Part of Pern
First published 1988
Pern's human settlers face extinction as deadly spores rain down from the sky. The colonial government scrambles for solutions while families huddle in underground shelters. Geneticist Kitti Ping proposes an audacious plan: engineer fire-breathing dragons from the planet's native fire lizards. These creatures could incinerate the spores before they reach the ground. The colonists must overcome technical challenges and political resistance as they race against time. Admiral Paul Benden leads the military response while Governor Emily Boll coordinates civilian efforts. Kitti Ping works frantically in her laboratory, manipulating genetic codes to create humanity's salvation. The success of her dragon project will determine whether the Pern colony survives or becomes another failed human settlement. The story reveals how desperate humans transformed themselves and their world to survive an alien threat.
Genres: science-fiction, survival, historical-fiction, adventure, action, epic
Vibes: epic, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking, urgent
Tropes: against-the-odds, chosen-one, found-family, government-conflict
Setting: Pern
384 pages · Hardcover · Ultramarine Pub Co
Content warnings: colonialism, death