All the Weyrs of Pern - Verdict
Mar. 30th, 2025 02:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So, I've made it to the end of what I always considered to be the real third book of the Dragonrider Trilogy. White Dragon was always a side story at best. THIS is the story where we actually see the our major plot threads, heh, resolved.
So how is it?
Overall I'd give it a passing grade.
That's probably surprising, considering that most prominent characters of this book are the ones I hate most. It involves a massive revamp of the setting, with complete genre shift, and a SHIT ton of info dumps and very dry, long parts of accomplishing very little.
But somehow it does work for me. When you look at the trilogy on a whole, Dragonflight establishes a threat that is eternal, unknowable, and existential. It was gone for a long time, but has now returned, and these characters have to both use the old knowledge that they've half forgotten, and develop new ways to deal with this threat that they're ill prepared for.
In Dragonquest, we see how they've been coping. They're surviving, but not thriving. Innovation comes hand in hand with reversion and conservativism. The dragonriders are not united. And when they try to find a solution to Thread with the knowledge and resources they have at hand, it goes very badly.
(It occurs to me that F'nor dying here would be much more dramatically appropriate than his surviving, but that's beside the point.)
Now in All the Weyrs of Pern, they do finally end up in a position to end Thread, even though they have to fundamentally change their society and their lives to do it.
I can definitely appreciate that. And I think, overall, it does well. I'm not pleased with the elements of elitism that pop up here and there. McCaffrey doesn't seem to believe that common people deserve any interest or entitlement to knowledge or self-determination. Secrets are kept needlessly from people whose lives are being directly affected and they're blamed for not reacting like they have relevant knowledge.
It's frustrating.
I do think that there's more effort made here to show that folks with differing viewpoints aren't all cartoon characters. Nerat, Sigomal, they're pretty one-dimensional. But we do have people like Corman, who I assumed would be another antagonist from his intro, that are actually treated like rational, reasonable people with a consistent ideology. It's weird to praise that, but it's fucking rare in this series.
I can definitely sympathize with the folks frustrated by the shift in genre, but I think it was really necessary if we were ever going to see an actual resolution to Thread. We do have Eight other passes, and the first twenty years of the Ninth Pass to enjoy the fantasy setting after all.
--
As for characters, as mentioned, the lead two are the two I hate most. McCaffrey bends over backward to give Robinton any kind of significance at all, and I'd resent that more if Lytol wasn't there too. But it's very clear that Robinton is the important one of the three.
(I'd probably resent that LESS if Jaxom weren't the other primary character, and Lytol weren't the man who RAISED him. There's very little reference to that here.)
To be fair, Robinton was mostly inoffensive here. And even Jaxom was more tolerable for most of the book, since he had shit to actually do and wasn't obsessed over no one knowing about his stupid egg heroics. But I'm still mad about all the pointless secret keeping at the end.
And I'm REALLY mad that Lessa didn't get to part of the heroic efforts. She deserved better. F'lar got sidelined, something I'd be madder about if he hadn't sabotaged Lessa. (Fuck you, F'lar.) And there's no sign of poor F'lessan anywhere. Despite being a bronze rider of sufficient age and strength that he should have been SOMEWHERE on the mission.
What does McCaffrey have against that boy? His few chapters of this book establish him to be remarkably likable and interesting. And as mentioned, I actually really liked Skies of Pern. (I thought it did a good job of keeping a mostly fantasy feel, even with the advancements left over from this book. But that's for a separate, far future review.)
Anyway, this is a less coherent verdict than usual, sorry about that, but this isn't just the end of a book, it's the end of the primary plot of the series. We'll see some prequels, one sequel, and one very annoying side story filled with massive unnecessary retcons later. But the thrust of the story is done. And overall, it was pretty satisfying.
I still want to punt Jaxom off a cliff though.
So how is it?
Overall I'd give it a passing grade.
That's probably surprising, considering that most prominent characters of this book are the ones I hate most. It involves a massive revamp of the setting, with complete genre shift, and a SHIT ton of info dumps and very dry, long parts of accomplishing very little.
But somehow it does work for me. When you look at the trilogy on a whole, Dragonflight establishes a threat that is eternal, unknowable, and existential. It was gone for a long time, but has now returned, and these characters have to both use the old knowledge that they've half forgotten, and develop new ways to deal with this threat that they're ill prepared for.
In Dragonquest, we see how they've been coping. They're surviving, but not thriving. Innovation comes hand in hand with reversion and conservativism. The dragonriders are not united. And when they try to find a solution to Thread with the knowledge and resources they have at hand, it goes very badly.
(It occurs to me that F'nor dying here would be much more dramatically appropriate than his surviving, but that's beside the point.)
Now in All the Weyrs of Pern, they do finally end up in a position to end Thread, even though they have to fundamentally change their society and their lives to do it.
I can definitely appreciate that. And I think, overall, it does well. I'm not pleased with the elements of elitism that pop up here and there. McCaffrey doesn't seem to believe that common people deserve any interest or entitlement to knowledge or self-determination. Secrets are kept needlessly from people whose lives are being directly affected and they're blamed for not reacting like they have relevant knowledge.
It's frustrating.
I do think that there's more effort made here to show that folks with differing viewpoints aren't all cartoon characters. Nerat, Sigomal, they're pretty one-dimensional. But we do have people like Corman, who I assumed would be another antagonist from his intro, that are actually treated like rational, reasonable people with a consistent ideology. It's weird to praise that, but it's fucking rare in this series.
I can definitely sympathize with the folks frustrated by the shift in genre, but I think it was really necessary if we were ever going to see an actual resolution to Thread. We do have Eight other passes, and the first twenty years of the Ninth Pass to enjoy the fantasy setting after all.
--
As for characters, as mentioned, the lead two are the two I hate most. McCaffrey bends over backward to give Robinton any kind of significance at all, and I'd resent that more if Lytol wasn't there too. But it's very clear that Robinton is the important one of the three.
(I'd probably resent that LESS if Jaxom weren't the other primary character, and Lytol weren't the man who RAISED him. There's very little reference to that here.)
To be fair, Robinton was mostly inoffensive here. And even Jaxom was more tolerable for most of the book, since he had shit to actually do and wasn't obsessed over no one knowing about his stupid egg heroics. But I'm still mad about all the pointless secret keeping at the end.
And I'm REALLY mad that Lessa didn't get to part of the heroic efforts. She deserved better. F'lar got sidelined, something I'd be madder about if he hadn't sabotaged Lessa. (Fuck you, F'lar.) And there's no sign of poor F'lessan anywhere. Despite being a bronze rider of sufficient age and strength that he should have been SOMEWHERE on the mission.
What does McCaffrey have against that boy? His few chapters of this book establish him to be remarkably likable and interesting. And as mentioned, I actually really liked Skies of Pern. (I thought it did a good job of keeping a mostly fantasy feel, even with the advancements left over from this book. But that's for a separate, far future review.)
Anyway, this is a less coherent verdict than usual, sorry about that, but this isn't just the end of a book, it's the end of the primary plot of the series. We'll see some prequels, one sequel, and one very annoying side story filled with massive unnecessary retcons later. But the thrust of the story is done. And overall, it was pretty satisfying.
I still want to punt Jaxom off a cliff though.
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Twenty
Mar. 30th, 2025 01:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Last time, the Dragonriders saved the world. With some offensively unnecessary secret keeping!
( I still don't get why people who risk their lives every day can't be told they're risking their lives harder... )
( I still don't get why people who risk their lives every day can't be told they're risking their lives harder... )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Nineteen
Mar. 19th, 2025 09:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Hey, we made it to the penultimate chapter. Which means, I suspect, we're going to get the final attack on the Red Star pretty soon. Which is good, because I don't think there's much plot left to be resolved.
Except maybe when Jaxom will finally decide to be honest with his wife...
( Any bets on that one? )
Except maybe when Jaxom will finally decide to be honest with his wife...
( Any bets on that one? )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Eighteen
Mar. 8th, 2025 12:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time, Robinton got kidnapped. As expected, really. Also we got more of the "save Pern" plan, which inexplicably involves lying to a lot of the people involved.
AND we have this really weird idea that some of the dragonriders DON'T know about time travel?
This is like the opposite issue than the one I had with Moreta. In Moreta, I couldn't see any reason why the dragonriders should know that "timing it" is a thing. Is it plausible that someone discovered it before Lessa? Sure. But was it really necessary? Eh.
Also, I mean, the idea that they COULD time it makes the end of the book seem really stupid. If you can time travel, you can take a fucking nap in between. It's not like Lessa, who tried to travel back four hundred years in one go.
But here, we're in the Ninth Pass, full of Weyrs that wouldn't exist if Lessa hadn't brought them into the future. One day, there was one Weyr. Technically, maybe two, since they tried going back to start Southern Weyr. Then there was ALL OF THEM.
There is no plausible reason that Jaxom can't just tell people "we're going back in time to do this."
ESPECIALLY since the Old Timers WILLINGLY made the jump to the future to begin with, out of the grace of their hearts, even knowing that Thread, for them, had just ended. I know McCaffrey hates nuance and doesn't like to remember that her ultra-conservative adversaries all, to a man, made that selfless choice, but they fucking DID.
I get that, for McCaffrey, Jaxom is the ultimate hero of the series (which is possibly why I like Skies of Pern so much, but that's a tangent). But she doesn't seem to be able to shill him in this position without diminishing every other character. It's annoying.
( Sorry for the rant, let's go! )
AND we have this really weird idea that some of the dragonriders DON'T know about time travel?
This is like the opposite issue than the one I had with Moreta. In Moreta, I couldn't see any reason why the dragonriders should know that "timing it" is a thing. Is it plausible that someone discovered it before Lessa? Sure. But was it really necessary? Eh.
Also, I mean, the idea that they COULD time it makes the end of the book seem really stupid. If you can time travel, you can take a fucking nap in between. It's not like Lessa, who tried to travel back four hundred years in one go.
But here, we're in the Ninth Pass, full of Weyrs that wouldn't exist if Lessa hadn't brought them into the future. One day, there was one Weyr. Technically, maybe two, since they tried going back to start Southern Weyr. Then there was ALL OF THEM.
There is no plausible reason that Jaxom can't just tell people "we're going back in time to do this."
ESPECIALLY since the Old Timers WILLINGLY made the jump to the future to begin with, out of the grace of their hearts, even knowing that Thread, for them, had just ended. I know McCaffrey hates nuance and doesn't like to remember that her ultra-conservative adversaries all, to a man, made that selfless choice, but they fucking DID.
I get that, for McCaffrey, Jaxom is the ultimate hero of the series (which is possibly why I like Skies of Pern so much, but that's a tangent). But she doesn't seem to be able to shill him in this position without diminishing every other character. It's annoying.
( Sorry for the rant, let's go! )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Seventeen
Feb. 26th, 2025 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
And we're back! Sorry for the delay.
Last time, we learned about a plot against Robinton, and I continue to boggle at Jaxom's insistence on hiding things from his wife.
Whatever, dude. I still like F'lessan better than you.
( Also who IS running Ruatha right now? Or ever? )
Last time, we learned about a plot against Robinton, and I continue to boggle at Jaxom's insistence on hiding things from his wife.
Whatever, dude. I still like F'lessan better than you.
( Also who IS running Ruatha right now? Or ever? )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Sixteen
Feb. 17th, 2025 06:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I'm starting to feel a little guilty about this book, kind of similar to how I felt reviewing Dragonsdawn. Though for a slightly different reason. I felt like my reviews of that book came across as more negative than I actually felt about the book, because I couldn't stop harping on my areas of complaint.
When reading it for pleasure, I was still annoyed at those plot points, but I could carry my annoyance through every relevant chapter, I didn't start ranting anew each time. So really, Kenjo's bit was annoying but not as much as these reviews made it sound.
This book doesn't have the same problem. There isn't any plot beat that immediately pisses me off like that, but I do feel like going chapter by chapter makes the book feel a lot more...boring than it actually is. There's a lot of exposition and a lot of technical talk, and a lot of preparation. But when reading for pleasure, it doesn't feel like it takes as long as it does here, when it's stretching out over weeks and months.
Oh well. That's the nature of this kind of review. If you didn't know what you were getting into, you wouldn't be here. :-D
( So what ARE they doing today...? )
When reading it for pleasure, I was still annoyed at those plot points, but I could carry my annoyance through every relevant chapter, I didn't start ranting anew each time. So really, Kenjo's bit was annoying but not as much as these reviews made it sound.
This book doesn't have the same problem. There isn't any plot beat that immediately pisses me off like that, but I do feel like going chapter by chapter makes the book feel a lot more...boring than it actually is. There's a lot of exposition and a lot of technical talk, and a lot of preparation. But when reading for pleasure, it doesn't feel like it takes as long as it does here, when it's stretching out over weeks and months.
Oh well. That's the nature of this kind of review. If you didn't know what you were getting into, you wouldn't be here. :-D
( So what ARE they doing today...? )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Fifteen
Feb. 2nd, 2025 01:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time, Jaxom did risky things and then bitched about the consequences when people got mad at them. Presumably this time more characters will do risky things, but I won't mind because I like them more.
I own my hypocrisy.
( Seriously, Jaxom is fucking annoying )
I own my hypocrisy.
( Seriously, Jaxom is fucking annoying )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Fourteen
Jan. 19th, 2025 08:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time...stuff happened! Mostly involving the Yokohama!
Here's the thing about All the Weyrs of Pern, and I think maybe part of why so many fans dislike the sci-fi-ication of the series. It is very slow and very ponderous. I don't actually mind it that much because we are seeing forward momentum, but I can definitely appreciate that the fans looking for more substantial drama or character interaction might be a little bored.
I don't mind it myself, but admittedly, I might feel different if my last Pern book hadn't been so utterly abysmal. This is at least coherent, and I don't feel like half the story happened somewhere else.
Tangential note, I was intrigued by some of your comments about Skies of Pern and read it. My reactions are in their own post, but I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Feel free to jump in with your own take.
Anyway, let's jump in:
( I'll try not to be disappointed that the lead here is Jaxom over F'lessan... )
Here's the thing about All the Weyrs of Pern, and I think maybe part of why so many fans dislike the sci-fi-ication of the series. It is very slow and very ponderous. I don't actually mind it that much because we are seeing forward momentum, but I can definitely appreciate that the fans looking for more substantial drama or character interaction might be a little bored.
I don't mind it myself, but admittedly, I might feel different if my last Pern book hadn't been so utterly abysmal. This is at least coherent, and I don't feel like half the story happened somewhere else.
Tangential note, I was intrigued by some of your comments about Skies of Pern and read it. My reactions are in their own post, but I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Feel free to jump in with your own take.
Anyway, let's jump in:
( I'll try not to be disappointed that the lead here is Jaxom over F'lessan... )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Thirteen
Jan. 11th, 2025 10:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time, poor F'lessan's discovery got upstaged in the very first line. There was some cool stuff in space, admittedly. And some speculation about Aivas's ultimate plan!
But also, poor F'lessan.
( He's only been around for like a scene but I already like him much better than Jaxom...which admittedly isn't hard. )
But also, poor F'lessan.
( He's only been around for like a scene but I already like him much better than Jaxom...which admittedly isn't hard. )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Twelve
Jan. 4th, 2025 11:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Last time, F'lessan actually got some focus and attention! He even made a discovery! Surely he'll get some recognition for this discovery despite the fact that he isn't Jaxom...
( Want to take bets? )
( Want to take bets? )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Eleven
Dec. 28th, 2024 12:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Hi everyone! I hope you had a good Christmas, if you celebrate it, and a good end of December if you don't!
We're going to jump back into Pern today. Not much to recap from last time, it's a pretty slow book, but not in a bad way.
( I don't mind slow when I feel like things are still moving. And Jaxom is doing a lot more than he did in White Dragon, so that's a plus. )
We're going to jump back into Pern today. Not much to recap from last time, it's a pretty slow book, but not in a bad way.
( I don't mind slow when I feel like things are still moving. And Jaxom is doing a lot more than he did in White Dragon, so that's a plus. )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Ten
Dec. 15th, 2024 03:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time, we got to see Pernese politics in action. It was actually pretty interesting, even if we had to look at it through Jaxom's eyes.
( Jaxom isn't terrible here, but he's still not a favorite protagonist )
( Jaxom isn't terrible here, but he's still not a favorite protagonist )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Nine
Dec. 5th, 2024 06:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Last time, we saw Sallah Telgar's internment. I do like the increased focus on politics and social reaction in this book. I get annoyed at the implicit and overt classism, but that's pretty mild compared to some of the shit I've been mad about with other books.
( Honestly, so far, this has been readable. )
( Honestly, so far, this has been readable. )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Eight
Nov. 23rd, 2024 02:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So the week off went a little longer than planned. As has this cold. Dreadful season.
Anyway, I'm back now!
So last time, we've finally pushed through most of the set up and are moving into the plot portion of the story. That gross rapist Sallah Telgar has been extracted from space, for yet another heroic funeral that she doesn't really deserve. And Jaxom is justifying his existence, sort of. Or Ruth is justifying Jaxom's existence.see
You'd think that would have happened a few books ago, but who's counting.
( Despite the tone of my intro, I'm enjoying this. )
Anyway, I'm back now!
So last time, we've finally pushed through most of the set up and are moving into the plot portion of the story. That gross rapist Sallah Telgar has been extracted from space, for yet another heroic funeral that she doesn't really deserve. And Jaxom is justifying his existence, sort of. Or Ruth is justifying Jaxom's existence.see
You'd think that would have happened a few books ago, but who's counting.
( Despite the tone of my intro, I'm enjoying this. )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Seven
Nov. 3rd, 2024 05:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I think I mentioned this in my last AtWoP review, but I think one of the big reasons that I keep harping on the crap society of Pern and the vague elitism of the main characters is because, for the first time in a while, I haven't actually been horrified by either the characters or the narrative structure of this novel.
It's a strange feeling. But yeah, credit where it's due, this is not terrible.
And this chapter starts with Lessa, so I'm immediately like ten times more into it already.
( Interesting developments that don't feel skipped and and characters that haven't raped anyone lately! Wooo! )
It's a strange feeling. But yeah, credit where it's due, this is not terrible.
And this chapter starts with Lessa, so I'm immediately like ten times more into it already.
( Interesting developments that don't feel skipped and and characters that haven't raped anyone lately! Wooo! )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Six
Oct. 26th, 2024 07:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time, things actually got a little exciting as would be vandals tried to make some trouble!
It's interesting to see what effect this will have going forward.
I'll give some credit, like White Dragon, this is rather slow paced. But unlike White Dragon, I feel like there's actually a reason for it. There's a lot to develop and a lot to process. Going from the fantasy genre to the sci-fi genre is going to take some work, and it's a lot more interesting seeing that happen than it was seeing Jaxom whine about shit.
( That said, more movement WOULD be good )
It's interesting to see what effect this will have going forward.
I'll give some credit, like White Dragon, this is rather slow paced. But unlike White Dragon, I feel like there's actually a reason for it. There's a lot to develop and a lot to process. Going from the fantasy genre to the sci-fi genre is going to take some work, and it's a lot more interesting seeing that happen than it was seeing Jaxom whine about shit.
( That said, more movement WOULD be good )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Five
Oct. 16th, 2024 09:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time...well mostly there was talking. This is a very talky book. I'm not complaining, necessarily, because these characters DO have a lot to legitimately talk about. But I am looking forward to a bit more action, eventually.
( At least the characters I hate aren't being THAT annoying. Yet. )
( At least the characters I hate aren't being THAT annoying. Yet. )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Four
Sep. 30th, 2024 07:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time, we got more politicking, found out what Toric is up to and enjoyed the absence of Jaxom.
Sadly, this chapter starts with him. Oh well.
( Maybe he'll redeem himself this book. Other characters managed... )
Sadly, this chapter starts with him. Oh well.
( Maybe he'll redeem himself this book. Other characters managed... )
All the Weyrs of Pern - Chapter Three
Sep. 20th, 2024 08:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So last time, well, still more processing. It takes a while for a near-completely fantasy setting to readjust to sci-fi. Our characters are making a noble effort at it though!
( And I only have minor things to bitch about so far! )
( And I only have minor things to bitch about so far! )