Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

It is time for all Pern readers to face facts: Anne has not been writing these books for about 10 years, and, given her recent passing, never will again. This series is all Todd's. It is his baby and his world. It may be called 'Pern' and have watchwhers and queens and thread and such, but this is Todd's story. It is not Anne's. And Todd is one of the worst writers I have ever read. Where do I start? Should I focus this review on the excessive and disgusting focus Todd has on 13-year olds having sex with each other? How about the constant bedhopping with the level of consideration that most people give their breakfast cereal? Perhaps I should focus on the complete lack of scientific rational? How about the repetitive covers and terribly un-flattering photograph of the author (and his mother)? Maybe the complete lack of editing ? Oh, I know. None of those. Let's focus on Todd's complete inability to write a coherent storyline. His stories make little to no sense. Characters are introduced and forgotten constantly. We could fill a village with all the minor characters that were introduced as major characters, but forgotten about within a couple pages. This is not helped by everyone having short, 2-syllable names that all sound alike. For females we have Halla and Pella and Fiona and Lorana and Xyhra and Morena and Nuella and Hesha and Shela and Jirana and Suella and Spelt. For males, we have K'dan and F'nor and R'gad and P'tat and D'gan and Z'qig and S'pit and... oh I can't go on. There are hundreds of characters at this point. Who can keep them straight? (PS. not all of those I listed are real, but who can tell?) It is hard to call Todd's books a 'series' in the classical sense that one book leads into the next in some sort of logical fashion. His books are all over the place. This one will have a dragon plague. Next, thread will fall. Next, something incoherent about the shunned and exploding firestone. Next book, sleeping arrangements! Next book, more plague. Next book, we are going to worship pregnant women.... There is no common thread, nothing holding these books together aside from a few characters that appear throughout. Is there ever supposed to be an ending? And you know what? Even when something is TRYING to happen (plague infects the weyr or thread falls on Pern), it is forgotten within a page or two so Todd can get back to writing about absurd minutiae like pottery classes and what's for dinner today and traveling and scenery and history and who's sleeping with who (his perennial favorite). The dragons rarely speak and never do anything of substance aside from fly about and go between like the most obedient of horses. Most of the books have no climax whatsoever. I'm not even sure Todd can write a decent climax! I just realized I didn't talk about Sky Dragon at all. Well, what can I say that is positive? Uh.... Let's think.... Well.... it is almost 400 pages. I suppose it could be longer. So thank you, Todd, for keeping this one short. So, in summary, stop sending this man your hard earned money. He is not an author and does not deserve the name McCaffrey. If you really need to read these books, join me in visiting your local library, reading 50 pages, and returning them early so some other poor sap can get their fix as well.