Dragonsinger was published by Atheneum in 1977 as the second volume of the Harper Hall trilogy. Menolly has been rescued from the wild by a dragonrider and brought to the Harper Hall — Pern’s center of music, education, and communication — where Masterharper Robinton recognizes her extraordinary talent and takes her under his protection.
But the Harper Hall is not a simple refuge. Menolly faces resistance from some journeymen who resent a girl in their traditionally male domain, jealousy from students who lack her ability, and her own deeply internalized belief (drilled into her by her father) that a girl has no right to be a Harper. Her nine fire-lizards — unprecedented in the Hall — create additional complications: they are both an asset (fire-lizards can carry messages and are valuable in their own right) and a source of envy.
McCaffrey’s great skill in the Harper Hall books is rendering the texture of institutional life: the classes, the rivalries, the mentorships, the politics of talent recognition, the way a creative community can be simultaneously nurturing and competitive. Menolly’s gradual acceptance — won through talent, persistence, and the support of key allies (Robinton, the kind journeyman Sebell, her fellow student Piemur) — is deeply satisfying not because it is easy but because the obstacles are real.
Collecting Dragonsinger
First edition (Atheneum, New York, 1977): Hardcover with dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition, fine/fine: $50–$150
- Very good: $20–$50