Dragon's Code

August 20, 2018
This underdeveloped first novel from the daughter of the late Anne McCaffrey disappointingly drags out the latter’s legacy with a halfhearted return to one of the first stories set on the world of Pern, where humans and dragons form telepathic bonds. The near-nonexistent story gets away from the teenage main character, Piemur, forcing him to be passive and reactive as important events from the original series swirl about him, almost as if the author is afraid to do more than peer at established canon; she neither develops it in a new direction nor tells new stories in the classic setting. The clunky dialogue, heavy exposition, and generally novice writing make the lack of substantive plot uncomfortably apparent, and the lazy characterizations mostly involve noble dragonriders looking beautiful and graceful while antagonists are ugly and uncouth. (One character’s only notable feature is a speech impediment, which is put on display in a cartoonish, discomfiting way.) Sadly, this volume comes across as an attempt to trade on the McCaffrey name rather than an effort to nurture and extend the much-beloved franchise. Agent: Diana Tyler, MBA Literary.

November 1, 2018

Marking the 50th anniversary of her mother Anne McCaffrey's prolific "Dragonriders of Pern" books, Gigi McCaffrey makes her novel-writing debut with a fresh reboot of the series. In this coming-of-age story, Piemur, a journeyman harper, mourns the loss of his boyish voice but soon discovers a chance for redemption when the Masterharper of Pern sends him on a mission to spy among the Oldtimers. While with them, he becomes embroiled in social unrest and uncovers a disease threatening the Oldtimers as well as their dragons. Their fate rests on Piemur's young shoulders as he uses diplomacy to attempt to restore peace. Readers familiar with the series should appreciate the effort to be faithful to the original world of the Dragonriders. This entry includes a prologue, which helps newbies with the history of Pern. Teens will cheer for Piemur and his enthralling adventures with the dragons. VERDICT This fantasy series debut belongs on all teen shelves.-Sandi Jones, Wynne High School, AR

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2018
It may be hard to believe, but it's been 50 years since the first book in the Dragonriders of Pern series was published. Anne McCaffrey's beloved series was a touchstone for many readers, so her fan base will be thrilled to learn that a new Pern book is on the way after five years. McCaffrey's daughter, Gigi, has taken up the mantle most recently shouldered by her brother Todd (Dragongirl?, 2010). Readers may be familiar with Piemur, a longtime fixture of the world of Pern, so McCaffrey has smartly chosen to hang her tale upon him. Picking up somewhere shortly after the events of Dragondrums (1979), Dragon's Code follows Piemur from the southern continent to the northern, through politics and peril?this is not a novel for the uninitiated. Longtime fans of the series will be thrilled at the infusion of a fresh story into the canon, but newcomers to the series should use this as encouragement to pick up the series at a spot less in medias res. A great opportunity to ensnare the next generation of Dragonriders.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

June 1, 2018

For the 50th anniversary, Anne McCaffrey's daughter relaunches the "Dragonriders of Pern" series with the Oldtimers--brave Dragonriders from 400 years ago--arriving in Pern to help their descendants fight the Thread.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.