Dragonsong

“But, in the natural course of events, the Red Star again spun close to Pern, winking with a baleful red eye on its intended victim. One man, F’lar, rider of the bronze dragon, Mnementh, believed that the ancient tales had truth in them. His half-brother, F’nor, rider of brown Canth, listened to his arguments and came to believe.”

In this passage, McCaffrey uses personification, a figure of speech that attributes human qualities and features to non-human subjects, when she describes the Red Star as having malice and “a baleful red eye.” The author continues this trend through phrases like “intended victim,” which depicts this dangerous celestial body as having ominous thoughts and intentions of its own. As the passage continues, she cultivates a mythic tone and provides vivid imagery through phrases like “the ancient tales” and “rider of the bronze dragon.” This excerpt reflects the novel’s distinctive blend of fantasy and science fiction through the combination of red stars, deadly spores, dragons, and mighty heroes.

“The sky had wept itself out in the past three days: a fitting tribute. And the air was cold. She shivered in her thick wherhide jacket.”

In literature, writers often use the macrocosm of nature and the weather to reflect the microcosm of characters’ inner experiences and emotions. Rain is commonly used to echo characters’ sorrow, as seen in this passage when McCaffrey personifies the sky and depicts it as weeping along with Menolly’s grief over Petiron’s death. McCaffrey further creates a connection between nature and emotions when Menolly’s grief is reflected in the tactile