NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "At last, Robinton has his own book . . . McCaffrey adds another absorbing chapter to dragon lore. . . . Readers will revel in this compelling character study of a fascinating personality."-Romantic Times

In a time when the deadly scourge Thread has not fallen on Pern for centuries-and many dare to hope that Thread will never fall again-a boy is born to Harper Hall. A musical prodigy who has the ability to speak with the dragons, he is called Robinton, and he is destined to be one of the most famous and beloved leaders Pern has ever known.

It is a perilous time for the harpers who sing of Thread-they are being turned away from holds, derided, attacked, even beaten. In this climate of unrest, Robinton will come into his own. But despite the tragedies that beset his own life, he continues to believe in music and in the dragons, and he is determined to save his beloved Pern from itself-so that the dragonriders can be ready to fly against the dreaded Thread when at last it returns . . .

"The story takes wing . . . when McCaffrey's beloved dragons roar and their riders soar upon the beasts' mighty backs. . . . Fans of Pern will likely be enthralled."-Publishers Weekly