Part of Pern
First published 1997
Jayge leads a trader clan that roams Pern's roads, choosing freedom over the safety of the stone Holds that shelter most people from deadly Thread. While Lord Holders and dragonriders maintain their ancient compact of protection, outcasts and criminals struggle to survive in the wilderness. The ruthless Lady Thella commands a growing band of renegades who prey on travelers and settlements alike. She seeks Aramina, a young woman who can hear dragons speak with their minds. When Thella attacks Jayge's family in her search for this prize, she creates a relentless enemy. Jayge swears vengeance against the renegade leader and vows to protect Aramina from capture. His pursuit leads him across Pern's treacherous landscape, where holdless refugees, displaced families, and desperate criminals wage their own battles for survival outside the traditional system. Jayge must use every skill learned from years on the road to track down Thella before she can claim the dragon-hearing girl.
Genres: science-fiction-fantasy, adventure, fantasy, action, epic-fantasy
Vibes: action-packed, dark, epic, gritty, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, protection-romance, revenge-quest
Setting: Pern, Stone Holds
384 pages · Paperback · Del Rey
Content warnings: death, violence