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A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi. (In front of you, a precipice. Behind you, wolves.)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Death of a Dragonrider

One of my most favorite authors of all is Anne McCaffrey. I've read rearly everything she ever wrote. Many of my copies are signed editions (unfortunately not to me, but still...SIGNED).

Anne did much to inspire new writers to write. She has co-written scores of books, helping to spawn such delicious writers as Elizabeth Moon, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, and Jody-Lynn Nye. I wonder if she was a major influence of Christopher Paolini's?

I love Anne's books because she put families back in space together. Her plots were fresh, imaginative, and interesting. Her world-building was stellar. I could tell she cared deeply about people and relationships. She made me wish I had my own dragon egg on the hatching field. I can just feel the wind in my hair as my dragon's muscles bunch and expand. I can smell the rock her dragons chewed to make flame.

I found myself wishing I could visit Petaybee as well--maybe as a shape-changer, or visit Acorna's worlds. I felt how it might be to be a shell person or a planet pirate.

Anne died November 22nd in her home in Ireland. We'll miss you, Dragonrider!

2 comments:

  1. Aw, you made me cry again, Heidi. Nice tribute. I'm sure she had to have been an influence of Paolini's. My youngest son came home from school complaining about Eragon because he found it to be a poor rip off. I disagreed. I've also been influenced by McCaffrey's wondrous worlds. How could anyone read her and not be?

    Happy Thanksgiving.

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