DRAGONSONG, DRAGONSINGER, DRAGONDRUMS

The Harper Hall Trilogy is a nice introduction to the Dragonriders of Pern series, and this set of abridgments is tight and compact. In the first book, Menolly struggles in a household that has no appreciation for a talented girl, but she manages to find her own way. Her growth in age and position in each of the books is reflected in Adrienne Barbeau's characterizations. Barbeau's narration encompasses the full range of McCaffrey's characters, from enthusiastic youngsters to the old and cantankerous. Barbeau maintains a fast pace and tells the stories in much the same way a storyteller in Pern might tell them. J.E.M.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 04]