Every two hundred years or so, shimmering Threads fall from space, raining death and black ruin on Pern The dragons of Pern hurl themselves through the beleaguered skies, flaming tongues of fire to destroy deadly Thread and save the planet But it was not Threadfall that made young Menolly unhappy It was her father who betrayed her ambition to be a Harper, who thwarted her love of music Menolly had no choice but to run away