Furtig is one of the People (cat people), a descendant of Gammage. Gammage was physically different - his fur was sparser and his fingers longer. He also believed that the tools and knowledge left behind by the Demons (human beings) could be useful. It was he who developed metal claws that allowed the People to more effectively hunt, as well as fight against the Barkers, Tuskers, and Rattons. When Furtig fails his Trial and chance to secure a mate, he opts to leave his tribe and go to Gammage, who is rumored to somehow still be alive and seeking to unite the People and even ally with the Barkers and Tuskers against a common enemy...the Demons. The Demons disappeared or died out long ago, after killing many of the People in their madness. Could they really be returning?

I first read this when I was in the 5th grade. We'd been given an assignment to read a certain number of science fiction books, and at the time I was firmly a fantasy reader and felt that science fiction was not for me. Then I discovered that Andre Norton had written science fiction starring cats, and I changed my mind.

I don't know that I can really call this a reread. I know I read it before, but I didn't feel one bit of recognition during this "reread," to the point that I might as well have been reading it for the first time.

Norton's style was a bit stiffer than I recalled, and I didn't really settle into the story until after Furtig met Foskatt and Gammage. I enjoyed Furtig's encounters with "Demon" technology - sometimes it was easy to figure out what sort of device he was using, and sometimes I couldn't be sure. Furtig's discovery that he had slight psychic powers was a bit much, but they thankfully weren't overused.

Norton's vision of humanity in this was...not exactly flattering. We basically screwed up multiple times, and then made things worse when we tried to fix our mistakes. The overall message: technology is nice and all, but go too far and you'll kill yourself. It struck me as being both simplistic and depressing,

The whole setup with the People, Barkers, Tuskers, and Rattons, made sapient by the mistakes that ultimately killed humanity, was interesting enough. And yeah, I can definitely understand why animal-loving 5th grade me latched onto this and Norton's other cat-focused books. However, in my reread one thing that really bothered me was how hard Norton leaned on rat stereotypes. The Barkers and Tuskers were allowed to be more complex - they could be reasoned with and potentially become allies to the People. The Rattons, on the other hand, were just plain evil, resorting to torture and horrible traps. It struck me as lazy, compared to the way the Barkers and Tuskers were depicted.

All in all, not a bad reread, but a bit more of a downer than I expected.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

Andre Norton just gave the psychic cat-man a light saber. Or maybe a Star Trek-style phaser, it's tough to tell from the description.

I'm enjoying this more, now that Norton's gotten most of the background info out of the way. The history of the cat (and other animal) people in this world reminds me of M.C.A. Hogarth's Pelted Universe (which I recommend) and the cat and dog people in Mary E. Lowd's Otters in Space (which I unfortunately don't recommend). I wouldn't be surprised to learn that both of them had read this book and were influenced by it.

I've noticed that if I go too long without driving outside of town, my driving anxiety gets worse, so I decided to schedule an oil change and book shopping trip while I still have time off from work. I brought this with me to read while I waited for my car.

I first read this when I was in the 5th grade. We had an assignment that required us to read a certain number of sci-fi books. Why science fiction? I can't recall. I think we were doing some kind of "world of the future" long-term assignment at the time, so this may have tied in with that.

At any rate, I was firmly a fantasy reader and felt in my gut that science fiction was not for me. Somehow I stumbled across Andre Norton's various cat-focused sci-fi books and changed my mind. This was one of them. The copy I'm currently reading has a different cover, but the Booklikes cover art featured here is the same as the cover of the book I read in 5th grade, so I'm going with it.

I enjoyed this when I first read it. I don't necessarily dislike it now, but my reading tastes have definitely changed. Norton's style seems stiffer than I remembered it being.

Base on the King Arthur legends.

This a nice read for a child who is starting chapter books, but I think would also be enjoyed by older kids.  

A what comes next after a nuclear war.

This was 2 shorter books in one.  Separated by a few hundred years near as I could figure.  I wish I could know the story of what happened between the two.  What happened after Fors was welcomed back into his clan?  Apparently nothing very lasting except the Traders turned secretive and pretty overbearing.  I don't know if she wrote one.

Slither up the ladder:  Space 55

55. Is more than 500 pages long

Ooffda.  Lets see what I have.

1. Author is a woman :  League of Dragons  by Naomi Novik

8. Author's last name begins with the letters E, F, G, or H. : Winter in Eden by Harry Harrison

13. Author is a man : Return to Eden by Harry Harrison

22. Set in Asia: The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

26. Part of a series that is more than 5 books long: Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov

36. Set in Central or South America: Darkness and Dawn by Andre Norton

55. Is more than 500 pages long: