ISBN: 9780345480293
The McCaffreys', second fire-breathing collaboration (after 2003',s Dragon',s Kin) again proves why these fabled dragons still cast a spell. Pellar, a mute Apprentice Harper, Halla, a homeless girl, and Cristov, a miner',s son, learn invaluable life lessons as the planet Pern prepares for the return of the deadly Red Star and its annihilating ",Thread,", which can only be destroyed by firestone-fueled dragonfire. But mining firestone is dangerous work, often carried out by children of disenfranchised criminals called the Shunned. Accompanied by his new fire-lizard Chitter, Pellar joins Masterharper Zist in a search for Moran, a missing Journeyman Harper who',s involved with the Shunned. Pellar finds his fate intertwined with Halla, but his tangle with Tenim, a ruthless thief, almost keeps them apart. Their friend Cristov learns about the Shunned firsthand after a terrible mine explosion. Fortunately, events lead to dragon-riding wish fulfillment and a remarkable ...