She Breaks Your Heart, and You Love Her For It

We first hear of Moreta long before McCaffery writes this book, way back when Lyssa uses the Ballad of Moreta's Ride to save Pern. If you've followed the series from the beginning, you already know how it ends. But McCaffery makes you forget.

You are enthralled with a view of Pern at the height of her glory. This is a society already familiar, the dragons are firmly in place now, and dragonriders are strong, honored, this is not the middle of a Pass, when riders were considered a "burden". This society has not forgotten their origins. They know they are colonists, from another world, with hints and bits and pieces of technology that is later forgotten. It is a new and interesting view of Pern that McCaffery develops further in later books.

Moreta is McCaffery's Arthur. (in a way) We all know what happens to Arthur before we turn the first page. We know of the tragedy, which tinges every hint of happiness we read as the story progresses. And we see this same sort of bittersweetness with Moreta. She had the same kind of courage and strength as Arthur, giving everything, to save Pern. It's a wonderful story, filled with vibrant people that capture your heart.