We’re back for the concluding week of the Dragonflight Group Read, put on by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings.  There was a fantastic discussion ranging across several blogs last week (see my post and long comment thread), so I look forward to seeing everyone’s thoughts on the end of the book!

I gave a plot summary last week, so let’s just jump in today…

1.  The Threads are further explored and become very much the focal point in parts 3 and 4 of Dragonflight.  What are your thoughts on the Threads in general and how do you feel these worked as an enemy vs. the traditional enemies you see in SFF novels?

I wish we knew more about the Threads.  They’re generally treated as though they’re malevolent, and yet not sentient, or even properly “alive.”  So I guess the malevolence is mostly metaphorical.  At the same time, I wish I had a clearer picture of whether they are alive in a conventional sense, or have any kind of intelligence.  I think not–but there are just a few hints that make me think it would be fascinating if they were.  But presuming they’re not, I do think they work effectively as the antagonist in a man-versus-nature conflict.  They’re the ultimate natural disaster, capable of destroying all life completely, requiring an equally impressive protagonist in the dragons (and their riders) to fight back against them.

2. The science fictional concept of time travel becomes an important device in the later half of Dragonflight, how do you feel McCaffrey did in working time travel into the plot?

I really enjoyed the way the time travel played in, particularly the way Lessa and F’lar went back into their own pasts.  The circular nature of the way events played out will make my head hurt if I think about it too much, but ultimately I think it worked.  I would be skeptical about no other dragonriders stumbling on this–but I know in Moreta it’s revealed that other dragonriders did know in the past, so I’ll let that one go by.

3.  Of the new characters introduced in this second half of Dragonflight, who did you like/not like and why? 

I’m glad we have this question, because I really wanted to talk about some of the characters who came in later in the book.

Mostly I wanted to mention that I LOVE Masterharper Robinton!  He just has a small part here, but he’s one of my absolute favorite characters in all of Pern.  He’s so splendidly charming and just a truly good person and character.  Plus the harpers are really the storytellers of Pern, so how can I not love the Master Storyteller?  He has a much bigger part in The Harper Hall Trilogy, but his character comes through in Dragonflight too.

I also think Fandarel, the Mastersmith, is just wonderful.  He reminds me of Scotty, with his dedication to his craft.  He’s such a striking character too.  I can see him so vividly, physically looming and so entertaining in his mannerisms.

4.  We talked about it in the first discussion and there is no way we can get away from it in Part 2: What are your feelings on the progression of the relationship between F’lar and Lessa throughout this second half of the book?

I read the whole book before answering last week’s question, so the entire course of their relationship was influencing my earlier discussion on this subject.  I do think things get better in the second half of the book.  F’lar starts treating Lessa with more respect, and there’s more of a sense of the two of them working together on their problems.  And then, it becomes clearer that they really both care about each other.  I think I can ultimately like F’lar because he’s so devastated when Lessa disappears between times.  He does have a heart!

5.  And finally, what is your overall assessment of Dragonflight?  How does it measure up against other classic science fiction you’ve read?  Would you recommend it to modern readers, why or why not?

We talked some last week about this being influenced by its time of writing, but it doesn’t really feel like old science fiction to me, the way Burroughs or Asimov do.  I don’t know if it’s the style or the writing or something else, but it doesn’t feel particularly like it’s from another time in writing.

As to a recommendation, I probably would have recommended this before rereading…now I think if I want someone to read Pern, I’m going to push the Harper Hall Trilogy on them, and if they like that, then Dragonflight would be a good follow-up.  It’s not anything to do with whether it’s classic or not, but I think the Trilogy is a better introduction to the world, even though it’s set chronologically later (and I think I recall spoilers for Dragonflight).  Pern is a pleasanter place in the Trilogy, and I feel like I remember clearer explanations on some of the worldbuilding elements.

So I guess the conclusion for this question is that I’m recommending to all in the group-read that they should go on to read Dragonsong!

That actually segues nicely into the one other element I wanted to mention–the poetry!  I’m not a big poetry fan, but there are bits and pieces of Pernese Harper songs that have somehow worked into my mental landscape.  I really enjoy the peek it gives us into Pernese literature and culture.  And it’s often stirring or beautiful poetry!  Of course, part of the appeal of the Harper Hall Trilogy is that we get to explore life in amongst the people who write all that poetry.

I think that wraps things up…I really enjoyed revisiting Pern with the group, and I’m going to try to go back to a few other books throughout the year.

A big thanks to Carl for hosting, and to everyone who joined in–I’ve loved reading your thoughts. 🙂  Go here for everyone else’s posts!

As part of the fun for the Sci Fi Experience, I’m participating in the group-read of DragonFlight by Anne McCaffrey.  This was just the push I needed to revisit Pern…which I’ve been meaning to do for far too long.

First, a little context for those not reading along: DragonFlight is set on the planet Pern, where society is centered around small holds, traditionally guarded by the Weyrs, where the dragonriders live.  The dragonriders are a race apart, each one bound for life to his or her dragon.  The dragons’ mission is to protect Pern from deadly Threads, parasites which fall from the neighboring planet of the Red Star and burn everything in their path.  They’ve fallen at regular intervals for millenia, but 400 years ago the last pass of the Red Star ended, leading to a Long Interval; five Weyrs of dragonriders mysteriously disappeared, leaving only Benden Weyr to survive to the present.  Now the Red Star is looming in the sky again, and F’lar of Benden is looking for a woman to Impress the new queen dragon about to hatch.  Meanwhile, Lessa of Ruatha has been hiding in her ancestral hold, the only one of her family to survive slaughter ten years before when Fax invaded and took control–and her long quest for revenge is coming to a head.

DragonFlight is one of those books that I read several times as a kid or young teenager, but somehow haven’t touched in the last ten years.  It was very interesting coming back to it again.  Like my experience with The Giver, there’s a lot more to be disturbed by than I remember…  There are some undertones and details that are more worrying than my younger self perceived.  On the other hand, it’s still an exciting adventure on a fascinating world, with deeply engaging characters.

But perhaps I ought to get into Carl’s questions for the discussion…

1.   What are your thoughts on McCaffrey’s handling of the male and female characters in Dragonflight?

2.  F’Lar and Lessa are an interesting pair of protagonists.  What do you like and/or dislike about their interactions thus far?  What things stand out for you as particularly engaging about each character (if anything)?

I want to take these first two questions together, because they feel very interrelated–and related to my complex feelings mentioned above.  It’s an odd thing about women in this book.  There’s a definite feeling that women don’t have much power in society, that there’s a clear delineation between the genders, and that women cook and have babies.

In the Weyrs, the Weyrleader is the man whose dragon mates with the queen dragon.  First, that is a strange way to choose a leader for society.  Second, it is a far more disturbing prospect to consider that the queen rider’s mate is based on which dragon flies the fastest.  I’ve read many other Pern books and I know others end up suggesting that the rider’s preference has a lot to do with which dragon has a successful flight.  But that’s not in this book, so I’m not sure it’s a valid defense…

So all in all…not really liking the treatment of women.

But on the other hand–Lessa is amazing!  The one major female character is certainly as smart as any of the men, and stronger and more determined too.  But–she also spends a lot of the book trapped in a role, and when she breaks out there’s some sense that she’s declaring her independence…but there’s also a sense that she’s an impetuous child who’s rebelling.

In some ways F’lar acknowledges Lessa’s intellect and strength–he certainly sees it.  But he doesn’t treat her as an equal, and there are some very troubling aspects to their relationship.  I feel like if I really wrap my head around some of it, I’m going to end up hating F’lar and I don’t want to do that–so I am very curious to see how other people respond to this question!

3.  How do you feel about Pern to this point in the story?  What are your thoughts on McCaffrey’s world-building?

I already covered some disturbing aspects of Pernese society, but really I’m fascinated by it.  I actually don’t feel like this is a very good book to analyze Pern and McCaffrey’s world-building, because in large ways Pern here is in a crisis of society.  They’re going to figure things out in subsequent books.  I find Pern a more interesting place when it’s thriving, because then you get to find out more about different craft halls, how the Holds interrelate, how dragons fit into the mix…and women don’t seem quite as marginalized in other books.  All in all, a picture emerges of a society that is quite different from our own, marvelously intricate, and just seems to work and fit together in a wonderful fashion.

4.  For those who have already read Dragonflight how do you feel about  your return to Pern?  What stands out in your revisit?

I felt SO nostalgic when I opened to the Introduction and found “Rukbat, in the Sagittarian sector, was a golden G-type star.”  I think every Pern book has the paragraph that follows, and at the height of my Pern-fandom, I could have recited it.

It’s true that sometimes we can go back to books and find them different–although we’re the ones who changed.  I already touched on some of the parts that disturb me, that went right past me before.

But on the other hand, some parts are still the same.  Lessa is such a strong figure.  Dragons–I mean, they’re awesome.  That goes without saying.  I’m fascinated by…I guess I have to call it the shape of the world.  Pern is just an interesting place.

I think that wraps up a discussion of the first half of the book.  More to come next week!  In the meantime, read everyone else’s thoughts.