The Passing Of A Great: Anne McCaffrey 1926-2011

I just don’t know where to begin, I really don’t. It is hard to write through the tears in my eyes.

I woke this morning to find that one of the greats, SFWA Grand Master Anne McCaffrey has passed away on Monday, November 21st 2011 at the age of 85.

I remember being first being introduced to McCaffrey’s wonderful storytelling with the world of Pern, I truly fell in love with the world when one of my best friends in High School insisted that I check the series out and pushed her very well worn copy of “Dragonflight” into my hands. I was drawn into the world in a way that no series truly had before.

Later I rediscovered one of McCaffrey’s short stories that I remember fondly from a sci-fi anthology I read so many times in elementary that the school librarian finally wouldn’t let me check it out any longer. Yup “The Smallest Dragonboy“.

While I have not read all of the series by this amazing author, over the years I have worn my copies of the books of several of her works:

• the Pern series
• the Brainships
• the saga of the Talents
• the Chrystal Singer series
• the Freedom series
• and the tales of Petaybee

Anne McCaffrey was able to mix and cross genres in a way few could, Pern itself being a prime example. Many consider her a fantasy writer but looking over her series I think that isn’t quite the case.

However no mater what she was a wonderful writer.

Nothing I can write really can describe the sadness that is crossing the world as fans of this wonderful writer learn of her passing Between, so I leave you with some of the great lady’s own words.

The stones of the weyr itself seemed to reverberate with the mourning dirge of the dragons.

Related articles

• Remembering Anne McCaffrey (dragonpage.com)
• Anne McCaffrey (1926-2011) (locusmag.com)
• R.I.P. Anne McCaffrey, 1926 – 2011 (wired.com)
• Anne McCaffrey 1926- 2011 (teensread.wordpress.com)
• Anne McCaffrey, 1926-2011 (tor.com)
• R.I.P. Anne McCaffrey, Creator of Pern and The Ship Who Sang [Obituary] (io9.com)
• Anne McCaffrey, RIP (fillingspaces.wordpress.com)
• RIP Anne McCaffrey (1926-2011) (teleread.com)
• RIP Anne McCaffrey (anaquana.wordpress.com)
• Beloved fantasy author Anne McCaffrey has died. (lookingcloser.org)
• A legend has passed…. (eoghann.com)
• RIP Anne McCaffrey (accordingtohoyt.com)
• RIP: Anne McCaffrey (storytreasury.wordpress.com)

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