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From School Library Journal
YA-Set just prior to Dragonflight, Masterharper details the life, loves, and heartbreaks of Robinton, Pern's most beloved harper. Readers follow him through a childhood filled with rejection and neglect by his Mastercomposer father, the loss of his wife, the death of his best friend, to his becoming Masterharper of Pern. This is McCaffrey at her best, combining excellent writing with vivid settings and detailed, fully fleshed-out characters. The book would be best read after Dragonflight (1986) and Dragonquest (1979, both Ballantine), but can stand alone.
John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Kirkus Reviews
McCaffrey's latest rummage through the archives of planet Pern (Dragonseye, 1997, etc.) has unearthed Robinton, the Masterharper of Pern, and the circumstances surrounding the advent of weyrleader F'lar and Lessa, the first woman Dragonrider. It's a time when no Thread has fallen for centuries (it's due in 50 years or so), and five of the six weyrs stand inexplicably empty of Dragons and Riders. Young Rob, rejected by his father, is a musical prodigy and has the ability to speak telepathically with dragons. As Rob's musical and diplomatic skills grow, he becomes friendly with Dragonrider F'lon and also earns the enmity of Fax, a holder who refuses to allow his people to be educated (the traditional role of the Harpers). Rob marries, but his wife dies of a fever; F'lon's wife dies in childbirth; Fax, meanwhile, by force and trickery dominates the north and threatens the very basis of Pern society. Then, after F'lon is killed in a contrived duel, Fax invades Ruatha Hold, and now Rob must enlist the aid of F'lon's son F'lar to defeat Fax. Covers well-trodden ground in more detail than hitherto; presumably, most dragonfans will find it satisfying enough. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
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First Sentence
"ONE THING SURE," Betrice said wryly as she wrapped the squalling, wriggling baby tightly into the fine cotton sheet his mother had woven for just this moment, "he's got your lungs, Petiron. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
"ONE THING SURE," Betrice said wryly as she wrapped the squalling, wriggling baby tightly into the fine cotton sheet his mother had woven for just this moment, "he's got your lungs, Petiron. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Life and Times of Master Robinton,
By
This review is from: The Masterharper of Pern (Paperback)
Robinton is one of the most beloved citizens of Pern, he has figured prominently in most of the books but many personal details of his life have not been revealed ...until now. THE MASTERHARPER OF PERN is the story of those 'missing' years up to the events of DRAGONFLIGHT. Born into a musical family and raised in the Harper Hall Robinton showed extreme talent from his earliest days to the delight of all around him but his own father. Never quite understanding or recovering from this rejection Robinton grew to excel at his profession even though his dream of becoming both a harper and a dragonrider was not to be. His friendship with F'lon, father of F'lar and F'non is shown as well as the beginnings of many of his relationships throughout Pernese society. Many of these relationships have be alluded to in other books in the series. For fans of the series this is a 'must read'. If you are new to Pern I highly recommend the series and this prequel would be a good place to start, then continue through the rest in the order they were written.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A beloved character gets his own book,
By Chrijeff (Scranton, PA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Masterharper of Pern (Paperback)
Perhaps the most popular of the major "regulars" in the Pern series is Robinton, the rich-voiced Masterharper who can hear and be heard by every dragon on the planet. Many readers grieved with the Pernese when he was killed off. Now, at last, we have a book that explains how this pivotal character came to be who he was. From his birth (which nearly kills his mother), through his childhood as a prodigy (loved by his vocalist-mother but cold-shouldered by his composer-father), his first meeting with Falloner (later the Dragonrider F'lon, father of F'lar and F'nor) and their developing friendship, his two great loves and the tragedies to which they led, and his clandestine (and hitherto untold) work among the Holders, up through the opening scenes (told from his viewpoint) of "Dragonflight," we watch as his character and gifts develop and he becomes, inevitably, the man who will help lead Pern into its as-yet-unsuspected future. McCaffrey also, as in every Pern book, sprinkles a few new tidbits about her planet through the story. You need to have read at least the first two books in the series to understand what's going on, and the story is a bit slow to start, although once Robinton is writing music it grows more interesting. Definitely an indispensable read for McCaffrey's legion of fans.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Entertaining Read,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Masterharper of Pern (School & Library Binding)
I read some of the reviews before I read this book and on the whole most are right on. Even some of the ones that rated this book on the low side are right. I think it all about what you expect out of it. I was just looking for an entertaining evening read. I felt sorry that Petriton was portrayed such as he was for I too remember the loving kind soul that nurtured Menolly's talent. But if you read the next book in that trilogy you would remember that their seemed to be some hard feeling from the MasterHarper about his father. This book explain why that was so. I just think McCaffrey took it to the extreme. Furthermore I didn't like that idea that Robinton was given permission by Silvia to more or less abandon his handicapped child which is not what I think McCaffrey wanted have come across. Despite some of its obvious flaws, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to other Pern fans. But for those who have never read any of the Pern books, I suggest that you start with a different book and come back to this one.
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