Pern and Pernish observings

[deird1]

Guide to characters on Pern

Women:
- If you are a dreamy virgin until deflowered by the love of your life in a quasi-rape scene... you are GOOD.

- If you are sensual and like sex with manly men of manliness... you are EVIL.


Men:
- If you used to sleep with the evil sensual women, but grew tired of them and deflowered a virgin in a quasi-rape scene... you are GOOD.

- If you still sleep with the evil sensual women... you are EVIL... probably. But not as evil as the evil women. At best, you are a minion.


Girls:
- If you are a tomboy... you are GOOD.

- If you care about clothes and your appearance... you are EVIL.

- If you grow up and then care about your appearance... you are GOOD.

- If you grow up and then become slovenly... you are EVIL. And probably sensual.


Benden:
- If you live there... you are GOOD.

- If you like people who live there... you are GOOD.

- If you like their caves... you are GOOD.

- If you like their wine... you are GOOD.

- If you despise the people, the caves, the wine, the weather, the fashion, the food, the music, and anything and everything remotely Bendenese... you are EVIL.


Fire Lizards:
- If you like them... you are GOOD.

- If you dismiss them... you are EVIL. (Unless you're Lessa, in which case you are the BESTEST OF ALL BEST PEOPLE, and everyone who dislikes you will die horribly.)



Here endeth the lesson.

Comments

[deird1]

Yep.

But I can't stop reading them! They're sexist, and rapey, and a little bit racist - but I love them! ("Them" being the early ones. Todd McCaffrey should leave my precious dragons alone.)

What is it with problematic literature that's too fun to put down?

[redsixwing]

I don't even know! /o\ And I totally agree with you on the later books.

I have some very fond memories of the earlier ones - Masterharper of Pern is still my favorite, though - and one of my best family in-jokes is based on fire lizards (long story) and.... and they'll pry my Heralds of Valdemar from my mummified fingers. *hisss*

Pern got to the point where it bothered me more than it was fun. Valdemar hasn't, and hopefully never will, and even if later stuff does, I'll always have The Last Herald-Mage.

[lliira]

Valdemar got boring to me when the huge Empire invaded and it didn't turn out to be that big a deal. I got the feeling Lackey was bored with the setting. If anyone tries to take By the Sword from me, though, they will end up in pain. Even with the problematic "girly girl is useless girl" stuff in it.