The 11th book in the Dragonriders of Pern series: Led by Masterharper Robinton, F'lar and Lessa, the people of Pern excavate the ancient remains of the planet's original settlement and uncover the colonist's voice-activated artificial intelligence system.
The latest adventure in the Dragonriders of Pern series follows the efforts of Pern's human colonists to re-establish contact with the legendary, super-intelligent "shipfish" they brought with them centuries ago.
On Pern, men breed and train great fire-breathing dragons to help them fight the deadly silver Threads that fall from the sky, destroying all life-forms, whenever the Red Star passes near.
Chronicling the first settlers of Pern, this is the story of the colonists' efforts to breed dragons to fight the deadly Thread before the lush planet is destroyed.
It's been two-hundred years since the deadly Thread fell like rain upon Pern, devouring everything in its path. No one alive remembers that first horrific onslaught and no one believes in its return--except for the dragonriders. For two centuries they have been practicing and training, passing down from generation to generation the formidable Threadfighting techniques.
The deadly Threads have not rained on Pern for centuries, and people are beginning to say they no longer need dragonriders or harpers. In particular, the despot Fax would like to be rid of talented masterharper, Robinton.
When Jaxom, a rebellious youth, and Ruth, his white dragon, fly into another time to retrieve the queen's stolen egg and avert a dragonrider war, they find their planet threatened once again by a Threadfall.
