Dragonsong: Harper Hall Trilogy, Volume 1

By: Anne McCaffrey

Narrated by: Sally Darling

Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Journey to the wonder-filled world of Pern in the first volume of Anne McCaffrey's best-selling Harper Hall Trilogy. Dragonsong is the spellbinding tale of Menolly of Half Circle Hold, a brave young girl who flees her seaside village and discovers the legendary fire lizards of Pern.

All her life, Menolly has longed to learn the ancient secrets of the Harpers, the master musicians of Harper Hall. When her stern father denies her the chance to make her dream come true, Menolly runs away from home. Hiding in a cave by the sea, she finds nine magical fire lizards who join her on a breathtaking journey to Harper Hall.

Anne McCaffrey's enchanting tales of Pern, with all their colorful dragons and fantastic characters, have won her millions of fans around the world. The winner of the Hugo and Nebula Award, she is one of the best-loved writers in all of fantasy literature.

Don't miss the other books in the Harper Hall Trilogy.

©1976 Anne McCaffrey (P)1992 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"McCaffrey uses great imaginative powers in constructing her intricate and intriguing story." ( Booklist)
"Menolly's independent, resolute character, the fascinating dragon lore, and a certain poetic quality of style all combine to create an original fantasy...akin to the work of Ursula LeGuin." ( Horn Book)

excellent

Menolly, the daughter of a sea holder dreams of becoming a Harper . She runs away from home and discovers a Fire Lizard nest .

One of the Best

I absolutely love the ending of this book! McCaffery is amazing at creating characters that you can't help but love.

one of my favorite series

love the way it deals with the struggles of life. the cadence of the story keeps you Intrigued

reading review

The mispronounced names are a little distracting but all in all good. typical McCaffrey; good story bring feelings and you care about the characters.

breath taking

I love the pern series. it will take awhile to get them all.
Hope y'all enjoy also.

made me tear up

didn't think I would make it to the end, between the narrator and the drone start. but glad I stayed with it. starting the next book now.

Dragons, Music & Girl Power-can't go wrong

Would you listen to Dragonsong: Harper Hall Trilogy, Volume 1 again? Why?

Yes! This was the first Pern novel I read years ago as a teenager and have reread many times since. Listening was just as much pleasure as reading!
The story pulls you out of reality to a different culture and different time. You get to explore the world of Pern through Menolly's experiences in her Hold, in her cave (Holdless), and at the Weyr. The journey she takes (emotionally and physically) was relevant to me as a teenager and I still enjoy it as an adult. It explores deep emotion and turmoil without dragging you into the depths yourself, but still manages to pull you out and reveal hope and joy of life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Menolly's character. As the story progresses she develops from a shy quiet girl dependent on her teacher into a girl who knows what she wants as is ready to go out and make it happen (even if she is still shy & quiet). I identified with her a lot (as a teenager especially).

What does Sally Darling bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I always struggled with how to pronounce the unique names of characters and places created by Anne McCaffery. Although her vowels are short where mine are long and emphasis is placed on different syllables, she is consistent and I liked the changes.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This story swings through many emotions-greif, desperation, hope, joy. My favorite thing about the story is that it takes you on the journey without dragging you down and ends in hope and joy for the future.

sweet

If you could sum up Dragonsong: Harper Hall Trilogy, Volume 1 in three words, what would they be?

its a simple story but the main character is no pushover timid maybe but she'll fight for what she wants.

Wonderful

This is a great story performed well.
I love the Pern series. I’ve read and reread it since I was in High School in the 1970s. This is one of my favorites within the Pern series.
Anyone who has been misunderstood and has thought of themselves as inadequate will be touched by this story. But I warn you, you’re going to want a fire lizard.
I recommend this book for High Schoolers and Adults.

it a classic

love it it is one of the best classic there is I have had this book for two years now and I listen to it at least averaging two time in six months 😀 👍 😊 😄