In my adolescence, I read many of Anne McCaffrey’s books, especially the Pern books, which are about a world where dragons and dragonriders are real (eventually explained as genetically bred from small lizards… whatever!). The last of the three books I picked up at the library a few weeks ago is the newest Pern book, The Skies of Pern, published in 2001. I’m maybe halfway in, and it’s familiar, but I’ve clearly missed a few books along the way. Now there are dolphins and references to a computer which no longer works but passed along various technologies to the peoples of Pern. Just writing that makes it sound pretty nutty. It is, but it’s coherent if you know the characters… which I almost do, though I’m stretching. I don’t think I’ll be going back to read the ones I missed anytime soon.
By the way, I liked the Patrick O’Brian biography, although it was very factual and dry, just following the chronology of his life in a rote manner. It did convince me to go out and buy the next one in the series, Desolation Island. That’s only #5 of 20, so I have a long way to go.