Anne McCaffrey returns to Pern for the first time since “The Masterharper of Pern” came out in 1997 with this all new story of the Dragonriders and Harpers that have made the planet so popular.
“The Skies of Pern” begins after the death of Masterharper Robinton when Pern has finally freed itself from the deadly Red Star that has caused Thread to fall and destroy their planet since before the colonists settled there.
The mycorrhizod organisms destroyed everything but stone, metal and water and fell whenever the Red Star’s erratic orbit brought it close enough to Pern, often leaving long intervals when no Thread would fall. The colonists genetically engineered an indigenous animal to fight against Thread with the help of their telepathically linked humans.
These Dragons and their riders would fly against Thread with the Dragons flaming it out of the skies before it could make landfall. In addition to their telepathic powers the Dragons were also able to teleport so that they could travel to any location that had been seen in great detail.
When the descendants of the first colonists rediscovered the original landing area they also discovered an artificially intelligent computer.
Aivas helped the Dragonriders use the booster rockets from the colonists’ spaceships to “push” the Red Star out of its erratic orbit. Although Thread that had already left the Red Star’s orbit will continue to fall for the next few years, it is only a matter of time before it falls no longer and the skies are safe. The question has become what will the Dragonriders, who for years have depended on a tithing system from the various Holds, do when there is no Thread to fight?
At the same time that Master Robinton died. the computer Aivas also terminated. No one is sure if Aivas self-terminated, simply ran out of power or was affected by some other condition, but it is no longer available. However, the information that Aivas had stored is all still there and with meticulous research can still be found.
There are those among the Pernese society who feel that it would be best for Pern to continue on in their traditional ways and are willing to forswear any and all the advances brought about by modern technology.
And, of course, there are those who feel that Aivas itself was an abomination and everyone should be forced to give up any innovations that were achieved as a result of the information that was received from Aivas. This would include any medical advancements that have been made as well as those that enable better heating, lighting, etc.
As it is, the Dragonriders, the Lords and Ladies of the various holds and the Master Craftsmen must all decide not only which technology is workable on Pern, but also which will actually provide a higher standard of living to the most of the Pernese.
In the original charter for the colonists it was stated that they were choosing to live a low-tech life, to get back to nature and free them from dependency on machinery.
Is a surgery that could save lives but depends on finely honed tools too advanced? Should solar power be available to everyone or should they depend on wood fuel as they have done in the past?
The Dragonriders who’s very livelihood has been destroyed by the advances are generally the ones most in favor the new technology.
McCaffrey brings some interesting questions up in this novel about how much technology is a good thing and how it could best be introduced to a population living a very Middle Ages lifestyle that doesn’t necessarily see change as a good thing.
