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Tailchaser's Song

Tailchaser's Song

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Beautifully written
Review: OK,I know some people think that Tailchaser's Song is for the older readers,but I read it and understood every word.But I am the advanced reader.
I picked up this book because I loved Watership Down,and I thought this was suspenseful.And boy was I right.This is in depth and well-written.It was emotional and suspenseful.I loved this book from cover to cover.I admit,the ending is surprising,but that turns out to not be the purpose of his journey...(sorry if I spoiled it!)After reading this,well,my favorite book,Watership Down,has some competion...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A grown-up fairy tale
Review: I first read this book almost 10 years ago, and it's become one of my favorite re-reads over the years. If you like cats and fantasy, this is a great story. Fritti Tailchaser is a cat of rare courage and curiosity, and when cats begin mysteriously disappearing all over the community, including Fritti's friend
Hushpad, he sets off on a magical journey to rescue her. What he encounters will change him forever. This is not a kid's book, by the way; it has some rather scary and dark elements, but is an excellent grown-up fairy (or cat?) er, tail. ;c)

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Watership Down + Lord of the Rings = Blah
Review: At least as far as this book is concerned.

***spoilers follow***

I loved Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn - it's the reason I tried this book - but Tailchaser's Song is a disappointment to me. I guess I shouldn't be too harsh as it is the author's first published work, but I'm frankly puzzled by the huge praise this book has gotten. I didn't get much of the alleged cat personalities in this book, besides the obvious. What I did get was a lot of silly names like Stretchslow, Pawgrip and Hangbelly. I'm surprised Coughhair, Sofascratch and Lickbutt didn't make an appearance.

It takes some time for things to happen in this book but even when they do, it's still not very compelling. I find the whole idea of a race of underground demon cats and a swollen, corrupted cat god not a very strong one. It's also derivative ; Tolkien comes to mind, but Tolkien's work is itself derived from other sources so what you have in Tailchaser's Song is a very diluted fantasy. To me, it doesn't make a whit of difference that cats are substituted for hobbits, elves or orcs; it's not nearly enough of a twist. All the archetypes, already well plundered by other fantasy authors, are pretty much the same and, in this book, they aren't very interesting. And it's way too grim. I was expecting more light-hearted fare but much of this book depicts cats in slavery to their demonic counterparts in a huge, underground enclave. Not very enjoyable reading, in my opinion. Not very interesting either. You either have cats sitting around, sniffing or grooming each other, cats telling stories and "singing" or cats being enslaved to dig holes.

I noticed some complaints about the ending and this is where I disagree with any negative reviews of the book. Besides the ridiculous, pretentious bit when Tailchaser meets the mother of frogs (named ChumbaWumba or something), I actually sort of preferred the ending to the rest and I think the entire book should have taken this whimsical route, instead of all that grim, boring junk about fat, blinded, cat gods with telepathic powers.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A catty classic
Review: There are very few books I've reread as many times as "Tailchaser's Song." The characters could very well be human, and very little would change about the story. However, by focusing the book around cats Williams is able to create a world with very few restrictions based on human perceptions and codes. The settings vary widely, and each one feels real enough to step into, something that I think is lacking in many stories. I believe that readers who complain that the ending is unsatisfying and doesn't resolve enough have not really been paying attention to this book. I was surprised by the ending, but loved it and the way it tied everything together. Many critics like to compare "Tailchaser's Song" to "Watership Down," but I feel that this is an unfair comparison. "Watership Down" has nowhere near the imaginative flair nor the dreamlike magic of Williams' cat adventure.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: More, please
Review: Wonderful, sweet tale of cat society. I only wish there were more...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: wonderful book
Review: A friend of mine gave me this book if 7th grade, and I still adore this book. I had tried to read some of Tad Williams's stuff before and couldn't get through it, but I loved this book, and still do.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: TAILCHASER'S INFERNO
Review: I love books. I love cats. I decided to read a book about cats. Tailchaser's Song. This was before I read Watership Down. But even then, I didn't find this book all that great. There are two parts that REALLY drag this book down. 1) the part where Fritty goes to that cat-mound-hell-underground place whatever. It reminded me of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Dante's Inferno. Too dark. Too depressing. Too boring. 2) The ending wa a BIG letdown. Fritty went all that way only to discover THIS! Sure it's a surprise ending, but it's the type of surprise ending that makes you sick. The way I felt after reading the last line in Orwell's 1984. Finally, let me ask you this: Which book sounds more interesting: Tailchaser's Song, where a male cat is trying to find his missing she-cat OR Watership Down, where some rabbits are trying to escape extinction both by man and their own kind. Read WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams. THAT is a good animal-as-main-character book. This isn't.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best book ever!!!!
Review: I read this book in the 3rd grade, 1989, and it had a profound efect on me. My life was changed by reading this book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: tailchaser's song
Review: this is a great book! i found it, casually browsing around one of my local bookstores, and decided to buy it on a whim. the cover beleyes the true worth of this novel, for it is not your every day, run of the mill cat story! i own many cats, and it is only natural for me to have an unflagging affinity for these creatures, but after i read it, i was left with a new respect for my furry friends. i strongly recommend tibook to anyone who feels like theres more than meets the eye to your pampered felines' lives!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Page Turner
Review: Found this book at the library, to my amazement I simply couldn't put it down. The book is absolutely a true treasure trove of one cat's adventure, with his friends, through the cat kingdom and beyond. Gives you another prospective at the way cats act and think. Went out and bought the book. My teenager read it five times and has enjoyed it each time, as well as I have. Absolutely a Great Fantasy Adventure for all ages, who love adventure in its truest form. Happy Dancing to All!


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