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This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.
That said, on to the review!
Menolly's made it to the Harper Hall of Pern, from which all matters musical are dispersed. But while feeling triumphant at finally achieving a goal no one believed she could, she feels nervous as well. After all, what can she do that hundreds of apprentices, journeymen, and masters can't? True, she has nine fire lizards all her own--lizards the sing, moreover--but beyond that, what? She soon realizes some of her worst fears as she struggles with the difficulties of being a young woman over-old to be an apprentice, of holder blood, too good for an apprenticeship and not yet skilled enough to become a journeyman, and having nine fire lizards besides! But amid all the chaos of her new life, she finds a peace and contentment she did not have before. Now, with her friends Piemur, Sebell, Audiva, the fire lizards, and the Masterharper himself, she sets forth to carve her own niche in the world, and no one--not prejudiced masters or jealous apprentices or ill-mannered holder girls--is going to stop her!
Dragonsinger continues the story begun in Dragonsong, taking up where that book left off. We get to see anew how some problems are inescapable while others are intimidating but not insurmountable. I especially approved of the way Menolly escaped some of her problems--the difficulties of feeding her nine fire lizards, for example--and traded them in for new but related ones, like finding a place to feed them quietly or without hindering the meal preparations.
Anne McCaffrey does an excellent job of futher weaving the story told in this book with that of Dragonquest...which is understandable when both Dragonsong and Dragonsinger take place within the time frame of Dragonquest. Not only did we get to see the aftermath of the queens' death and Brekke's revitalization, we also get to witness the ill-fated jump from Pern to the Red Star and the far-reaching effect it has on all of Pern, especially to those with fire lizards and in particular Menolly, who has nine. Then, to have Menolly's long suppressed skill blossoming out to capture the sensations of that dire event with music...excellent planning, Ms. McCaffrey!
Dragonsinger contributes vastly to our knowledge of Pern, especially because it is he Harper Hall that is the sentinel of culture, and exposed as we are to the Hall, we are also exposed to the culture! And what better way to see the next step of that culture than follow the footsteps of one of those who's growing knowledge of fire lizards and uncanny "tuning" threaten to make her one of the key shapers of the future?
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