Originally published on my blog here in December 2001.This latest Pern novel reads as though it is meant to round off the series. It is one of the most successful series of novels in science fiction, both long running and consistently high selling. The general trend has been for the novels to become more like soap opera episodes as time passes - a trend matched by the way that all of McCaffrey's output has become more homogeneous and unchallengingly predictable.There are two main aspects to the story. The major dramatic event is a comet impact in Pern's oceans, a massive disaster. This is of course something inspired by the Schumacher-Levy impact on Jupiter, and is a dramatic yet extremely unlikely event. McCaffrey cites impressive technical assistance with the impact description, including oceanographic analysis of tsunami patterns based on the geography of Pern. The sort of panic this event can generate is shown by the way that governments have financed research to try to prevent it happening on Earth, while less dramatic but far more likely scenarios are much less sexy ways to spend money. (To be fair, it is relatively easy to see how to attack the problem of astronomical impacts, compared to, say, making the world's roads safe, or persuading Americans that spending a few minutes going through airport security is a worthwhile precaution.)The other theme, continued from .The Masterharper of Pern, is the attacks of the Abominators, violent opponents of the changes brought by the information stored in Aivas, the computer which had survived from the original colonisation of Pern. People oppose technological advances for all kinds of reasons, but in her simplistic depiction of these Luddites as not too bright traditionalists, McCaffrey is going against the trends of the modern world. Rather than feeling that all advances are, by definition, evil, current unease about technology is partly due to the perception of past failures to correctly forecast and allow for the results of new applications of science (such as the link between increased burning of fossil fuels and global warning), and also apprehension at the dangers inherent in what we can do now or will soon be able to do, given the human race's past lack of restraint - I'm thinking of nuclear weapons and developments in genetics and biotechnology. It seems to me that fear for the future is a perfectly reasonable - and, indeed, intelligent - emotion to feel, especially as the sort of leaders the world has are not really such as to inspire much confidence.This is, of course unlike the situation on Pern. There, rather unrealistically, de facto world rulers F'lar and Lessa have managed to be right in every crisis through the entire series of novels; their opponents have always turned out to be too wedded to tradition or to have their own agendas which are usually about personal power rather than the good of people generally, the motive of the two dragonriders. This is the sort of thing which makes this series less significant than it might be; easy to read, but not very deep
It's 2552 AL, 2,552 years After Landing; a few years after Robinton's death and AIVAS' shutting down.The StoryOne of Robinton's kidnappers escapes his prison intent upon finding like-minded followers who wish to return Pern to its traditions. AIVAS is Abomination and every change brought about by it must be destroyed even as the dragonriders of Pern look toward the end of this Pass when there will no longer be Thread to fight. The dragonriders are looking to the future, considering what skills they can learn, what careers they can embrace—although F'lar doesn't seem interested in seeing beyond the end of this Pass! The majority of Pern is embracing these new changes from Aivas even as the traditionalists are fighting against them using every disaster as proof that changing the path of the Red Star can only bring greater tragedies down upon their planet. They hate the improvements made in medical care. They despise the new glass and printing press. When the latest invasion from the stars devastates the coastlines of Pern, the Abominators twist its arrival as due to the interference with the Red Star while the dragonriders end up creating a whole new crafthall with a better future for them.The CharactersThe two main characters in Skies of Pern are F'lessan, bronze rider of Golanth, son of Less and F'lar, a wingleader at Benden, and Tai, a green rider of Zaranth from Monaco as F'lessan pursues Tai romantically. Zaranth plays a very important role as she reveals the hidden talent Aivas had been expecting and thereby saving Golanth and impressing Ramoth. Both F'lessan and Tai are fascinated by astronomy and the telescope at Honshu receives a lot of attention.Lessa and F'lar were the original characters from the initial story McCaffrey created along with their dragons, Ramoth and Mnementh. Piemur's place as the Harper Hall's spy is taken by Pinch with just as much success. Toric has become worse while Jaxom, Ruth, and Sharra are content. Lytol, Wansor, D'ram, and Master Idarolam are still here in various capacities while Sebell is still the Masterharper married to Mennolly with her fire lizards.My TakeF'lessan's use of "green rider" as an endearment is rather awkward. I felt he could have come up with a much more friendly, if not loving, reference to Tai. McCaffrey's "battle cry" for the Abominators is either unbelievable for its stupidity or all too believable…for its stupidity! I love that F'lessan plans to take over Honshu as his home and that he's trying to pull together its history with Kenjo Fusaiyuki and Stev Kimmer. It's odd as The Skies of Pern has a lot going on but the drama level seems fairly even.The CoverThe cover is unexpectedly white with a pale blue striped center and a golden dragon wheeling in the center. The title, The Skies of Pern is so very appropriate as the sky is everything in this story.
What do You think about The Skies Of Pern (2002)?
So they managed to push the Red Star out of its path and in about 16 years thread will stop to fall forever. What will become of the Dragonriders? Will society on Pern cease to exist as it is now? The Abominators seem to think so and they try everything in their arsenal to stop the developments that Aivas has set into motion.This is a stand-alone, although I am not sure, how much sense it will make to someone who has not read any other Pern novels. I have been reading these books since I was a teenager and there are only 2 others I have not read yet, so for me this is like coming home to a good old friend - I know all the characters and their histories, I can pretty much anticipate what is going to happen and I can just enjoy the ride...
—Cathy (cathepsut)
These books seem to be going downhill. The same basic storylines are repeated over and over again and I've never liked the introduction to technology that has occurred in these stories with the last couple of books about Lessa and F'lar's generation. The whole purpose of Pern was to have a farming society and to escape the wars that ravaged old earth and its immediate solar system. So why go back to what the settlers were trying to get rid of in the first place? Very frustrating. I still like the dragons and the dolphins and fire lizards, etc. As a die hard fan of Pern, I can't hate it! I just miss the great writing in the first two trilogies and yeah, I can't lie, I miss Robinton like crazy.
—Jess
•tLook, I have to be honest; this really wasn’t one of A.M.’s best works. I know that she wants to set up the dragonriders with an occupation for after Thread, but this book falls pretty flat as a story. There is a little drama, but really not enough to make it that interesting. Also, much like the last book, this one seems to not have a solid conclusion. What’s worse is that it seems like she left some storylines unfinished to lead to a sequel. While I would love another Pern book, I don’t think it seems very likely. I know that there is always a chance that Todd could take over something like that, but he hasn’t really been that impressive either. I do hope that there is more from Pern in this timeline; I just hope it’s better than this. The series doesn’t deserve to end with a book this mediocre.
—Tamcamry
