DRAGONDRUMS

Reviewed by Steven H Silver

Dragondrums is the third novel in Anne McCaffrey’s Harper Hall trilogy and her sixth over-all novel set on the planet Pern. Originally published in 1979, it was written for a young adult audience, but was also a continuation of a story aimed at adults. Unlike the earlier novels in the trilogy, which focused on the character of Menolly, Dragondrums shifted its viewpoint character to Piemur, a young singer whose voice cracked shortly before he was scheduled to perform in a major song-cycle written with his talents in mind.

Although Menolly appears throughout the book and is Piemur’s friend, and sort-of mentor, the focus is really on the young Harper who not only is going through puberty, but is also trying to figure out his future. His cracking voice means he can no longer sing, which was his strongest skill as a harper, and every task he is given seems to be make-work, something to keep him busy while the powers-that-be figure out what to do with him. Naturally, he eventually manages to find a place for himself in the world that is very different from what anyone expected.

Because Dragondrums is meant to be read as the final book of a trilogy, McCaffrey has already explained the important elements of her world, which means that anyone who is introducing themselves to Pern through this novel, admittedly a very small number, will be lost with regard to many of McCaffrey’s references to old timers, the way dragon travel works, the importance of the fire lizards that Piemur pines for, and several other things that set this world apart and readers of the series will take for granted. It means a potential new reader will be lost when looking at the larger world, although Piemur’s personal story still moves along well.

On the other hand, for people who have read the previous Pern novels, Dragondrums offers something very new. Piemur’s excursions to Nabol Hold allow McCaffrey to more fully explore a hold which is not only closely beholden to the main characters and polity of her novels, but is practically in revolt against them. There is a tension underlying all the activity at Nabol since Piemur and Journeyman Harper Sebell are there spying for the Harpers who are part of the tradition that Nabol’s holder is rebelling against. The situation also means that McCaffrey shows all of Piemur’s actions to be legitimate, even when the characters question his wisdom in doing them. His morality is never questioned.

Piemur faces a lot of adversity over the course of the novel, from his voice cracking and throwing his future into turmoil, to the hazing of the students he finds himself among, physical injury, and having to make his way in a hostile environment far from home. Nevertheless he proves adroit in handling himself, keeping his emotions in check, and finding a way through the obstacles to come out on the other side. In fact, he does this so well that there is little real sense of struggle in the book.

Dragondrums is very much a third novel in a series, although it does have a beginning, middle, and end. It does not, however, offer the necessary background to fully understand the world in which it is set for those who haven’t read the previous novels. For someone with the necessary knowledge of Pern, however, Dragondrums works as a self-contained story.

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