The grim specter of sickness looms over the Weyrs of Pern, felling fire-lizards and posing a potentially devastating threat to their dragon cousins, Pern's sole defense against the deadly phenomenon that is Thread. Fiona, the youngest and only surviving daughter of Lord Bemin, is just coming of age, and about to assume the duties of a Weyrwoman, when word spreads that dragons have indeed begun succumbing to the new contagion. With the next season of Threadfall quickly approaching, and the already diminished ranks of the dragons once more under siege, every Weyr across Pern is in crisis mode. It is hardly the time for disturbing distractions - such as the strange voice Fiona suddenly hears in her mind at the darkest and most urgent moments. Circumstances and the mood of the weyrfolk worsen when advance patrols relay the dreaded news that black dust - the unmistakable herald of falling Thread - has been sighted. As more dragons sicken and die, leaving only a new generation of weyrlings too young to succeed them, Weyrleader B'Nik and queen rider Lorana arrive from Benden Weyr to comb Fort Weyr's archives in a desperate search for clues from the past that may hold the solution to the plague.
But could the actual past itself prove the pathway to salvation for Pern's stricken dragons and the entire imperiled planet? Guided by a mysterious ally from a wholly unexpected place, and trusting in the unique dragon gift for transcending time, Fiona will join a risky expedition with far-reaching consequences for both Pern's future and her personal destiny.
In the midst of a crisis, Fiona, the daughter of Lord Bemin, is coming of age and is about to take on the duties of a Weyrwoman. It's a difficult time on Pern because a terrible sickness is everywhere, affecting the fire-dragons who are the planet's defense against the recurring threat of Thread. Fiona must draw on her father's training to find a solution. Emily Durante narrates in an earnest tone that projects fondness for the characters. She captures the youth and enthusiasm of a generation that is taking on responsibility and making a contribution despite its youth and inexperience. Fiona's gift of "mind speech" is presented with a touch of reverberation. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
About the Author
Todd McCaffrey is the bestselling author of the Pern novel Dragonsblood, as well as Dragon's Kin and Dragon's Fire, which he co-wrote with his mother, Anne McCaffrey. A computer engineer, he currently lives in Los Angeles. Having grown up in Ireland with the epic of the Dragonriders of Pern, he is bursting with ideas for new stories of that world, its people, and its dragons.
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