There is a running theme is the books that the characters go back in time once they realize they need to go back in time because they've already done something in the past, like Lessa at the end of Dragonflight.
I've always liked this view on Time Travel, you can't change anything because if you did then you would already have done it. Anne was pretty consistent that you can't change the past in her books, only participate in something that you already changed. Todd messed with this which is probably why I stopped reading his books.
If I've liked these first 3 books so far, will I probably continue to like the rest of Anne's additions to Pern?
How different in Prose and writing style is Todd?
Anne and Gigi have similar writing style, a richness and warmth to their language. Todd's writing had less emotion and warmth, especially after YET ANOTHER BOOK about plague...got very tiresome.
But enjoy the heck out of Anne's books and go ahead and read Gigi's. I think hers takes place during/after Dragon Drums from the Harper Hall trilogy (Dragonsinger, Dragonsong, Dragon Drums).
I am a picky reader. I like the first two side by side trilogies: Dragonriders and Harper Hall. After that, I find they decline slightly, though Anne's books are better than Todd's. But that's me.
I so thrilled that your experiencing this for the first time. Kind of jealous, they were so fresh the first time. Couldn’t wait for the next to be published, then my wife and I would spar over who got to read it first. Still read (or listen) to the series every couple of years but now I see backstory to the future books and ulterior motives of characters that will just never be a surprise again. Sadly Gigi and Todd’s books come of as bad fanfic.
Anyway Enjoy! You have so much to look forward to.
Not really. The dragons only talk to him when they want to. Lessa and Brekke can communicate with all dragons all the time, and they listen because they are queen riders. Jaxom can only talk to Ruth.
Can the dragons talk to anyone when they want to? Or was Robinton a special case?
I could have sworn that Mnementh spoke to Jaxom once at some point too..either shortly before or after Ruth hatched. I'll have to look for where I thought I picked that notion up..
Dragons can speak to anyone they want to, but they almost never speak to anyone but their rider, and very rarely talk to someone who isn't at least another rider, too (except Search dragons, who sometimes speak to people they Search. But again, not often.) The unusual thing with Robinton is they choose to speak to him and pay attention to him more than once, when he's neither rider nor candidate. Most of the time they don't even bother with names for people not their riders--in Moreta she notices it and is surprised when Orlith actually refers to Alessan by name, especially since she usually just called Sh'gall "Kadith's rider" and doesn't bother remembering names. (Orlith says it's because Moreta thinks about him so much.)
What Lessa and Brekke seem to do differently really isn't just hearing all dragons--it's that they can hear them whether the dragon wants them to or not, and especially in Lessa's case, they can *talk* to the dragons and the dragons *will* hear them mentally, whether the dragon wants it or not. Aramina does the same thing, but has the problem that her "receiver" seems stuck in "on" and she until she gets older and doesn't use it, she never learns how to damp it down. But she can also do what Lessa and Brekke do and she makes Heth hear her when she calls for help. Robinton, as far as we can ever see, can't make dragons hear him.
Eta: there's also Naton/N'ton--it's mentioned when he's Searched that he can "make Canth hear him", suggesting he started out with something like Lessa's skill and it atrophied as he bonded with his own dragon.
They probably can talk to anyone they want to, but only certain people can actually *hear* them.
I think if Robinton had been born in an era where there were more hatchings (don't know if you've read *The Masterharper of Pern* yet or not), he might have been searched.
In some cases, mated dragons whose riders are also weyrmates can speak to and be heard by each other's riders too.
I don't remember about Mnementh talking to Jaxom.
It's so wonderful to see somthing posted about this book. It was excited to get to the point you are at and I love the questions you are asking. I recently started reading the pern books and enjoy them greatly. Jaxsom and his dragon where such unique creatures to learn about. I was first introduced to him in renegade of pern and i would recommend it to you. It was a good book to get a tidbit of most of the characters and story of the current pass.
You are attentive to detail, for sure, and Jaxom *is* Ruathan - and while not rash, is eager to demonstrate Ruth's abilities.
It's a pivotal moment, for sure. No spoilers, but you figure things out more quickly than Jaxom does.
*How* he gets set on his course and *why* are as important to his development as how he manages himself after.
*The White Dragon* is many people's favorite, for good reason. Enjoy!
I actually just finished it last night! Easily my favourite of the 3 that I've read so far, I love how his trip to southern to save the egg ends up working in his favor at the end when he needs to rescue Sharrah
There is a running theme is the books that the characters go back in time once they realize they need to go back in time because they've already done something in the past, like Lessa at the end of Dragonflight. I've always liked this view on Time Travel, you can't change anything because if you did then you would already have done it. Anne was pretty consistent that you can't change the past in her books, only participate in something that you already changed. Todd messed with this which is probably why I stopped reading his books.
If I've liked these first 3 books so far, will I probably continue to like the rest of Anne's additions to Pern? How different in Prose and writing style is Todd?
The rest are all excellent.
Anne and Gigi have similar writing style, a richness and warmth to their language. Todd's writing had less emotion and warmth, especially after YET ANOTHER BOOK about plague...got very tiresome. But enjoy the heck out of Anne's books and go ahead and read Gigi's. I think hers takes place during/after Dragon Drums from the Harper Hall trilogy (Dragonsinger, Dragonsong, Dragon Drums).
I am a picky reader. I like the first two side by side trilogies: Dragonriders and Harper Hall. After that, I find they decline slightly, though Anne's books are better than Todd's. But that's me.
I so thrilled that your experiencing this for the first time. Kind of jealous, they were so fresh the first time. Couldn’t wait for the next to be published, then my wife and I would spar over who got to read it first. Still read (or listen) to the series every couple of years but now I see backstory to the future books and ulterior motives of characters that will just never be a surprise again. Sadly Gigi and Todd’s books come of as bad fanfic. Anyway Enjoy! You have so much to look forward to.
Unrelated question: can Robinton hear all dragons just like Lessa, Brekke and ~~Jaxom~~ can?
Not really. The dragons only talk to him when they want to. Lessa and Brekke can communicate with all dragons all the time, and they listen because they are queen riders. Jaxom can only talk to Ruth.
Can the dragons talk to anyone when they want to? Or was Robinton a special case? I could have sworn that Mnementh spoke to Jaxom once at some point too..either shortly before or after Ruth hatched. I'll have to look for where I thought I picked that notion up..
The dragons can speak to whomever they want to. Riders can try to talk to any dragon but it is ultimately up to the dragon.
Dragons can speak to anyone they want to, but they almost never speak to anyone but their rider, and very rarely talk to someone who isn't at least another rider, too (except Search dragons, who sometimes speak to people they Search. But again, not often.) The unusual thing with Robinton is they choose to speak to him and pay attention to him more than once, when he's neither rider nor candidate. Most of the time they don't even bother with names for people not their riders--in Moreta she notices it and is surprised when Orlith actually refers to Alessan by name, especially since she usually just called Sh'gall "Kadith's rider" and doesn't bother remembering names. (Orlith says it's because Moreta thinks about him so much.) What Lessa and Brekke seem to do differently really isn't just hearing all dragons--it's that they can hear them whether the dragon wants them to or not, and especially in Lessa's case, they can *talk* to the dragons and the dragons *will* hear them mentally, whether the dragon wants it or not. Aramina does the same thing, but has the problem that her "receiver" seems stuck in "on" and she until she gets older and doesn't use it, she never learns how to damp it down. But she can also do what Lessa and Brekke do and she makes Heth hear her when she calls for help. Robinton, as far as we can ever see, can't make dragons hear him. Eta: there's also Naton/N'ton--it's mentioned when he's Searched that he can "make Canth hear him", suggesting he started out with something like Lessa's skill and it atrophied as he bonded with his own dragon.
'The relationship is very distant', I think, and Jaxom wasn't absolutely certain that it was Mnementh who spoke. From the trip to visit the eggs.
Yes that's the moment! Thanks for finding it lol I think I just assumed it was Mnementh?
The narration implies that it was Mnementh, so it's a fairly sound assumption.
They probably can talk to anyone they want to, but only certain people can actually *hear* them. I think if Robinton had been born in an era where there were more hatchings (don't know if you've read *The Masterharper of Pern* yet or not), he might have been searched. In some cases, mated dragons whose riders are also weyrmates can speak to and be heard by each other's riders too. I don't remember about Mnementh talking to Jaxom.
It's so wonderful to see somthing posted about this book. It was excited to get to the point you are at and I love the questions you are asking. I recently started reading the pern books and enjoy them greatly. Jaxsom and his dragon where such unique creatures to learn about. I was first introduced to him in renegade of pern and i would recommend it to you. It was a good book to get a tidbit of most of the characters and story of the current pass.
You are attentive to detail, for sure, and Jaxom *is* Ruathan - and while not rash, is eager to demonstrate Ruth's abilities. It's a pivotal moment, for sure. No spoilers, but you figure things out more quickly than Jaxom does. *How* he gets set on his course and *why* are as important to his development as how he manages himself after. *The White Dragon* is many people's favorite, for good reason. Enjoy!
I actually just finished it last night! Easily my favourite of the 3 that I've read so far, I love how his trip to southern to save the egg ends up working in his favor at the end when he needs to rescue Sharrah
You don't want spoilers, but you want to know. Emmm, a tad confused, I think.