Cat Lover's Fantasy

[Priestvyrce]

I just finished Gayle Greeno's The Ghatti's Tale-Book One: Finders- Seekers , a fascinating fantasy with telpathic cat-like creatures called ghatti. These ghatti are curious truth seekers with bonding of humans have become agents finding truth and peace. The pairings are called Bondmates and they feel each one's thoughts,injuries, everything though they can block certian thoughts,if they want. But the sharing betwen Seeker and ghatti is so profound and moving that this rarely is the case, except with Khar`pern and Doyce her Seeker/Bondmate.

Doyce has lived a hard and trying life. She lost her husband,stepson and infant daughter a long time ago(12 years or so). Their deaths and her inability to totally connect with anyone has kept Doyce on an emotional rollercoaster. Her ghatti,Khar, should be her one anchor, yet even with Khar, Doyce keeps things hidden thus making even more miserable.

This story starts off as a murder mystery, yet ends up being more about the mystery of the human ability to not face oneself. As the story unfolded Doyce has to face more and more things about herself and with ghatti's help she does so, but it is an ardorous task. But it is an unlifting one, still it ends tragically. Greeno doesn't give her characters easy answers, yet she does pile tragedy upon tragedy on them either. There are moments of joy,love and humor.

This is a book that I always saw at my local Borders Books store, yet never gave more than a glance. Though for some reason, it intrigued me. I know that the cover wasn't what interested me in buying the book. I'm not sure even the premise of telepathic cats were the key for me picking it up, but I am glad that I did. It is a wonderfully told tale and when I am done with the rest of my TBR pile, I'll pick up the rest of the series.

My questions to all of you is: Are you cat lovers? Have you read any other fantasy novels with cats or animals? And have any of you read any of Ms. Greeno's novels?

[Miriamele]

I've never read the book you speak of, but I've read Tailchasher's Song by Tad Williams, in which all of the characters are actual cats. If you're a true cat lover you may enjoy that book.

[JRMurdock]

Tailchaser's Song was my first introduction to Williams. It's a good read. I liked the building of the cat-world and their myths, gods, and demons. It was fun. If you like cats, you'll like the book.

[Iskaral Pust]

The only thing that springs instantly to mind is a short story called Catskin by Kelly Link which is very good.

[Gilliam]

I have read the first 3 books in the Ghatti's series and enjoyed them very much. Another cat story that might be interesting is "Mark of the Cat" by Andre Norton. She has written a number of other books about cats but I can't remember their names. A series about Wolves is the duolopy "Journeys to the Heartland" and "Seekers at the Wulf Rock" by William Horwood.

[Rira]

every time ive walked into a book store, ive looked at those ghatti books and almost bought the series. but ive always hesitated, i wasnt sure it would be good. but ive read Tailchaser and i loved it. you know....a noughter book i loved when i was in 2nd grade that you might like to read or recommend to a younger child, is Catwings by Ursula Somethihg or Something Ursula....anyway....i love cats and cat fantsy....so i'll be checking those books out. Thank you.

[Aer]

Ah, I love cat books, Tailchaser's song is of course excellent, but I really like "The Wild Road", and "The Golden Cat" by Gabriel King. They are really excellent. And then just pure fun is "Cats in Cyberspace" by Beth Hilgartner, it isn't exactly fantasy but the main characters are cats who are engaging in stock trading over the internet. Absolutely classic.

[Rira]

lol! i'll have to read that too!

[Aer]

Wow! You've read Cats in Cyberspace! I have never met a Beth Hilgartner fan that I hadn't introduced her to. She's writing a sequel to it. I can't wait. Have you read any other of her books?

Yeah but another great cat book (I can see into the future that it shall be great) will be Prey-Part Politics. Keep your eyes open for it (well when you aren't already reading Cats in Cyberspace).

[Papazak]

I am looking this up right now! oh and Bump!

[KatG]

Papazak, it's probably not a good idea to bump old threads where there is a specific question that was answered, since the conversation probably won't renew. However, if you are asking for further cat fantasy (though technically the Ghatti books are SF,) try The Book of Night with Moon and its sequel by Diane Duane. Plus Tailchaser's Song. That's a good book.

[Papazak]

Sorry the last forum I was addicted to we were encouraged to bump things we found interesting or that we hoped would be discussed further. Which is what I was hoping would happen with this one . And it did!!! I will look that one up too thanks!!!

[owlcroft]

The earlier reference to Gabriel King was incomplete: that "author" produced four books in the "Wild Roads" sequence.

The word "author" is in quotation marks because Gabriel King is not a person, but rather the pen name used for a collaboration between the redoubtable M. John Harrison and Jane Johnson (aka "Jude Fisher"). The series actually subdivides into two duologies:

• The Wild Road and The Golden Cat
• The Knot Garden and Nonesuch

Of those, the first pair--which are essentially a single work in two volumes--is, I would say, clearly superior: the cats are the focus, and "King" manages to present them as at once humanly comprehensible yet distinctly alien, such avoidance of the "little people in fur coats" syndrome being the critical essence of "animal tales". Those are awfully good books.

The second pair (again essentially one work in two volumes) are still pleasing reads, but, with the focus now shifted to a human romance and adventure (though relating to the cats), with the cats more nearly observers than participants, there is a modest falling-off; but, as I say, still good reading. Do not read any of these out of sequence.

(Photos of the real-life cats who to some degree inspired the works are available on line.)

[DailyAlice]

There's an old short story by Fritz Lieber called "Space-time for Springers" that features a kitten who thinks he'll turn into a human when he has a chance to drink coffee. It's absolutely charming, a small classic, and worth tracking down though I can't say in what collection it appears.

[wolfbane19]

I am a cat lover, but sadly the only fantasy novels I've read that heavily involve cats are classified as young adult. Such as many of the Tamora Pierce books and as I recall some by Dianna Wynn Jones.