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Summary: This book deserves to succeed
Review: One of the best books I've read this year - I'll be disappointed if this book goes out of print too soon. As other reviewers here have said, it is the characters that make this book - they are flawed, quirky, and mismatched, yet so likeable and such a joy to read about. Anyone old enough to read the Redwall books or The Chronicles of Narnia should be able to enjoy "The Blood Jaguar", but there is plenty here that adult readers will appreciate. For example, while not overtly comedic, there are some humorous twists on a few cliches from the fantasy genre.Payne has very good writing style. Some books pile on the colorful, descriptive phraesology until it's like trying to eat a dessert so rich it's hard to finish, but "The Blood Jaguar" provides just the right amount (or perhaps the right type) to enhance the reading experience. My biggest complaint about the book is that it was too short. Maybe the author has more stories forthcoming to address that situation. I hope so!
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Summary: Wow! i loved it!
Review: The cover, and my being a fan of the anthropomorphic genre (furries) drew me to it to read as an assignment for school. I absolutely adored it. I got such strong visual images in my head from this book, i could picture everything, almost feel and smell everything. Bobcat was a wonderful character, my favorite. The entire plot is great, the ending absolutely .. just wow. This one ranks up there with Watership Down. This should definately be made into an animated film as well. Everythings so lively and vivid and colorful, i even read the last 4-5 chapters -again- after i'd finished it because I liked it so much!
Rating: 
Summary: The Blood Jaguar
Review: The Death Bringer The Blood Jaguar by Michael H. Payne is an exciting story about 3 animals that have to save the land they live in. They also have some help on the way. This book has great humor. Bobcat wakes up in his house, he starts out the morning by going on a walk. But on this walk he meets the death bringer. After that he finds his friend and they go to a witch that might help them with this problem that they discover. But that is only the beginning of there problems that they find on the road they travel. This book is very exciting. Why I also liked this book is because it is full of humor. I also like it because it as a great plot. The characters in this are very believable and they have all different backgrounds. I think that this book was really great, I think that you should read this book to. This book is one of the best ones I have ever read. This book is sort of slow at the beginning but then it picks up very quickly. I would recommend this book to everybody.
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: The plot has a lot of Tolkien-esque flavor to it...A small group of folkare thrown together to go on a quest to meet an uncertain fate at the end of their journey. It's a very standard form of fantasy adventure. What really makes The Blood Jaguar stand out is the characterization put into it. Bobcat is semi-recovered catnip addict and often self-proclaimed idiot, who's thrust quite unwillingly into the whole adventure. Fisher is a know-it-all, sarcastic shaman whose opinion of Bobcat is low indeed. And Skink is a follower of the Curial Lord Eft, and is given to long, academic discourses about the folklore of the Curial Lords. The interaction between this unlikely group is a joy to read. Payne's world itself if often quite interesting, and sometimes perplexing. It's quite clear that we're dealing with non-morphic animals; animals that still walk on four legs, but still manipulate objects and build cities and a simple civilization. Fisher displays an awfully current awareness of star formation at a rather amusing time. Yet, they don't have any mechanical power; a neat demonstration of this is the otter-powered caravan the travellers encounter. I enjoyed this book a great deal. Hopefully, this isn't the last we'll see of Michael Payne.
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Summary: The Coolest Book I've ever Read!
Review: This book is so cool, once you start reading, you just can't put it down. Intrigue is a major player in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Encore! Encore!
Review: This is a wonderful telling of the classic mythic quest. Like all great journeys, it is as much about self-discovery as acheivement of the ultimate goal. The Blood Jaguar is a book that appeals to a wide range of people, from parents to kids. The characterizations are fantastic; the Bobcat and Skink and friends were more "real" to me than many human-type characters I've encountered elsewhere. I eagerly await Mr. Payne's next work.
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Summary: A new twist on an old plot
Review: We have all read the same story before (over and over again) -- small band of plucky heroes must travel long distances to overcome powerful bad guy. It's been done best in the "Lord of the Rings" series and countless times since. You can describe the plot in your sleep. I always enjoy books that take this approach and set it on it's ear (and I'm not talking about a "Bored of the Rings", I mean a real reworking of the plot). "Villains by Necessity" is a wonderful example of what I'm talking about, and so is "The Blood Jaguar". The principles of the story (Skink, Fisher and Bobcat) have only the vaguest clue what's going on, and Bobcat not even that. They aren't guided by any prophecy (at least overtly), they aren't "pure", they're just muddling along trying to save the world. Add to this a really nifty world set up (talking self-aware animals, reminds me of the "Spellsinger" series) and characters that you really care about (no large ensemble casts to confuse you) and you've got a funny, clever book that is very easy to read. I hope Mr. Payne will write more about this universe.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, talking animals that seem real!
Review: When I bought "The Blood Jaguar" I was not sure what to expect (paperback ed.) The cover was enough to hook my interest, and as soon as I opened the book I couldn't put it down. The moral, psychological, theological and fantastical situations that Bobcat, Skink, and Fisher find themselves in are thought-provoking. The 'gods' in the story have many burdens which have been layed out before them, especially the Blood Jaguar. Bobcat's confrontation with her is poignant and ironic. I hope that you'll find the ending satisfying, and I relate to another reviewer in saying that the book ended too quickly. I want more! Thanks, Michael H. Payne.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, talking animals that seem real!
Review: When I bought "The Blood Jaguar" I was not sure what to expect (paperback ed.) The cover was enough to hook my interest, and as soon as I opened the book I couldn't put it down. The moral, psychological, theological and fantastical situations that Bobcat, Skink, and Fisher find themselves in are thought-provoking. The 'gods' in the story have many burdens which have been layed out before them, especially the Blood Jaguar. Bobcat's confrontation with her is poignant and ironic. I hope that you'll find the ending satisfying, and I relate to another reviewer in saying that the book ended too quickly. I want more! Thanks, Michael H. Payne.
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