Thank you, Ahuka.  I am looking forward to this series.  I am also a huge SciFi and fantasy fan.  I had forgotten all about the Dragonriders of Pern series, and may reread it soon. I also grew up in Western New York.  

My first introduction to science fiction was on a day when, as a young child, I was home from school sick.  We had to take my father to Buffalo General Hospital for tests. But it turned into an all day event.  I was sitting in the waiting room, when I discovered that the hospital was having a used book fair.  I went, and picked out a book "Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint".  I had no money, and the cashier gave me the book for free.  The book drew me in, and I was hooked on science fiction.

I also remember trips to the Buffalo downtown library.  As a teenager, I would take the city bus downtown to the library to work on research projects, and I would always return home with new science fiction books as a bonus from the trip.

Thank you for helping me dredge up those memories.