Shaykitteh's World of Books

The Wings of Pegasus is a compilation of the first two of Anne McCaffrey’s Talent novels. Technically, since I read it as one hardcover book (that I picked up at a garage sale years ago and still love), I’ve reviewing it as one hardcover book. However, I will include links to the kindle versions of both of these novels at the bottom of my review, because they are excellent in any format!

The first novel, To Ride Pegasus, really tells the story of how the Talents got started, and is told in four parts:

1. To Ride Pegasus: This first story of the book by the same name tells the story of Henry Darrow and Molly Mahony, and how their meeting proved the existence of psychic abilities scientifically. This is a talent heavy aspect of the book, as it introduces the readers to the different psychic abilities, without ever losing the human sides of them.

2. A Womanly Talent: This book fast-forwards slightly into the future, where you see Henry’s successor, Daffyd “Dave” op Owen work to further the goals that Henry had set, most especially Legal Immunity/Protection for Registered Talents. This section of the book highlights the roles that Talents play in all aspects of the City as well as the roles that they play at home.

3. Apple: This third section of this book keeps us with Daffyd as he and others work to clear their names as a rogue telekinetic steals from the city. While this story doesn’t have a happy ending, it does display the necessity of testing and registering talents, and it also shows the cooperation (or sometimes lack thereof) between the Talents and the other City Officials.

4. A Bridle for Pegasus: The last section of To Ride Pegasus ties everything together with a unique talent… A woman who can project her feelings onto huge crowds with the help of another, and a man who will stop at nothing to get control over both of them…. But does he actually have the control?

Throughout the four stories, there are been a theme of strong women coming to terms with their powers, but also the theme of togetherness and how you can overcome so much more when everyone works together in harmony. Henry Darrow’s goal from the beginning was to have Talent accepted and working together with the City to protect everyone. I think at the end of the fourth story, that dream was realized.

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Pegasus in Flight is the second book in the Talents Saga, by Anne McCaffrey, and this book introduces us to some of the back story of characters (or their forefathers) that you will see in latter books, and it also is a fun and exciting book while still teaching you about the different talents and how they’re developed. Watching the first talent to us gestalt to teleport an object is a heartwarming moment when you realize that this boy really is the future.

Since Anne McCaffrey loves to throw in surprises and also agreeable characters, we are introduced to Rhyssa, the Director of the Parapsychic Center on the North American East Coast, her co-director and second hand, Sascha, Sascha’s twin brother Boris who works in Law Enforcement, and may other characters. The story is mainly based around a young Peter Reidinger and his journey of discovery. His talent is unlike so many others that no one is even sure how to teach him…. They only know that his talent is too special to be taken lightly. Another Talent, Tirla, has a special gift of her own: the ability to get into someone’s head and instantly learn the language.

There always has to be a bad guy, and in this book there are several: A Russian Engineer who insists on conscripting Talents to help build the space station, her slimy and overall repulsive Program Manager/Malaysian Prince who makes me cringe whenever he appears in the book, and the Religious Performer who seems to have something hidden up his sleeves other than religion.

While this book is not my favorite of the Talents Saga, it is one of my favorites because it introduces you to the characters and the plot of the next book…. Which IS my favorite. That book, Pegasus in Space, builds on everything displayed in the first two books and makes itself a bridge to the rest of the Talents Saga with The Rowan, Damia, etc.

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Though you probably can't find a copy of this old hardcover of mine with both stories in it, you are able to find the stories separate, either in paperback or kindle.  Or if you rummage around at neighborhood sales or in a used book store, you just might be lucky.  But for now, if you want to purchase these, can you get them at the following URLs.

You can purchase a kindle copy of To Ride Pegasus (Talents Saga Book One) at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FBJD3O/?tag=shasworofboo-20

You can purchase a kindle copy of Pegasus in Flight (Talents Saga Book Two) at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FC1JW6/?tag=shasworofboo-20