'Dragonflight' Cover Art by Michael Whelan for Anne McCaffrey's 'Dragonriders of Pern' Book Series Now on Display in 'Science Fiction + Fantasy Hall of Fame' at MoPOP
The eponymous cover art for Dragonflight, the first book in the Dragonriders of Pern series by author and Science Fiction + Fantasy Hall of Fame member Anne McCaffrey is now on display at MoPOP.
Painted by fellow SFFHOF inductee Michael Whelan, the work appears fantastical at first, but McCaffrey's creations are embedded in science fiction, and she is among the most popular writers of the genre. Her first short story, “Freedom of the Race,” in the Freedom series was published in 1953 and her first novel, Restoree, published in 1967. Soon after she began writing the Dragonriders of Pern stories, which made her reputation as a writer of romantic tales of adventure.
Eponymous cover art for 'Dragonflight,' the first book in the 'Dragonriders of Pern' series by Anne McCaffrey. Painting by Michael Whelan, 1978. (MoPOP Permanent Collection, gift of private donor)
Pern is a lost colony where humans are paired with telepathic, bioengineered dragons to defend the planet from the poisonous Threads, a space-born spore that devours everything it touches. The initial series includes Dragonflight (1968), Dragonquest (1971), and The White Dragon (1978). In 2005, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named McCaffrey the 22nd Grand Master. She has also received the Golden Pen, Ditmar, and Gandalf Awards.
Related
Learn more about MoPOP's 'Science Fiction + Fantasy Hall of Fame' + for contests, the latest news, and behind-the-scenes content, be sure to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
If you like what you see, support our work by making a donation or planning a visit to our nonprofit museum today!