I Read What?!

So we've made it to the last chapter of Dragonquest. We kind of lost the plot a while ago, so it will be interesting to see what actually happens. Maybe F'nor will redeem himself in my eyes. I kind of doubt it.



We start the chapter with F'nor. Ugh. We're told he's too busy to worry, because now that Brekke's recovering, she's insisted he return to his duties. She's probably sick of him by now. I would be. Brekke's also gotten Manora to let her do something useful too. Brekke is, as always, industrious. I just wish the book gave her more to do than just be virtuous and suffer.

F'lar's efforts with the grubs are going well, though he had to stage a live demonstration of Thread eating (courtesy of N'ton) for Asgenar and Bendarek (another Lord Holder) to get on board. So now there's an okay to start planting the grubs in Lemos hold, and F'nor, N'ton and "another rider" had agreed to jump between to spring (as it's fall now) to get some of the larva.

I love how this other rider doesn't get a name. You can't just make something up?

Anyway, we're told that F'lar didn't press the masterfarmer for cooperation, but just proceeded with his plans as though he already had them. Sometimes I do enjoy you, F'lar. Andemon is apparently experimenting though, and Fandarel and Terry are on board too. Though Fandarel is apparently annoyed by the inefficiency of it all.

Sadly, the distance writer project has reached a snag: Thread eats through wires, and the Mastersmith has too many demands to fix flame throwers and such to really deal with the situation. The Lord Holders are starting to press for the big solution: the expedition to the Red Star.

This is stupid, honestly. Even if we grant that these people probably have forgotten about things like atmosphere and so on, why on Earth do they think flying head first into the source of Thread will do ANYTHING except cause the dragonrider and dragon to get a face full of Thread.

F'lar has apparently learned his lesson about delegation though, as we're told that he calls a council of his intimate advisors and Wing-seconds daily so that no facet of the plan can be lost. Larad ends up brought into the fold, though he requires more than the single room demonstration to really accept the idea.

I wish Ms. McCaffrey had seeded the idea of the grubs a little better. I mean, they're gross,sure, but this level of revulsion seems like it came out of nowhere. The idea that the ancestors left a message about watching the grubs doesn't really fit this level of disgust and antagonism. I mean, we recognize that aphids are generally harmful to plants, but no one reacts with this sheer level of horror.

It's particularly notable that it's Larad, who has been cooperative and engaged with the Weyr since that initial confrontation in Dragonflight. He's trusted F'lar for seven years, but considers the grub project to be "a cruel deception and treacherous breach of faith"?

Where does this superstition come from?

Larad does get on board, though the long term nature of the project worries him. And the lords and people are weary of dealing with Thread. I can't BELIEVE I'm saying this, but dude, you're talking to people who literally DIE battling this shit. Maybe you shouldn't whine about weariness when you're safe in your castle. And oh god, I just took the Weyr's side. I need a shower.

F'lar does reassure him that the frequent thread falls should taper off. Apparently, Wansor, their scientist observer fellow, believes that the other planets in their sky were affecting the Red Star's motion, due to a rare conjunction and once they move away, the charted patterns should be re-established.

Okay, I'm no scientist, but that seems like a reasonable explanation for the pattern shift. Thank you, Ms. McCaffrey.

Anyway, F'lar explains the theory more in depth, Asgenar backs him up with having observed through the distance viewer. We're told that Meron also really likes using the distance viewer, something that makes them all very nervous. Though Meron claims to be looking for coordinates for the Red Star.

Larad is suspicious that F'lar might not actually want to find coordinates to the Red Star, which seems a little unreasonable, until I remember F'nor's bizarre reaction to the idea of dragonriders losing their main purpose. I know F'lar is hyperfocused on defeating Thread for good, but I can't really blame the Lord Holders for being skeptical. Especially given what parasites they were in the past.

Anyway, F'lar explains the problem again and Larad storms off. Asgenar explains that Larad's really worried about the loss of summer crops, as he has a lot more new people who were dissatisfied in neighboring Holds and is very worried about feeding everyone come winter.

Okay, see, I LIKE this conflict, Ms. McCaffrey. Larad's not an unreasonable man, and he's been an ally in the past, but he's got some real, very serious concerns that aren't being sufficiently addressed. At least not in time. (Though I kind of wonder why they can't time travel and introduce the grubs sooner?)

Anyway, I can't help but think about how much better this book would have been as a whole if more of the conflicts were like this.

F'lar is stressed and desperate, and apparently his many weeks long fever left him with very little reserve strength, causing him to tire easily. He's also frustrated and disappointed that Larad didn't react as well as the other men they'd approached so far.

Robinton has a pretty good line, saying that F'lar's mistake was in providing last minute salvation by bringing the Weyrs forward last time and everyone's expecting a similar miracle. Technically Robinton, that was Lessa, not F'lar. But it does relieve tension.

F'lar moves on to other plans, wondering how many riders T'bor can spare to hunt larval sacks. So is T'bor still a Weyrleader then? How does that work when both Prideth and Wirenth are dead? What is the point of the supposedly elevated role of the Weyrwoman when the guy who bangs her is still in charge even after his dragon can no longer bang hers.

And I am irrationally annoyed that Brekke and Kylara both suffered tremendous loss and torment during this mess and T'bor seems to be completely unaffected. He also sends N'ton to keep an eye on Meron and note anything that he says when he's observing the Red Star.

We have a scene shift now to Brekke, who's been taking care of the plants in the Rooms as she grew stronger. She doesn't like being present during the demonstration and avoids non-weyrfolk entirely. She can abide the weyr sympathy but hates the thought of pity from outsiders. I still think it might help to talk to Lytol. Has anyone brought that idea up?

She does have F'nor fill her in on what's been happening. Brekke notes that the grubs, not the Red Star expedition, will be the real solution for the Holds. When the conversation turns to Meron, she gets the horrible idea that he might be training his fire lizard to go between to the Red Star.

And? Why is this a problem? Look, okay, it's probably too dangerous for the little thing, but if anything, failure will just emphasize why it's a bad idea to go. And if he succeeds, okay, what exactly can a lizard do that dragons can't, in greater number? She asks F'nor to tell F'lar though.

He doesn't get around to telling F'lar right away, though, but he does tell N'ton, who thinks Brekke might be right based on Meron's behavior. Apparently he stares at the star, then in his lizard's eyes, which scares the poor little thing. Fuck you, Meron. Pick on someone your own size. But also god damnit, can we not have one villain with even a trace of nuance?

F'nor and N'ton chat a little longer about recognizable cloud patters on the Star and so on, before F'nor heads back to find Lessa talking to Brekke. Canth warns that Lessa is worried.

And she is. She thinks F'lar might try to go to the Red Star himself.

F'nor's response is probably accurate but it annoys me: 'F’lar’s not a fool, my dear girls. A dragon has to know where he’s going. And we don’t know what to tell them. Mnementh’s no fool either'"

I think it's the "my dear girls" thing. F'nor's got this really gross habit of belittling Brekke's concerns that he seems to be extending toward Lessa. Careful dude, I think Lessa might dick punch you.

Lessa is insistent: "'He can’t go,' Lessa said, her voice harsh. 'He’s what holds Pern together. He’s the only one who can consolidate the Lord Holders, the Craftmasters and the dragonriders. Even the Oldtimers trust him now. Him. No one else!'"

She's probably right, I'll give F'lar that. As much of an asshole as he is, he pretty much is the lynchpin in all this (Lessa should be as well, but we've seen a decent amount of institutionalized misogyny in this setting, so I can see why she thinks she needs him.). But I'm very interested by the idea that even the Oldtimers trust F'lar now. How and when did that happen?

It's particularly frustrating because Brekke's plot has been so useless and disheartening. Yes, it's good to see her recovering, but what point has any of this had for her. Spoiler: she's not going to be the one to do the miracle flight (though that would have been one way to do it). She never got her triumph over Kylara. She never got to have Wirenth fly Canth. She never got to prove herself a better Weyrwoman. Nothing.

All Brekke exists to do is suffer without payoff.

Meanwhile, we're told that apparently F'lar has succeeded in winning over the Oldtimers, something he's been trying to do since the beginning of the book. But it happens OFF PAGE?!?!

Anyway, the Lords are pushing. Not so much Larad, but others like Raid and Sifer who are demanding immediate action and are less open to grubs. They're apparently of the opinion that Meron HAS found coordinates and are maliciously withholding them.

F'nor tries to reassure her, but his description of what Meron's trying to do with his lizard just distresses her more. She is certain about what F'lar has on his mind, and this entire exchange is actually pretty fascinating:

“'He may be willing to risk his neck, my dear Lessa, but is Mnementh willing?'

Lessa flashed F’nor a look of pure dislike. 'And put the notion in the poor beast’s head that this is what F’lar wants? I could throttle Robinton. Him and his three-day salvation! F’lar can’t stop thinking about that. But F’lar is not the one to go' and she broke off, biting her lip, her eyes sliding toward Brekke.

'I understand, Lessa,' Brekke said very slowly, her eyes unwinking as she held Lessa’s. 'Yes, I understand you.'

F’nor began to massage his right shoulder. He must have been between too much lately.

'Never mind,' Lessa said suddenly, with unusual force. 'I’m just overwrought with all this uncertainty. Forget what I said. I’m only imagining things. I’m as tired as—as we all are.'

'You’re right there, Lessa,' F’nor agreed. 'We’re all seeing problems which don’t exist. After all, no Lord Holder has come to Benden Weyr and thrown down any ultimatum. What could they do? F’lar certainly has been forthright, explained the project of grub protection so often I’ll be ill if I have to listen to it once more. Certainly he’s been open with the other Weyrleaders, the Craftmasters, being sure that everyone knows exactly what the over-all plan is. Nothing will go wrong this time. This is one Craft secret that won’t get lost because someone can’t read a Record skin!'

Lessa rose, her body taut She licked her lips. 'I think,' she said in a low voice, 'that’s what scares me most. He’s taking such precautions to be sure everyone knows. Just in case . . .'

She broke off and rushed out of the Weyr.


Is it just me, or does it really sound like Lessa's manipulating F'nor into taking F'lar's place? And actually, given how her abilities tend to work, with her ability to lean on people to change their minds...

That's diabolical. I love it.

As a minor tangent, I also love that Brekke seems to completely understand what Lessa's saying here and is completely okay with her lover risking his life in his brother's place.

Another note, F'lar's fixation on Robinton's three day salvation statement may be more support for my interpretation of him as being non-neurotypical, or having some kind of emotional processing disorder.

But mostly I'm focused on the idea that Lessa might well be the (well-meaning) villain of what's left of F'nor and Brekke's story now that Kylara's out of the picture. And I love it so damn much.

Anyway, F'nor decides he'll go see Meron himself and see if his own lizard wants to take the trip. Meron reacts badly and tries to kick F'nor out of Fort Weyr, but neither F'nor or N'ton are having it. The confrontation quickly gets messy, as Canth reveals that Meron's lizard is terrified of him (poor little thing), and he leads a bellow that rouses all of the Fort Weyr dragons and startles Meron into losing his grip on his lizard which flees between.

Meron rants and raves, but there's nothing of substance. F'nor and N'ton determine that he could only have seen clouds. F'nor still tries to gently project the image of the clouds and the idea of Grall going there. Which causes Grall to freak out in terror.

So maybe, guys, going to the Red Star is NOT a good idea.

Canth interprets her behavior for F'nor: she's scared. F'nor had actually given her vivid coordinates and she remembered something that scares her. N'ton has the very good question about what memory could possibly scare a lizard that's only a few weeks old. (What the FUCK is this timeline???) But F'nor ignores the interesting question about what she remembers, and possible fire lizard genetic memory to ask if Canth can't go to the Star.

Canth is confident that he can. And like fucking idiots, up they go!

And to make this even stupider, F'nor thinks about the gases of different mountains and tunnels, but decides that since a dragon is fast, a second or two in deadly gas couldn't hurt.

You fucking idiot. F'lar was many things that I hated, but at least he was never a fucking idiot.

F'nor tells Canth to alert Ramoth, and realizes then that Brekke had known he would do this, and that's why she seduced him so unexpectedly after Lessa's visit. (which I didn't mention, because ew. Brekke. You could do better), and realizes that this was why Lessa had confided in them to begin with. But he can't be mad at her because she'd made a risky trip herself seven years ago.

How generous of you, F'nor.

So anyway, they get there and it's really really bad. Because physics! They arrive in suffocating heat, with winds that wrench Canth's wings back and snap his limbs, slamming them back and forth and paralyzing their minds. It's quite graphic and horrifying. Canth starts to fall.

Back on Pern, Brekke hears the distress of the fire lizards. She convinces himself that Canth won't go if it would endanger F'nor. We're told he has sense and is almost as large and smart as Mnementh.

You know, it would have been nice to see that. Mnementh gets only a few lines here and there, but has a very strongly defined personality. Ramoth gets even fewer lines, but I still feel like I have a grasp on her character, so I know that Ms. McCaffrey can do it. But I don't really feel that about Canth.

They get the message from Canth about going to the Star, and Ramoth is very very alarmed. The Weyr bustles into motion.

When F'lar finds out that F'nor and Canth are on their way to the Red Star, his eyes turned as orange as Mnementh's which I find absurdly delightful. Have you always been able to do that, F'lar?

Are your eyes really ORANGE? My mental image is so much more entertaining.

Anyway, he stares at Brekke with a compound of fear and loathing which sends her reeling back. Don't blame Brekke for your brother's idiocy, F'lar. But the fear part is interesting. F'lar's always been on board with the Red Star plan, but he also has been cautious. Is he more aware of the dangers than F'nor seemed to be?

Anyway, suddenly everyone gets the warning the fire lizards had tried to project all along: basically the Red Star is a hellhole and it's bad! Through all of it, Brekke screams "don't leave me alone!"

Apparently Brekke actually managed to burst her own blood vessels in her eyes by screaming like that, which is...definitely something. She can't see but she can sense Canth plummeting down from the sky.

...how are they plummeting down? Shouldn't the Red Star have its own gravitational pull? If Canth was unconscious, shouldn't he fall into the Star?

I mean there's no way to save him or F'nor then. Tragic.

But okay, the dragons all fly up to catch Canth, breaking the momentum with their bodies. Aw. They ease the broken-winged ball of the bloody brown dragon to the floor.

F'nor's unconscious on his back, not breathing, with blue lips. But Brekke can feel a flutter against her fingers when she looks for a pulse. Someone says that there's no air on the Red Star and he suffocated. Brekke apparently learned rescue breathing though, and brings F'nor back while the others talk to Canth to make him stay rather than fly between.

I'm really curious to know how the dragonriders know there's no air on the Red Star, and why this NEVER came up during any discussion about it. But okay.

So anyway, this is Brekke's single triumphant moment in the book. She uses rescue breathing to save her rapist boyfriend after he makes a stupid yet heroic flight. Ugh.

At least, in Dragonflight, Lessa actually got to make the stupid yet heroic flight. Brekke doesn't even get that. She lost her own story when Wirenth died, and now is roped into being an adjunct of F'nor's story instead.

The last scene seems to be a time skip: we see Dragons flying to burn Thread, everywhere except on the eastern slope of one mountain. The observers discover that even though the Thread entered the soil, it is soon gone. The grubs work! F'lar is vindicated.

Lord Groghe, who is present, is disgruntled to have to be grateful to insects. Relying on dragons makes sense (though Asgenar points out that he's never been overgrateful to dragonkind either). Groghe grumbles a bit more, but then tells F'lar "But you're running the planet now. Do as you will. You will anyhow!"

The others seem on board with the grubs and note that Groghe will use them. They ask after F'nor and Canth, and we're told that the days when F'lar evaded a direct answer were now past. Character growth!

We're told that F'nor is on his feet, not much worse for wear, though he'll still have scars from where "particles" had been forced into the bone. Canth's wings are healing and the membrane is growing very slowly. Huh, that kind of regeneration is pretty swanky. Right now, he's whining a lot and getting oiled when he itches. But they think he'll fly again.

Right, because god forbid F'NOR lose anything in all of this.

The unfairness gets to me really. When the story starts out, we have Brekke, a young Weyrwoman ready for her first flight. She's a junior Weyrwoman now, but she's smart and dutiful and likely will end up taking over as senior soon enough. And she loses everything: dragon, position, vocation, through no fault of her own. Her plot is utterly derailed.

F'nor was a fucking moron who flew into a planet they knew nothing about, except apparently the lack of air. But he keeps his dragon, his rank, his position. And he gets the girl, of course, who's now completely dependent on him. FUCK THIS SHIT.

And finally, someone asks F'lar directly what the dragons will do when Thread is FINALLY dealt with. And F'lar actually answers:

'Dragons go places better than anything else on Pern, good Lord Holders. Faster, farther. We’ve all the southern continent to explore when this Pass is over and men have time to relax again. And there’re other planets in our skies to visit.'

I assume he means with proper preparation. But yes, thank you. Dragons can transport things. Dragons can explore. There is no reason that giant, flying, teleporting creatures should be useless even if Thread is no longer around.

Thank you, F'lar. I don't even mind that you get the closing line of this book this time.

So that's the book. Stay tuned for my verdict on whether or not it holds up.