Review: The White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey

The White Dragon: Volume 3 of The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

***Spoiler Alert*** Bits of plot for Dragonflight and Dragonquest

For previous reviews of books by this author, click here and here.

At the end of Dragonquest, Jaxom, the young Lord Holder of Ruatha, had just succeeded in accidentally Impressing a pure white dragon named Ruth.  He was not a Candidate, and Ruth was not supposed to hatch or even live; but then, neither one of them was the kind of being who would fulfill everyone’s expectations.  Now, a full Turn after their bonding, Ruth has been declared large enough to fly with Jaxom as his rider.  A lot is riding on this flight; none of the Lord Holders want to see Jaxom on the dragon, his guardian won’t let him grow up, and the Weyrleaders are even skeptical of him.  Idiots.  Despite the odds against them, Ruth and Jaxom successfully fly together and begin formal training as weyrlings.

Lessa is already distrustful of fire-lizards, useful though they are; this turns to hatred upon the theft of a queen egg from Benden by Southern riders.  The egg’s mysterious return half an hour does nothing to sooth her temper, and only Robinton’s cool logic stops dragon from fighting dragon.  This event, the open flight for another queen, and the Masterharper’s abrupt illness rock everyone in Pern back on their heels.

Meanwhile, Jaxom has taught Ruth to go between, to flame and to fight Thread.  Dragons can go between times as well as places, and this is a special talent of Ruth’s.  He uses this ability to avert several disasters (which would be spoilers if I told you what they were).  The book is well-written and interesting, but it comes painfully close to the “coming-of-age” cliche that so many people tend to use.  You know the story: boy is insecure/not recognized, boy falls in love, boy does something heroic, boy realizes he’s become a man, and they all live happily ever after.  Well, not quite.  The story’s a bit more involved than that, and it has some very amusing scenes, but the overtones still remain.  Still, Ruth’s acerbic point of view makes up for a good bit of the shortcomings.

Possible objectionable content: sex, and more obvious than in the previous two books.  Nothing else; don’t you get tired of hearing this?  Rating bumped to a 13-14+ because of that.

Stardragon’s rating: 9 out of 10 butterscotch candies

QUOTES

• Why do you let them upset you? ~Ruth (dragons only communicate telepathically, so their words are shown in italics)
• You are a dragonrider.  You are also a Lord Holder.  You are a student with the Mastersmith and the Masterharper.  You are a friend of Menolly, Mirrim, F’lessan, and N’ton.  Ramoth knows your name.  So does Mnementh.  And they know me.  You have to be a lot of people.  That is hard. ~Ruth
• “Well, then, to prove one would be to prove the other and hail the difference!” ~Jaxom
• “Insult?  My dear Lessa, that was no insult.  That was a compliment of the highest order!” ~Robinton
• If I am able to speak to you, I am not dreaming.  I am awake. ~Ruth
• “Looking for you, of course.  Have you any idea how many coves along this stretch of nowhere in the world answer the description Master Robinton gave me?” ~Piemur
• He is Piemur’s friend.  Piemur is my friend.  I do not eat the friends of friends. ~Ruth
• “Piemur, you’ve been here long enough to know where they store the wine?  I’ve been given this lovely goblet and it’s empty!” ~Robinton
• “If you’re speechless, Robinton, spare us your eloquence.” ~Idarolan
• Canth said that F’nor is confused.  What did you say that confuses a brown rider? ~Ruth
• “Did Ruth ask those fire-lizards about the mountains?  Beauty and the others just had a fit.  About those blasted mountains.” ~Menolly
• “Does Ruth comprehend what was said?” ~N’ton
• “Ruth comprehends that his back itches.” ~Jaxom, in response to the above
• “Who could think or hear in such noise?  Now, Menolly, get us some food!  Piemur, get drawing materials.  Zair, come here, my beautiful rascal.  You’ve to take a message to Benden.  You are to bite Mnementh’s nose if necessary to wake him.  Yes, I know you’re brave enough to fight the big one.  Don’t fight!  Wake!  High time those lazy louts at Benden were up anyway!” ~Robinton
• She comes!  Toric’s queen is with her.  Go away!  You displease me, watching my friends! ~Ruth

As I said, life has an annoying tendency to get in the way of my plans.  I had intended to do this review on Friday, but we say how well that worked out.  Now that this trilogy is out of the way, I plan to do the Temeraire series in rapid succession.  Best dragon books I’ve ever read, and I’ve read quite a few, so that’s saying a bit.  Thanks to everyone for putting up with me this far!  I’ll try and do a picture for 900 hits, but no guarantees.