What fantasy/science fiction book are you reading RIGHT NOW?

[peter]

Will definitely search them out Fist. Found the first book(s) by serendipity in a box of half-dollar giveaways. Expect the rest might be a bit harder to come by, but I will give it a good try.

[Cord Hurn]

Am currently reading The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall, by Anne McCaffrey.

[Menolly]

Am currently reading The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall, by Anne McCaffrey.

Not my favorite of the series.

It has its place, and is a decent explanation of the settling of Pern and why they’re isolated from the rest of humanity. But it gets much too technological for me in the origin of the Watch-whers, fire lizards, and dragons.

However, there are some plot elements in First Fall which are crucial in understanding Renegades and All the Weyrs.

First Fall in particular is a reason why I prefer reading the published order of the books, rather than the chronological order. For me, this would have eliminated all of the wonder and fantasy elements of the series from the beginning.

[Cord Hurn]

TCOP:FF isn't my favorite Pern book either, Menolly. This year, I have decided to go back to reading all the Pern books I have only done once (which would include Dragonseye, Dragon's Kin, The Masterharper of Pern, The Dolphins of Pern, and The Skies of Pern)--and alternate between reading them and Stephen R. Donaldson's The Man Who mysteries (which I have also only read once). Maybe I can get them all re-read this year; we'll see.

"The Dolphins Bell", a short story in TCOP:FF that takes place around the time of the Part III: Crossing section that concludes Dragonsdawn, is harrowing enough and has enough cuteness factor with the intelligent & thoughtful talking dolphins that I enjoyed re-reading it. Finished it the other night, and just starting on the story about the founding of Ruatha Hold ("The Ford of Red Hanrahan").

But it gets much too technological for me in the origin of the Watch-whers, fire lizards, and dragons.

I think that you are probably referring to Dragonsdawn, the earlier book about Pern in First Fall. This book I am reading doesn't get really technical about all that. The most fantasy-like feature about the dragons for me is that they go through this mysterious between to travel space and time, and that feature is in the dragon stories right from the first chronological Pern book onward. Even with all the genetic explanations for the origins of dragons and watch-whers, the existence of a between dimension still makes it all magical and mysterious for me.


Again, not my favorite Pern book. The Pern books Dragonsinger, The White Dragon, and All the Weyrs of Pern are the ones that I REALLY love!!!

[Avatar]

Wait, really? I think First Fall is my favourite.

I could never really get into the Pern books. I'm not sure why...as a kid I read a short story...(uh...The Littlest Dragonrider maybe? (not searching it) ) which I loved, but my first actual proper encounter after that was Nelrika's Story & Other Stories or something and it felt very impenetrable. And then after that I read them very piecemeal, (basically whatever the library had) and just never clicked with it much.

I think I liked FF because it was more sci-fi and removed from the other books. I much preferred her Crystal Line books, the Rowan books, and even the Ship Who books.

Anyway, I've been terrible. Haven't read anything for months. Can't get off the damn computer. Very unlike me. Also, nothing new to read either.

--A