Anne McCaffrey, legendary SF and fantasy author best known for her Dragonriders of Pern series, has passed away. Random House has confirmed on Tuesday that McCaffrey died of a stroke at her home in Ireland on Monday, November 21.
McCaffrey was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction, the first woman to win a Nebula Award, and the first author to hit the New York Times bestseller list with an SF title (The White Dragon).
McCaffrey leaves behind a tremendous legacy. She was active in the science fiction and fantasy fields right up to her passing and will be greatly missed.
Tributes to Anne McCaffrey are starting to appear in the online SFF community. Here are a few selections:
- Neil Gaiman remembers chatting with McCaffrey (with photo)
- Shawn Speakman relates his time meeting McCaffrey over at Suvudu
- The Anne McCaffrey thread at Metafilter has been gathering a lot of touching personal stories (including a tear-inducing sleeping ASCII dragon)
- John Scalzi’s reaction to the news was short and precisely apt
McCaffrey’s family released a statement on Wednesday morning in response. Read the touching statement on Del Rey’s site here.
:(
As anyone may guess, her writings were very important to me while growing up. I’m glad I got to meet her at the 2006 Worldcon. She will be missed.
A small correction. Anne McCaffrey was the first woman to win a Hugo award for fiction. The first woman to win a Hugo award was Elinor Busby, who was one of the joint winners of the Hugo for Best Fanzine in 1960, eight years before Anne McCaffrey’s first Hugo.
So terribly sad.
I have been re-reading all of the Pern books recently. Such a wonderful author. She will be missed.
A remarkable lady.
It is time to find one of her books :(
or play her legacy on the dreamcast, PERN!!!
I know what I will start re-reading tonight! ALL of it! She will be greatly missed.
Without Anne MacCaffrey’s Pern, I would not be who I am today — I wish I could have told her — if you are listening, Anne, thank you, thank you.
My grandmother and I enjoyed reading her Pern books, way back in the 1980s. I also loved her Brain/Brawn series, and the Crystal Singer series.
I was so upset by this I ended up having to leave work early after leaking tears for half an hour. When I got to my car I sobbed. Her books had a huge impact on my life. I borrowed an omnibus of Dragonflight, Dragonquest and White Dragon from my dad when I was 11 or 12 and nearly 20 years later that book is still in my bookshelf and has been read around 15 times. I wrote my thesis on folkloric elements in Dragonflight. I identified so strongly with Rowan that I took her name as my handle, and the Brainship books are what got me into science fiction.
Anne McCaffrey was the first author I was aware of as an author, the one who got me into speculative fiction and her impact on my development as a person and reader cannot be calculated. While her recent books have not touched me the way her earlier works did, she will be sorely missed.
Read them all, read them all again, then read them some more.
This Lady was a pioneer of her Genre, the books that she will never write now will be sadly missed.
May she live in that great Weyr in the Sky for all eternity.
Rest in Peace
God I’m so torn about this. Anne was one of the first fantasy novelist I learn to love. Thank you Anne for the worlds you gave us to escape to for even just a moment of our lives. We really needed it it sometimes and still do.
Honor those the dragons heed
In thought and favor, word and deed
Worlds are lost or worlds are saved
From those dangers dragon-braved.
She gave a new voice to dragons, and they became protectors, guardians, and companions. No longer something to be feared, but something to be loved. She gave us a way to get through the worst that the world could throw at us when growing up, and even still today as an adult, her writings get us through.
The dragons bugle from the heights, and the harpers’ words are slow and sad, but our hearts will remember the flight of the master harper of pern, and all she gave us.
As is often the case, her character Menolly said it best:
The tears I feel today
I’ll wait to shed tomorrow.
Though I’ll not sleep this night
Nor find surcease from sorrow.
My eyes must keep their sight;
I dare not be tear-blinded.
I must be free to talk
Not choked with grief, clear-minded.
My mouth cannot betray
The anguish that I know.
Yes, I’ll keep my tears till later:
But my grief will never go.
Rest in peace, Ms. McCaffrey
RIP. May you be riding on the back of dragons.
I read this post and couldn’t stop the tears… Anne’s McCaffrey’s Pern series were among the first books I ever purchased for myself, and I have followed her writings though the years since then. They are still on my shelf after all these years, as well as her other books including her romances. They provide escape when I needed it, and inspiration when that was called for.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven”…”Yes, how very true. How splendidly true. And what a wonderful time it has been!”
Thank you Anne, for your vision, and gift of saying the right thing at the right time. You will be missed. The world is better that your words were read and inspired so many.
Thank you for introducing me to one of my first fantasy worlds. You will be missed.
I just started a re-read of the Pern books.
Her books have gotten me through some tough times and I have fond memories of all of them. Anne McCaffrey was an amazing lady and she will be sorely missed.
The world of literature has lost one of its greats. I read the Dragonrider series when I was young. I would sit for hours upon hours reading her words, envisioning her story as if through my eyes. Truly a great loss. May your works be the guiding force for aspiring authors everywhere.
Wolfwalker.. that is absolutely beautiful. i hope you dont mind i posted that on my fb page in homage to her.
Somewhere, a dragon just went between…
So sorry to hear that. I always enjoyed her books
RIP. I was talking to my Mom when I saw this and we both had a little bit of silence when I told her. The Pern books (especially the Harper Hall books) were some of the first books she gave me from her own shelves when I was ten or so, and they really helped get me into fantasy. 15 years later I still enjoy re-reading them.
This is such sad news. I loved the Pern series. In fact, I usually re-read White Dragon, DragonSong and Dragonsingerm Renegades, Weyrs, Dolphins and Skies at least once a year. I read the other Pern books every couple of years. I recently re-read To Ride Pegasus and Get Off the Unicorn and was reminded again what an inventive and vivid writer she was. I was always hoping for a sequel to Skies…This is a loss. But I thank her for all the enjoyment that she gave me and others.
This is very much a loss.
One of my first and favorite fantasy authors, after I discovered the genre. I spent untold hours losing myself in Pern.
R.I.P.
“Day is done,
Gone the sun …”
May her spirit fly on golden wings to a weyr not yet seen.
My heart is breaking… She helped me through a couple of difficult years. And even though her son carries on her legacy, it just won’t be the same. At a loss as to how to say what I feel….. Goodbye dear friend
RIP to the Greatest Dragonrider of Pern and Earth!!!
i just pieced my old very battered autographed copy of Dragonriders of Pern back together…. and now it is going to have tear stains…..
I am incredibly saddened by this news. Anne McCaffrey continues to be one of my favorite authors. Her Dragonrider and Talent books were some of my earliest introductions into SciFi and Fantasy.
I don’t think I would have become the SFF fan that I am today without experiencing McCaffrey. My heartfelt condolences to her family.
We will miss you, Dragonlady.
RIP Anne. Fantastic writer. Guess she’s in the weyr in the sky, now.
My condolences goes out to her children, grandchildren and assorted family. She was such a great and talented writer and her Pern series was my first exposure to her in high school, but there was more to her and it was because of that, she’s one of my heroes. She will be missed, but her greatest legacies – her everyday memories and wisdom she left for her family, friends and fans and some of the greatest SF/Fantasy stories ever penned from an exceedingly talented imagination – will remain a part of memories and history. It won’t stop the sadness for her family, but hopefully these words will help give a litte healing.
This makes me more sad that I can really express. The first book I even bought myself with my own money was Decision at Doona and it sparked my love of reading that has lasted me my whole life. I have spent many years attempting to collect every book she’s ever written and I’m only missing a few. I will always treasure my collection of Anne’s wonderful works and will miss her dearly.
RIP Anne, you were the whole reason I became a lover of books. You will be sorely missed.
I am so very sorry to hear of her passing. Her legacy means much to those who loved her work. DragonFlight, DragonQuest, DragonSong, DragonSinger, and The White Dragon meant so much to me when I had time to immerse myself in her world. I still contemplate what it means to honor those the dragons heed, in thought and favor, word and deed. Anne McCaffrey will be greatly missed.
I can’t stop crying… Back when I was a bullied preteen, and on into being an angsty teenager, Anne Mccaffrey saved my life and my sanity. Her books gave me an escape when things got too hard to deal with. Without that escape, I’d most likely have ended up just another teenaged suicide. Her books lead to a better realtionship with my mother…She’d called all sci-fi “pure escapist drivel”, and disapproved of me reading it, until she read one of Anne’s books…She had run out of other handy reading material, and picked up one of my books because “It had a pretty cover.” The book was “The White Dragon”. I never heard a word of protest more about my sci-fi habit, and shortly after, she started buying me sci-fi books. I was never more honored than when I got to meet her at Dragoncon 2008, and thank her for saving my life and for bringing me closer to my mom, who I’d lost just the month before. When I told her how her books had provided an escape when things got too bad to bear, she said that was the reason she’d started writing…to escape when things got to be too much. There’s an Anne Mccaffrey shaped hole in the world now, and nothing can ever take her place. For Todd and the rest of her children, I have no words…Just lots and lots of zen hugs.
RIP Anne McCaffrey. Thanks for many hours of pleasure.
RIP you will be missed
This is heartbreaking news. I hope she is at peace. Anne McCaffery is one of the reasons I write.
After C.S. Lewis and Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey was one of the very first sff authors whose works I hunted down and devoured to the last drop in my local library – and she was the very first female author to motivate me so. I adored the worlds she created, and wanted nothing more than to emulate her. Still do, in many ways.
Her influence on me and on the genre at large cannot be underestimated, and I am genuinely choked up at hearing of her passing. RIP, madam, and thank you.
So many amazing stories and worlds. SFF just won’t be the same without the prospect of any more books from Anne. What a great lady.
She was my all time favourite writer. I got to meet her in 2005 in Glasgow at the worldcon. May she fly with the dragons she loved. R.I.P
The Ship that Sang is still one of the most incredible stories that ever graced my bookshelf. It’s battered and tattered but I will always be grateful to have read it. Such a loss, but such a treasure. She’ll never be forgotten xx
The Crystal Singer was one of the first sci-fi books I can remember reading (to my shame I forgot who wrote it for years), I recently reread it and still enjoyed it a lot, and the Pern books are a midly guilty pleasure of mine.
Come to think of it I cannot remember any of her sci-fi books that I did not enjoy a lot, which is rare.
She wrote so many good and enjoyable books, and bought so much happiness to her readers.
Anne McCaffrey remains the only author I have ever written to to express my appreciation for her work.
Anne’s books not only fostered a lifetime love of science fiction for me, her writing in other genres inspired me to expand my reading choices and take chances on other authors and types of writing. My daughter, Menolly, was named because the depth and richness of the character made me want to pass on the joy and potential I found in the story to the first child my husband and I had. My own Menolly is now 14 and has grown up reading the stories that inspired her naming. She too, feels that Anne’s passing is a loss to everyone. I hope that the McCaffrey family will be comforted by all the love Anne’s fans had for her and her stories.
Thank you for the dragons Mrs. McCaffrey!!
I remember loaning a copy of Dragon Riders of Pern to my younger cousins only to have my Aunt throw the book at me in disgust a couple of weeks later. Apparently, she objected to the “sex” scenes. My cousin’s have considered me their “cool” cousin ever since.
Dragon Riders was one of my early favorites. I spent many hours with a flashlight under the covers well past my bedtime immersed in her worlds. Thank you Anne McCaffrey and rest in peace.
Brightest of blessings on you, dear lady and friend. I know your soul will shine brightly to light your path to heaven on the wings of dragons.
Fear not, grieving friends; she will be with us always.
Godspeed, dear DragonLady.
LOVE HER BOOKS AND I HAVE MANY OF THEM ON AUDIO TOO.WHENEVER I WAS DOWN,READING ONE OF HER TALES WOULD BRING ME BACK UP!INCREDIBLE LADY!BIG IMPACT ON MY LIFE TOO!DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE!SHE WILL BE MISSED!
I am very saddened by her passing. She was one of my favorite authors. I call one of my granddaughters Nolly after a character in her dragon rider books and have 2 dragon tattoos. I fell in love with the world of Pern and all its characters. She gave each a personality, you knew these people and some you called friend. I loved her Killashandra Ree Crystal singer books as well. The world has lost a VERY talented author with her passing. Her books will remain a classic and I will read the stories to my grandchildren when they are older.
We are both so saddened by Annie’s death. She was such a great lady. We have so many fond memories of her. We enjoyed staying with her and having her introduce us to Ireland. Our sympathy and prayers are with you Todd and the rest of your family. Annie was responsible for introducing so many young people to reading.She will missed big time but she will always be with us.
I read all the Pern books when I was a kid.
I know lots of people talk about how after reading them, they fantasized about having a dragon or fire-lizard of their own. I was never one of those kids. I don’t know why, I just wasn’t an ‘animal person’. But I loved the books anyway. I just loved reading the books and the new directions each one took the world. My favorite aspect was always the focus on exploration, discovery, and the way the characters come up with clever solutions to their problems. Oh, and the dragons were cool, too.
I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to science fiction and fantasy. Thank you, Mrs. McCaffrey.
Truely, the passing of a giant in the science fiction/fantasy field of fiction writing.
Honestly, I don’t think any writer was more influential to me as a young girl than Anne McCaffery. I found her books when I needed them most, and when I wanted most to escape from the world, I would fly away with her Dragons. My art, my stories, my imagination will always carry a little bit of her magic. RIP DragonLady.
may her flights be long and string free in the Weyr she is in now
Despite being a voracious fantasy reader from the age of 6 (earlier if you count comics and fairy tales) I ventured much less into sci-fi. I didn’t discover McCaffrey until high school. I read the then-extant dragonriders books first, and then went back to pick up the Harper Hall trilogy, which I read my senior year. They gave me the courage – overruling the voice of my parents in my head telling me “this isn’t practical in the real world” – gave me the courage to major in music in college, and do something I really loved, no matter what. 15 years later, as a church minister of music, I still get to do that, sharing music with kids and adults. I’ll always be grateful. Grace and peace to the Dragonlady and her family. She was a true Master Harper.
A sad day for the world of fantasy. Rest in Peace, Anne. My thoughts are with her children.
So sad. I am sitting here with tears. She was a great writer. Going to miss her greatly.
I have had a love affair with reading my entire life. I’ve read bios, westerns, technical manuals, historical novels, mysteries, thrillers, romance, volumes on religion, but….whether at the book store, library or the new book section at the grocery store, I ALWAYS go to the M section in search of a new Anne McCaffrey book. Between my sister and I, we own all the Pern books (including Todd’s) and the Crystal Singer series.
I began reading them in my 20’s, re-read them in my 30’s. again in my 40’s and 50’s. Having just entered my 60’s, it’s once again time to re-read them all. As many of her fans have stated previously, she has given me untold hours of pleasure and such vivid worlds to live in for a time. Thank you, Anne. It has been a pure joy reading your imagination.
Anne was my favorite author. She inspired me to write, and although not published yet, I haven’t given up. She was the Grand Dame of Science Fiction/Fantasy and the Dragons, and Dragonriders of Pern will live on in all of us believers. One of my happiest life moments was meeting her in person at the opening night “Gather” held at Conadian 1994 in Winnipeg. Got my picture taken with her. Still makes me smile, and always will. RIP Annie, we’ll miss you.
I’m going to miss her, of course. I run a small (but devoted) group of roleplayers in Second Life, most of whom would swap places with Lessa, or Menolly, or Ramoth, in a heartbeat. We’ll all miss the lady who gave us Pern (not to mention Ballybran, and Brainships, and far more besides).
But what I’ll remember her for, personally, is Lessa. Discovering, while still an impressonable (& geeky) teen, that it was possible to have a strong female character in a fantasy, that she didn’t have to wear a chainmail bra or hit people over the head with a sword, that fantasies didn’t have to be filled with magic (or wars), that dragons didn’t have to be ‘evil’ because they were dragons … that was an eye-opener, even though I didn’t realise it at the time.
Keep inspiring us, Anne.
My favorite were The Rowan series. So much so that I named my daughter Damia. A sad time; she will be missed.
R.I.P. i remember the first book i bought was the third in the DRoP series The White Dragon.
I went to college with her son. He was a nice guy, and she was a fabulous writer. She will be missed.
Everytime I had her books in my hands, I was so happy and I realy enjoy every word… Message of her death was a shock. Im from small county, anywhere on internet or TV I haven´t found any message about this tragedy, only when I was finding some title on Wikipedia :(
But its not only about me… I know lots of people in my neighborhood, they will be missing her… I have small question, didn? you know about some “memorative event” in Czech Republick or Slovak Republick?
Anne was one of my absolute favorite authors. She will be missed.
Rich Vail
Pikesville, Maryland
The Vail Spot dot Blogspot dot com
The Holds are quiet;
the Halls have dimmed.
The Weyrs are grieving;
their banners trimmed.
Drums are covered,
pipes laid down;
a dark day passes
without renoun.
Holders raise a glass
and take a moment or two,
give thanks, rejoice, remember
the words that made you true.
You shall live on, and over again,
your stories oft retold,
your sickness and defeats,
and conquests bright and bold.
Harpers sing a soulful tune,
Weavers thread her story,
Miners and smiths take up your crafts
in homage to her glory.
By thread or hide or smelted steel,
your grit, your blood, your sweat;
Give praise to she who wrote you,
for Pern must not forget.
Weyrfolk lament,
your dragons too.
A moment of reverence
is required of you.
Gold and bronze,
brown, blue, and green,
take flight, give voice:
Anne McCaffrey has gone between.
– Amy Bear (24th of November, 2011)
Amy Bear – wow. Beautiful.
The first ‘adult’ book I was ever given was The Ship Who Sang and it changed my life. For being the first person to ever make me wonder about ethics, love, loss and the true power of the written word; thank you Anne. May you ride through the stars forever with peace and joy.
Amy Bear your heartfelt words are beautiful. Dragonflight was the first novel I read when I was 11 and I’ve read and re-read the whole Pern series. The Rowan series, Nimisha’s ship, Restoree and the Ship Who Sang as well as others she wrote are all on my bookshelf begging to be read again and again. I even started writing a story off the end of the Killashandra trilogy hoping she would like it. My children are now reading her books so she will never be forgotten.
When I was just 11 years old, my mother handed me her copy of DragonSong. My own love of music made its main character leap from the page to my heart after only a few quick chapters, and quickened in me a deep love for books that i had not yet enjoyed. Over the years that followed i read every one of her books I could get my hands on, first the Dragonriders of Pern, and then as i grew older, branching out to the Crystal Singer series, the Rowan …and so many others. When I got my Kindle I was elated that I was able to find her very first book, Restoree; so much so that I devoured it in a single evening, curled up in my chair. McCaffrey was more then a wonderful author…she could weave worlds. She was, and is, my inspiration.
She was my all time favorite author and I started reading science fiction and fantasty at 10 a long long time ago. I am deeply saddened by this news. So many worlds end.
The first fantasy book I ever bought–I had shelves full of her books, suffered with Menolly and had a crush on the Masterharper! I still have the omnibus Pern trilogy and recently introduced my 14 year old daughter to the books. I see her having the same involvement with the characters I did. The work of a Masterharper is always passed on.
I just finished rereading The Harper Hall Trilogy. They, along with The White Dragon, hold many happy memories. Anne truly wove worlds that were so very real. She will be missed!!
I just found out about Anne’s journey between today. It is very strange to me that I began re-reading all her dragon books just a month or so ago. When my mother died 11 years ago, I visited Pern to be comforted. Thank you Anne for all the joy and love you shared with us. Thank you for capturing the imagination of my young sons who then shared your books with me almost 30 years ago.
I’ve been busy & Somehow I missed her passing.
Here I am sitting, a man in my 50’s, with tears running down my face at my feelings of loss at Mrs McCafferys leaving us. Ever since I found her Pern books I have tried to keep all I could find on hand & have worn out more than one copy of most of them. When I was a soldier I would tuck some in the bottom of my pack for reading when nothing was going on & nobody was around as many thought them to be ‘girly’ books. I didn’t really care since I read to please myself.
The world will be a much smaller place without her here. Pern sttill lives though, her son Todd McCaffery has been doing well at picking up Pern’s torch.
Todd McCaffery, do your mother proud!
RIP Queen of Queen Riders!!
I’d just finished re-reading “Nimisha’s Ship” which has an interview with Anne in which she states “I’m 72”. This copy was published in ’93, and I suddenly thought “gee, she’s getting on!” And worried about whether she was still alive and well. So I jumped on Google…. and found this. I first discovered Pern many, many years ago and have read everything published ever since, over and over again. I have almost all her books, many series in a mix of hard and soft covers, depending on whether I could afford the hardbacks! Like many on this site I’ve recently been re-reading the Dragon, Freedom, Power, Tower and Hive series and the next on my bookpile is the Crystal series. I’ve been sitting here reading the beautiful posts above and crying for the death of a woman I never met, but felt I knew through her writing. No one gets out of life alive, but that doesn’t make the grief any less.
Your books will always be on my shelves and bought to introduce you to others.
I brought my first Pern book my first year of teaching, away from home in a strange town, knowing no-one. It began my twenty-five year love of Anne’s books which like others, I have read about, have been read over and over and over again. They are always uplifting and encourage the reader to get on with life. Living in Australia, I have never had the chance to meet Anne in person, but I wish all her family to know she has been an inspiration to us all ….. her fans and Readers
picked up my first fantasy books, dragonriders of pern and the white dragon for a bargain…that was 10 years ago…and she was among the first authors that get my love and passion into fantasy world….
anne, thank you for your world, that beautiful world of Pern and her dragons….you are surely be missed…
i started WITH THE ROWAN AND HAVE’NT LOOKED BACK . IF IT IS SCI FI I’LL READ IT. BUT YOURS STARTED ME DOWN THAT ROAD. THANKS.
Anne Mccaffrey saved my life. Her books got me through a brutal childhood where due to being bookish and small I was tormented by schoolmates and my own family till I fell into depression. Reading about Lessa and Menolly got me through that time and my sophmore year of high school I met a couple of like minded sci-fi groupies and we spent our free time discussing her series and other great scifi/fantasy literature. God bless you Anne McCaffrey.
Somehow I managed not to know about Anne McCaffrey’s death. I am so sorry; I feel like I have lost a friend. My first book-read was The White Dragon, but my favorites are Restoree and Crystal Singer. While reading and watching the Harry Potter books and movies, I often found similar motifs, especially with Menolly in the Dragonsong trilogy, and The Smallest Dragon Boy. One of the overall “threads” throughout the Pern series was the concept of “hide bound” and I use it often today to describe people whose behavior frustrates me. In Dragonsdawn, I will never forget the discovery of “my ancestress’s spoon!” Along with the paramount discovery of the “dragonettes” aka fire lizards! So wish I could have one. Peace to You, Anne, Lady of Pern. Thank you for the joy you’ve given to us all. — Lucy