Dragonsdawn

By: Anne McCaffrey

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

The beautiful planet Pern seemed a paradise to its new colonists - until unimaginable terror turned it into hell. Suddenly, deadly spores were falling like silver threads from the sky, devouring everything - and everyone - in their path. It began to look as if the colony, cut off from Earth and lacking the resources to combat the menace, was doomed.

Then, some of the colonists noticed that the small, dragon-like lizards that inhabited their new world were joining the fight against Thread, breathing fire on it and teleporting to safety. If only, they thought, the dragonets were big enough for a human to ride and intelligent enough to work as a team with a rider...

And so they set their most talented geneticist to work to create the creatures Pern so desperately needed - Dragons!

Pay another visit to Pern.

©1989 Anne McCaffrey (P)2005 Brilliance Audio

Critic Reviews

"Newcomers will find McCaffrey's latest an accessible introduction to the world of Pern." ( Library Journal)

The origin of Pern and the dragonriders

The story is great, with characters you can love. It answers a lot of questions, even those you didn't know you had. After reading this book and the short stories in Dragon's Eye, you will be an expert on the origins of Pern and its society.

4 people found this helpful

Not a fair review

If this were a fair review, I would mention the lack of depth and character development, the amateur writing style, and the utopian plot with fake conflict. But this is not a fair review. Like many of the other reviewers, I read these books as a teen and have the fondest memories of everything Pern. Those were simpler times and I didn’t really know what good writing was. (Not did I care.) So all of the flaws in this book matter very little. I absolutely loved having this story read to me.

Dick Hill is another story. I couldn’t stand his voice. He’s so slow, I nearly had to speed it up. But I didn’t because I didn’t want the story to be over faster. Eventually I got used to him enough not to notice I much I disliked him. He reads other books in this series and does a much better job.

3 people found this helpful

actually was a bit different but just as enjoyable

Starting a little different, this story allows you many opportunities to discover where this people came from and how they came to be the dragonriders. It was a fun read and a little refreshing at this point of the series. As always if you let your imagination try to picture happenings in your minds eye,you will get a real suprise. I actually got involved to the point of feeling bad during sorrowful times and cheering during the successes. Anne did it again. Read it.

3 people found this helpful

Superb audiobook

The best narration yet in the series. Dick Hill makes the story come alive. Highly recommend.

2 people found this helpful

Absolutely wonderful!

Love the book! Dick Hill's performance (and it was most definitely a performance and NOT just a narration) was absolutely superb!!!

2 people found this helpful

The beginning of a fantastic world

As I had already read The White Dragon and All the Weyrs of Pern before I heard this one, I had a vague idea of what Dragonsdawn might entail, as far as the science and the technology of the original landing party. Even so, I found the story just as captivating as if I had known nothing. From the first sight of Pern from space to the first time the dragons fly to fight thread, this is truly one of the most detailed and fascinating story from Anne McCaffrey. The narrator really works to bring the characters to life, with individual accents and speech patterns, as well as emotional inflection. The last few moments of Sallah Telgar and Tarvi Andiyar were especially heart wrenching, and Dick Hill's excellent narration really made it poignant. It was the part that sticks with me the most, but Dragonsdawn is such a very full and active storyline that there is always something next.

2 people found this helpful

Story has held up over the yrs & still a good one!

What did you love best about Dragonsdawn?

Having read the Pern series novels by Anne McCaffrey, I really appreciate the ground work that Ms. McCaffrey laid down in this book. So many plots, so much time to spawn from such a story. It's the craft of writing a wonderful story that lives on with each book. I am amazed that this series is as wonderful for Adults as it is for Young Adults.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dragonsdawn?

Not sure this is the most memorable moment, but it seems to me that Avril and avarice are awfully close in their core meaning...

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

All the characters that Dick Hill portrayed were good. I think I would've have liked a female voice, but Mr. Hill's narration and ability to give the characters their own 'voice' changed my mind. I especially like how he portrays a voice in loud shouting or exasperation. Nicely done.

4 people found this helpful

Great story in a great book series!

How has this series not been picked up for tv yet? Perfect candidate for cgi show!

1 person found this helpful

Fantastic

A wonderful book and this amazing narrator brought this story and it's characters to life!

1 person found this helpful

Here be dragons

As good as I remember from being a kid . I remember first reading the series in grade school and being awed at the amazing detail inscribe in the peen series a good read for all mild sexual content, and language but not too bad is rate it pg 13

1 person found this helpful