Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern

Lore & Background

Moreta, the senior Weyrwoman of Fort Weyr, travels with her pregnant queen dragon Orlith to a Gather at Ruatha Hold. At the Gather, a runner collapses from a mysterious illness involving liquid in its lungs. The next morning, Weyrleader Sh'gall informs Moreta that the disease has become an epidemic spreading rapidly across Pern. Masterhealer Capian orders a quarantine, but the Weyr Healer Berchar is already infected. Despite the quarantine, Moreta must prepare the dragonriders for the next Threadfall to protect Pern. The sickness spreads so far and fast that Weyrleaders meet two days later to discuss contingency plans, including listing bronzeriders who could take command if the leaders die, and they decide against further exploration of the Southern Continent, as the animal found at sea that caused the sickness came from there.

Reader's Guide

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern is significant as the seventh book in the Dragonriders of Pern series, jumping a thousand years back in Pern's history to a time only remembered in song and legend in earlier books. The novel explores themes of epidemic, sacrifice, and leadership, with Moreta's death underscoring the cost of heroism. The book was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel and placed sixth for the Locus Award for Best Novel, indicating its recognition within the science fiction community. Critics noted the recurrence of familiar McCaffrey tropes—dragon telepathy, teleportation, time travel, and 'Impression' scenes—while acknowledging its appeal to series fans. The story's focus on a plague and the use of time travel to gather a cure adds a unique dimension to the Pern saga, cementing Moreta as a legendary figure within the series' mythology.

Did You Know?

• Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern is set 1000 years before the events of the first book, Dragonflight.
• The disease in the novel was caused by an animal found at sea that came from the Southern Continent.
• Moreta and her dragon Orlith die when Moreta, exhausted, fails to envision their destination while traveling between.
• The novel was one of five nominees for the Hugo Award for Best Novel.