Nerilka's Story

Nerilka's Story is a science fiction novella[1] by the American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey. Nerilka's Story became the eighth book in the Dragonriders of Pern volume series.[2]

Nerilka's Story
Herder cover of early US editions[lower-alpha 1]
AuthorAnne McCaffrey
IllustratorEdwin Herder
Cover artist
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesDragonriders of Pern
GenreScience fiction
PublisherDel Rey Books
Publication date
March 1986
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages182 (first hardcover)
ISBN978-0-345-33159-5
OCLC15353896
Preceded byMoreta: Dragonlady of Pern 
Followed byDragonsdawn 

Moreta (1983) and its sequel Nerilka (1985) are companion stories, in that the latter narrates a second perspective on major events of the former. It was the first work in the series following publication of The Atlas of Pern, and so is not covered in the Atlas.

Plot summary

Taking a different approach from the previous seven books in the series, Nerilka's Story has a non-dragonrider and non-harper as its major viewpoint character. It is set during the events detailed in Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern. Nerilka is the daughter of a Lord Holder who turns her back on her life in an upper-class family and sets out to fight the disease that threatens to kill all humans on Pern. According to a critic for the Chicago Tribune, Nerilka makes for an "intelligent, resourceful, selfless and, alas, homely" heroine.[3]

Reception

Critics have called Nerilka a story with "terse power."[1] It was first published in 1985. The novel reached #7 on TIME Magazine's Best Sellers list for fiction on April 7 and 21, 1986.[4][5] On the New York Times Best Seller list for paperbacks, it first appeared on February 22, 1987, at #12,[6] and reached #11 the week after.[7]

Notes
  1. Nerilka's Story title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database lists Edwin Herder cover artist for four early US editions. ISFDB does not identify an illustrator but the cover states "Illustrated by Edwin Herder" (see image).
    •   ISFDB lists no UK edition except in Nerilka's Story & The Coelura. Listings for that collection include 1987 hardcover and paperback, evidently the first UK editions, and reference to all four listings reveals Steve Weston cover artist for all.

References
  1. Wytenbrock 1988, p. 254.
  2. Dragonriders of Pern series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved 2011-10-09.
  3. Sloan, James; Eugene, Sloan (1986-07-13). "Return to Pern Looks at Future in Words of Past". Chicago Tribune. p. 42. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  4. "Best Sellers". Time. 1986-04-07. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
  5. "Best Sellers". Time. 1986-04-21. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
  6. "Paperback Best Sellers: February 22, 1987". New York Times. 1987-02-22. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
  7. "Paperback Best Sellers: March 1, 1987". New York Times. 1987-03-01. Retrieved 2009-02-08.

Citations – books

  • Wytenbrock, J. R. (1988). "Review of Anne McCaffrey, The Coelura". In Collins, Robert A.; Latham, Robert; Fischer, Catherine (eds.). Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Review Annual. Westport: Meckler. ISBN 978-0-88736-249-1.

Nerilka's Story title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database

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