Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and ominous threat. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this.''Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants'' - THE TIMES''A delight'' -- ***** Reader review''Enchanting'' -- ***** Reader review''Fantastic'' -- ***** Reader review''I love this book, and read it probably once a year'' -- ***** Reader review''Anne McCaffrey at her best'' -- ***** Reader review***********************************************************************************Nerilka''s Story: we meet Lady Nerilka of Fort Hold in Moreta''s time -- a time of legend, of heroic valour, of terrible Threadfall and the Great Plague that devastates both Holders and Dragonfolk. For Lady Nerilka, the tragedy is twofold, for with the death of her mother and her sister, her father''s mistress takes possession of the Hold. Angry and betrayed, Nerilka decides to escape and, as Pern seethes in turmoil, she begins her perilous journey to Ruatha, Lord Alessan and an unknown destiny...The Coelura: When the Lady Caissa is told by her father to enter into an heir-contract with Cavernus Gustin, she is appalled. For although Gustin is genetically sound he is vain, pompous and intellectually inept. But Caissa''s father is determined there should be a union - and Caissa cannot work out what his plans in this respect are. The, on a private flight over the forbidden areas of the North, she discovers a stranger who says his name is Murell -- a man surrounded by coelura, the incredible rainbow creatures whose very brilliance threatens their extinction. She learns her father''s plans somehow relate to these beasts...and Murell is determined to save them.