> I used to really love the Pern books when I was a kid. I haven't read any of the recent ones (well, not even *recent* - I stopped after "The White Dragon") since it seemed to get too different from the original world after that. I think it all lost something for me after they rediscovered technology; I've flipped through the "prequel" type books too, but those seem to be a rather tedious effort to recapture the initial magic of the fantasy world as it was in the first books.
>

I like the earlier books the best too, but I enjoy the whole series. It's worth noting, however, that practically all of the legal Pern fandom Weyrs have an alternate timeline that does NOT include the rediscovery of advanced technology... which means we get to still fight Thread, have Weyrs in the traditional structure, etc. I know the Weyr I participate in certainly has the same flavor as the early books (although we have a *bit* more connection with the ancients, since we're Fort, the first Weyr). And, if anyone cares, fandom Weyrs are different from the books in other ways beside the alternate timelines - such as females being able to Impress gold, brown, blue and green dragons instead of only golds (and the rare green).

Sosi"knower of useless yet fun things"qui