Rating: Summary: Exceptional read for old and young alike... Review: Take it from an avid reader as opposed to a cat or fantasy nut; this book is a stellar accomplishment. Children will love it for its colorful characters and intense action sequences. Older, more discerning readers will cherish it for its complex plot, understanding of its subjects and the simply beautiful way Williams weaves the English language in his tapestry. I first discovered this book in the fifth grade and my own dog-eared copy has endured through four book reports, four plane trips with a certain high-school choir, countless sleepless nights and about two dozen school finals periods when I finished way ahead of the class. Buy it for your children, buy it for yourself, or buy it for your cat! He may not understand it so well, but he'll certainly notice the change in YOU after you've entered his world...
Rating: Summary: ONE OF THE BEST STORIES EVER WRITTEN!! Review: This book was recommended to me by a friend who probably reads about as much as I do. H e knew that I would enjoy it because I love cats, but this goes way beyond just being a "cat story". I was so wrapped up in Tailchaser's quest to find Hushpad, that I couldn't put the book down. Three hours & two very tired eyes later, I was exhausted. When Fritti went into Cat Hell & saw what was going on, I felt as if I were right there with him. My heart broke as I read of the cats' enslavement, & I had to hug my cat close as I pictured her trapped for eternity digging holes with her little paws! I find that the story was very original & it is a book that I have read several times since I first picked it up about 5 years ago. I would recommend it to any one who loves a good story, even if you don't like cats. If anything, cat haters would love to see the cats in hell. A definite fantastic book in my estimation.
Rating: Summary: what a great story.. Review: Well this book follows the great journey of a cat named fritti tailchaser. the writer takes us to the wonderus adventures of this cat along with his side kicks he picks up along the way. The story line does not differ from from "Watership Downs" by Richard Adams. Mr williams use great stories that the cats tell one another about past heroes and great cats. It is a simple book to read quite a catchy book. I would say to any one who plans on reading this book, read Watership Down first, yes I know there writen by two different guys but take my word for it.
Rating: Summary: Absolutely Amazing. Review: Tailchaser's Song is the best book that I have ever read. The characters are all of natures creatures living in a realistic setting. Each creature's personality matches that of their particular species. The reader quickly falls in love with Tailchaser and his group as they embark on a journey to find Tailchaser's friend that recently and mysteriously disappeared. Action and mystery are found on every page. None of the book becomes confusing or boring. I can go on and on about how wonderful this book is, and try as I might I can't find a reason why this book does not rival classics written before it, like Redwall and Watership Down, two other animal stories that I dearly love. Tad Williams has done an amazing job, and I can't help but commend him!I must say, however, that if you did not like Redwall or Watership Down, do not read this book, because you probably will not like it. Also, you need to keep an open mind about how Williams combines cats into supernatural, almost God-like beings in the storie's climax. If you can't do that then the book might not make a lot of sense to you.
Rating: Summary: purrfect Review: I'm a huge cat lover and I've read all sorts of cat books, fiction and non-fiction, and adored Tailchaser's Song from the second I started it...and finished it in one sitting. Beautifully realised world with a real insight into the cat mind (in my humble opinion coming from years surrounded by furry sharp beasties), this is a lovely and clever book which I feel deserves more accolades and attention than it receives. It follows the young ginger tom Fritti Tailchaser's adventures, through the dark, light and amorous, with a charming writing style and immersive vision. The names and language of the cats are fabulous, too. It's an easy read without being throwaway, and it stands up to numerous rereadings. Any cat lover will love this book wholeheartedly.
Rating: Summary: Absolute BEST! Review: I have read a lot of books, but this one takes the cake. Tailchaser's Song is absolutely my favorite book! Not only is it wonderfully written (which it is) but it is also from the point of view of a cat. I would recommend this to everyone!
Rating: Summary: Decent fantasy but there's better stuff out there Review: I had to struggle a bit to rate Tailchaser's Song. On the one hand it's a fairly well-written fantasy novel with a likable hero, hefty challenges along the way, and a seriously evil foozle to get rid of. On the flip side the story didn't really grab me and the feline slant on things seemed to merely be a thin veneer on otherwise human characters. Apparently I'm one of the few readers who failed to be captivated by the novel; the previous reviews are for the most part gushing with praise. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Many years ago I read Richard Adams's "Watership Down" and "The Plague Dogs". I have very fond memories of those works and even though I was a teen then, my feeling is that they are far superior to Tailchaser's Song w.r.t. adventure books written from animals' perspectives. There were quite a few delightfully humorous moments. The tales told by the older cats were noteworthy, especially the ones about the origin of man and about the horrific discovery of neutering. Williams did a nice job describing the unlikely and fragile alliance between the cats and squirrels. The sad ending surprised me and added some emotion that was generally lacking throughout the story. Characterization was nothing special but not poor either. I could say the same about the story. The young and inexperienced Fritti Tailchaser sets out to find his missing beloved and along the way encounters a great menace. He sets aside his personal quest to tackle the more noble cause and manages to save the animal world. He doesn't actually do any major fighting, but instead acts as a catalyst for allowing far more powerful forces to take care of the problem. Then he goes back and finishes his personal love quest. Yeah, you've seen variations on these themes before in other novels and movies. Ho hum. Based on other reviews I've got a bunch of Tad Williams's fantasy novels sitting on the bookshelf. I really hope that they're more mature and involving than this one. Tailchaser's Song is a good effort for a first major novel and Williams shows promise. I think it'd be good for young teens. For adults my overall recommendation is to read something else.
Rating: Summary: ONE OF THE BEST IN RECENT YEARS Review: If you like cats. I you simply like good stories. If you like a book you cannot put down after reading the first page...this one is for you. I first read this book in 1987 and have to admit to rereading it several times. It has a haunting quality about it. The authors insight in to cat behavior is wonderful. The author is also a top story teller. You will not be sorry that you read this book. My highest recommendations!
Rating: Summary: A Unique Look at a Fantasy Feline World Review: Fritti Tailchaser is chosen among The Wall Council of cats to go and discover what is happening to a large number of their kin who have suddenly begun to disappear. And Tailchaser has his own agenda, too, that will clash with the world he once thought he knew; he has to find Hushpad, his chosen mate who is one of the cats who's disappeared. As Tailchaser leaps upon this heroes journey, he finds that all is wrong with the cat world. A strange darkness has descended upon their Ka (spirit), and the further Tailchaser gets from his home, the more prevalent this sensation becomes, weighing him down. Something terrible is amiss. The cat Gods of long ago may still be battling it out for supremacy. But how is Tailchaser, a little tabby with a small white star on his head, supposed to help out? He has some help from some companions. Pouncequick, a youngling feline, starts the journey with Tailchaser. Pouncequick is an energetic but inexperienced hunting cat. Tailchaser feels him more of a burden (initially) then a benefit. Along the way Tailchaser and Pouncequick pick up Roofshadow, a female feline with more experience in the world then either of them. Now a trio, this band of brethren cats move from unfamiliar territory to unfamiliar territory, searching for clues to all the cats' disappearance. They soon bump into Eatbugs, a strange cat that speaks incomprehensibly at times. He follows the trio and becomes a 'pain in the tail.' But nothing, not even Eatbugs irrationality, could've prepared them for The Mound: a horrible underground domain built by one of the Ancient Cat Gods. It is here that Tailchaser and his group of friends find the answers to the disappearing cats. Tailchaser, along with his companions, must foil the plans of Hearteater, one of the firstborn Gods of this cat-ish realm. Hearteater has unleashed a terrible power upon the world with his evil ways and has created the underground world of The Mound to bring light and darkness under his control. An impressive amount of research went into the writing of this novel. Most notably is the cat behavior, cat language (singing, not talking, and High Singing), the movement of the moon and sun across the sky as seen from a felines perspective, and much work on the curious names given to all the characters. Now I'm not a cat person. I don't own one and haven't been in a home with one since I was a teenager living with my parents (back in the late 70's and early 80's), but this story didn't require that I be so inclined toward cats. It was interesting enough to read the heroes journey, and that kept me turning the pages night after night. So why only 4 stars and not 4-and-a-half or 5? Well, the parallels to Tolkien and other fantasy worlds were smackingly obvious. But Mr. Williams (the author) kept it entertaining enough, and varied enough, to make it a fun read. I think this would be a good gateway book for younger readers who might later want to tackle that magnum opus of a book: The Lord of the Rings. Good Dancing to you all. B+ rating
Rating: Summary: Terrific fantasy Review: Tailchaser's Song was my introduction to Tad Williams and I was immediately hooked by this mesmerizing anthromorphic fantasy. Delightful prose, names that roll off your tongue and invite reading aloud, a well developed fantasy world from the point of view of cats (as opposed to a human viewpoint merely imposed upon animal characters)all help to make this a classic - one of the three or four best fantasies of its kind, it compares favorably with Watership Down and the Plague Dogs. Be careful, though, the longer you read it the more you begin to believe that you are a cat yourself! If you love fantasy in general you've probably already know that Williams is an extraordinary writer, if not check out Mr. William's other fantasy books like his Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series or his new Shadowland books. You won't be sorry.
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