Anne McCaffrey

Science fiction legend Anne McCaffrey's beloved Harper Hall trilogy, set within the bestselling Dragonriders of Pern series, is now available in a collectable boxed set. Every two hundred years or so, on the planet colony of Pern, shimmering Threads fall from space, raining death. Yet the great dragons of Pern, mounted by the stalwart dragonriders, scour the skies with fire to destroy the deadly Thread and save the planet. Here we meet Menolly as she navigates her way as the first journeywoman Harper in the history of Pern; and fellow student Piemur whom is secretly asked to leave Harper Hall, drafted by Masterharper Robinton to embark on a dangerous mission to the Southern Hold. The Harper Hall trilogy, set within science fiction legend Anne McCaffrey's beloved and bestselling Dragonriders of Pern series, is a seminal work and a must-have for any fantasy or science fiction fan.

As Menolly uncovers intrigue, Piemur discovers the rhythm of adventure in the third book in the Harper Hall trilogy, set within science fiction legend Anne McCaffrey's beloved and bestselling Dragonriders of Pern series. As Menolly navigates her way as the first journeywoman Harper in the history of Pern, fellow student Piemur is asked to leave Harper Hall. Secretly, Piemur is drafted by Masterharper Robinton to become a dragonrider--and he will soon embark on a dangerous mission to the Southern Hold.

Menolly needs more than music's power in the second book in the Harper Hall trilogy, set within science fiction legend Anne McCaffrey's beloved and bestselling Dragonriders of Pern series. Pursuing her dream to be a Harper of Pern, Menolly studies under the Masterharper and quickly learns that more is required than a facility with music and a clever way with words. The Masterharper gives her a difficult time simply because she is a young woman, and she manages to alienate more of her fellow harpers than she makes friends. Menolly must rise up and prove that a woman is just as capable as any of her male fellow students--and if she can, she will shape the future of Pern.

When Meanne, a princess of the realm, runs away from her father's castle and an unwanted suitor, little does she realize the hardships and difficulties that lie ahead of her. Loneliness is the worst part — until she finds a fellow refugee, a boy named Wisp. Together they must make new lives for themselves. Yet they both have secrets — hidden pasts and magical powers that can tear them apart.

Young Tizra and her twin brother Tracell find their world abruptly changed when their father is unexpectedly called to fight in a war which promises to last much longer than the usual three-day skirmish. Their mother — the village healer — enlists her children to assist her in caring for the many refugees left wounded and homeless by the conflict. Inspired by her mother, Tizra learns never to surrender hope even in a time of fear and uncertainty.

After the death of wise old Mangan, the Regent of Esphania, many of the regent's skills and qualities seem to have been transferred to his beautiful and intelligent cat, Niffy, who at once attaches herself to the new ruler, Prince Jamas. When the king of a neighboring kingdom seems keen to forge an alliance with Jamas by allowing the prince to marry his niece, the real danger is Yasmin, the wicked queen wife, who poisons everyone she dislikes or suspects of interfering with her ambitions. Now, Niffy must guide Jamas through a thicket of difficulties to save the Prince Jamas from a horrible fate!

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, open your mind to new worlds and new concepts. Worlds where humans are the slaves of aliens and love can flourish in the most unlikely of places... Perfect for fans of David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams. 'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES'I was totally gripped' -- ***** Reader review'Impossible to put down' -- ***** Reader review'Joy...just pure, sci-fi joy!!' -- ***** Reader review'Absorbing' -- ***** Reader review*****************************************************************************************************They called the planet Botany, after the old penal colony on Earth. For that is what they were - prisoners and dissidents from other worlds whom the hated Catteni had banished to an empty planet - or what they thought was an empty planet. Kris Bjornsen and her fellow slaves had survived very well - thanks to Zainal, a high ranking Catteni also trapped on Botany. Zainal knew the Catteni ways and the Catteni technology, and he had plans for fighting back. For, as he explained, the Catteni too were victims - subject to the mighty and terrifying Eosi race who used the Catteni as a galactic police force - and also used them in more grisly and horrifying ways. But the question remained - to whom did Botany really belong? Who had created the giant grain sheds and the mammoth machinery that tilled the great fields? The new inhabitants of Botany called them the 'Farmers' - and waited for the day they would come to harvest their crops. And when that happened, the refugees were awed into silence - for the Farmers were greater than anything the universe had ever seen.

She must solve the problem of how to get sufficient numbers of dragon eggs, although her newfangled ideas, like letting green dragons mate and lay eggs to hatch new dragons, cause uproar.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Scores of dragons are dead after plague swept across the world of Pern, and now the Weyrs are struggling to rebuild before Threadfall destroys everything--and everyone--left alive. Their best hope lies with a group of new dragonriders who have volunteered to brave the dangers of an unexplored island populated by vicious wild felines and voracious tunnel-snakes to create a safe home for their young dragons, whose offspring will hopefully replenish Pern's decimated population. But their leader, Xhinna, the first female rider of a blue dragon, faces an uphill battle to win the respect of her peers, especially after tragedy leaves the new colony reeling. The way forward seems to lie with the awesome ability of the dragons to travel through time. But that power comes with risks: By venturing into the past, Xhinna may jeopardize the very future she has sworn to save. "Memorable characters and a good balance of individual dramas and large-scale action make this a strong addition to the Pern saga."--Library Journal "Longtime fans will enjoy the latest adventures of the cheerful dragonriders and their colorful mounts."--Publishers Weekly "McCaffrey will be remembered, rightly, as one of science fiction's grand masters."--Tordotcom

Although Lorana cured the dragons' sickness so many died from the disease that there are no longer enough dragons to fight the deadly Thread, and more dragons and their riders die each Threadfall. With their numbers dwindling, Lorana made the decision to fly forward in time in a desperate bid to bring dragons from the future to fight Thread.

Anne McCaffrey's dragons are the stuff of which SF/fantasy legends are made. All of her dragon books have been national bestsellers. "The Girl Who Heard Dragons "is a feast for McCaffrey fans and for all readers a big, satisfying compilation of her fiction. Best of all, it opens with an original short novel of Pern, "The Girl Who Heard Dragons." In addition, the book contains twenty-four beautiful black and white drawings by award-winning artist Michael Whelan. Romance, humor, colorful description, and affecting characters are Anne McCaffrey's hallmarks and the fifteen stories herein have these virtues in abundance. No wonder the "Chicago Sun-Times "described her as a "master of the well-told tale." "The Girl Who Heard Dragons" is the story of Aramina, a teenage girl of Pern who hears dragons a skill which does not seem likely to help solve her family's problems. They are "holdless," and must constantly roam the land, trying to hide from bandits. Aramina's mother fears losing her daughter completely to the life of a dragonrider, but McCaffrey has another fate in mind for her young heroine."

They inherited their mother's legendary powers of telepathy. But Damia's children will need more than psionic Talent to face the enemy's children--an alien race more insect than human...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Even though Lorana cured the plague that was killing the dragons of Pern, sacrificing her queen dragon in the process, the devastating disease has left too few dragons alive to fight the fall of deadly Thread. As morale at Telgar Weyr plunges in the wake of the widespread loss, and Weyrwoman Fiona and the harper Kindan struggle to keep hope from vanishing, a pregnant Lorana decides she must take drastic steps. Nothing short of manipulating time itself will undo the damage done by the plague. But attempting time travel could have devastating consequences--altering history, and destiny, forever. Now, somehow, Lorana must find a way to accomplish what seems impossible: bending the natural laws of the universe without wreaking havoc on existence itself. To ensure the future of Pern, she's willing to take the fateful chance--even if it demands yet another, far greater, sacrifice.

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, open your mind to new worlds and new concepts: alien nations, psychic powers, telepathy and planetary systems. Perfect for fans of David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams.'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES'A GREAT read' -- ***** Reader review'Anne McCaffrey at her best' -- ***** Reader review'Just brilliant' -- ***** Reader review 'I couldn't put it down!' -- ***** Reader review**********************************************************************************The survival technique of the Hivers was terrifying -- and brilliant. Their huge Sphere ships surged out into space. When an appropriate planet was found, the Hivers destroyed any and every variety of indigenous life, the queens propagated, and when the new world was full, more ships were sent out. The colonization was repeated until no planet, no species, least of all Man and Mrdini, was safe. The furry and courageous Mrdini had fought the Hivers for centuries. Now Mrdini and Man combined to form the Alliance -- and Humankind had their own weapons to offer -- the power and might of the Talents who could not only communicate silently with each other, but could project cargoes, ships and themselves across the deeps of space. The four children of Damia -- Laria, Thian, Rojer and Zara -- were Primes amongst the Talents, and all their skills were desperately needed, for the Hivers' terrible Sphere ships were still thrusting through space, unfathomable, impenetrable, and carrying death in their labyrinthine depths.

The captivating first novel in the classic science fiction series The Tower and the Hive. An extraordinary woman with unparalleled telepathic abilities is destined to face a lonely life of servitude--until she receives a telepathic plea from across the stars. As a young girl, The Rowan is discovered because her incredible gift: telepathic abilities that are more powerful than anyone has ever seen. As she grows older, she uses her talents to benefit society as a Prime, responsible for communicating and moving ships through space. But a life as a Prime is a lonely one, leaving her longing to find personal connection and meaning. When a distress call from a distant planet reaches her, The Rowan is drawn into a rescue mission that will put her powers to the test--and everything changes when she meets Jeff Raven, another telepath who just might have that crucial spark of connection she's been searching for.

New York Times bestselling fantasy author Anne McCaffrey "interweaves an engrossing romance with a coming-of-age story"(Publishers Weekly) in this novel in the Tower and Hive series. Damia is the daughter of Prime Talents The Rowan and Jeff Raven. Her own telepathic and telekinetic abilities manifested at an early age, unimaginable powers even greater than her parents', challenging to wield much less control. As willful as her mother ever was, Damia defies her family's attempts to tame and train her--only to bond with Afra Lyon, a Talent who serves The Rowan, and who becomes the object of her affection. When she comes of age, Damia learns that a Prime of her capabilities and temperament has no time for love. Assigned to serve the farthest human colonized world from Earth, Damia leads a lonely existence until she telepathically connects with an alien presence in another galaxy--a potential threat not only to Damia, but to the love Afra wants to share with her...

The spacefaring Barque Cats are valued members of every vessel's crew, thanks to their special bond with humans. Then Pshaw-Ra, a mysterious cat with highly advanced knowledge, gives the felines the power of telepathy. When panic over a virulent plague drives the government to exterminate animals, Pshaw-Ra guides the cats and humans of the starship Ranzo to safety on his home planet, Mau. But Pshaw-Ra has a hidden agenda. His ultimate goal? Mate the Barque Cats with their godlike counterparts who rule on Mau and create a superior race to conquer the universe. His plans, however, may be doomed by his daughters' battle royal to become queen, by a suspicious Barque Cat with an equally curious human friend--and by something stirring deep beneath the city with a hunger to devour all life . . . and an undying hatred for cats.

There was a sudden stench of a dead sea creature. There was nothing... Then there were pieces of memory, isolated fragments that were so horrible her mind refused to accept them. Sawn bones and searing screams. And when she awoke she found she was in a world that was not earth, and with a face and body that were not her own.

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, open your mind to new worlds and new concepts: alien nations, psychic powers, telepathy and planetary systems. Perfect for fans of David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams.'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' -- THE TIMES'Marvellous from the beginning to the end, believable, spellbinding, mind-bending, truly magnificent' -- ***** Reader review'Thrilling and exciting' -- ***** Reader review'Fabulous from beginning to end' -- ***** Reader review'Simply awesome' -- ***** Reader review**************************************************************************************************The Talents were the elite of the Nine Star League. Their gifts were many and varied, ranging from the gently telepathic, to the rare and extremely valued Primes. On the Primes rested the entire economic wealth and communications systems of the civilised worlds. But Primes were scarce - only very rarely was a new one born. And now, on the planet Altair, in a small mining colony on the western mountain range, a new Prime existed, a three-year-old girl - trapped in a giant mud slide that had wiped out the rest of the Rowan mining community. Every Altarian who was even mildly talented could 'hear' the child crying for help, but no one knew where she was buried. Every resource on the planet was centred into finding 'The Rowan' - the new Prime, the first ever to be born on Altair, an exceptionally unique Prime, more talented, more powerful, more agoraphobic, more lonely, than any other Prime yet known in the Nine Star league...

Pilot, navigator, engineer, doctor, scientist--ship's cat? All are essential to the well-staffed space vessel. Since the early days of interstellar travel, when Tuxedo Thomas, a Maine coon cat, showed what a cat could do for a ship and its crew, the so-called Barque Cats have become highly prized crew members. Thomas's carefully bred progeny, ably assisted by humans--Cat Persons--with whom they share a deep and loving bond, now travel the galaxy, responsible for keeping spacecraft free of vermin, for alerting human crews to potential environmental hazards, and for acting as morale officers. Even among Barque Cats, Chessie is something special. Her pedigree, skills, and intelligence, as well as the close rapport she has with her human, Janina, make her the most valuable crew member aboard the Molly Daise. And the litter of kittens in her belly only adds to her value. Then the unthinkable happens. Chessie is kidnapped--er, catnapped--from Dr. Jared Vlast's vet clinic at Hood Station by a grizzled spacer named Carl Poindexter. But Chessie's newborn kittens turn out to be even more extraordinary than their mother. For while Chessie's connection to Janina is close and intuitive, the bond that the kitten Chester forms with Carl's son, Jubal, is downright telepathic. And when Chester is sent into space to learn his trade, neither he nor Jubal will rest until they're reunited. But the announcement of a widespread epidemic affecting livestock on numerous planets throws their future into doubt. Suddenly the galactic government announces a plan to impound and possibly destroy all exposed animals. Not even the Barque Cats will be spared. With the clock racing against them, Janina, Jubal, Dr. Vlast, and a handful of very special kittens will join forces with the mysterious Pshaw-Ra--an alien-looking cat with a hidden agenda--to save the Barque Cats, other animals, and quite possibly the universe as they know it from total destruction. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough's Catacombs.