End of an Era

Danikat · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:56 am Post subject: End of an Era

I've just found out that next year Anne McCaffery will release a book called After The Fall, which will effectively be the end of her Dragon Riders of Pern series.

I keep telling myself that 40 years and 21 books covering almost 2,500 years of history is long enough for any series but I still can't help feeling kind of sad that its finally happened.

Of course it might not be the last of the Pern books. Most of the planets history still hasn't been covered and her son Todd has recently started writing them as well, but in cronological terms it will probably be the last book (set at the end of the Ninth Pass), so its basically the end of the story. (Without giving too much away theres unlikely to be many, if any, books set after that.)

I think I just never really expected there to be an official end to the series, since it covers the entire history of human habitation of the planet it could in theory go on forever, but I suppose she wanted a definate end at some point.
It just seems weird thinking there won't be any more speculation about what will happen next.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this with some people who wouldn't be suprised and/or confused that I care this much about a series of books.

Intyalle · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:53 pm Post subject:

It's over? Suck!

I've barely been able to get my hands on any of the books. Mostly because I like to read book in order, but can't find the order for these books.

Danikat · Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:37 am Post subject:

I don't think there is a set order, although it's definately best to read Dragonflight first and there are some books that follow on from others. But if I was to read them all one after the other this is probably the order I'd go for. Books in groups follow on from each other so they need to be read in order, and then I just put the groups into an order I think makes sense:

(Ones in italics are short stories, the name in brackets is the book they're published in)

Dragon Flight,
Dragon Quest,
Dragon Song,
Dragon Singer,
Dragon Drums,
The White Dragon,
The Girl Who Heard Dragons, (Solo + A Gift of Dragons)
Renegades of Pern,
All the Weyrs of Pern,
The Dolphins of Pern,
Skies of Pern,
Dragon Fire,
After The Fall.
----------------
The Chronicles of Pern; First Fall,
Dragons Dawn,
Red Star Rising. (aka Dragonseye in USA)
----------------
Moreta; Dragon Lady of Pern,
Nerilkaâ€™s Story,
Beyond Between. (Legends II)
----------------
Master Harper of Pern,
Runner of Pern. (Legends & A Gift of Dragons)
----------------
Dragon Kin,
Dragon Blood.
----------------
(This last group doesn't really go together, its just that it doesn't matter when you read them...except for Dragon Harper, I just don't know where that goes because its not out yet.)
The Smallest Dragonboy, (Get Off The Unicorn & A Gift of Dragons)
The Impression, (A Dragonlovers Guide to Pern)
Ever The Twain, (A Gift of Dragons)
Dragon Harper.

Alternatively you could read them in cronological order, which would go like this:
The Chronicles of Pern; First Fall,
Dragons Dawn,
Red Star Rising, (aka Dragonseye in USA)
Dragon Kin,
Dragon Blood,
Moreta; Dragon Lady of Pern,
Nerilkaâ€™s Story,
Beyond Between (Legends II)
Master Harper of Pern,
Runner of Pern, (Legends & A Gift of Dragons)
Dragon Flight,
Dragon Quest,
The Smallest Dragonboy, (Get Off The Unicorn & A Gift of Dragons)
Dragon Song,
Dragon Singer,
Dragon Drums,
The White Dragon,
The Impression, (A Dragonlovers Guide to Pern)
The Girl Who Heard Dragons, (Solo + A Gift of Dragons)
Renegades of Pern,
All the Weyrs of Pern,
The Dolphins of Pern,
Skies of Pern,
Dragon Fire,
After The Fall.

(These last two I don't know when they're set because one isn't out yet and one just doesn't say at all)
Dragon Harper,
Ever The Twain. (A Gift of Dragons)

Fort · Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 4:18 pm Post subject:

Over? I actually am dimmly aware of you mentioning this on gameware, I'm very sorry, but I hope the unreleased book will have a brilliant ending. Smile

Swix · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:49 am Post subject:

Hmmm... Over? Wow, I had no idea. I hope the ending's good.

Also, woo! Thanks, I now have something to refer to to put my books in chronological order Wink

. Should make them a bit less confusing.

visagepoissons · White Belt Old Friend Gameware Member Posts: 487

Augh, I hate that feeling you get when a great series finishes...
*sympathies*

Intyalle · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:37 am Post subject:

YAY THANK YOU!

I've always been trying to puzzle out the chronilogical order, and getting myself tied in knots. As soon as I finish the Miles Vorkosigan series and the (several) piles of new books I have, that will be very helpful. Razz

Danikat · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:53 am Post subject:

It should have a pretty good ending. I hope.

One thing I like about Anne McCaffery is that she rarely leaves things hanging, if theres something that needs to be sorted out it gets covered eventually. And even when things have been going badly she usually manages to make the end of the book seem upbeat. So hopefully the end of the series will follow the same sort of pattern.

visagepoissons · White Belt Old Friend Gameware Member Posts: 487

At least you won't have to wait ages for the next book. I should try finding and reading those. Our libraries are awful though, I don't know how I'd go...

Cloud · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:04 am Post subject:

You can probably pick them up at a cheap price, I'm guessing the first ones are quite old now. I might have to look into getting these books myself, I need something to read.

visagepoissons · White Belt Old Friend Gameware Member Posts: 487

-_- I have no money. I'm saving up for a whammy bar to go with my Floyd Rose. If I can actually get employed I might try to get them.

Danikat · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:44 am Post subject: