From the Bookshelf of The Sword and Laser…

Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern, #1)

Anne McCaffrey

Start date: April 1, 2013

Finish date: May 1, 2013

Discussion: 2013 Reads

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2013 Reads

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What Members Thought

Mar 29, 2013 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it liked it

Shelves: nebula-winners-or-nominees, read2013, sword-and-laser, sci-fi-fantasy, hugo-winners-or-nominees

This is the April pick for the Sword and Laser book club. I found it as an ebook through my local library's holdings and zipped through it this weekend.

This is clearly a book I probably would have connected with more if I'd first read it as a youngling, before I was old and jaded about dragons and romance. I can see how this book set many things for the dragon-and-rider subgenre, alongside dragonrider-dragonrider romance. The story is interesting, especially the somewhat complicated social code ...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Jlawrence rated it liked it

Shelves: sword-and-laser

I probably would not have picked this up if it wasn't this month's Sword & Laser bookclub pick, and since I became aware of this book as a Young Adult first investigating sci-fi and fantasy, and knew other YA who were reading it then, I'd always assumed it was a YA book.

So it was sort of refreshing to find in the first chapter a much grittier, harsher and well, more grimy, world that I expected, as well as more adult themes throughout (even if given fade-to-black treatments). In fact, the begin I probably would not have picked this up if it wasn't this month's Sword & Laser bookclub pick, and since I became aware of this book as a Young Adult first investigating sci-fi and fantasy, and knew other YA who were reading it then, I'd always assumed it was a YA book.

So it was sort of refreshing to find in the first chapter a much grittier, harsher and well, more grimy, world that I expected, as well as more adult themes throughout (even if given fade-to-black treatments). In fact, the beginning was probably my favorite part, with Lessa's cold-hearted (she is willing to sacrifice innocents for her goal) plans for revenge exploiting the tension between the viewed-as-parasites dragonriders and the usurper who killed her family. The pacing, the doleing out of bits of info about the world, and intro of the characters are all well-handled there.

Rest of the book was fairly engaging, but with attendant Issues: creepy aspects of the two leads' relationship (mainly because the author seems unaware or even supportive of the problematic shape it takes -- if it were actually presented as problematic, that would have been very interesting) and assorted plot-problems well enumerated here (spoilers).

I also have a grouse about the 'advanced hi-tech society devolved to fedualism/low-tech' aspect of Pern (not a spoiler since the intro makes this clear). Some of my favorite sword-mixed-with-laser reads (Shadow and Claw, The Dying Earth) share this setup, but it really only works for me if a) there's a good backstory given for the decline taking this exact medieval shape, or b) we see a good mix of incomprehensile-to-the-current-society hi-tech residue in the course of the story (that's the path Wolfe and Vance took, and (view spoiler)). I know that issue and other plot questions might get filled in by other Pern books, but, while Dragonflight wasn't bad, it also wasn't good enough to make me that curious about the other books in the series.

The dragons were cool, though. ...more

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May 07, 2013 Melissa rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this book, and in fact have read it multiple times. It stills holds up. 4 stars because it is not my favorite of the series. Masterharper of Pern, and the White Dragon, are by far my favorites.

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Feb 16, 2012 Samantha rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

I don't understand how these books are so popular. I was bored the whole time and there wasn't much of a plot. Maybe the series gets better later on? I don't think I'll keep reading to find out. ...more

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