dragonflight

Dragonflight is a science fiction novel by American author Anne McCaffrey, first published in 1968. It is the first published book in the Dragonriders of Pern series and is widely regarded as the starting point of the Pern universe. The work is a fix-up of two shorter stories and introduces Pern’s dragonriders, their telepathic bond with dragons, and the threat of Thread, a deadly organism that falls from the sky to devour organic matter.

Set on the planet Pern, a human colony defended from Thread by dragons and their riders, the story follows Lessa, a young woman from Ruatha Hold who survives years in hiding and is chosen to impress a dragon. She bonds with Ramoth, a queen dragon, and becomes Weyrwoman at Benden Weyr under Weyrleader F’lar. Together they marshal the dragonriders to unite Pern’s Weyrs against Thread. The novel expands Pern’s social structure, highlighting the roles of the Weyrs, Halls, and holds, and establishes the crucial concept of impression—the bond between rider and dragon and their telepathic communication.

Dragonflight explores themes of leadership, heritage, and the fusion of science fiction worldbuilding with fantasy elements. It introduces core Pern concepts such as dragon biology, the telepathic bond, and the governance of Pern society through Weyrs and holds, which recur throughout the series.

The novel won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1969 and helped launch the long-running Dragonriders of Pern series. It remains a canonical entry, shaping subsequent novels and adaptations that continue to explore Pern’s defense against Thread and the dragonrider culture.