Book Review: Dragon's Kin

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Dragon's Kin     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Anne McCaffrey , Todd J. McCaffrey
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Dragons   Telepathy
Series: Pern # 15
Del Rey, Dec 2003, $24.95, 304 pp.

It is sixteen years until the next Pass of the Red Star and then Thread will rain down, destroying everything organic on Pern. A problem has arisen on Pern that could have serious repercussions for the next Turn if not solved now. Coal that the people depend on for a variety of tasks has played out on the surface and the people have to dig underground to find any.

Natalon has set up a promising camp that if it contains as much coal as he thinks will turn him into Lord Natalon and the camp into a designated Mine. The camp’s watch-wher Dask saves many lives when the mine collapses but he and his bondmate die leaving Kindan an orphan. He is taken in by a Master Harper and he decides he wants to train in the Harper hold. However, the mines desperately need a watch-wher and Natalon asks Kindan to try an impress an egg. He succeeds with Kisk who he cares for while she is still in her egg and the two reach adulthood together, working together with a very special young woman to prepare Pern for when thread falls again.

Another piece of the puzzle that makes up Pern is solved as readers learn how humans, watch-whers and dragons become part of the fighting unit to take out thread. Kindan is a very special hero willing to give up his dreams to help the miners who need him and his special abilities. It is interesting to see how watch- whers help save miners lives because of their own unique abilities different than the dragons and their cousins the fire lizards.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner