Dragongirl
Encyclopedia
Dragongirl is a fantasy
or science fiction
novel
by Todd McCaffrey
in the Dragonriders of Pern
series that his mother Anne McCaffrey
initiated in 1967. Published in 2010, it was is the sequel to Dragonheart
and third with Todd as sole author.
), beginning weeks after the start of the "Third Pass" of the Red Star and its attendant Threadfall. Primarily it continues the story of gold dragonrider Fiona of Fort and the people she leads. In broad terms, it continues the history of the crisis that the start of every Pass brings to Pern, the third such crisis.
Early in Dragongirl, the entire force of centrally located Telgar Weyr is lost to a sudden disaster — all its mature dragons and dragonriders, about 300 pairs. That leaves only the support population, with almost no adult men, and some of the young, retired, or sick. Fiona's group of recent travelers is transferred to Telgar, among others, and she is Weyrleader again.
Following the plague that had decimated the dragons, and the loss of an entire Weyr, the remaining dragons are overstretched, and the limited numbers lead to even further casualties. The novel follows Fiona, now as Weyleader of Telgar, as the dragonriders come to realise that there are no longer enough dragons to protect the planet for the whole Pass.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
or science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Todd McCaffrey
Todd McCaffrey
Todd J. McCaffrey is an Irish American author of science fiction best known for continuing the Dragonriders of Pern series in collaboration with his mother Anne McCaffrey.-Life:...
in the Dragonriders of Pern
Dragonriders of Pern
Dragonriders of Pern is a science fiction series written primarily by the late American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. The series comprises 22 novels and several short...
series that his mother Anne McCaffrey
Anne McCaffrey
Anne Inez McCaffrey was an American-born Irish writer, best known for her Dragonriders of Pern series. Over the course of her 46 year career she won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award...
initiated in 1967. Published in 2010, it was is the sequel to Dragonheart
Dragonheart
Dragonheart is a 1996 fantasy adventure film directed by Rob Cohen. It stars Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, Dina Meyer, and the voice of Sean Connery. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and various other awards in 1996 and 1997...
and third with Todd as sole author.
Plot overview
Dragongirl is set primarily during a few months of year 508 AL (After Landing on PernPern
Pern is a fictional planet created by Anne McCaffrey for the Dragonriders of Pern series of fantasy and science fiction books. It is said to be "Rukbat 3", the third planet in orbit around the star Rukbat, counting outward....
), beginning weeks after the start of the "Third Pass" of the Red Star and its attendant Threadfall. Primarily it continues the story of gold dragonrider Fiona of Fort and the people she leads. In broad terms, it continues the history of the crisis that the start of every Pass brings to Pern, the third such crisis.
Plot summary
Until nearly the end of Dragonheart, Fiona had been a very young Weyrleader in the past, during a long episode of time travel. Essentially, she had led a large group of young dragons and young dragonriders with the primary purpose simply to survive and to mature in the relative safety of the past. That worked, and so they gained time, or adult man- and dragonpower, for the Pernese to handle the current crisis. Upon return from the past, Fiona is no longer Weyrleader, but she has that experience, and the proven love and loyalty of many who had traveled with her.Early in Dragongirl, the entire force of centrally located Telgar Weyr is lost to a sudden disaster — all its mature dragons and dragonriders, about 300 pairs. That leaves only the support population, with almost no adult men, and some of the young, retired, or sick. Fiona's group of recent travelers is transferred to Telgar, among others, and she is Weyrleader again.
Following the plague that had decimated the dragons, and the loss of an entire Weyr, the remaining dragons are overstretched, and the limited numbers lead to even further casualties. The novel follows Fiona, now as Weyleader of Telgar, as the dragonriders come to realise that there are no longer enough dragons to protect the planet for the whole Pass.