(Art copyright Michael Whelan)
January 1st 2013 will be here before we know it and that momentous date will not only kick off a brand new year but will also signify the official start date of The Science Fiction Experience 2013 (details soon). This will be my 6th year hosting this two-month reading event that celebrates the joys of science fiction in literature and film/television. In addition January 1st marks the start of the second annual non-challenge hosted by Andrea (Little Red Reviewer), The Vintage Science Fiction Month.
I hope you will choose to participate in both. To kick things off I will be hosting a group read of Anne McCaffrey’s classic novel, Dragonflight. This is a novel I have wanted to read for a long time for one very simple reason: I am drawn to the Michael Whelan cover art! I know this series is beloved by many and as I have yet to read anything by Anne McCaffrey I thought this would be a perfect way to kick off my participation in Vintage Science Fiction Month and in the Science Fiction Experience 2013.
I wanted to get the word out early enough for you to track down a copy of the book. It would be fantastic if you would consider joining us on this adventure. Here are the details:
The novel will be broken up into two sections for the purpose of discussion. It is not a long novel and no doubt many of you will get through it quickly but this plan allows for everyone to participate who would like to but also has other reading that you are committed to or would like to fit in during the month of January.
Reading will officially begin on January 1st, although you may start whenever you like.
The Schedule:
Jan. 1-9th, Read Parts I and II (143 pages in the paperback)
Discussion questions will be emailed out on the evening of January 9th. Post your Discussion Post on your site (or answer questions here) on Thursday, January 10th*.
Jan. 9th-16th, Read Parts III and IV (141 pages in the paperback)
Discussion questions will be emailed out on the evening of January 15th. Post your Discussion Post/Wrap Up on your site (or answer questions here) on Thursday, January 17th*.
*those who have scheduled activities on Thursdays to post to your blog can post any time after the scheduled dates, just not before, please.
I will put up a Mr. Linky in each discussion post so that you can link back to your blog post and thus everyone can have a chance to blog hop and engage in multiple discussions of the book.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and if you would like to be a part of this group read please sign up below:
YES! In! I’ve been meaning to reread DragonFlight for far too long. It’s one of my favorite Pern books, and I expect to thoroughly enjoy reading with the group. š
Glad to hear it Cheryl! Part of the fun for me this time around is that I’ll be new to the book and so many others will have opinions based on previous experience with it. I like being on this side of things too and am very excited about sharing this with a group.
This is one of those books that I have been meaning to read for a long time (the late 70s) but somehow never got around to. Can’t wait to be part of this group read.
Glad I’m not alone in not having gotten to this one yet, Jim. Thanks for joining in!
I re-read the Harper trilogy this year (and last) but it’s been a while since I re-read the DragonRiders trilogy. I still own the copy I read in high school…yikes, the book is over 30!
off to find it. . .
That is so cool that you still own that exact book. I wish I owned more of the books I read when I was younger. Most of them I just didn’t hold onto and even though I’ve replaced many of them it would be fun to have the exact copies that grabbed hold of me when I was younger.
sorry I took so long to respond to this post, I must have passed out from shock! lol…
Hooraaaaaay!!!!! I can’t wait to read everyone’s thoughts on Dragonflight! I have to keep quiet so I don’t say something that will spoil it for others…this trilogy (as you well know) is my favorite of all the fantasy series I’ve ever read. There are a few others I hold in high regard (that would be second place lol) but THIS trilogy is the one I’ve reread the most!
argh! it will be nearly 4 weeks before posts are beginning! I need some pills to lower my anxioty!!!! lol
I think I would have cried if you hadn’t made at least some comment on it today, lol! You and this book/series are inextricably linked for me now and always will be. Can’t wait to share your thoughts on it as we are reading it.
omg! I wouldn’t want you to cry lol!!.. I so hope you like this book! I guess when anyone loves a book so much they hope everyone feels the same. It just has such wonderful characters, a wonderful land (planet) and of course wonderful dragons! This is one of those book (series) that I always wish so hard that it is “real”…
I understand, I feel the same way when others read books that I cherish. I hope I like it too, but even if I don’t it in no way diminishes the cherished feelings you and obviously so many others feel for the book. Still, I’m crossing my fingers for a good experience.
Great choice Carl. I was a big McCaffrey fan as a teenager and loved the Pern series. A reread sounds great.
I know I had a copy of this at some point, I’ll have to dig it out or get a new one.
Great to have you re-reading with us Fence. Hope it is easy to track down your copy.
This is NOT good for my Read Along addiction . . . but I just can’t say “NO!” š
I haven’t read this title for years (actually decades), but I really loved the whole Pern series, though it did go on a bit too long and wandered off into books that she ‘co-wrote’ with a variety of other authors.
Thanks for feeding my RA habit! š
I’m happy to feed your addiction!!! š I’m glad you are joining us. It will be interesting to see how much of the story you remember, how you feel about it all these years later and if you are surprised by parts you may have forgotten.
I have been meaning to give this a reread for half the year. I keep pulling it off the shelf, only to be distracted by another shiny book. This will be the perfect way to enjoy this classic once again. Thank you for hosting!
Great! Thank you for joining it. I was originally wanting to host a group read of this back in August but was a bit burnt on group reads and needed a break. I’m excited to get into it.
This is definitely on my reading list and so I’m definitely going to participate!
Great Lisa, wonderful that you are joining us.
Ooh, I have this book! My MO with these group reads seems always to be, though, that instead of participating in the read itself, the posts I see ABOUT the read make me want to read the book. I have a feeling that’s what will happen here – that I won’t get myself in order quickly enough to participate, but that all of you will make me want to read it very quickly afterward š
That is fine Aarti, I just hope you enjoy it whenever you can get to it and that if you do miss out on the actual read that you come back and let us know how you felt about it when you did read it. š
i’m looking forward to reading everyone’s discussions, hopefully I’ll get inspired to read it again.
I’m looking forward to it being one of my ‘vintage’ reads for your event. š
Okay… I’m really excited about this! I have one book by McCaffrey that I have NOT read, so this is going to be totally new for me. And, I’ve heard so much about Dragonflight! Thanks for hosting this, Carl.
Great Hilicia, I’m liking that I am not the only one who the story will be new to. Thanks so much for joining in!
I read this book as a teenager three decades ago. In fact I read the trilogy at that time. All I can remember now is that I loved the books back then but the details have all faded so… count me in for the reread. I can remember specificly picking these up originally because I was so captivated by the covers. After meeting the cover artist, Michael Whelan, this past year at a convention I have had the itch to reread the series he drew me to as a teen. This reread is the perfect kick in the pants to getting that goal accomplished.
I look forward to Deslily’s comments as well since I know this series is such a passion of hers.
Jeff: moi? lol you jest! (not!)
Nope. It will be great to hear your thougths on it. Additonally, I wish you could have been at Spectrum Live last year when Carl got that copy of The White Dragon signed by Michael Whelan for you. Mr. Whelan is such a gentleman and of course Carl isn’t half bad himself. :)You would have loved seeing all the incredible at he brought. He had prints of The White Dragon cover as well.
It was a memorable and amazing experience. One I am looking forward to repeating in a few months.
Glad you are joining us Jeff. I’ll be interested in seeing how you feel these hold up from your feelings/memories about them when you were younger.
I might have to send the paper cover back to Carl before this years event and have him sign the actual cover to frame it! :o) I hope you both like the book, but if by chance either of you aren’t enamored by it I will be curious as to what it is lacking.
Feel free to do so, I’d be happy to do it.
As I’ve read this many times, I may or may not reread this again with you, but I’ll be reading the questions and comments with great interest.
And I hope you’ll share your thoughts as well, Richard.
I would love to join in with this readalong and with the SciFi Experience š
Lynn
I love that cover!!
So happy you are joining in both, Lynn!
It is a great cover, isn’t it?
I’ve always meant to read some of her works. How could I pass this one up? Count me in please
I’m glad you are not passing it up, yay!!! š
hm.. I do really want to read this… I wonder what my reading will be like in January…
It would be great if you could join us Kelly!!!
I know that this is a really late post. Dragonflight (and the rest of the trilogy) are still my all-time favourite fantasy reads. I will definitely be joining in!
Ah, but its not *too* late, Juno! Glad you like the books so much and am thrilled you are joining in for the group read/discussion.
Doh! Sorry Carl, never entered my name above.
Lynn š