camp Harper,Journeyman),Harper Master Zist(trained musician, pal0), Tarik(N's uncle,miner,father)+Dara=Cristov,Toldur(miner)+Alarra,Journeyman Veran(caravan trader),Tarri (Journeyman trader),Master Aleesa(Watch-Wher Master),M'tal(Bendan Weyrleader, dragonrider,pal0) & Gaminth(bronze),J'lantir(Ista wingleader,dragonrider)& Lolanth,C'rion(Ista Weyrleader,dragonrider),J'trel(Ista dragonrider) & Talith,Lord Darel(bro) and Lady Erla(sis) & Lemosk(their watch-wher), Renilan & Resk(watch-wher),Master Miner Britell,Sula.
Kindan is the youngest son of the watchwher handler at a coal mine in Pern's Third Pass. The mine is new, only six months old, and still needs to prove itself before it can become a legitimate Hold. With the next Pass due to start in less than twenty years, getting the mine established is vitally important. Much as Kindan likes the watchwher Dask, he has ambitions to be a Harper and loves his time working with the settlement's Harper Zist. When his entire family, and Dask as well, are killed in a cave in in the mine, Kindan finds himself expected to raise a new watchwher for the mine. He knows very little about watchwhers, but it soon becomes clear that most of Pern knows even less. Kindan, along with his friend Zennor and Nuella, the mine leader's blind daughter, soon finds himself working along harpers and even dragonriders to rediscover lost watchwher lore. It is Kindan, the new watchwher Kisk and most especially Nuella, who find themselves forced to be heroes when tragedy threatens the new mine a second time. I loved Anne McCaffrey's Dragonflight when I first read it many years ago. I don't think the later books live up to the early ones (and I've grown up a lot since then too) but I still really enjoy the Pern books and keep on reading them as they come out. This one was interesting for two main reasons: McCaffrey's son Todd was collaborating with her on the novel and it was about watchwhers, the dragons' lesser, ugly cousins, instead of the dragons themselves. Both these things might have ruined this book, but neither did. There are no great themes or epic tales in Dragon's Kin. It is, as so many of McCaffrey's tales have been, essentially a coming of age story, in this case for both Kindan and Nuella. It is a comfortable visit to a familiar place and a chance to learn a bit more about some of the inhabitants. Don't start this book expecting amazing adventures and incredible new ideas, but if you want to while away a few hours for pleasant enjoyment but no major brainpower required, then I recommend Dragon's Kin.[Copied across from Library Thing; 16 October 2012]
What do You think about Dragon's Kin (2004)?
The story had a lot of promise, but a pile of potentially relevant plot points were ignored/forgotten about.(view spoiler)[So Kinden is the youngest of 4+ kids (do we actually know how many siblings?) His sister gets married and moves away, the 2 brothers he shares a room with along with their father die in the mine accident. I *think* there was another older sibling who had married and moved away also.The camp originally had 3 watchweres. 2 died in the mine, 1 got taken away by it's handler. There is also mention that 1 handler refused to come with his animal.There is also mention that there's a few watchweres in other holds/weyrs. Yet *nobody* seems to understand how to raise a watchwere? Not even the "master" Kinden got the egg from? They couldn't send a message for advice from the 1 watchwere handler who refused to come to the camp? They couldn't send a message to Kinden's sister asking for any recollections of growing up with the watchwere?Problem 2 was some of the language did not fit in with the established language of the landing settlers or modern pernese. I don't think we've ever had the word 'pillow' or 'sink' in any format.Also how did Kinden "give" the watchwhere to the girl at the end?. (hide spoiler)]
—Myst
I can't tell you how many times I've read this series. Just read this title again, and it still doesn't disappoint. Telepathic dragons, strong female characters, great relationships, and the Harpers' guild and music as a strong guiding force. What could be better? In hindsight, I still enjoy reading the series in order written (versus actual chronological order of events). I especially like how McCaffrey shifts her point of view in different books, retelling the same events from someone else's perspective. This title retells events from before the third pass of Thread, happening before the events of "Moreta," and "Masterharper of Pern." It delves further into the watch-whers and their talents. Of course it's confusing because we learn all about their abilities, only to have the watch-whers overlooked in the modern Pern stories (starting with "Dragonflight").This is also the first book including Todd McCaffrey, Anne's son, as a writing partner. It's much shorter than most titles, I'll graciously call it a training book for him.On to the next Pern title!
—Vicki Jaeger
I have always adored Anne McCaffrey's writing, so I was more than willing to give Todd a break and check out his style. I was curious to see how he'd continue his mother's legacy. He got off to a rough start with some dense descriptions and nearly undecipherable family-trees. I slogged on. His skill warmed up a bit as the book went on but there were still quite a few places were fewer words would have sufficed.I met a few characters who were okay. The best wasn't even a main character (though I think that oversight is corrected in a later book where this character earned a much more prominent role).Dragon's Kin illuminates the role and personalities of the watch-whers, distant cousins to the mighty dragons and flighty fire-lizards. Focusing on a mining community and the hazards that come with it, this book is primarily about friendships and the harm an ill-kept secret can do to a person and a community. I can't think of anything to really hate or love. It wasn't bad, it wasn't stellar. I love the world of Pern too much to leave it just because Todd got off to a bumpy start. I look forward to seeing how his skills grow with his next addition to the dragonlore of Pern.
—L.A. Catron
