''Dragon Harper'' 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 ...

, part of 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 forty years later, it was the twenty-first in the series.. Retrieved 9 October 2011. ''Dragon Harper'' and the previous novels ''

Dragon's Kin ''Dragon's Kin'' is a science fiction novel by the American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey and her son Todd McCaffrey. Published by Del Rey Books in 2003, it is the eighteenth book in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series and the first with Todd as ...

'' and ''

Dragon's Fire ''Dragon's Fire'' is a science fiction novel by the American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey and her son Todd McCaffrey, Published in 2006, it was the twentieth book in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series that she initiated in 1967.. Retrieved 9 Oc ...

'' feature the character Kindan as a boy and young man, about 500 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 ...

(500 AL). They were the first collaborations by mother and son.

Plot description

Similar to '' Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern'' and ''

Nerilka's Story ''Nerilka's Story'' is a science fiction novella by the American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey. Nerilka's Story became the eighth book in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' volume series.. Retrieved 2011-10-09. '' Moreta'' (1983) and its sequel ''Neril ...

'' (near the end of the Sixth Pass), this book is set in a time of a pandemic that threatens human life on Pern (just before the third return of Thread, or Third Pass). The story focuses on the character Kindan, featured in ''

'', who has taken a position as an apprentice at the Harper Hall. In the school-like setting, Kindan has to deal with a bully, a blossoming forbidden relationship, and his role as a protector for new female apprentices after the Masterharper breaks the former taboo against female harpers. The book then deals with an

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

-like pandemic that threatens the lives of holders, as the Weyrs must maintain a quarantine to keep their rosters healthy enough to fight the next Threadfall. The story additionally explains the loss of many of the records kept prior to, during and after colonization, further reducing the Pernese connection with its off-planet origins.

Notes

References

External links

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Dragon Harper in Ten Minutes – A Parody
2007 American novels 2007 fantasy novels 2007 science fiction novels Dragonriders of Pern books Collaborative novels Novels by Anne McCaffrey Novels by Todd McCaffrey 2007 Irish novels {{2000s-fantasy-novel-stub