Petaybee Books In Order

Publication Order of Petaybee/Powers Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Twins of Petaybee Books

The Petaybee series is a series of young adult science fiction novels authored by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. The series is about Major Yanaba Maddock. The series revolves around the story of a female retired military officer. Her story is told explicitly in every book in the series as it progresses to what she finally becomes. The first book is titled Power that be.

The story begins with the life of Major Yanaba Maddock who just got her lungs practically destroyed by poison gas during a military conflict. Her life changes as she cannot breathe without coughing nor can she take up strenuous tasks. Despite her medical condition, her experience and skills still makes her a valuable asset of the company. She is deployed to the Icy Petaybee planet as a spy.

It is at Petaybee that the events that shape the story and plot of the book develop. Yanaba’s character and personality is also brought out as a results of the happenings within Petaybee. Yana as she is called in the story makes the suitable person to get to investigate Petaybee because of her military skills and medical experience. Surveys show that there is possible unauthorized genetic engineering happening within the site. Unusual species have been cited in the location and the locals appear to be concealing something from the authorities.

Other than being a military officer, Yana was a medical retiree. Her medical condition made her an ideal person to infiltrate the intelligence of the native at Petaybee without suspicion. The natives are willing to adopt a sickly newcomer to their community.

As she is welcomed to the society of the native, her thoughts and opinions of the natives change. The first book shows us two different segments that relate to Yana which are the company and the natives. The company, which she worked for and lost her lungs in their cause, perceives her as an asset. The story brings out how the company is incentive to its members and its perception of them as an asset that is only valuable with its usefulness.

All these are brought out in the plot of the first book. Were it not for her medical experience and other skills Yana would have been kicked out of the company. She is only useful because she fits a role in the course of the company which is being a spy. The other group that Yana relates with is the natives.

She is to spy on the native for the company. However, the natives have been good to her beyond what she would wildly dream from the Company. The natives welcome her, they teach her how to cook, and even introduce her to a cure to her cough. A complete contrast to how the Company for which she works for to bring down the natives. Yana comes out to be a sensitive soldier.

She breaks one of the fundamental principles of military, which is following her commands to the latter. She changes sides and joins the enemies. Yana comes out as a free thinker. Unlike other soldiers, she chooses her conscious over her command to influence her decisions because she finds something worth fighting for and special at Petaybee.

Yana in the book brings out a unique type of soldier. She comes out as a spy who pursues advocacy to protect what she believes in. She protects Petaybee from the selfish interests of the company.

The second book titled Power lines is about Yana’s life after her career as a spy ends. She has transformed to be part of the Petaybee natives. She has integrated with them and understood their values. In the book, she now stands to protect Petaybee from the very people she worked for.

In the book, Yana shows her characters as a soldier and a fighter only this time with a different tool and for a course she believes in and cherishes. She protects Petaybee from being exploited and destroyed by Integral. Integral has insisted that Petaybee was sentient and they would go at all length to strip the ore-rich planet.

Other than using what soldiers are known for, combat to address the issues, Yana opts for awareness. Yana and friends embarks on a strategy to show that Petaybee was worth more than what it was viewed for.

Yana comes out to be better than just a soldier whose fate relies on her seniors. From an enthusiastic soldier who went to all lengths to fight for the company following orders she turns out to be a campaigner and a problem solver. One of the weaknesses of Petaybee was the fight that their communication was highly subjective. This meant that outsiders were immune to their communication. The Petaybee natives could not come up with a solution for their sustenance because no one would hear them.

Yana comes up with a solution involving her friends. They do the communication, convincing the protagonists that Petaybee had more to offer unexploited and unstrapped of its resources. However, her old ways haunt her. The old ways of doing business, that is what actually happened in combat visits her. She is held captive and her ransom is Petaybee.

Yana took the role of the defender of Petaybee her adopted planet. She stands on the way of outsiders who want to plunder her resources. For this reason she has to be dealt with personally because she not only prevents the exploitation of the planet but also empowers the Petaybee planet. The third book title Power play gives the series a twist when Yana is kidnapped. Meanwhile, Petaybee planet is growing and is learning to respond and communicate. The planet is slowly getting empowered and becoming more self-reliant in defending its future.

Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough gives an in-depth portrait of an imaginary planet and introduces the contemporary conflicts in the plot of the series. The character and personality of Yana stands out as a key feature in relating the two worlds. She goes in to the native and understands them then brings out her understanding to the outside world to reason into bringing the pursuit of the planet into an end.