A new age is dawning on Pern, for since the dragons have changed the orbit of the Red Star, the horrors of Threadfall will soon be a thing of the past. But now comes a fresh and terrible catastrophe - a large cometary fragment is hurtling towards Pern and cannot be deflected.

A new age is dawning on Pern, for since the dragons have changed the orbit of the Red Star, the horrors of Threadfall will soon be a thing of the past. But now comes a fresh and terrible catastrophe - a large cometary fragment is hurtling towards Pern and cannot be deflected.