The Masterharper of Pern

Found the unabridged audiobook and gave it a listen. I must've read this book at least one dozen, if not two dozen, times in my youth. (Listen, whippersnappers, eBooks weren't a thing and our library was small back then, so re-reading favorites was common.) I loved Pern, I loved dragons, I love Robinton. These are all still true.

Re-reading as a more critical adult, things that I didn't notice, or didn't care about, as a kid are things that irk me now. This book retcons several major Pernese events, plays havoc with the timeline, breaks canon, contradicts itself, and makes Rob even more of a Gary Stu than he was previously. Rob is suddenly involved in situations that have huge implications for Pern and his relationships, but he is never noticed and never discusses it (because he was shoehorned in after the fact rather than having it be a planned, organic thing).

The book stomps all over the Harper Hall trilogy in general and Menolly in particular. Many of the 'firsts' are retroactively first done by Robinton, sometimes down to word-for-word descriptions being pulled from the original trilogy. Part of this is likely the same poor continuity that has plagued the series from its start, part of it is likely due to the fact that the Harper Hall gets the spotlight when the Weyr doesn't, leaving so much ground already covered and making repetition somewhat inevitable (and other crafts/halls/holds woefully under-developed).

Rob's relationship with his mother is decidedly co-dependent and creepy. Its understandable, to an extent, given what they have in common and that they weathered an abusive relationship together. But I can't think of a situation in which saying the feel of a lover in your arms is just like holding your mom is, uh, healthy.

This is a book for the folks die-hard enough to read every Pern novel but not die-hard enough to worship the canon. ( )

2020 reread via audiobook narrated by Dick Hill:

I love this entry in the Pern series - Robinton is one of my favorite characters and, having seen him and come to love him in the earlier books, it is very enlightening to read about his life from his birth up to the events in the first book of the series, "Dragonflight". Dick Hill does a great narration. ( )

Okay, so I started out a little pissed that she was milking this story again, since Robinton is in the first three books as well as renegades and this is simply "the story of his life", and so retelling part of the other four books. But, she goes back to the very beginning, so it is basically all new and engaging information. Very little is a repeat of the start of book one. I was actually sobbing at one point and crying in earnest at a couple of others. That's a book I was obviously into! I really enjoyed it. ( )

I absolutely loved reading about Master Robinton's life. I really liked seeing the whole evolution of this generation of Pern through his eyes. I also really enjoyed the explanation of how Flax came to power, which has always confused me a bit. Portions were frustrating, but only because I think, they were supposed to be from a plot's perspective. An excellent addition to the Pern series. ( )

Good telling of the original Pern series from another point of view. Enjoyed it very much. ( )