Dragonsex

[klwilliams]

I spent most of the weekend hanging around the house reading The White Dragon, which I consider the third book of two trilogies, that of Dragonflight/Dragonquest, and that of the Menolly books. F'lar and Lessa have become the oldsters, and Jaxom, Menolly, and Piemur (and Ruth) are the main characters. I like this book quite a bit, though it doesn't speak to me the way it did when I first read it, since I'm now the same age as Lessa, not Jaxom. One thing that I had forgotten was the sub-theme of Ruth's sexual immaturity, and why Jaxom was relieved. Or maybe that just went over my head the first time. I'm charmed by the thought of a roomful of randy dragonriders having their way with each other while blues and browns try to mate with a green. I also suspect there are scores of fanfics titled "Ruth's First 'Flight'".

Comments

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

I think all the support staff women end up with dragonrider lovers, if they want them, so it's not all gay sex.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

McCaffrey made a point of this, several times. The Weyr people were much more casual about sex (I guess they'd have to be), and of course F'nor and F'lar were excellent lovers.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

Never mind that F'nor nearly raped Brekke the first time. But she changed her mind partway through so that it must be ok.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

That really bothered me, though it's not that much different than what would have happened when her queen flew.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

I wish that the stories were of one opinion on this issue. Some of them say that those with the successful dragons get swept up in the moment, blowing all other considerations away, and others say that it's not like that at all. And some say that the unsuccessful dragonriders go find other women, and some seem to imply them, um, helping each other out.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

Though, like in real life, it's probably different for different individuals.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

That would be ok, if it were presented as an individual difference.

I expect what I'm being grumpy about is a changing intepretation by the author over a long period of time, or maybe she just forgot. But I think it's an important part of the human-dragon interface, and she should have kept it in mind better.