I'm surprised people don't understand this about the Pern novels. I mean, there's probably a reason why the fan base is mostly women and gay men. Powerful women are the true heroes in the Pern universe. Sure, there are plenty of men involved, and some of them are heroic. But don't they almost completely exist through the lens of a woman's eye?

By the way, I also discovered Pern through the Harper Hall trilogy, and every so often I enjoy visiting again.

Reading an old Pern book, or sometimes a new one, feels like a return to a comforting, friendly place where toxic men don't rule and win.