The Masterharper of Pern : Paperback : Random House USA Inc : 9780345424600 : 0345424603 : 01 Jan 1999 : In a time when the deadly scourge Thread has not fallen on Pern for centuries, a boy is born to Harper Hall. A musical prodigy who has the ability to speak with the dragons, he is called Robinton, and he is destined to be one of the most famous and beloved leaders Pern has ever known. In a climate of unrest, Robinton will come into his own. But despite the tragedies that beset his life, he continues to believe in music and in the dragons, and he is determined to save his beloved Pern from itself.