The Dolphins of Pern

1994 novel by Anne McCaffrey

Rowena Morrill
Steve Weston (UK)^[a]

LanguageEnglishSeriesDragonriders of PernGenreScience fictionPublisherDel Rey Books

Publication date

6 September 1994Publication placeUnited StatesMedia typePrint (hardcover & paperback)Pages340 (first US hardcover)ISBN978-0-345-36894-2OCLC30357873

Dewey Decimal

813/.54 20LC ClassPS3563.A255 D65 1994Preceded byThe Chronicles of Pern: First Fall Followed byDragonseye
or Red Star Rising

The Dolphins of Pern is a science fiction novel by the American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey. It is the thirteenth book published in the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne or her son Todd McCaffrey.^[1]

The Dolphins of Pern was first published in 1994. The cover painting by Rowena Morrill was used again for the biography Anne McCaffrey: A life with dragons (Roberts 2007).

Plot summary

This novel follows Dragonsdawn and the short story The Dolphin's Bell (short story contained in The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall) by discussing the present state (Ninth Pass) of the dolphins that were brought to Pern by the colonists. Set near the end and after the events of All the Weyrs of Pern it further integrates the science fiction aspects of the origins of the Pern series with the fantastical aspects presented by the original books.

The plot focuses primarily on two young characters and chronicles the birth of the Dolphincrafthall and its first Dolphineer. Readis, the Paradise River Lord Holder's son, is saved by talking dolphins ("shipfish") as a young boy after falling into the sea and subsequently develops a strong fascination with the dolphins. T'lion, the young Eastern Weyr dragonrider of Bronze Gadareth, also develops an interest after being involved in an early dolphin encounter. The two befriend each other due to their shared interest and, in their own ways, defy family, Hold and Weyr to maintain their friendships with dolphins and convince others of the dolphins' intelligence and ability to speak. While familiar characters struggle to end the era of Thread, Readis, T'lion and others struggle to begin a new era in which dolphin and human work together again.

Well-known characters from previous Pern novels are also involved in the plot, including Benden Weyrleaders Lessa and F'lar, and Masterharpers Robinton and Menolly.

Notes

^ ^a ^b The Dolphins of Pern title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database lists only Rowena Morrill cover artist of US editions as of 2011-10-12; only Steve Weston UK, three ISBN.