The Chronicles of Pern

First Fall

By: Anne McCaffrey

Narrated by: Meredith MacRae

Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

Travel back to the earliest days of Pernese history in this first-ever Dragonriders of Pern short story collection. Join the original survey team as they explore Pern and decide to recommend it for colonization. Share the terror of the evacuation from the Southern Continent as a flotilla of ships, aided by intelligent, talking dolphins, braves the currents of the Pernese ocean. Learn how the famous Ruatha Hold was founded, and thrill with the dragonriders as they expand into a second, then a third Weyr. And discover a secret lost in time - the rescue of some of the original colonists before the planet was cut off forever.  

Building a new life on a distant world, braving the dreaded Thread that falls like silver rain from the sky only to destroy every living thing it touches, flying heroically on the wondrous dragons - The Dragonriders of Pern!

Anne McCaffrey suggests The Chronicles of Pern should be followed by The Dolphins of Pern.

©1993 Anne McCaffrey (P)2002 Fantastic Audio, an Imprint of American Audio Literature

Good stories, poorly read.

A collection of short stories raking place in the early years of Pern, including the initial survey of the planet, First Fall is a good listen overall. Unfortunately, the reader, Meredith MacRae, is bland and lifeless. All of the stories feature multiple characters and MacRae's reading and lack of inflection or characterization makes it difficult to follow who's who. Likewise, it's very difficult to differentiate between male and female characters as MacRae fails to alter her vocal pitch at all.

The stories themselves are well written, but the actual reading makes for a difficult and distracting listen.

Poor reading ruins this

I couldn't even finish listening to part one. I only gave it one star because I believe the story has to be better than the reading. While a perfect and clear English speaker, the reader makes no effort to make any character voices whatsoever, and inflection is limited to basic grammar-based emphasis (like lilts for questions, and emphasis for exclamations). Grade wouldn't even be above a "D" for a public speaking class, let alone as a book narrator. She makes me drowsy. Choose a different reader, or a printed book over this disappointment!

I enjoy Dick Hill as narrator best.

The few women that have narrated just can't pull off the right tone.

Great history on How Pern was settled

This is great for those who want to know how it all started. MacRae is not a good narrator, though. It was very difficult to follow her as she read - she runs the sentences together so it is hard to tell when there is a new sentence starting. I only stuck with it to know the history.

Dreadful Narration!

What would have made The Chronicles of Pern better?

Having Dick Hill continue his narration from "Dragonsdawn" and the "Dragonriders" trilogy. I only rated this so low across the board to drive down the overall four star rating. I enjoyed the stories and Anne's writing is impeccable once again, this just could have been better if either Dick Hill or Mel Foster had read it.

Has The Chronicles of Pern turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not at all.

Would you be willing to try another one of Meredith MacRae’s performances?

Absolutely not!

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Great story and depth. Makes me love the characters.

Any additional comments?

Just want to reinforce that all my one stars were simply to drive down the overall average and emphasize that the narration ruined the audiobook as a whole.

American english as a 2nd language

Ms MacRae did NOT do a decent reading of this wonderful book. I seriously wonder if she even read it to herself first. Waste of my money.

The narration wasn't as bad as some reviews state.

Each story nicely fills in a back story hole. Thanks narration, however could be better. The most difficult part was when she moves from one sentence to the next with barely a pause. It can also, sometimes, be difficult to tell when switching between characters in the dialog sections.

The narrator...!

I love this book for the little snippets of info it provides outside the bounds of the main books, but the narrator is just horrible!!! I tried to make it through, I really did, but she has a horribly grating voice that just sucks the life out everything. I liked Jim Tillek a lot, up until she was the voice of Jim Tillek. Really ruined the book, and the only reason I’m giving it two stars is for the story.

Ok... I’ll say it: Meredith MacRae blew it...badly.

I don’t know who is the reason for this poorly presented rendition of the beginning of one of my best-ever series: the narrator (Ms MacRae) or the director in the booth. This was tremendously disappointing!
The narrator’s phrasing, mispronunciation of many, MANY words and terms, dead emotionless delivery, and apparent total disinterest in the story show through early on and frequently. Ms MacRae as an actress: great, her narrating ability: not poor, but really pitiful.
I love the Pern stories , and have for decades: I decided to try the audible version, and I’m not going to let one poorly done portrayal ruin my experience. Hopefully, the coming stories will be better! I WILL persevere!

Great stories

These 5 short stories are great about filling in gaps of details or loose threads of the history of PERN

Let down by narrator

I really enjoyed these stories as part of the Pern series but the narrator was terrible. Hardly any emotion in her voice and some really odd pauses mid-sentence.

nice to hear another of Anne McCaffrey books

I was nice to hear another of Anne McCaffrey books brought to life by audible.
A nice book to give people a quick look into the beginning of PERN and the start of the world that so many people love.