Salman Rushdie is one of the world’s most acclaimed, award-winning contemporary authors. Translated into over forty languages, his sixteen works of fiction include Midnight’s Children – for which he won the Booker Prize in 1981, the Booker of Bookers on the 25th anniversary of the prize and Best of the Booker on the 40th anniversary – Shame, The Satanic Verses, Quichotte and Victory City. His latest book, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder was a number one Sunday Times bestseller. A former president of PEN American Center, Rushdie was knighted in 2007 for services to literature and was made a Companion of Honour in the Queen's last Birthday Honours list in 2022.

Salman Rushdie

Salman Khan is the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, a nonprofit with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. His lessons on YouTube have revolutionized learning, garnering billions of views globally. Recognized as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, Khan is also the founder of schoolhouse.world, Khan Lab School, and Khan World School, and the author of The One World Schoolhouse. He holds three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Salman Khan

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Anne McCaffrey

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and ominous threat. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' -- THE TIMES 
'Brilliantly conceived, written and researched' -- ***** Reader review 
'Never fails to enthral me' -- ***** Reader review 
'BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT' -- ***** Reader review 
'LOVED THIS BOOK - JUST COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN' -- ***** Reader review 
****************************************************************** 
MasterSinger Merelan and Harper Petiron were a brilliant and devoted couple. Merelan was the most outstanding soprano ever heard on Pern and was often the only one who could master Petiron's technically accomplished compositions. When, after a long and difficult birth, Robinton was born to them, it should have been the culmination of a unique partnership. 
 
But Petiron, almost from the first day, had no time for his son, refusing to see the incredible talent the boy possessed, ignoring his achievements and maintaining a strict and disapproving vigilance over him at all times. 
 
Carefully, secretly, the Harper Hall took over, training the greatest talent Pern had ever seen - a talent that was more than just musical - for Robinton was able to talk to the dragons of Pern. 
 
As constant sadness beset his personal life, so a startling career sent him like a meteor through the Holds and Weyrs of Pern until, as MasterHarper, he became part of the great plan to rescue Lessa from the brutal rule of Holder Fax - Lessa, who was to be the saviour of the dragons of Pern.

The Masterharper Of Pern

(Dragonriders of Pern: 15): an outstanding and awe-inspiring epic fantasy from one of the most influential fantasy and SF novelists of her generation

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern and discover not only its flora, fauna, population and cultural hierarchy, but the history of an entire civilization. If you like David Eddings, David Gemmell and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
**Finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel** 
** Winner of the HOMer Award for Science Fiction** 
**Finalist for the Locus Award for Best Novel** 
 
'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES 
 
'You have many hours of happy reading ahead.' - ***** Reader Review 
 
'Would certainly recommend to anyone looking for a story to lose yourself in and come out the other end replete.' - ***** Reader Review 
 
******************************************************************** 
 
A science fiction classic from a master of the genre. 
 
When AIVAS -- the Artificial Intelligence Voice Address System -- was first discovered at Landing, the entire planet of Pern was awed at the knowledge it divulged. 
 
All the history of the people of Pern was there. Dragonholders, Lord Holders and Craftmasters crowded into the tiny inner room to learn the secrets of their beginnings. Ana AIVAS had other gifts to offer -- stored information of old crafts that had been forgotten, of medicine, music and technology. 
 
But the greatest promise AIVAS offered was the chance to rid Pern of Thread forever. All the great ones of Pern began the long and arduous task of learning just how to operate the incredible plan. 
 
This was a plan of such daring and epic proportions that both dragons and riders would be put at risk...

All The Weyrs Of Pern

(Dragonriders of Pern: 11): this is where it all began and could be where it all ends… from one of the most influential SFF writers of all time

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and ominous threat. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' -- THE TIMES 
'Mesmerising and totally unputdownable' -- ***** Reader review 
'Staggeringly good' -- ***** Reader review 
'Another story of Pern I simply couldn't put down' -- ***** Reader review 
'Just brilliant!!!' -- ***** Reader review 
*********************************************************************************** 
 
Here are five gripping episodes of early Pern -- from the very first space survey recommending colonisation, to the last, where the early world, its young dragon culture undetected, is condemned to be isolated in space. 
 
Here is the saga of the mass evacuation from the volcanic southern continent, an entire group of people moved across the dangerous seas, guarded and guided by a flotilla of dolphins. 
 
Here, too, is the story of the creation of Ruatha Hold -- a mammoth undertaking in the early days of Pern. 
 
And here is one of the most fascinating dragon tales ever written by Anne McCaffrey, when Fort Weyr was the only weyr, and when dragonriders and dragons were overcrowded to danger point. As the news broke of three fresh weyrs to be established, a young girl, Torene, came to realize that her dragon could be the next Queen of the newly formed Benden Weyr...

The Chronicles Of Pern: First Fall

(Dragonriders of Pern: 12): five fascinating epic fantasy scenes from one of the most influential fantasy and SF novelists of her generation.

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and ominous threat. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES 
'A delight' -- ***** Reader review 
'Enchanting' -- ***** Reader review 
'Fantastic' -- ***** Reader review 
'I love this book, and read it probably once a year' -- ***** Reader review 
'Anne McCaffrey at her best' -- ***** Reader review 
 
*********************************************************************************** 
Nerilka's Story: we meet Lady Nerilka of Fort Hold in Moreta's time -- a time of legend, of heroic valour, of terrible Threadfall and the Great Plague that devastates both Holders and Dragonfolk. For Lady Nerilka, the tragedy is twofold, for with the death of her mother and her sister, her father's mistress takes possession of the Hold. Angry and betrayed, Nerilka decides to escape and, as Pern seethes in turmoil, she begins her perilous journey to Ruatha, Lord Alessan and an unknown destiny... 
 
The Coelura: When the Lady Caissa is told by her father to enter into an heir-contract with Cavernus Gustin, she is appalled. For although Gustin is genetically sound he is vain, pompous and intellectually inept. But Caissa's father is determined there should be a union - and Caissa cannot work out what his plans in this respect are. The, on a private flight over the forbidden areas of the North, she discovers a stranger who says his name is Murell -- a man surrounded by coelura, the incredible rainbow creatures whose very brilliance threatens their extinction. She learns her father's plans somehow relate to these beasts...and Murell is determined to save them.

Nerilka's Story & The Coelura

(Dragonriders of Pern: 8): two gripping tales in the world-famous Chronicles of Pern from one of the most influential fantasy and SF novelists of her generation

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and ominous threat. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES 
'Anne McCaffrey has written another moving book that ended with a huge smile on my face. I have not read anything she has written and been disappointed.' -- ***** Reader review 
'Excellent, well what else should I expect from Perm?' -- ***** Reader review 
'Absorbing' -- ***** Reader review 
*********************************************************************************** 
As a small boy, Readis Lilcamp is rescued by the 'shipfish' when he and his uncle Alemi are caught in a sudden squall beyond Paradise River Hold. AIVAS confirms that the big fish are called dolphins, part of the original settlers of Pern. 
 
On Earth they had been partnered with men, having learned to speak intelligible words. Readis, his Uncle Alemi and bronze Gadareth's rider, T'lion of Eastern Hold, are determined to restore the 'doll fins' to their rightful place in the ecology of Pern...and the partnership of men. 
 
Meanwhile, the fight to rid Pern of the terrible nightmare of Thread is still all consuming. While Lord Jaxom, F'lar and his dragonriders struggle to implement AIVAS' instructions, other challenges are issued and answered, including one which threatens young T'lion in the shape of his older brother, a brown rider, who harbours a deep grudge. 
 
And, of course, Readis must win his parents' consent to his association with the 'sea dragons of Pern' - the bottlenose dolphins - for they could be vital to the survival of Pern...

The Dolphins Of Pern

(Dragonriders of Pern: 13): an engrossing and enthralling epic fantasy from one of the most influential fantasy and SF novelists of her generation

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and ominous threat. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES 
'Marvellous. A journey into pure fantasy, just what's needed to escape for a few hours.' -- ***** Reader review 
'Such tension and emotion throughout this book!' -- ***** Reader review 
'Absorbing' -- ***** Reader review 
'Anne McCaffrey has out-done herself yet again' -- ***** Reader review 
'Absolutely fantastic' -- ***** Reader review 
******************************************************************************************* 
 
A new age is dawning on Pern, for since the dragons have changed the orbit of the Red Star, the horrors of Threadfall will soon be a thing of the past. 
 
Yet nothing in Pern stays stable for long. Further dangers are beginning to emerge, however, as those calling themselves the Abominators plot together to destroy all the learning that has been discovered from the records of the Old Ones. 
 
And, on top of this, now comes a fresh and terrible catastrophe - a large cometary fragment is hurtling towards Pern and cannot be deflected. Everyone - dragons, riders, holders and craftsmen - must stand by to perform a giant rescue operation. 
 
As F'lessan, son of Lessa and F'lar, plays his heroic part in the events that follow, he is helped by Tai, his new weyrmate. 
 
Will they be the ones to protect Pern or will it be the dragons who provide the solution to the dangers of the skies?

The Skies Of Pern

a captivating and unmissable epic fantasy from one of the most influential fantasy and SF novelists of her generation

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and ominous threat.. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
"Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants" - THE TIMES 
"Do yourself a favour and read ANYTHING by this Author, you won't be sorry" -- ***** Reader review 
"A real page turner" -- ***** Reader review 
"Delightful reading, well written, and wonderful characters, and Dragons! Lots of Dragons! Bliss!" -- ***** Reader review 
"A brilliant read" -- ***** Reader review 
******************************************************************************* 
 
A YOUNG GIRL'S DESTINY AWAITS... 
 
Every two hundred years or so, shimmering Threads fall from space, raining death and black ruin on Pern. The great dragons of Pern hurl themselves through the beleagured skies, flaming tongues of fire to destroy deadly Thread and save the Planet. 
 
But it was not Threadfall that made young Menolly unhappy. It was her father who betrayed her ambition to be a Harper, who thwarted her love of music. Menolly had no choice but to run away. 
 
When, suddenly, she came upon a group of fire lizards, wild and smaller relatives of the fire-breathing dragons, she let her music swirl around them and taught nine of them to sing. 
 
Suddenly Menolly was no longer alone -- she was Mistress of Music and Ward of the dazzling fire dragons. 
 
The Dragonriders of Pern series continues in Dragonsinger.

Dragonsong

(Dragonriders of Pern: 4)

Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern. A world of dragons and other worldly forces; a world of mighty power and omnious threat.. If you like David Eddings, Brandon Sanderson and Douglas Adams, you will love this. 
 
"Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants" - THE TIMES 
"Do yourself a favour and read ANYTHING by this Author, you won't be sorry" -- ***** Reader review 
'I couldn't put it down!' -- ***** Reader review 
'A wondrous, spellbinding story!' -- ***** Reader review 
'This lady is the most amazing writer, once I start reading one of her books I'm completely drawn into the story and can't bear to put it down till it's finished' -- ***** Reader review 
 
******************************************************************************************************* 
For two hundred years there had been peace on Pern - but now the signs were ominous. Violent weather storms and erupting volcanos heralded the coming of the second Pass of Thread, when the red planet would rain down its horrifying harvest. No human or dragon or animal or plant was safe from the hideous death inflicted by Thread. 
 
Weyrs and Holds tried to prepare, but they had serious problems. Over the generations much of the old technology had been lost. AIVAS, the giant information bank, was buried under tons of volcanic ash, and valuable and skilled men and women had succumbed to disease and old age, taking with them the knowledge of a great civilization. 
 
They had to prepare as best they could, training the great flights of dragons and ensuring that the Lord Holders did their part by protecting their people in every possible way. Only Lord Chalkin, Holder of Bitra, refused to co-operate, not believing in Threadfall: he would do nothing to protect Bitra or its people. 
 
The Lord Holders and Weyrleaders were of one accord. Chalkin must be impeached and removed from his lands if the planet was to be made safe.

Red Star Rising

More Chronicles Of Pern

(Dragonriders of Pern: 14): a mesmerising epic fantasy from one of the most influential fantasy and SF novelists of her generation

Todd McCaffrey

When Masterharper Zist takes over as Harper for Natalon's coal-mining camp, he takes with him his apprentice, the orphaned, mute Pellar, and Pellar's fire-lizard Chitter. Pellar has become a gifted tracker and Zist gives him his own mission - to find out if the recent thefts of coal are the work of the Shunned, criminals condemned to a life of wandering and hardship. Halla is one of the children of the Shunned. Though innocent of their parents' crimes, these children have inherited their cruel punishment. With no shelter when the lethal Thread falls again they will have no protection against it. Life is even tougher for Halla, all her family are dead and she must fend for herself. Yet Halla is kind and gentle, devoted to helping those more helpless than she, unlike Tenim, a fellow child of the Shunned. Tenim is in league with Tarik, a crooked miner from Camp Natalon, who helps him steal coal in exchange for a cut of the profit. But Tenim soon realizes there is a lot more to be made from firestone, the volatile mineral that enables the dragons of Pern to burn Thread out of the sky. Tenim doesn't care what he has to do, or whom he has to kill, in order to corner the market. Cristov is Tarik's son. Dishonored by his father's greed and treachery, he decides he must make amends somehow... even if it means risking his life by mining the volatile firestone, which blows up at contact with the slightest drop of moisture. 
 
When the last remaining firestone mine explodes in flames, a desperate race begins to find a new deposit of the deadly but essential mineral, for without it there can be no defence against Thread. But Tenim has a murderous plan to turn the tragedy to his own advantage, and only Pellar, Halla and Cristov can stop him - and ensure that there will be a future for all on the world of the Dragonriders.

Dragon's Fire

‘The world building opened my eyes to what fantasy could be; the characters introduced me to women in roles of power; and the romances left my young heart aflutter. No series has ever captured my imagination so completely as Pern did.’ Susan Dennard, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands Series 
 
"Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants" - THE TIMES 
 
‘Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books forever changed how readers looked at dragons—not just fearsome beasts to be slain, but bonded warrior partners...books that shaped a generation and more of fantasy writers.’ Cassandra Clare, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author 
 
"Read Dragonflight and you're confronted with McCaffrey the storyteller in her prime..." - SFX 
 
On a beautiful world called Pern, Lessa is an outcast survivor—her parents murdered, her birthright stolen—a fierce young woman who has never stopped dreaming of revenge. That is, until an ambitious young dragonrider, F’lar, offers her something even greater: the chance to lead Pern at his side by Impressing a golden dragon with whom she will share a telepathic bond more intimate than any human connection. Although there is also her intense relationship with F’lar himself. 
 
But Lessa’s fierceness and courage will be put to the test when an ancient scourge returns to the land: a deadly silver spore that falls from the sky, destroying all it touches. Only dragons can fight this Thread, and there are not enough dragons to protect all of Pern. Lessa and her dragon may hold the key to their world’s salvation . . . but executing her daring plan may be costlier than she ever envisioned. 
 
Don’t miss the original trilogy from Anne McCaffrey’s beloved Dragonriders of Pern series: 
DRAGONFLIGHT • DRAGONQUEST • THE WHITE DRAGON

Dragonflight

(Dragonriders of Pern: 1)

When Fiona, the only surviving member of Lord Holder Bemin's family, Impresses a queen dragon, she doesn't begin to realize the perils and privileges that come with her new role.As she grows into a young woman and her dragon reaches her full growth, Fiona faces not only the possibility of losing her dragon to the sickness that has claimed so many others but also the challenges of becoming a Weyrwoman in her own right. What, she must ask herself, is she willing to give up in order to become a queen rider?And, although the marvellous queen dragon has chosen her, is she really suited to the life of a queen rider? 
 
As the injured dragons at Fort Weyr begin to outnumber those fit to fly against Thread, Weyrleader K'lior comes up with a desperate plan - to send the least injured and the older weyrlings back in time, so that they can grow strong enough to fight Thread in the past and then returnto help the Weyr.But will only twelve older weyrlings and thirty lightly injured riders be enough to save Fort Weyr?Forced to stay behind because her dragon is still too young, Fiona must confront a life-and-death choice.

Dragonheart

Fantasy

‘Pern is where dragon riding was conceived, and fifty years later, Anne McCaffrey’s epic tale remains a masterpiece of adventure, intrigue, and romance!’ Danielle L. Jensen, New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood 
 
‘Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels are truly foundational books. The seeds of every dragonrider story are here, if not of every take on magical bonding. They carried me away as a young reader, and I hope they'll do so for new readers now.’ Naomi Novik, author of the Temeraire series 
 
Lessa and her golden queen dragon may have given their world a fighting chance against the deadly Thread by bringing several hundred dragons and their riders forward in time, but this has also caused other problems to arise. The Oldtimers, as they are known, are having a difficult time adjusting to their more modern world, and tensions are rising. Worse, Threadfall is becoming more unpredictable, which makes it harder to combat. 
 
Inspired by Lessa’s example, brown dragonrider F’nor hatches a bold plan to cut through these growing tensions by destroying the Thread at its source: the mysterious Red Star. But his quest to go where no man—or dragon—has gone before will risk not only his life, but the heart of a woman who has already lost far more than she can bear. 
 
Don’t miss the original trilogy from Anne McCaffrey’s beloved Dragonriders of Pern series: 
DRAGONFLIGHT • DRAGONQUEST • THE WHITE DRAGON

Dragonquest

(Dragonriders of Pern: 2)

After a vicious plague swept through the world of Pern, there are no longer enough dragons to fight off the current onslaught of Thread, the deadly spore that falls like rain from the skies and devours everything organic in its path. 
 
Pern's last best chance to rebuild the decimated dragon population lies with a group of young dragonriders and their dragons left stranded on an unexplored island. Leadership of these dragons and riders falls to Xhinna, female rider of a blue dragon, who, as the most experienced dragonrider in the new Weyr, must earn the respect of all who follow her, as not everyone is ready to accept a female wingleader. She must solve the problem of how to get sufficient numbers of dragon eggs, although her newfangled ideas, like letting green dragons mate and lay eggs to hatch new dragons, cause uproar. All the while she must protect her people and baby dragons from the predators and, worse, traitors or all hope for Pern will be lost!

Sky Dragons

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