Lmst

« Dragonflight », 1971

Attributed to Gino d'Achille (British artist, born in Rome, 1935-2017)
Cover illustration for Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders Of Pern, book 1 : Dragonflight", Ballantine Books, 1971

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #GinodAchille #AnneMcCaffrey #Dragonflight #DragonridersOfPern #dragons

« Dragonflight », 1978

by Michael Whelan (American illustrator, born 1950)
Two versions of Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonflight" cover, Del Rey, 1978

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #MichaelWhelan #AnneMcCaffrey #Dragonflight #DragonridersOfPern #dragons

DRAGON ABOARD (2013)
Acrylic - 18" x 24"

Anne McCaffrey often reminded readers that her Pern novels were science fiction. This scene from ALL THE WEYRS OF PERN did exactly that and was originally chosen for the cover. 1/3

#sciencefiction #scifi #scifiart #sff #illustration #annemccaffrey #pern

In the cargo hold of a spaceship, a dragon floats with female rider saddled high on its shoulders. Gripping reins, she cranes her neck back to glance at the viewer. Disorienting, the perspective into the cargo hold is slightly angled with the lines of interior structure not quite lining up with the wide octagonal bulkhead leading into it. There is no true horizon to orient on which prompts a sense of weightlessness and implies slow rotation. The hold itself is cropped with the right of it falling off-panel. Just past the dragon, a large porthole provides a view planet-side with sun partially obscured behind a bright arc. A red dot burns menacingly nearby. In the lower left, an access panel glows with dots of red, yellow, and green. The display screen just above is lit with a picture of the author. Her hair is white and her smile is warm.

Recent Science Fiction Purchases No. CCCXLIII (Philip K. Dick, Roger Zelazny, Chuck Rothman, Philip José Farmer, and an anthology on Future Love)

Which books/covers/authors intrigue you? Which have you read? Disliked? Enjoyed?

1. Deus Irae, Philip K. Dick and Roger Zelazny (1976)

Richard Corben’s cover for the 1980 edition

From the back cover: “One their own, they have written landmarks works that have added whole new dimensions of wonder to the field of science fiction. Now, in Deus Irae, they have created what ALA Booklist calls “the most successful collaboration in years!”–set in in bizarre world where you will encounter…

A bunch of backwoods farmers who happen to be lizards…

A tribe of foul-mouthed giant bugs who worship a dead VW sedan…

An automated factory that can’t decide whether to serve its customers–or kill them.

Across this nightmare landscape–pursued by an avenging angel on a bicycle–one man makes a painful pilgrimage in search of the one who changed the world so drastically–the legendary, by very, God of Wrath…”

Initial Thoughts: I’ve heard that this co-written book by Dick and Zelazny is far from their respective best. I’m still curious!

2. Staroamer’s Fate, Chuck Rothman (1986)

Enric’s cover for the 1st edition

From the back cover: “QUARNIAN DOW. Space salvager, planet tamer, dreamstone thief, revolutionary–Quarnian was a woman with a destiny, a gold star syron gifted with the ability to “know” the future and to see into the hearts and minds of others. But the very talent that let her bend others to her will was the curse that made her a lone adventurer, called by some inner voice to world after world, challenge after challenge.

Now the destiny was again calling Quarnian… this time to a rendezvous with a long-lost legend–and a journey of discovery that could change the fate of all who roamed the skies…”

Initial Thoughts: I acquired this one as it contains a generation ship. I am an aficionado of the generation ship. Here’s a list I’ve compiled on the topic with links to those I’ve reviewed. I assume the novel will be poor despite the theme.

3. Flesh, Philip José Farmer (1960)

Ellen Raskin’s cover for the 1969 edition

From the back cover: “HE WAS THE SUNHERO. STUD-GOD TO A MILLION ADORING FEMALES.

After 800 years of exploring the stars Space Commander Stagg had expected a hero’s welcome–but this was awesome. First, they grafted real antlers on his head. Then they invested him with the pure sex power of 50 bulls and turned him loose on a screaming frenzy of fire-up virgins. Now he was on an ecstatic public fertility tour that took in every available female–and could soon take his life…”

Initial Thoughts: In January, I acquired the 1st edition of Farmer’s Flesh. He revised the novel for all the post-1968 printings. If rewrites occur within my date ranges, I’m always interested in the nature of revision especially as the early 1960s vs. late 1960s were radically different in the allowed content. Perhaps the revisions reflect this. We shall see!

4. Future Love: A Science Fiction Triad, ed. Roger Elwood (1977)

Don Carroll’s cover for the 1st edition

Contents: Anne McCaffrey’s “The Greatest Love” (1977), Joan Hunter Holly’s “Psi Clone” (1977), and Jeffrey A. Carver’s “Love Rogo” (1977).

From the back cover: “Anne McCaffrey, who is probably well known to most readers of this book, examines in her story a mother love that goes beyond the physical, in a new and different sense of that phrase; a sense, in fact, not possible until present-day medical technology gave us the means of realizing it. That particular gift of Anne McCaffrey is that she can infuse such an intense human light and warmth into a hitherto-unknown, laboratory-cold subject that it takes on the familiar, common quality of everyday readerly lives.

Joan Holly, who has also been writing SF successfully for years, deals with a different kind of parent-child pattern. Again there is a love situation emerging out of a relationship which would have been impossible before present-day science gave it to us as something that could happen. But here again, through Joan Holly’s creativity, we have an intense, swift-running story, like a landslide channeled between canyon walls so deep they almost shut out the light.

Jeffrey Carver goes one step beyond the interaction of ordinary human love. He plunges the reader into a small whirlpool of individual lives, carried along with the rushing current of power, plunging ever more swiftly toward the bring of a waterfall. Here, the love is not between human and human, but between human and something else–a love that in the end betrays.”

Initial Thoughts: I have not read any work by Holly or Carver. As for McCaffrey, she was an adored author of my childhood—I read and reread and reread her Pern novels (and the endless prequels and side-series and volumes written with her son). I suspect she’s an author that would lose a bit of the luster if I returned to my nostalgic favorites.

For book reviews consult the INDEX

For cover art posts consult the INDEX

For TV and film reviews consult the INDEX

#1960s #1970s #AnneMcCaffrey #avantGarde #ChuckRothman #JeffreyACarver #paperbacks #PhilipJoséFarmer #philipKDick #RogerElwood #RogerZelazny #sciFi #scienceFiction #spaceships

Please BOOST!
SPECIAL COLLECTORS EDITION of Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31108099842
or see the full collection here:
https://astralcomputing.com
#Literature
#SciFi
#ScienceFiction
#books
#bookstodon
#coverart
#AnneMcCaffrey
Groups:
@scifi
@Scifiart
@sciencefiction

Stunning red leather-bound edition of Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, from the Masterpieces of Science Fiction Collection by The Easton Press. This collector's edition is a limited run, meticulously crafted to honor McCaffrey's iconic novel
-
The cover is adorned with 22kt gold-embossed artwork by Michael Whelan, featuring a dynamic depiction of a dragon in flight, accompanied by intricate detailing of a castle-like structure in the background. The scene is framed with elegant gold borders. The spine features the title in bold gold serif font, alongside the author's name. Additional design elements include a striking motif of mountains and dragons
-
This edition is bound in full leather with raised hubbed spines. The book is printed on archival-quality acid-neutral paper with 22k gold gilded edges, combining aesthetic brilliance with preservation. Smyth-sewn binding and concealed muslin joints provide flexibility and long-lasting structural integrity
-
Maintained in pristine condition, this book has been carefully stored unread in dust-free bookcases within a dry climate as part of a single-owner private collection. Inside the front cover is a pristine, untouched bookplate
-
This edition also features an introduction by Gordon R. Dickson, offering insightful context for McCaffrey's groundbreaking work. A masterpiece of literary craftsmanship and artistry, this volume is a perfect tribute to the rich world-building and enduring legacy of Dragonflight

Happy Birthday!
Anne McCaffrey, born April 1, 1926, science fiction and fantasy author best known for her Dragonriders of Pern series. Dragonflight (1968), the first novel in the series, a genre-defining work, won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, making McCaffrey a pioneer in sci-fi and fantasy literature
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_McCaffrey
#Literature
#SciFi
#ScienceFiction
#books
#bookstodon
#coverart
#AnneMcCaffrey
Groups:
@scifi
@Scifiart
@sciencefiction

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey is a breathtaking display of fantasy and adventure. The title, "Dragonflight," is emblazoned in bold, golden-yellow lettering, evoking a sense of grandeur and mythical wonder. Above it, the author’s name, Anne McCaffrey, is prominently featured, alongside a note recognizing her status as the winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, a testament to her literary prowess.

The central image is a majestic dragon in mid-flight, its golden-orange wings spread wide as it soars against a rich blue sky. The dragon's body is sinuous and powerful, covered in shimmering scales, its claws extended as if ready to strike. Beneath it, a rider clings to its back, a small but determined figure silhouetted against the sky.

The background portrays a dramatic volcanic landscape, with jagged, obsidian-like peaks surrounding a fiery, glowing crater. Smaller dragons rise from the inferno, flying in formation, reinforcing the sense of an ancient and powerful bond between dragonkind and their riders. The contrast between the cool blue sky and the warm, molten hues below creates a dynamic tension, suggesting both peril and wonder in the world of Pern.

The cover perfectly captures the epic and thrilling nature of McCaffrey’s novel, where dragons are more than just mythical beasts—they are the guardians of a world in peril, bound to their riders in a legendary fight for survival.

Cached US Kindle giveaway on bsky: 10 copies of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonflight: Volume I in The Dragonriders of Pern, over at https://bsky.app/profile/kithrup.bsky.social/post/3lklv7caxbk27

#KindleBookGiveaway #AnneMcCaffrey #Dragonflight #TheDragonridersOfPern

#Sassinak #TheDeathOfSleep #GenerationWarriors #AnneMcCaffrey #ElizabethMoon #JodyLynnNye #Book

Suddenly thinking about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Sleep which I haven't read in over three decades.

#Sassinak #TheDeathOfSleep #GenerationWarriors #AnneMcCaffrey #ElizabethMoon #JodyLynnNye #Book

THE RENEGADES OF PERN (1988)
Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 20" X 30"

I was in a frenzied state trying to finish up jobs before the impending birth of our son when I had a dream about this cover. 1/3

#sciencefiction #scifi #fantasy #sff #illustration #pern #annemccaffrey

A caravan travels the grassy plains of an alien world as a line of dragons casually flies by. A man in overcoat with bright red garb underneath leads the way with a bag slung over his shoulder. The gypsy-like wagons that follow are pulled by rough skinned pachyderms. An adult and child stand at the rail atop the foremost wagon gazing out at the vista. Tall flat top trees rise up into a sky hazy with dusk and atmospheric effects that stretch lavender and peach across the horizon.

Cached double US Kindle book giveaway on bsky: 10 copies each of Acorna: The Unicorn Girl and Acorna's Quest by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball, over at https://bsky.app/profile/kithrup.bsky.social/post/3ldjmnftsm22r

#KindleBookGiveaway #Acora #AcornaTheUnicornGirl #AcornasQuest #AnneMcCaffrey #MargaretBall

No es #retrocomputing
El 21 de noviembre de 2011 fallece Anne McCaffrey, autora de fantasía y ciencia ficción, conocida por escribir las saga de Dragons of Pern. Fue la primera mujer en ganar un Premio Hugo por Weyr Search en 1968 y la primera en ganar el Premio Nebula por Dragonrider en 1969
#retrocomputingmx #books #AnneMcCaffrey

#OnThisDay in 2011, #AnneMcCaffrey, American sci-fi #author (Dragonflight, Dragondrums), died at 85. 🥀🕯️
#RIP

DRAGONQUEST (1978)
Acrylic on Masonite - 20" X 30"

The primary menace to the planet Pern is "Thread," a corrosive and devastating alien life form which falls from the Red Star and burrows its way into the soil, destroying all life and making the soil unusable. 1/4

#sciencefiction #scifi #scifiart #illustration #dragon #pern #annemccaffrey

A flight of dragons patrols the skies of Pern as white Thread falls in tangled ribbons. With wings spread in a V and neck extended the lead dragon blasts a clump of Thread with a gout of fire. Its rider holds the saddle with one hand, the other flying out as if he were riding a bucking bronco. The horizon tilts 30 degrees so we catch a sliver of mountainous landscape. At the center of action, the foreground sky radiates electric pink out to cool blue of the back cover where the Red Star hangs low in the sky streaked by clouds. In the canyons below, green and white dragons swoop in pursuit of Thread.

WEYRWORLD (1990)
Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 27" x 36"

My schedule was booked up many months in advance, so Del Rey Books commissioned me to do this cover before the book was even written. 1/5

#sciencefiction #scifi #sff #scifiart #illustration #dragon #pern #annemccaffrey

With wings spread wide, a white dragon perches on a rocky spire that rises out of cloud cover. Its legs are set unevenly as it gains a hold. Viewed from behind, a rider is saddle-mounted with legs straddling its neck. A handful of other dragons and riders are gathered on similar peaks for a conference in the clouds. The valley wall as seen only in the distance meanders across the horizon. Two large crescent moons hang in a hazy blue sky.

KILLASHANDRA (1985)
Acrylic - 28" x 20"

When a book has a character as interesting and well delineated as Killashandra, the best cover approach is simply to render an accurate portrait of her. 1/4

#sciencefiction #scifi #sff #scifiart #illustration #annemccaffrey

A woman in a red jumpsuit trimmed in white glances back across rough mountainous terrain at dark threatening skies. Her black hair is cropped short and goggles rest on her forehead. She's about to mount an open-seated futuristic space bike. Her hip rests on the roll cage and her hand on the windscreen as she looks back. At her side, she grips a bag filled with long clear crystals.

WEYRWORLD (1990)
Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 27" x 36"

My schedule was booked up many months in advance, so Del Rey Books commissioned me to do this cover before the book was even written. 1/5

#sciencefiction #scifi #scifiart #sff #annemccaffrey #pern #dragon

Tinkle Bavard №14 https://wiesmann.codiferes.net/wordpress/archives/38509 #Animonde #AnneMcCaffrey #Arrietty #cyberpunk #EmpireGalactique #Ghibli #INS/MV #RêveDeDragon #TigresVolants #TinkleBavard

Visage d'une jeune femme avec des cheveux courts

For all fans of Pern! You know, I may just have to re-read these... the books that gave me my love for fantasy! 💙

#Fantasy
#AnneMcCaffrey
#DragonsofPern

DRAGONFLIGHT (1978)
Acrylic on Masonite - 20" X 30"

For the first book in Anne McCaffrey's now legendary Dragonriders of Pern series, I wanted to create a literal visualization of the title. I selected an aerial point-of-view and tilted the horizon to simulate the dizzying sensation of flight. 1/4

#sciencefiction #scifi #scifiart #sff #illustration #annemccaffrey #pern

#AnneMcCaffrey

Client Info