Review: Dragonsong

Menolly loves music.  Above all else she longs to be a Harper, responsible for songs that entertain and songs that preserve the culture of her planet, Pern.  Too bad that she's a girl, and girls can't be Harpers.

After a tragic accident, Menolly flees her home for the wilds, and ends up being adopted by/adopting an odd group of friends: the mini dragons known as fire lizards.

Entertainment: ★★★★

I enjoyed reading Dragonsong a lot.  I actually read it all in one sitting, I was so curious to see how everything played out.  It's actually kind of short, and I found myself wishing it were a lot longer!

Plot: ★★★

The plot wasn't overwhelmingly original, the ending was a little cliche, and there were really no big surprises.  Bonus points for world-building, however.

Characters: ★★★★

Menolly was a very good character, and many of the side characters were excellent.  Dragonsong is pretty short - less than 200 pages - and yet nearly everybody in the story seems to come alive.

Writing: ★★★

I was definitely dying to know what would happen next!  However, I was a little put off by the occasional overload of information; for example, I now know too much about the anatomy of the packtail (a fish from Pern).

End Result: four stars.  A good book, definitely worth your time.