YA This slight addition to McCaffrey's dragon novels is about a minor character mentioned in Moretta, Dragonlady of Pern (Ballantine, 1983). Nerilka, the plain and ignored oldest daughter of Lord Tolocamp, is appalled when her father abandons her mother and sisters to the plague spreading from Ruatha Hold, then refuses aid to anyone else on the rest of Pern. Nerilka first sends medicines secretly, then sets off (in disguise) for Ruatha, a place she had long wished to visit but had always been prevented from going. There she finds acceptance both for her healing skills and for herself, and she falls in love with the seemingly unattainable Alessan, Lord of Ruatha. This illustrated novella, about the size of a paperback, is not the best of McCaffrey, but it does have an interesting heroine and will satisfy McCaffrey's legions of fans who want to know why Alessan married so shortly after the death of his beloved Moretta. Betsy Shorb, PGCMLS, Md.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.