''Dragon's Time'' is a

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

by the American-Irish author

Anne McCaffrey Anne Inez McCaffrey (1 April 1926 – 21 November 2011) was an American-Irish writer known for the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, ''Weyr Search'', 19 ...

and her son

Todd McCaffrey Todd J. McCaffrey (born 27 April 1956 as Todd Johnson) 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 Todd Johnson was born 27 Apr ...

in the ''

Dragonriders of Pern ''Dragonriders of Pern'' is a science fantasy series written primarily by American author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning in 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. ...

'' series that she initiated in 1967. Published by

Del Rey Books Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn, by Penguin Random House. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It ...

and released June 2011, ''Dragon's Time'' is their fourth collaboration in the series and is the sequel to ''

Dragongirl ''Dragongirl'' is a science fiction novel by Todd McCaffrey in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series that his mother Anne McCaffrey initiated in 1967. Published in 2010, it is the sequel to ''Dragonheart'' and third with Todd as sole author.. Ret ...

'' by Todd McCaffrey. The McCaffreys wrote one more sequel together, ''

Sky Dragons ''Sky Dragons'' is a science fiction novel by the American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey and her son Todd McCaffrey in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series that she initiated in 1967. Published by Del Rey Ballantine and released July 2012, ''Sky ...

'' (published in July 2012).

Summary

The frame story of ''Dragon's Time'' is set during ten days of year 508 AL (years After Landing on

Pern ''Dragonriders of Pern'' is a science fantasy series written primarily by American author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning in 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. T ...

). Now it is summer, about six months after the start of the "Third Pass" of the Red Star and its attendant Threadfall. Much of the action takes place during a long episode of time travel led by

Fiona Fiona is a feminine given name. The name is associated with the Gaelic traditions of Ireland and Scotland (through the poetry of James Macpherson), but has also become popular in England.. It can be considered either a Latinisation of names, Lati ...

of Fort Weyr, who is the Telgar Weyrwoman ''now'' (508 AL). The primary purpose of the expedition is to survive, and to mature or to convalesce, and thus to gain man and dragonpower in the present crisis. In all this, ''Dragon's Time'' matches Todd's ''

Dragonheart ''Dragonheart'' (stylized as ''DragonHeart'') is a 1996 fantasy adventure film directed by Rob Cohen and written by Charles Edward Pogue based on a story created by him and Patrick Read Johnson. The film stars Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Pete P ...

'', two books back. The differences are that is now six months rather than a few weeks after the start of the Third Pass. The refuge is in the near past, but distant in space: the smaller and unknown Western Continent, on the other side of Pern from the settled Northern Continent. There is a secondary purpose, or opportunity: both humans and dragons may reproduce (the childbearing of leading women is a theme). Fiona and the temporary Weyr she leads compose a smaller part of the story than in ''Dragonheart''. She shares the lead, and often her queen dragon Talenth, with

Lorana Characters in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series of science fiction novels by Anne McCaffrey. 8th Interval, 9th Pass Major characters AIVAS AIVAS is an advanced computer (Artificial Intelligence Voice Address System). AIVAS was found by Jaxom, ...

. Lorana was the protagonist of ''

Dragonsblood ''Dragonsblood'' is a science fiction novel by Todd McCaffrey in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series that his mother Anne McCaffrey initiated in 1967. Published in 2005, this was the first with Todd as sole author and the nineteenth in the ser ...

'', Todd McCaffrey's first solo effort, three books back, but ending early in this year 508. She is the expert time traveler, who led Fiona and others on the backward journey in ''Dragonheart'', and risked the first forward journey at the end of ''Dragongirl''. In this book she makes many short-duration trips, some of them distant in time. "You can't break time, but you can cheat it", and Lorana is the expert cheater.

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External links

{{Pern stories 2011 American novels 2011 fantasy novels 2011 science fiction novels Dragonriders of Pern books Collaborative novels Novels by Anne McCaffrey Novels by Todd McCaffrey Del Rey books