The Dolphins of Pern
core novel 1994 Dragonriders of Pern
Record
| First published | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.04 (19,640 ratings, collected 2026-09-13) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780345368942 |
Synopsis
The Dolphins of Pern is set during and immediately after the events of All the Weyrs of Pern, following the rediscovery of genetically enhanced, intelligent dolphins that had been part of Pern's original colonization but had drifted out of human contact for generations. The story centers on Readis, young son of the Paradise River Hold's Lord Holder, who is rescued from drowning by a pod of dolphins and becomes fascinated with them, and T'lion, a young dragonrider of the bronze Gadareth who shares that fascination. Alongside returning figures such as Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar and Masterharpers Robinton and Menolly, the two young men work to prove that the dolphins are intelligent, communicative partners rather than mere sea creatures, and press for the revival of the long-dormant Dolphincraft, facing skepticism and resistance from both their Hold and their Weyr along the way.
Where it sits
- Universe: Dragonriders of Pern
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Anne McCaffrey
Awards (verified)
- Locus Award (SF Novel), 1995: finalist; Locus reader-poll placement, ranked 10th.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within Dragonriders of Pern (standalone work): position 13 of 26: previous The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (1993) · next Dragonseye (1996)
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pern_books
- https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/pern_series
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_McCaffrey
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dolphins_of_Pern
- https://www.sfadb.com
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