In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the Riders of Pern series, Gigi continues the family tradition by adding another story to the series about the brave inhabitants of a distant planet in battle with a ruthless enemy known as the Thread. The last time the Thread attacked Pern, the world was not ready for battle until the Ancients arrived. These courageous horsemen came from the past, passing through four centuries to help their descendants survive. But the clash between the past and the present cost them dearly. Most of the displaced rescuers have adjusted to the new reality, but others have been unable to accept the drastic changes and find themselves exiled, broken in spirit, full of resentment and despondency. Piemur, the traveling harpist, also feels out of place, distraught from the loss of his magnificent boyish voice and unsure in your future. But the Master Harpist of Pern considers him a promising youth and sends him under a false name to the exiled Ancients. Finding himself among them, Piemur senses that a catastrophe is approaching, threatening the balance of power between the weyrs and the holds of Pern... (Fantlab)