Dragonwriter: A Tribute to Anne McCaffrey and Pern

Disclamer: I received a review copy through netgalley.com.

I first stumbled on Anne McCaffery's Pern series in the 8th grade. I had fallen in love with dragons and vowed to read anything that contained dragons between the covers. Enter the Dragon Riders of Pern. I loved the series, the way the dragons bonded with their riders and fought against a common goal. I loved the fire lizards with their antics. And I loved the world McCaffery wrote.

A few months ago, while at Baycon, I met Todd McCaffery and he told me about this anthology. He loved his mother and wanted to share his memories of his mother with the world. So what better way to do it with an anthology. This anthology is not like anything you've ever read. It's not filled with short stories that thank the Dragonlady and the worlds she created. No it's a posthumous toast to the woman, the mother, and the writer that we all loved.

McCaffery starts each essay with a poignant memory of his mother and the people she called friend. This is then followed by an essay from writers, editors, or artists that bonded with Anne. It's a genuine heartfelt outpouring of love for the woman who wrote about dragons in a science fiction setting.

Other reviews have said that the essays sort of blend into one another after awhile. I have to agree with this, for there's only so much toasting one can take in a single setting. However, this book is great for those who want to know the author as a person better. It's inherent that Anne McCaffery loved people as much as her craft and her beloved Ireland. The only thing I'm disappointed is that I never got the opportunity to meet this author.