Dragonseye by Anne McCaffrey

Dragonseye is interesting. First, it has to let readers know the changes that have happened, basically since the last moment of Dragonsdawn (as Dragonsblood had yet to be written at this point). It had to straddle the 200+ year time difference and the divide in technology levels during that timeframe. I think it did that reasonably well. Secondly, Dragonseye had to tell an entertaining story. This went mostly okay, though the overall ending felt protracted.

It is interesting to read these books in chronological order. I haven’t read a good chunk of them before. I can see where parts of Pernese history are being filled in. Like the learning songs being written. It doesn’t quite feel like a checklist of things that need to be explained being explained, but it also kind of does. I didn’t ever think about how certain things (like the learning songs) came to be, but it is nice to have the explanation. “Seeing” the experience of declining tech is also kind of sad, to be honest. Like, you know it’s gonna happen eventually, but “being there” for it is a whole other matter. I was also not expecting there to be any kind of argument over “losing” Earth’s history, though it makes sense from the person it came from. There really is no reason to keep absolute ancient history from a planet you will never go to or interact with alive for most of the population.

Okay so… Lord Chalkin. Immediate hatred for this man and all his ilk, in and out of fiction. The EXPERTS are telling you what’s going to happen and you are just willfully not listening to them because you “know better” because of your rudimentary science classes. Speaking of which, he apparently also didn’t pay enough attention to understand that the tech the original Pernese settlers had is WAY beyond current capabilities. And, ah yes, Chalkin is such an ass he doesn’t want to thank a dragon for transporting him. Fuck this guy. I am extremely glad everyone in the text agrees. I also feel like Chalkin’s inclusion is just a little too much reality seeping into my Science Fantasy book right this moment. I will concede that this feeling is a product of when I’m reading. The ending to Chalkin’s storyline was satisfying.

I really enjoyed the look into being a newly Impressed dragonrider. Even more so that it’s a female Green rider. Debera’s a good POV character and I’m in love with Morath. Hard not to love the dragons, I think, but still. Love them. I also didn’t mind the romance between Debera and Iantine. It was sweet and just enough in the romance category.

I felt the ending of Dragonseye went on a bit too long. I understand that the actual story had to do with the reemergence of Thread and not Chalkin’s whole thing… but it felt like the end of Chalkin’s storyline should have been the end of the book. Not that I didn’t like getting a bit more of day-to-day in the Weyr, but it seemed to go on longer with each page.

But yeah… overall, I enjoyed Dragonseye. Had a hard time putting it down, actually. Excellent story. Excellent writing. Had enough info to stand alone, if need be.

Favorite Lines

"That was the purpose of education: to develop the skills required to solve problems. And to utilize the potential that existed in everyone -- even a Bitran, he added sourly." - Narration, Clisser's POV

"The people needed dragons' help. I listen. We all do." - Charanth

Thought This Was Interesting

"He read accounts of persons who never left their home place, contacting others only by electronics, living as eremites. Not so much out of fear of the outside world, as out of indolence." - Narration, Clisser's POV

Just amused at the Sci-Fi foresight of McCaffrey from 1997.