For more than thirty years, Pern has conjured visions of brave men and women mounted upon the backs of dragons. As anyone knows who has been touched by the storytelling magic of Anne McCaffrey, to read of the exotic world of Pern is to inhabit it—and to experience its extraordinary dragons is to soar aloft with them and share their dazzling adventures.

Now, A Gift of Dragons brings together three beloved stories and a thrilling new tale of Pern in a single volume.

In “The Smallest Dragonboy,” Keevan is the youngest dragonrider candidate, determined to impress a dragon when the next clutch of eggs hatches. But what transpires will surprise everyone—Keevan most of all.

In “The Girl Who Heard Dragons,” a young girl’s rare ability to communicate with dragons puts her family in danger and will bring her face to face with her greatest fears—and with her most secret desire.

The “Runner of Pern” is a girl named Tenna, who follows family tradition by delivering messages—and who will find her destiny on the mossy traces that runners have used for centuries under the dragon-filled sky.

And finally, a very special gift: an exciting new Pern adventure, published here for the first time, fresh from the imagination of Anne McCaffrey.

Nebula Award-winning duo Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough add another thrilling chapter to their sweeping Petaybee saga with Changelings. Yana and Sean are beside themselves with joy over the arrival of their twins Ronan and Murel. But the children’s shape-changing abilities attract unwanted attention from an off-world scientist. Now Yana and Sean will do anything to protect their precocious youths from danger. “The story is exciting and generously laced with humor …”-Booklist

Between them, frequent collaborators Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough have landed both the Hugo and Nebula Awards while winning innumerable fans in the sci-fi and fantasy realms. In Deluge, a crisis point has been reached on the sentient planet of Petaybee. Marmion de Revers Algemeine has been arrested on bogus charges, and the shape-shifting twins have traveled off-planet.

When the voice of Piemur-an apprentice at Harper Hall-changes, he has to leave the companionship of Master Shonagar behind. But his disappointment is soon replaced by a new challenge. He is to enter the service of the Master Harper himself as a rider of dragons. Soon, he embarks on a dangerous mission to the Southern Hold. The future of Pern hangs on his success.

Menolly has returned home and entered the Harper Hall. But her entry into the Hall proves the beginning of more troubles, and the Master Harper gives her a difficult time because she is a girl. As Menolly begins to despair, she finds help in the shape of nine bright allies.

Journey to the wonder-filled world of Pern in the first volume of Anne McCaffrey’s best-selling Harper Hall Trilogy. Dragonsong is the spellbinding tale of Menolly of Half Circle Hold, a brave young girl who flees her seaside village and discovers the legendary fire lizards of Pern. All her life, Menolly has longed to learn the ancient secrets of the Harpers, the master musicians of Harper Hall. When her stern father denies her the chance to make her dream come true, Menolly runs away from home. Hiding in a cave by the sea, she finds nine magical fire lizards who join her on a breathtaking journey to Harper Hall. Anne McCaffrey’s enchanting tales of Pern, with all their colorful dragons and fantastic characters, have won her millions of fans around the world. The winner of the Hugo and Nebula Award, she is one of the best-loved writers in all of fantasy literature.

Anne McCaffrey, winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, co-writes this sequel to the popular first Twins of Petaybee book, Changelings with fellow Nebula Award winner Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. As the series continues, Maelstrom follows Murel and Ronan Shongili-telepathic 10-year-old twins who have the special ability to turn into river seals. Murel and Ronan have been assigned with rescuing the inhabitants of neighboring planet Halau from their doomed and environmentally unsound home. But when they arrive at Halau, they find the planet even further destroyed by an unexpected meteor. Their rescue mission is made more dangerous by the discovery of an evil aquatic alien race and the suspicious arrest of their friend Marmion. Murel and Ronan are determined to defeat the Powers That Be and save all the inhabitants of Halau, no matter what the cost. Maelstrom’s unexpected twists and turns are expertly narrated by Robert Ramirez. “A cliffhanger ending, ecological lessons, anthropomorphic animals and simplistic good vs. evil morality …”-Publishers Weekly

Old enough to be used Young enough to be broken

Sassinak was twelve when the raiders came. That made her just the right age: old enough to be used, young enough to be broken. Or so the slavers thought. But Sassy turned out to be a little different from your typical slave girl. Maybe it was her unusual physical strength. Maybe it was her friendship with the captured Fleet crewman. Maybe it was her spirit. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t let her resign herself to the life of a slave. She bided her time, watched for her moment. Finally it came, and she escaped.

But that was only the beginning for Sassinak. Now she’s a Fleet Captain with a pirate-chasing ship of her own, and only one regret in her life: not enough pirates.

Like every other citizen of the Federation of Sentient Planets, Lunzie Mespil believed that no harm would come to her, but when the planet pirates attack the space liner on which she is a passenger, she might have to suffer more than just inconvenience.