Dragonseye
Fourteenth Pern novel, set during the Second Pass.
Dragonseye, originally published in the United Kingdom in 1996 as *Red Star Rising* (and also as *Red Star Rising: Second Chronicles of Pern*), is the fourteenth novel in Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series. It was retitled for its 1997 release in the United States.
The story moves back in time to an earlier period of Pernese history, roughly 250 years after the original Landing, to depict the Second Pass of Thread. Because of this setting, the characters are entirely new to the series. The novel explores how the constant threat of Thread gradually erodes the colony's technology, pushing society toward the feudal structure seen in later books. It addresses the fate of the computers and other advanced technology, and explains the origin of the Star Stones. It also provides more detail on the care of newborn dragons than any other Pern novel, and examines the consequences of male riders bonding with green dragons.
Key characters include Clisser (head of the college at Fort Hold), Chalkin (Lord Holder of Bitra), K'vin (weyrleader of Telgar Weyr), Zulaya (weyrwoman of Telgar), Iantine (a journeyman artist), and Debera (a green rider at Telgar).
- author
- Anne McCaffrey
- nationality
- American-Irish
- genre
- Science fiction
- series
- Dragonriders of Pern
- original_title
- Red Star Rising
- publication_year_UK
- 1996
- publication_year_US
- 1997
Lore & Background
The novel returns to an earlier period in Pernese history, set about 250 years after the Landing, during the Second Pass when Thread reappears. It features characters not seen in other Pern books, including Clisser (college head at Fort Hold), Chalkin (Lord Holder of Bitra), K'vin (weyrleader of Telgar), Zulaya (weyrwoman of Telgar), Iantine (journeyman artist), and Debera (green rider at Telgar).
Reader's Guide
Dragonseye explores the incremental loss of technology due to the hardships of Thread, showing the colony's progression toward the feudal society seen later in the series. It answers questions about the fate of computers and technology on Pern, and the creation of the Star Stones. The book also provides more detail on caring for newborn dragons than any other Pern novel and examines the implications of male riders of green dragons.
Did You Know?
- The novel was published in the UK as Red Star Rising and in the US as Dragonseye.
- It is the fourteenth book in the Dragonriders of Pern series.
- The story is set about 250 years after the Landing, during the Second Pass.
- It features characters that do not appear in other books of the series.
More in Novels by Anne McCaffrey 1-24
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