In memory of Anne McCaffrey, queen of the dragons and titan of sci-fi

As a teenager, I read every single one of your Dragonriders of Pern books - many of them probably more than ten times. I loved the Acorna series, The Ship Who Sang and much of the Talents series, and just last year I read Decision at Doona for the first time.

I loved the worlds you built, the characters you developed, and your wonderful imagination.

You made my life richer with what you wrote, and your talent will be missed. Even if I were a Harper, I don't know how I could possibly distill your brilliance and your legacy into a song in your memory. So I will just keep reading your books, and pass them along to those who haven't read them.

The dragons are massing in the skies of Pern today.

Get up, take heart--go, make a start,
sing out the truth you came for.
Then when you die, your heart may fly
to halls we have no name for.
--All The Weyrs of Pern