Customer Reviews

White Dragon

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This story introduces two new fabulous characters, Lord jaxom and his dragon Ruth. This is truly a great book, and it's interesting storyline and great writing, as well as the bond between Ruth and Jaxom make this a great and wonderful story to read.

When I finished this book I cried. I cried because it was finished. I was going to miss the white dragon, Ruth and his rider Jaxsom. And then I found that Jaxsom and Ruth saga continued into All The Wyers of Pern. The Dragons of Pern and its people see a beautiful world that backsled from high tech to slower pre tech era. each book you read leaves you questions about this people whose ancestors came from Earth to make a new life. Each book is like a wonderful quest. An adventure you can take in your own home. These should definitely be made in a series of movies.

This is the first Anne Mc Caffrey book I read. I found it very confusing with turns = years and Weyr = a home for dragons and their riders and other terms. I reccomend that any first time Pern readers read Dragonflight, Dragonquest or Dragonsdawn first.
This book was great with Jaxom developing with a crush and the critisism that Jaxom and Ruth (Jaxom's white dragon) get because never has there been a dragonrider the leader of a hold and Ruth is a runt and white. No dragons are white. In addition to being a white runt, firelizards seem to like Ruth, which makes them unpopular with some holdfolk.
Jaxom and Ruth must learn how to fly and breathe fire together without anyones help.

Enjoyable, start at the beginning of the series

Jaxom is the future Lord Holder of Ruatha, one of Pern's oldest and most venerable holds and has been groomed for his role since he was very young. When he accidentally impresses a white dragon named Ruth, everyone is dismayed and worried about what to do with him. Dragonriders belong in the Weyr, after all, and a man simply cannot be a dragonrider and a Lord Holder - or can he? Jaxom is determined to keep Ruth and to learn how to fly, breathe fire and kill Thread - and be the future leader of one of the most prosperous Holds on Pern. What others refuse to teach him, Jaxom discovers for himself. It is as Ruth and Jaxom are experimenting that they find themselves in the position to prevent a great disaster on Pern and to unite the Oldtimers and the Weyrs of the Northern Continent through Ruth's unique ability of always knowing when he is and his rapport with fire lizards. Ruth and Jaxom even discover some new "secrets" on the Southern Continent that the ancients left behind!

The White Dragon is simply a superb book. I loved the characters and really felt that I identified with Jaxom as he was growing up and growing into his roles as both a dragonrider and as a Lord Holder. Readers who have read McCaffrey's previous books in the Pern series will simply find that it is another story about Weyleaders F'lar and Lessa (Dragonflight & Dragonquest), as well as Masterharper Robinton and Journeyman Menolly (Dragonsong & Dragonsinger) told from a different, very enjoyable perspective. I loved the way McCaffrey took the time to incorporate older characters so that the readers know what is happening in their lives. The White Dragon is an exciting link between the first several books and the next grouping as there are many surprises and new discoveries that take place here. Ruth is also one of my favorite dragons and was such a joy to read about. Anyone who loves fantasy will enjoy this book so do yourself the favor and buy this book!

I've read a lot of Anne McAffrey books, so I'm pretty familiar with her writing style. This book is a good one; it keeps you interested in what's going to happen next until it's over. If you haven't read any other McAffrey books, though, I recommend you read Dragonflight and DragonQuest before you read this one, as this is the sequel to those.

To those who HAVE read those other two, you should definitely buy this one. Problems with the lord holders, thread of course, and a discovery... Jaxxom is the center of the story, involved in most events. The masterharper and Menolly are more involved in this book than the other two, and you also hear more about Lord Lytol, Jaxxom's guardian.

There are a few things I didn't like about the book. 1 was the casual way in which Jaxxom treated his relationship with another character (you'll have to find out which one). The other is the way that Lessa and F'lar are so much in the background in this one; they're really not that involved, except for a few key parts.

Anyway, if you like fantasy/sci fi, and you've read McAffrey before and like her, like me, then buy the book; it's worth it. :)

This is the third book in the Dragonriders of Pern series and is as good as the other two before it. In dragonflight, Fax and Lady Gemma had a son named Jaxom, which Lessa gave Ruatha hold to. As of now, Lytol leads Ruatha Hold. Jaxom is a adventurous young man. His dragon Ruth, is a pure white dragon, very human, clever and nice. Jaxom thinks that he can never really be a real dragonrider because he was Ruatha's young lord. Nevertheless when Ramoth's queen egg is stolen, Jaxom and Ruth hatches a daring plan to rescue the egg from the southerners. Along the way, he meets thread and is scored. He then recieves training in Fort Weyr.

Along the way, you'll read about F'lar's duels with the oldtimer T'kul, Masterharper Robinton gets a heart attack, Jaxom comes down with firehead and recovers in Sourthern and meets Sharra, his lover. Benden Weyr's leaders along with Fanderal, Robinton and a bunch of Pern's leaders discovers ancient settlements and space ships in Southern.

A definitely good read!

I've loved the Anne McCaffrey since I picked up my first book by her, and I think the Pern Series are the best books that she's written. Of the Pern books The White Dragon is far and away the best one. The story is titled after Ruth, the runt dragon that Jaxom impressed. It follows the adventures of Ruth and Jaxom as they mature and deal with the population growth of Pern and the conservatives.

Picking up threads begun in _Dragonsong_ and _Dragonsinger_, this book follows not only Masterharper Robinton, but the early career of Ruth and his rider, Jaxom. They're a problem to hidebound traditionalists everywhere. Ruth is a throwback in size to the early generations of the dragon species, when they were just large enough to carry human riders. He's the runt of his particular clutch, of course - and if he hadn't been too weak to break out of the shell of his abnormally thick-walled egg, Jaxom might never have Impressed him. Awkward all around; Jaxom is the only heir to Ruatha Hold since Lessa left it for Benden Weyr, and the rest of the Ruatha bloodline was wiped out in Fax's wars of conquest.

An Impression can't be gainsaid; Ruth and Jaxom are paired for life. Jaxom can't be treated like an ordinary weyrling and bundled off to become a proper dragonrider without touching off a bloodbath among the younger sons of Lord Holders vying for Ruatha. The problem of these hotheads is another plot thread, as the Weyrleaders and Lord Holders work on the problem of gradually opening up the Southern continent as a pressure valve without stirring up trouble with the Oldtimer dragonriders of Southern Weyr. Alas, trouble sometimes shows up even if you don't ask for it.

Fortunately, Ruth's small size makes it possible for him to live at Ruatha itself rather than in the huge confines of a weyr, and Fort Weyr isn't far away. Jaxom's life hasn't been easy; he's the only surviving son of the late, unlamented conqueror Fax, and after his mother's death in childbirth, Jaxom's future was decided for him, including fosterage with Lytol, who serves as his regent; another problem, since Lytol was himself a dragonrider who by chance survived his dragon's death, and still mourns him. Lytol's lost so much in life that he doesn't let himself become visibly attached to people anymore.

Jaxom has never had open affection from anyone, until Ruth came into his life, nor any control over his own destiny (not to mention that he's reaching the rebellious stage of youth anyway). He doesn't care about other kids' taunts about Ruth not being a 'proper' dragon; he's determined not only to fly, but to learn to direct Ruth to teleport and breathe flame, and in short, to learn all the skills used by a dragonrider fighting thread. After all, while he's Lord Holder in name, Lytol is really in charge.

Ruth himself is happy being wherever Jaxom is, and has some unusual talents that eventually manifest themselves. And eventually, they encounter a problem that no 'proper' dragonrider could have hoped to solve.

This volume is rather different from its predecessors in the Dragonriders of Pern series; the dragonriders of Benden are only supporting players, and there are intimations of mortality creeping up on the older generation, as Jaxom's generation begins coming of age, the generation that's grown up during this Pass of the Red Star. Robinton's schemes for giving young craftsmen, holders, and journeymen training across disciplines is beginning to bear fruit, even as he himself finally begins feeling his age. The exiled Oldtimers are becoming desperate, growing old with no new blood coming in; even those who didn't go to Southern have had enough threadfall for several lifetimes.

Almost 20 years ago, when my sons were teens, they complained that I never read anything in the genre that they were reading so that we could talk about our books with eachother. My youngest son gave me "White Dragon" which he had just finished. With no great enthusiasm, except eagerly looking forward to the promised sharing of time with Chris, I began reading. I have been a die-hard Anne McCaffery Dragonfiders of Pern fan ever since!!!! The books in this series are full of love and adventure, science fiction and fantasy... a delight for young and old alike. In a few more years, when my grandchildren get past the Dr. Seuss stage, I will probably begin reading the series to them... if nothing else, to give me an excuse to read them again myself. In the meantime, my son still keeps his eye out for new books about Pern by Ms. McCaffery and makes sure that I get them for birthdays or Christmas.

Wonderful reading to be sure, but beware! Once you get to know the people and the dragons of Pern, you will will be compelled to keep asking for more!!