Question: Anne and Todd - Dragon's Kin & Dragon Fire

[Nina]

Hello everybody,

If this question is posted in the wrong forum, please feel free to move it!

I have just read Dragon's Kin and Dragon Fire by Anne and Todd. However, I just borrowed the books from the library, and I failed to look for the facts of the books - just reading the story

So my question is, if anyone knows, which book was written first, and if you know whether Anne was more involved in one of them than the other, or whether Anne was involved at all?????? Anne's name is on the books after all. Is this just for promotion or a real writing engagement??

The reason for wanting to know is that I was a bit puzzled by the writing style and the general background dark note which I have not noticed in other of Anne's books. Several inconsistencies irritated me - e.g. the mixture of turns and years and the flickering between the right and wrong calculation of turns - well it did not seem right somehow.

When comparing the two books I seem to get the feeling that it is the same story written twice - which is not altogether wrong considering Anne's universal Pern - but somehow the stories are too close to be just from another angle personwise. One book strikes me as a rehearsal or trying out or ... I do not know exactly how to put it - maybe some of you will know what I mean. That said I like one book more than the other - being more firm in composition.

Knowing that all reading and liking is personal and individual, I thank you in advance for all your answers!

[Hans]

The standing explanation is, as far as I know, that Anne helped Todd and had her input with plot and such. I don't think she is an active writer in those books with Todd but she does have her say. When Dragon's Kin made it to the NY Times bestseller list Anne told me Todd had a book on it, like she had done so many years before... Anne's contribution being large or small, doesn't really matter. I feel we must see these Third Pass books as Todds (the plots and ideas are his) but it is, of course, very important to have Anne's name on a few of the books for marketing and publicity reasons.

Dragon's Kin is written before Dragon's Harper but Todd is writing his Third Pass books out of sequence so to speak, so you need to allow for that.

The corect chronological order is:

Dragon's Kin
Dragon's Fire
Dragon Harper
Dragonheart
(Dragongirl; to be published)
Dragonsblood

As far as your ideas about the writing go, I can tell you that I found big parts of Dragon Harper the best stuff Todd has written to date. I don't think that has something to do with Anne.

And yes, some parts of the various books read like the same story from a different viewpoint because at times that's true and because it's all in the same timeframe and about the same human and dargon disease, not several as people though sometimes in the beginning.

[kindan]

I just started Dragonheart and I must say that Todd's writing quality is getting better with each book. I'm only 100 pages into it which I've seen called as the "boring" part of the book too.

As far as in order of published it's like this:
Dragon's Kin
Dragonsblood
Dragon's Fire
Dragon Harper
Dragonheart
(Dragongirl soon!)

It's been so long since I've read Dargon's Kin I can't remember it so much...

[Nina]

Thank you, Hans, and thank you, Kindan!

My questions are fully answered. I really like that you gave me both the chronological and the publishing order of the books.

It makes sense to me that Dragon's Kin was the first one, and whether or not it is true, I detect a little of Anne in it.

I have not read Dragon Harper yet.

I have been reading Space Opera by Anne and Annie - a very good book with lots of short stories from different authors.

Thank you !

[shepherdessdog]

I've actually been horrified by the most recent books. A Pern fan since age 11 (that's 14 years for me) I kind of got used to Anne's variety of inconsistencies, but Todd's input, to me, makes me feel like the gulf in logic has been amplified. I really have not liked the way they've been told. I have to agree with Nina, I was really confused about how the same characters were portrayed almost as if they were different people doing different things, and I'm really puzzled about the timeline. They just don't make much sense to me.

Additionally, the whole plague theme is old hat (Dragonsblood), Timing It to solve problems is overdone, and trying to rework the nature of watch whers fell rather flat. I will give Todd credit for trying, and his general style is very similar to his mothers.

I've actually refused to buy any more of these new books. I'll only read them at the Library. I keep hoping they'll get better, but I've just about lost faith in the continuance of this series.

[Hans]

Luckily there are more than enough people buying Todd's efforts to have Del Rey decide to keep publishing Todd's Pern books, otherwise we would be without new books, new covers and new collecting material

[mizukitsune]

I've actually really liked Todd's books and the depth and extra explanations they have added to Pern, though so far I have liked Dragonsblood the best, and I have not read Dragon Harper. Dragon's Fire was good too.

[Weyrlady]

I've actually refused to buy any more of these new books. I'll only read them at the Library. I keep hoping they'll get better, but I've just about lost faith in the continuance of this series.

I totally concur, Shepardessdog! Lorana is a Mary-Sue and the plague theme is "Is that all?"

However, I can see the other perspectives, too, thaqt's the joy of online forums. Different strokes for different folks.

[Greenrider Tresa]

They're all right. May never make my favorites list but I don't hate them either.

[GinnyStar]

Well, I thought I add my two bits to this, These two and Dragon Harper along with Dragonheart. Tell the story and give inside into the changes between Begin of the Second Pass and its Interval - DE/RSR - Dragonseye/Red Star Rising Now its the end of that Interval and the beginning of the Third Pass.
--- Nine Pass (Current)
I know they do overlap, but if folks recall the part where the Harper Hall books show up, glimmers in Dragonquest (Dragonsong), and (Dragonsinger after a few turns of being written) White Dragon (Dragondrums) and turn or so off in Renegades of Pern.

Also we see notes in both about the Third Pass in just no detains.
or - Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern
NS, Ner - Nerilka's Story
Also the records on the flu four time once before the Second Crossing.
DD, DDawn - Dragonsdawn First Crossing and Second Crossing.
CoP - The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall
CoP:SP - "The Survey: P.E.R.N.c" Pre Crossing
CoPB - "The Dolphin's Bell" -- Second Crossing
CoP:FRH - "The Ford of Red Hanrahan"
CoP:SW - "The Second Weyr"
CoP:RR - "Rescue Run"
and I am trying to help by put into how I thing I "see it", open to your own interpretation of this timeline. Hope you folks can understand me.
I've had a lot of time to think on this.