ALLRIGHT, THIS IS THE FIRST PERN BOOK THAT I'V READ, (AND PROBABLY THE LAST,) SO I MAY NOT HAVE PICKED UP ON ALL THE FORESHADOWING TO LATER BOOKS OR SOMETHING, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY BORING. ACTUALLY I THOUGHT THE BEGINNING WAS PRETTY GOOD(HENCE THE TWO STARS INSTEAD OF ONE) BUT IT RAPIDLY DEGENERATED TO A COMBINATION UNIMAGINATIVE FANTASY, LAUGHABLE ATTEMPT AT SCI-FI, AND A SOAP OPERA.AFTER ALL THE HIPE THESE PERN BOOKS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING I EXPECTED MUCH BETTER. FOR A BOOK WITH A REALLY GOOD PLOT I WOULD RECOMMEND TOLKEINS LORD OF THE RINGS OR ROBERT JORDANS WHEEL OF TIME, OR FOR SCI-FI, ISAAC ASIMOVS THE ROBOT SERIES.