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 The Girl Who Heard Dragons by Anne McCaffrey
reviewed by XXXXX
Original appearance: Albedo one issue ??, date?
THE GIRL WHO HEARD DRAGONS by ANNE McCAFFREY caused a few problems in the States when it was published originally. It seems that the publishers were not really clear on the cover about the fact that this was not a new Dragon book and there were a number of unhappy punters who felt they had been misled. And if they had bought this expecting a Dragonfest, I'm not surprised. THE GIRL WHO HEARD DRAGONS is a short story collection containing only one piece out of fifteen featuring the famous fire breathers.
One annoying facet of the collection is that there is no mention of previous history for any of the stories included nor is there (with one exception) any reference to when the stories were written. Some of them feel right up to the minute while others express attitudes that would suggest they might date from a previous decade. In fact, one of the best of the stories here is the exception, the one which we are informed was written in 1956.
The reason for the mention of the date is that the 'science' fictional element of the story has been overtaken by actual science. The Greatest Love is the story of sisters-in-law, one of whom is artificially impregnated with the sperm of the others' husband (rapid intake of breath, widening of the eyes, even in these enlightened times), her brother. Despite the fact that this is no longer science fiction, it more than justifies its inclusion. The title story is a pleasing addition to the Pern canon and all fifteen are written in that deceptively easy style that demonstrates Anne McCaffrey's mastery of the written word.
All the well known and loved facets of McCaffrey's work are here in abundance. Space Opera, ESP, dragons, horses and ordinary people, but each with that overlay of charm and romance which permeate all her work. The best of these demand to be read, the others are still worth the price of admission on their own. Four stars.
 The Masterharper of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
reviewed by John McCarthy
Original appearance: Albedo one issue 16, Spring 1998
This latest addition to the saga of Pern deals with the period just prior to the threadfall which marks the major part of the epic. The viewpoint is that of Robinton, the well-loved character who served as the prime peacemaker throughout those books dealing with the aftermath of Lessa's impression.
The story begins with Robinton's birth, and deals early on with his growth and subsequent professional development. As his awareness and role in the world around him grows, so too does our appreciation of the various strains to Pernese society caused by the Long Interval and by the abandonment of the Weyrs. Gradually, more and more of later major and minor characters are introduced, the last one being Lessa herself, by which time Robinton has become the Masterharper of Pern. It is intriguing to see Groghe, Fax, F'Iar, F'nor, and Sebell in their youth - and it is very skillfully done that we see them suffer through the foibles of youth while at the same time revealing telling hints of the men they are to become.
Yet this is not quite true of Robinton himself. His life as portrayed was far from easy, and only his own innate talents and inner strength appear to have saved him from a much less rewarding career. He is perhaps just a little too good, and too much of a follower in his own escapades, to demonstrate his fitness for leadership of a planet-wide organisation which seems to have an effective monopoly on all entertainment, education, diplomacy, news, and moral authority. Still, they say that the mark of a truly wise man is his ability to learn from other people's mistakes - and he certainly has ample opportunity to do precisely that.
Would I recommend reading Masterharper of Pern? Definitely yes, with, however, one proviso - I wouldn't think that this would be the best book to read if one were unfamiliar with the Pern series. The threat of thread, in particular, is vague indeed, although rightly so, given that it is a phenomenon which exists almost solely as folklore in the period covered in the book. It nevertheless is a bit of a drawback for an introduction to such a powerful series.
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