Anne McCaffrey has gone for all time between

[Didaktylos]

From the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/23/anne-mccaffrey-pern-dies-85)

I first read Dragonflight when I was 15 and was hooked immediately.

[Piscivore]

That's sad. :(

[Darat]

If she could Helva would shed a tear.

Wasn't enamoured of much of her later works but stories like "The Ship Who Sang" were amongst the vanguard of quality science fiction that helped science fiction break with the hegemony of the "golden age" editors.

I can recall hearing her on a panel at some science fiction convention in the 1980s and she certainly was a very passionate person and unashamedly proud of being a "genre" writer.

[Gawdzilla]

Pern was the first religion-free society I had read about that I though might actually work. That was important to me when I was coming to realize that I could no longer hide from the issues surrounding religion.

[Skepticemea]

If she could Helva would shed a tear.

Wasn't enamoured of much of her later works but stories like "The Ship Who Sang" were amongst the vanguard of quality science fiction that helped science fiction break with the hegemony of the "golden age" editors.As an evangelical Asimov fan in the 80s, I was given that book by my aunt who worked at Collins (McCaffrey's publisher at the time) as an exercise in humility. Amazing writer and all round good egg.

[Silly Green Monkey]

I just finished reading the Twins of Petaybee series and have the last of Freedom's Landing series to read. That's sad, that there will be no more stories like these.

[ZirconBlue]

From the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/23/anne-mccaffrey-pern-dies-85)

I first read Dragonflight when I was 15 and was hooked immediately.

For me, it was The White Dragon first. I think I was around 14 at the time. I have since read all of the Pern books written by her (although I've avoided the ones that have her son's name on them).

[Halfcentaur]

I grew up seeing my mother reading these my whole life, I've always meant to check them out.

[theprestige]

Is it too soon to predict that this will not stop the publication of new "Anne McCaffrey" novels?

[Hokulele]

That is sad, I loved her books as well.

However, I seem to recall reading an interview with her a long, long time ago where she claimed that her ideas for the dragon/human bonding in Pern, as well as the psychic abilities of the characters in her "Tower" books (To Ride Pegasus, and the others), stemmed from her own experiences. I believe she had claimed to have had three premonitions about her own life, two of which had already come true, and the third concerned her death.

Does anyone else know anything about this? If not, to Google I go...

[Elizabeth I]

That's said. If it should turn out there is an afterlife, I hope she gets a dragon.

[ZirconBlue]

Is it too soon to predict that this will not stop the publication of new "Anne McCaffrey" novels?

Todd McCaffrey has been writing the Pern novels in recent years, but using his own name, not selling them as "Anne McCaffrey" novels.

ETA: Correction, they are credited as written by both Anne and Todd.

[Gawdzilla]

A lot of authors have had posthumous publications, so it would be a surprise to see one or more "new" novels from her. And, of course, she could do what Heinlein did.

[Elizabeth I]

That's said. If it should turn out there is an afterlife, I hope she gets a dragon.

That should of course be, "That's sad," not, "That's said." :boggled:

[Beanbag]

I got a VERY good backrub from her at one small sci-fi convention in the 70's when I threw my back out during a fighting demo. As others have mentioned, she was an all-round good egg.

Beanbag

[Robrob]

That's too bad. :(

[Aridas]

Meh. It's sad that she's gone, but personally, I'd rather cheer for what she accomplished in her life.

[Gawdzilla]

Meh. It's sad that she's gone, but personally, I'd rather cheer for what she accomplished in her life.

She helped pass many a long mile at sea, and many a boring night in some dank hootch while waiting for things to become non-boring (in a bad way, mostly).

[Gawdzilla]

Do you think that her idea of a religion-free Pern would have worked?

[Hazel]

It puts a dark spot of sadness on this day. Many, very many are the nights that I sat up far too late to finish a dragonrider book. They weren't deep. They weren't heavy. Just wonderfully enjoyable books when one is too tired to read anything extremely serious.

Anne McCaffrey and Lilian Jackson Braun will always be on my list of admriable persons - not just for what they wrote but for what both stood for.

Rest in Peace, Anne.

[Hazel]

For me, it was The White Dragon first. I think I was around 14 at the time. I have since read all of the Pern books written by her (although I've avoided the ones that have her son's name on them).

That was my first also. From them on, I was searching for all of them. Her story of how they got to Pern in the first place speaks to us today, doesn't it? I wonder if we will ever send colonies out successfully. Anyway, I have already chosen for my next life to be on Pern.

[Gawdzilla]

I had a great deal of amusement from explaining the dynamics of Weyr life to a somewhat homophobic sailor one time. He thought it was great that the randy greens caused such a scene until I pointed out that all the riders were male except the Queen's rider.

[Silly Green Monkey]

That wasn't how it started, and later it did change---blues mainly still chose males though.

[sarge]

Dang. I just re-read the big three (released in a single ebook "The Dragonriders of Pern") for the first time in 20 years or so. Enjoyed them as much this time as the first. They are also the only three of her books I've read. Sticking with the "Pern" stuff, are any of the others good, and do any of you have recommendations for the order to read them in, etc?

[ZirconBlue]

Dang. I just re-read the big three (released in a single ebook "The Dragonriders of Pern") for the first time in 20 years or so. Enjoyed them as much this time as the first. They are also the only three of her books I've read. Sticking with the "Pern" stuff, are any of the others good, and do any of you have recommendations for the order to read them in, etc?

I like all of the Pern books I've read, but I have avoided any that have Todd McCaffrey's name on the cover.

I'd recommend reading them in publication order, picking up the Harper Hall Trilogy, next.

[Didaktylos]

Dang. I just re-read the big three (released in a single ebook "The Dragonriders of Pern") for the first time in 20 years or so. Enjoyed them as much this time as the first. They are also the only three of her books I've read. Sticking with the "Pern" stuff, are any of the others good, and do any of you have recommendations for the order to read them in, etc?

Here is a list (http://www.pern.nl/library/pernbooks.htm) (I'm not sure how up tp date) of the PERN stories.

[Gawdzilla]

Dang. I just re-read the big three (released in a single ebook "The Dragonriders of Pern") for the first time in 20 years or so. Enjoyed them as much this time as the first. They are also the only three of her books I've read. Sticking with the "Pern" stuff, are any of the others good, and do any of you have recommendations for the order to read them in, etc?

The Drummer's Hall books, with Master Harper of Pern to round it out.

[I Ratant]

Do you think that her idea of a religion-free Pern would have worked?
.
I never tumbled to the religion free aspect.
Nothing was made of it in the novels, that I can recall.
In retrospect, it would be a very odd situation to not have a religion.
I remember (kinda) the first story in ASF waaaaay back when.
And read most of them since. Still have one unread, it's been waiting for a few years.

[Gawdzilla]

.
I never tumbled to the religion free aspect.
Nothing was made of it in the novels, that I can recall.
In retrospect, it would be a very odd situation to not have a religion.
I remember (kinda) the first story in ASF waaaaay back when.
And read most of them since. Still have one unread, it's been waiting for a few years.
The colony was established with the intention of having a society without religion. "First Fall" cleared that up, IIRC.

[AvalonXQ]

Hadn't heard. Good author.

[Gawdzilla]

Will we be seeing some movies out of her books now? Dragonflight could be done, and would be a great excuse for some 3D action.

[I Ratant]

The colony was established with the intention of having a society without religion. "First Fall" cleared that up, IIRC.
.
I don't recall much or anything of that one.
I was taken with all the swooning and sashaying of the adepts in MZB's "Darkover" series... :)

[Hazel]

Dang. I just re-read the big three (released in a single ebook "The Dragonriders of Pern") for the first time in 20 years or so. Enjoyed them as much this time as the first. They are also the only three of her books I've read. Sticking with the "Pern" stuff, are any of the others good, and do any of you have recommendations for the order to read them in, etc?

They are all good. In the whole series I think I only came upon one or two that I thought could have been better-written but even those were good.

As for order, it took me a long time to find the first two because, whenever anyone asked how to read them in order, the answer was you don't need to. I disagree because you keep wondering how they got to Pern in the first place. It doesn't hurt to have read several of them in any order. Then you begin to want the whole story. That's when "order" comes in.

Now I have to call on someone with a better memory than I have for titles but there is one that tells the whole story of the trip from Earth to Pern. Then there is a second that tells of their first years on Pern. Parts of it are quite pertinent to the later situation there - no mechanical transportation, how they got dragons and dragon riders, loss of medical knowledge, etc.

Please, can someone name those? I cannot. Hazel

[ZirconBlue]

They are all good. In the whole series I think I only came upon one or two that I thought could have been better-written but even those were good.

As for order, it took me a long time to find the first two because, whenever anyone asked how to read them in order, the answer was you don't need to. I disagree because you keep wondering how they got to Pern in the first place. It doesn't hurt to have read several of them in any order. Then you begin to want the whole story. That's when "order" comes in.

I am of the opinion that the order these past details are revealed are best enjoyed by reading them in publication order. IIRC, McCaffrey herself also preferred that reading order.

Now I have to call on someone with a better memory than I have for titles but there is one that tells the whole story of the trip from Earth to Pern. Then there is a second that tells of their first years on Pern. Parts of it are quite pertinent to the later situation there - no mechanical transportation, how they got dragons and dragon riders, loss of medical knowledge, etc.

Please, can someone name those? I cannot. Hazel


I think you are likely referring to Dragonsdawn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonsdawn), and the short story collection The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Pern:_First_Fall).

[Didaktylos]

They are all good. In the whole series I think I only came upon one or two that I thought could have been better-written but even those were good.

As for order, it took me a long time to find the first two because, whenever anyone asked how to read them in order, the answer was you don't need to. I disagree because you keep wondering how they got to Pern in the first place. It doesn't hurt to have read several of them in any order. Then you begin to want the whole story. That's when "order" comes in.

Now I have to call on someone with a better memory than I have for titles but there is one that tells the whole story of the trip from Earth to Pern. Then there is a second that tells of their first years on Pern. Parts of it are quite pertinent to the later situation there - no mechanical transportation, how they got dragons and dragon riders, loss of medical knowledge, etc.

Please, can someone name those? I cannot. Hazel

The one that tells of the settlement of Pern up to the first dragon-borne battle against Thread is "Dragonsdawn".

[Gawdzilla]

The one that tells of the settlement of Pern up to the first dragon-borne battle against Thread is "Dragonsdawn".

And that's the one I've been referring to when I've been saying "First Fall". Pardons to all.