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Dragonsblood by Todd McCaffrey
01/02/2005 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Del Rey/Ballantine Books. 436 page hardback. Price: $24.95 (US), $34.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-345-44124-9. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.delreydigital.com
This is the first book where Todd, son of Anne, McCaffrey does a solo flight with the Dragonriders of Pern. Again, it's not set in the 'present' so you won't be seeing the adventures of F'lar, Lessa or their off-spring. Instead, we are seeing two time streams and how they connect. We swing between chapters of the end of the First Pass and that of the Second Interview. Those familiar with 'Dragons Dawn' will recognise some of the characters and will soon get on with the second bunch and the trouble they are in as a deadly viral infection has serious repercussions for the fire lizards and, more importantly, the dragons. More so as further threadfalls are coming and decisions have to be made for burning them out of the sky from the various weyrs.
The repercussions and contact between the two time periods only becomes aware the further you read into the book. Interestingly, an obvious solution isn't used but all the information is there for you to figure out. There's some explanations about Pernese genetics but you don't get bogged down with it and also indicates some thinking behind it. There's also an interesting reference to a dragon and its rider found in rock at Benden Weyr in one of the latter books and stronger hints as to what might be explored regarding the watch-whers if we ever go back to current time.
If anything, this story covers a lot of interesting points like why the fire-lizards were not in the weyrs in Menolly's time or how nitric acid became Agnothree. It also shows an interesting contrast in how the various characters remember their origins and more importantly, for the future, how much is later forgotten over the generations.
One thing I won't know until I see the final edition is whether it will include a cast list and which dragons are beholden to which riders. Although you're not lost without it, I'm sure the check-list would be handy for many of the fans.
If I have to pick fault and this is largely cos of Todd McCaffrey's inexperience, it is in the rather abrupt way where the storythreads were cut short without a developed explanation, in the case of Tullea, right at the end. It isn't a serious fault but no doubt something he will resolve in future stories about Pern. Don't miss it.
GF Willmetts
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