8.2 /10 1 Votes
4.2/5 Barnes & Noble Language English Publication date March 1979 | 4/5 Goodreads Country United States Publisher Atheneum Books Originally published March 1979 Preceded by Dragonsinger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cover artist Fred Marcellino (first)
Colin Saxton (UK)
and others Series Dragonriders of Pern
Harper Hall Trilogy Followed by Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern Characters Menolly, Piemur, Robinton, Jaxom, F'lar, Ramoth, F'nor, Sebell, AIVAS, F'lessan, Mnementh, Readis, Sharra, Lessa, Ruth Genres Science Fiction, Young adult fiction Similar Anne McCaffrey books, Dragonriders of Pern books, Fantasy books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dragondrums is a young adult science fiction novel by the American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey. Published by Atheneum Books in 1979, it was the sixth to appear in the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne or her son Todd McCaffrey.
Contents
Dragondrums completed the Harper Hall of Pern trilogy one year after The White Dragon completed the Dragonriders of Pern trilogy. Boxed and omnibus editions of both trilogies soon followed.
Plot summary
Dragondrums is the coming of age story of Piemur, a small, quick, clever apprentice at Harper Hall. When Piemur's clear treble voice changes, his place among the Harpers is no longer certain. He is sent to the drum towers to learn drumming, the primary method of long-distance communication on Pern for non-dragonriders, while his voice settles. There he has to deal with the jealousy and bullying of the other drumming apprentices. When Masterharper Robinton secretly asks Piemur to be his apprentice, Piemur begins journeying through Pern, gathering information and running discreet errands for the Masterharper. In his adventures throughout Pern, Piemur has only his knowledge and wits to deal with a cruel Lord Holder and rogue dragonriders. He Impresses one of the coveted fire-lizards – a gold he names Farli – as a companion, discovers his place in the world, and earns journeyman status among the Harpers.
The events in Dragondrums take place after Dragonsinger and are contiguous with some events in The White Dragon, which discusses characters and events elsewhere on Pern.
Awards
The American Library Association in 1999 cited these first six Pern books, along with The Ship Who Sang, when McCaffrey received the annual Margaret A. Edwards Award for her "lifetime contribution in writing for teens".
Dragondrums placed eighth for the annual Locus Award for Best Novel and it won the annual Balrog Award in the Novel class.