To start, I have not finished all the Pern books. I had read about 20 years ago and only recently came back to it buying every book and reading in series order. I had just started on the White Dragon when this one came out, so when I started reading all of the details were fresh in my mind.

Right off the bat I was put off by the characterization of Piemur, his attitude and actions in the first chapter did not fit the character I just read in White Dragon. It felt like a different, flatter, character with the same name. In fact, everything feels a bit flat, not the depth that the other books showed (even Todd's). Then I got to the stupid part of Stupid having 6 legs... where did that come from?

I don't want to go into much detail to avoid any real spoilers, but overall this has been my least favorite book. In a way, it felt like the canto bight of the Pern stories. Jumpy, flat and overall pretty pointless. I won't say it's terrible, I've read far worse books, but at best it's just ok.