A GIFT OF DRAGONS

These four short stories, including one new one, bring alive the landscape of Pern, known to Anne McCaffrey's readers as a land where telepathic dragons fill the skies. The oldest story, "The Smallest Dragonboy," from 1973, explains the custom of making impressions, in which the dragons and their riders form lifelong bonds at the hatchings. The new story, "Ever the Twain," brings the hatching to a small island community. Lee Meriwether makes a fine storyteller, giving the tales the right once-upon-a-time quality while conveying credible human emotions. This collection makes an excellent introduction to Pern. J.A.S (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]