I posted last night on Facebook about how very sad I was to hear that Anne McCaffrey had died. I found her books as a teen, and never stopped reading and rereading them. Not a year goes by that I don't pull out a favorite Anne McCaffrey story and lose myself in the fantastic worlds of her imagination. 
I have so many favorite Anne McCaffrey books. I wanted to post about just a few to share my love of her stories - and as a tribute to a storyteller who will be sorely missed. I love Dragonsdawn because it's a tale of survivors, and because of course, it shows the birth of the dragons that are at the heart of the Pern series.
The Rowan is a favorite for so many reasons. I'm still fascinated by the idea of telepaths and telekinetics as the engine for space exploration, and I loved the romance that develops across the vast distances of space.
Pegasus in Space is the third book in the Talent series, all of which have pride of place on my bookshelves. It's Peter's journey that compels me, but as with so many of Ms. McCaffrey's books, all the characters feel like friends. (I have a special soft spot for Tirla).
Then there's The Dolphins of Pern, The White Dragon, and so many more wonderful stories that I know I'll continue to treasure and reread in the years to come.
If you haven't ever read an Anne McCaffrey book, you have such an amazing journey to look forward to. There are so many places you can start, but if you'd like a recommendation I think The Rowan and Dragonsdawn are both good jumping-in points.For all of you who are fans - what are your favorite Anne McCaffrey books?
I saw this tweet quoted in the Los Angeles Times and thought it was a beautiful way to farewell a great storyteller: "Do you hear? The dragons mourn. The First Queen has passed Between. #AnneMcCaffrey" (@Lynoth).
Thank you Ms. McCaffrey for all the wonder you brought into my life.
22 comments :
I'm actually very upset right now. I hadn't heard.
So many wonderful books, so many wonderful hours spent in her worlds.
Anne McCaffrey was my first (And I still think one of the best) fantasy authors. She has no peer.
Gutted right now.
I was very sorry to here about Anne, i love her books.
That LA Times quote is wonderful, Nalini, and so apt! I, too, was tremendously influenced by Anne McCaffrey as a young reader and aspiring writer, and have also recorded my personal tribute on that basis today.
I was nearly brought to tears by the news yesterday, and am still saddened today. I have read and LOVE all of the Pern books, and as a young girl who love unicorns, Acorna's story was a favorite as well. Fantasy and Sci-Fi lovers alike mourn the passing of a true heroine!
I loved Anne's books. She was the first Fantasy/Sci Fic author I read. My very first book was Dragonflight. My favorite books were Dragonsinger and The White Dragon. I wanted to be Menolly and I loved Ruth. RIP -
Another lovely quote - Gone away, gone ahead... (from the Pern series).
My favorite books - DRAGONFLIGHT - the first I discovered in a box of second hand books. Have to admit I love THE WHITE DRAGON too. (I had such a huge hero-crush on F'nor! LOL)
RESTOREE - what a great love story.
"Thorns of Barvari" in the GET OFF THE UNICORN short story anthology, which of course then led to the Catteni series being written.
THE SHIP WHO SANG - another great adventure/love story.
Oh, I didn't know. The Dragon's taught me to love words. Lord. It brings tears to my eyes.
So sorry about her passing away.
I have never heard of her,
not of any of her stories,
until NOW.
I'll get to know her & her books too late.
But thanks for introducing her to me.
I know I'll love her stories.
She is in another world now.
I hope she's now living
in the world she created.
I am very upset with this news, I've been reading and re-reading her books for so many years now. And I think I always will. Among my favourites, besides the ones you have mentioned, are the Catteni books, Crystal Singer series and the Petaybee series, but also No one noticed the Cat, and The Coulura.
I will miss her.
I am so sad to hear she has passed away. My favorites by her are Dragonsinger and Dragonsong.
I'm so sad to hear this. The first book I remember reading was Moreta. I was about 14 and took it from my father's bookshelf. I spent high school and college going through all of her different worlds, loving them all. Reading that really got me reading and I have enjoyed it ever since. I will really miss her and will treasure what she left us.
I can't say I as I have a favorite book, I loved them all. But if I had to pick it would be Freedom's Landing.
I have to go break the news to my dad....
The first Anne McCaffrey book I read was Moreta's. I cried when the story ended. This was the first science-fiction/fantasy I'd ever read. The years have passed and the young girl has become a mature woman. I still enjoy her many stories with girlish glee. She introduced me to her World's, Mercedes Companion's and Nalini's Changeling's and Angels. The Dragon's do indeed mourn, the drums are muffled,the pipes are broken, the Harper's songs are SILENT. God Bless You Anne, Our First DragonQueen.
That is so sad. Anne McCaffrey's stories are what turned me on to reading when I was a kid. I started with "Dragon Singer" assigned to me in class and finished that trilogy before the class was done with the assigned reading. I haven't stopped since.
I love all the series you mentioned and some you didn't (Brain and Brawn Ships Sereis, Crystal Singer Series, Petaybee Series, Acorna and more). She was a master story teller and her talents will be missed.
Thank you Ms. McCaffrey for opening the eyes of a young girl to the magical world of Pern and all the other world's I've discovered since.
I have never read a book by Anne McCaffrey but it always makes me sad when I hear that an author has died.
I'm so sorry to hear about her passing and I'm sorry I haven't had the pleasure of reading her work. It is always sad when a talent such as her passes away but at least her books will live on for other generations to enjoy.
I first discovered her in the local library and after the first few, started buying them, because most of them are Keepers for me. Now I have most of her books and this weekend I'm rereading some of them.
So sad that she died, but what a wonderful legacy to leave behind, all these worlds and characters and dragons and sentient spaceships and so much more for readers to enjoy forever.
I loved her books, particularly The Rowan, The Crystal Singer and The White Dragon and All The Weyrs of Pern. She introduced me to a different world of books.
T.T
My parents named me after one of her characters...
Sharra
I had no idea she died! I did have the random urge to pick up one of her books this weekend and read it. She had a full life but i'm going to miss her books, her son just doesn't have the same writing style she had.
The first book i picked up was Crystal Singer and then i think The White Dragon. I found her Talent and Acorna series shortly after. I can remember her books covers were beautiful and i needed to read what was inside. I was learning with other series that the cover didn't necessarily have anything to do with what was inside the book and was surprised hers actually did!
Right now i have a large collection of her books - paperback and hardcopy. I actually found a copy of her Dragon Lovers Guide to Pern which was expensive and are now very hard to find in good shape.
Her books are one of the few reasons i actually graduated high school, i was a unattractive geek who had few friends. Those books kept me from being too lonely.
I didn't know she died. The first book of hers I read was Dragon's flight, my mum gave it to me when I was ill, and wow, finished it that day ^^. Of course when she gave it to me we had just moved to France, made it a bit difficult to get the others but as the saying goes Where ther's a will there's a way.
I am deeply saddened that such a jewel of a talent has been lost- but am glad that she will be remembered through the fantastic stories that she sent into the world.
My first book was The White Dragon. I will always love Jaxom. And I remember being SO excited when Dragonsdawn came out - we could read about all of these names we knew from Holds & Weyrs. And I can all but recite from Dragonsong and Dragonsinger. As for the Talents series, I love the first one, Pegasus in Flight.
I was so sad to see she passed away. I immediately thought of Menolly's Song for Petrion, which starts: "The tears I feel today, I'll wait to shed tomorrow. Thought I'll not sleep this night/Nor find surcrease from sorrow...
Oh my God! I had not heard of her passing. I'm so shocked and saddened right now. Anne McCaffrey is one of my all time favorite authors, I think I've read almost everything she ever wrote, the Dragon series, the Crystal Singer series, so many incredible stories. I just reread the Freedom's Landing Series a few months ago. I am heartbroken to hear that she died but she left the world a treasure trove of incredible stories that will live on for years to come.
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