Dragon's Time

Dragonriders of Pern, Book 22

By: Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey

Narrated by: Emily Durante

Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

For the first time in more than three years, best-selling authors Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey, mother and son, have teamed up again to do what they do best: add a fresh chapter to the most beloved science fiction series of all time, the Dragonriders of Pern.

Even though Lorana cured the plague that was killing the dragons of Pern, sacrificing her queen dragon in the process, the effects of the disease were so devastating that there are no longer enough dragons available to fight the fall of deadly Thread. And as the situation grows more dire, a pregnant Lorana decides that she must take drastic steps in the quest for help.

Meanwhile, back at Telgar Weyr, Weyrwoman Fiona, herself pregnant, and the harper Kindan must somehow keep morale from fading altogether in the face of the steadily mounting losses of dragons and their riders. But time weighs heavily against them - until Lorana finds a way to use time itself in their favor.

It’s a plan fraught with risk, however. For attempting time travel means tampering with the natural laws of the universe, which could drastically alter history - and destiny - forever. Or so it has always been thought. But Lorana discovers that if the laws of time can’t be broken without consequences, it may still be possible to bend them. To ensure the future of Pern, she’s willing to take the fateful chance - even if it demands another, even greater, sacrifice.

Book another flight with the Dragonriders of Pern.

©2011 Anne Mccaffrey, Todd J. Mccaffrey (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Very depressing...

This story was overly depressing, and used the Time Travel far too much. Honestly, this book was needlessly depressing, and I don't know that I'm looking forward to the next book. I gave it a three out of five, mostly from sentimentality, but really the story probably deserves a one. The performance, though, if there was a way to give a negative amount of stars I would do it. Emily Durante is the worst narrator I've ever heard, and I've had an account for three years now. If she narrates the next book, I might just skip it despite the fact that Anne McCaffrey was my favorite author when I was younger. I wish Todd would have been more like his mother in his writings... But I suppose that was too much to hope for.

Under produced and poorly performed

What did you like best about Dragon's Time? What did you like least?

It's going to be a chore to get through this book. I love this series but wish it were read by the past narrator.

What didn’t you like about Emily Durante’s performance?

I'm sorry but I just hate listening to this narrator. She has just one manner of speaking that does not change through the entire book. Her range is just not there and it becomes a chore to keep up with which character is speaking and what the drama is. Flat, unemotional and boring.

What is going on?!

I LOVE the Pern books! So much that I did not read the reviews before purchasing this book. I wish I had....

I started to listen to this one, not realizing that it was the second (or third?) in a series. The description of the plot is confusing on Audible. (I figured out what was wrong when I read the description on Amazon.) SInce it started off with a synopsis of what had happened, I thought I would give it a listen. I gave up after 20 minutes.

Todd has not developed his mother's skill at story telling. It is Todd's little excursion into "Gee, what would happen if I went back in time, then forward, then maybe back and see myself?"

The established laws of time travel by dragons is not followed. I have never given up on a book so quickly. Don't waste your money!

Todd just doesn't write like Anne

I've read allllll the early dragon novels. This just does NOT stand up. While I admire Todd for trying to carry on his mother's legacy, the magic just isn't there.

Forget all you knew of Pern

Dragons in this book flit between time without thought or consequence - and not just queens or bronzes - everybody does it. Not only that, they do it wtih riders who are not theirs - and even folk who have never impressed. They go into space and view Pern from the Yokohama, and are constantly breaking the rules we learned in Dragon Quest, Dragon Flight, the White Dragon, and their progeny. The author writes a good tale, but it is hard to enjoy because he breaks all the rules of Pern.

Too confusing!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No, I found myself trying to work out in which time a particular chapter was supposed to be.
being blind I usually like to visualize the story as it goes along, but with this one I did not know where or more importantly when it was. I think the storyline was far too weak as well, not worth the money in the long run.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was never sure when it was finished, several times I thought it was, only for another chapter to come along.

Have you listened to any of Emily Durante’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I have to admit I have no others by her.

Could you see Dragon's Time being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

never thought about it, too much putting on and taking off of makeup I should imagine.

Any additional comments?

It was not only far too confusing, but also too dragged out, and all in all, just too weak a storyline.

what happened to pern?

I'm sorry, but this story doesn't seem to do Pern or the dragonriders any justice. As has already been stated in some of the other reviews, most of the dragonrider rules regarding time travel have been broken. The book just goes on and on with nothing really noteworthy happening. It was a struggle to get through it. I only finished it because I love Anne Mccaffrey's pern books so much. Tod's earlier pern books were not bad, but this one is just boring.

Great Author, Great Story, Bad Audible

What made the experience of listening to Dragon's Time the most enjoyable?

I am sure this is a great book, it is Anne McCaffrey. I usually listen to my books from my phone. I purchased the book, went to download it onto my phone and ended up with a Maeve Binchy book instead. I sent a support email to Audible and have heard nothing,
Boooo, Audidble. So the file is sitting on my computer and I am unable to actually listen to it.

What other book might you compare Dragon's Time to and why?

Any of the Dragon Riders of Pern Books.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Emily Durante?

Not sure since I haven't been able to listen to the book - Boo Audible

Any additional comments?

Booooo, Audible for not responding to my support email

What’s going on?

Gosh, I have read every Anne McCaffery book and loved them all, until now. I had to start it over twice, and I am still confused. I can’t find the plot. I will probably not finish it. Very disappointing.

Very anoying

1. lot more talking than action in this book
2. It was confusing in several places
3. I liked the other male story teller better. He made the pages jump out at you and seem real. This woman made me want to run away screaming, it was all I could do to wait till the end ugh.

memories

This was the first dragon book I had listened to, I read all the others years ago. I found it hard to keep track of so many different characters especially when the reader pronounced names differently to the way I had stored them in my memory, but I am sure that is just my 83 year old brain having problems. otherwise a good story, lots of action and a satisfactory ending. I shall listen to it again soon and am sure will enjoy it more.

I found this book really tedious.

I am a big Dragons of Pern fan and have read most Anne McCaffrey books. Previously they have all been excellent but this simply isn't worth the time.
I found it to be boring which wasn't helped at all by the narration which is bland and dull. There is very little proper characterisation which has always been an Anne McC strength in her books.
I am really struggling listening to it and I am getting to the stage of not completing the book. This has only happened twice in over 40 years as an avid book reader.

Such a pity.

I’ll have to listen to this a few times.

I enjoyed the story but will need to listen quite a few times as there are so many characters I haven’t been able to follow the story.
Happily I hope to eventually understand.

Utter rubbish - lovers of Pern, avoid this travesty

Having read the Pern books for over 30 years I was seriously disappointed and disturbed by this book. Todd obviously has not properly read his mothers books nor has he the deep love of the characters and rules attached to the lore of Pern.
This book is disjointed, with no real story line, it's cobbled together, the characters have no depth and most disturbing is the simple rules of between are just thrown out the window! (Spoiler alert!) We all know that Between is total sensory deprivation, so how does Fiona manage to undo her fighting harmed to "launch" herself off her dragon in Between? How is it that her dragon on coming out of Between is "confused" ? The link with her rider would mean if it had been at all possible to detach from her dragon, the dragon would have suicided as soon as the twins were delivered to safety.
How is it possible for a whole wing to be in Between for half a turn and be alive and returnable? It's simply not possible.
When Fiona was "found" in the nothingness of Between she was caught because the rescuer "felt" the brush of a hand!! Come on! Utter bilge!