If you loved how Jaxom and the singular white Ruth form a partnership that’s equal parts friendship and strategy—whether they’re flouting expectations at Ruatha Hold or slipping off to the Southern Continent—then you’ll click with Laurence and Temeraire. In His Majesty’s Dragon, the dragon isn’t just transport; Temeraire debates, dreams, and chooses, much like Ruth’s quietly uncanny insight. Watching rider and dragon learn tactics together and defy rigid traditions will hit the same sweet spot as Jaxom carving his own path with Ruth.

Jaxom’s journey in The White Dragon—balancing Lord Holder duties with the temptations of dragonriding, testing limits with Ruth, and maturing beyond impulsive choices—has a classic coming-of-age heartbeat. In A Wizard of Earthsea, Ged’s early arrogance unleashes consequences he must own, much as Jaxom must reckon with the costs of defiance. You’ll appreciate the steady, reflective growth from raw talent to earned wisdom, echoing Jaxom’s path from restless youth to capable leader.

If you were drawn to Jaxom navigating Ruatha’s obligations—threading the needle between Holder politics, Weyr expectations, and Harper counsel—The Goblin Emperor delivers that same satisfaction in a pure courtly key. Maia inherits an empire overnight and must learn titles, councils, and ceremony on the fly, much as Jaxom learns how to wield authority without losing himself. The joy here is in competence earned scene by scene, as a decent heart reshapes an entrenched hierarchy.

Part of what makes The White Dragon memorable is Pern’s lived-in texture—Holds, Weyrs, Harper lore, and the ever-present ecological threat of Thread that pushes Jaxom and Ruth south to uncover old remnants. Dune offers that same immersive depth: Fremen customs, spice ecology, and political-religious traditions that frame Paul’s every choice. If the granular sense of place and history around Ruatha and Benden hooked you, Arrakis’s layered societies and environmental stakes will, too.

Like Pern’s low-tech veneer masking deep SF roots—and how Jaxom’s and Ruth’s choices ripple through Hold and Weyr cultures—A Door Into Ocean builds tension from social systems, ethics, and ecology. The Sharers’ biotechnology, communal decision-making, and nonviolent resistance echo the way Pern’s traditions and environmental realities drive action more than devices do. If you enjoyed how culture and habitat shape Jaxom’s growth and Ruth’s role, you’ll savor this thoughtful, character-centered SF.