Dragongirl, Dragon’s Time, and Dragonrider
Wow! Being an author has its perks!
Yesterday, I got a package from Del Rey — two new, beautiful hot off the press editions of Dragongirl. Looking purty! And the two most egregrious typos found in the ARC are (yay!) gone.
What was even cooler was at the back of the book where they’ve got an announcement for the forthcoming next book which they say will be titled “Dragonrider” and will be out in May 2011.
Sadly, they’re wrong on both counts. Dragonrider was the name of the book when it was submitted, about two hours before I realized that it would be better called Dragon’s Time (which was then the name of the sequel). But our brilliant editor at Del Rey, after having read the book, came to the same conclusion and so, cheerfully, Mum and I agreed to its being (properly) renamed Dragon’s Time, with the sequel being (properly) renamed Dragonrider.
That news apparently didn’t get to the marketing department quickly enough (or at all but that’s also not quickly enough, isn’t it?).
And, having mentioned it to our editor, I was also informed that the publication date has had to move, currently the date is June 28th 2011 (not such a bad move and still only 11 months and 1 day after Dragongirl).
On the good news front, Mum and I are working diligently to ensure that the gap between Dragon’s Time and Dragonrider is just about the same as the gap between Dragongirl and Dragon’s Time, so you won’t have to wait too long to get your Pern fix!
83 Replies to “Dragongirl, Dragon’s Time, and Dragonrider”
Jan,
Decision at Doona caused me no end of angst as a teenager because the book was supposed to be based on 6-year old me!
Hi, Do you have an update about when Dragonrider will be out? Thanks, Karen
Karen, as I told Skip, it looks like Sky Dragons will be released May 2012.
I am so very sorry for your loss Todd. I know you probably won’t be reading this but I wanted you to know that I appreciated your mom’s work dearly. I was in the process of reading The White Dragon when I heard about her death.. The world will mourn the death of the Queen of science fiction.
I just started the Dragon books again. Wow. Over Christmas I read Dragonblood & Dragongirl. I’m on to my third book now. Todd you have done justice to Pern and all of us who dwell there whenever we open your books. I know your mom is soaring right now. A queenrider aloft. She will ride forever in all of our hearts.
I like reading the books because the heroes are females, too many books about dragons have guy was the heroes and to me it’s getting cliche, so thank you Todd and to your wonderful mother who finally gave a girl something she can enjoy reading.
Bonnie,
Thank you very much!
Sapphirewyren,
You’re welcome! (Our pleasure.)
Is there another book about what happens to Menolly after she becomes a journeyman Harper? With her as the main character, not secondary person
Sapphirewyren,
No, not yet.
Thank you to you and your mum for such a great reading experience. I am an avid reader and was turned on to the dragon riders of pern series by a coworker. I never imagined how much I would be sucked into the story and how urgently I would need to aquire the next book to find out what was going to happen next. I have read the series from the first book all the way to current with in 1 years time. I am currently in the situation now where I just finished Dragons Time and would like to know how to acquire Dragonrider. I have seen it was to be released May 2011 but I can not seem to find it anywhere in the library or the web. I have to know what is going to happen next! My condolences to you and your family regarding your mum. Thank you again and I hope you keep going for many years to come!
I read your above post I found on Google. I’m trying to read the books in time sequence. The last one I read was Dragonsblood. Up next for me then is Dragongirl, then Dragon’s Time, then Dragonrider according to your post, but I can’t find anything on the internet about Dragonrider. It must be out by now, or is it listed under a different name. Waiting anxiously for your reply!
Fay, the name got changed to “Sky Dragons” and it will be out 26 June 2012.
-= Todd
Todd, A friend turned me on to Pern some 30 years ago, and I have never been sorry I listened to him. I was saddened to hear of your mother’s death. She was a great person, you can tell by the great people she created in her stories. In Dragon’s Time she mentioned that she was working on After The Fall, which I believe was intended to continue/complete the Lessa and F’lar 9th Pass story. Did she complete this book prior to her death? Or did she get it outlined to a point where another writer, such as yourself, could complete it? Your mother has passed the torch of Pern to you. I know it is in good hands.
Thank you
Todd, I have been reading your mother’s books for the better part of the last 20 years. At first this was quite a challenge for me, not because of the stories but because I have dyslexia. It was her stories that kept me interested in reading and helped me learn how to overcome some of the problems I have with reading. I now read regularly, mostly sci-fi and fantasy and I own the entire dragonriders of pern series from Dragonflight to Dragon’s time. Keep writing and please keep Pern alive! I cried when I read that Anne had gone between and even now my eyes are tearing up. I never had the chance to meet her in person but I can honestly say she changed my life, and helped me to overcome a challenge that teachers, doctors and my parents were never able to help me with. Your stories keep her memory strong, thank you for continuing to expand the beautiful world of Pern.
Massey
I just finished Dragongirl and am looking for Dragonrider which I saw was suppose to be out last may or June but I can’t find it anywhere. Did it not come out? If it did can someone tell me where I can get it?
Todd you are doing a wonderful job keeping Pern alive. It was such a tragedy when your Mom passed but you keep her alive in every story you share. Thank you!
Heather,
Dragonrider became Dragon’s Time which came out in hardcover last year. The sequel to that will be Sky Dragons which will be out in June in hardcover.
— Todd
Thank you for all your hard work on this series I wish I had made the opportunity to say the same to your mother.
I have read the series I know at least four times if not more and each time I find something new to enjoy about it.
The series has also lead me to countless hours of grief as well I have an idea for a story along similar lines about felines and every time I get the time to work on it I find myself coming back to read the prologues and time lines trying to wrap my head around how to space out a book properly. Unfortunately, once I pick of a book I enjoy reading it more then I enjoy working on my own.
That’s how good I consider the series and I am grateful for having them.
My enjoyment of Pern and other and the brainship books has lasted thru school, an enlistment in the U.S Air Force,various jobs and homes over more than 35 years. Through good times and not so good ones these books have kept me company, including my recovery from a accident and the resulting injuries. Thanks for all the times I’ve laughed out loud, and sniffled and wiped my eyes. Congratulations on your current successes, I’m looking forward to many more years to come!
Hi Todd
I am an avid reader of Pern books and after I finish each book I can’t wait to read the next. I was saddened to hear of your mother’s passing and know that in your hands Pern will continue. I can’t wait for Sky Dragons to be published. Thank you to you and your mum for giving me hours of pleasure reading the Pern books and long may it continue.
Karen
I am so very sorry to hear about your mother.She will never be forgotten.I am already telling my granddaughter about her work and yours.She was a very special lady for the world and I would think one hell of a mother.Hppe all the family is good.And I thank her for all the love she put in the stories she told.All the worlds I went to because of her was the best places to go.Thank you and your family for shareing her with us.The world is better for haveing known her.
Just started reading your books (I have read your “Mum’s” more then once they are good friends of mine) Thank you for keeping Pern alive. I just finished Dragon’s Time and I am out the door to get Sky Dragon’s. Just wanted you to know you have a new lifelong fan! Reading your books is like cheating time I thought I had all my time with Pern and I just found some more. Thanks again to you and your beloved Mother.
Constance
Todd, your mother was both a treasure and an inspiration. Her science fiction books and her mentorship with other authors has created many worlds of reading pleasure. The Dragonriders of Pern have been some of my favorites. I hope she was able to collaborate with you on some of that–I know she would have loved to have shared the experience with you. I am amazed at how well you tap into the energy of the Dragonriders series. I am looking for inspiration for my own writing and am amazed at how well you are continuing the insights into the world of Pern. Thanks to you and your Mom.
Hello Todd! When I first discovered that you and your mother were working together to “pass the torch” on Pern, I was a bit weary. I’ve fallen in love over and over again with the dragons, hurt when they hurt, cried when a favored character was injured or died (you did that to me a lot!), and dreamed thousands of dreams of myself living in a Weyr. I was very saddened to hear of your mother’s death. You have picked up rather nicely where she left off, but I wouldn’t call myself a fan if I didn’t ask a question that’s been bothering me ever since I first read Dragonsblood. I believe it was in Dragon’sdawn that men first landed on Pern and the dragons were created by Kitti Ping and Wind Blossom, and it was well established that Kitti Ping and Wind Blossom were grandmother and granddaughter, yet in Dragonsblood you changed the relationship to mother/daughter. May I ask why, and why was there no mention in the author’s note as to why?
So, did Dragonrider become Sky Dragons or Dragon’s Time? It says both above.
And, what about New Era Pern and After the Fall?
I have been reading these books since they were first being published and they remain absolutely wonderful! 🙂
Barb
Hello Todd, I have. Been a fan of your mother’s & yours since she was 1st published. I really enjoy the women & the GLBTQ members of Pern & the rational acceptance that they are a normal part of the world. Now we can work a little more on Earth. Thank you so much Dawn
Dawn,
Thank you!
Barb,
Actually I think it was Dragon’s Time which started as Dragonrider but Dragon’s Time was a better title so then I was going to use it on Sky Dragons but then we decided to go with the current title instead. So… both!
I’m glad you like the books!
Cheers,
Todd
Jackie,
Ah! You’ve run into the famous (or infamous) US versus UK problem. When I was researching Dragonsblood, I took a copy of Dragonsdawn to re-read (and annotate). Because she had so few of her US copies left, I took a UK copy. In the UK copy, Wind Blossom is Kitti Ping’s daughter. When we discovered this, Mum came down firmly that the reason the UK edition had the change was that Mum herself had a change of heart. “No grandmother would talk to her granddaughter that way! Kitti Ping has to be Wind Blossom’s mother!”
So, the error is in the US edition and one day, we’ll get a re-release with all the grandmothers and granddaughters properly changed (as in the UK edition) to mothers and daughters.
Cheers,
Todd
Ah! Thank you so much for the clarification, I feel much better! I hadn’t known that there were different versions of the book. Are there any other books that have differences like that between countries?
Todd … thanx so much for the response, but what about “New Era Pern, aka After the Fall is Over” … I found a note somewhere on a search that the book had been submitted to the publisher, but it was a 2007 forum post. Was it published under a different name?
No, it was not published under a different name.