Magicats II

Rating:
Summary: Great Anthology with Azimov and LeGuin
Review: This is a great little anthology with stories from some of fiction's greatest authors including Isaac Asimov and Ursula K. LeGuin. All of the stories have cats as their primary theme.

This anthology's 213 pages contain 13 stories by the following authors: Fritz Leiber, Michael Bishop, Tanith Lee, Isaac Asimov, Ward Moore, Lucius Shepard, Lilian Jackson Braun, Pamela Sargent, Ursula K. LeGuin, R.V. Branham, John Collier, and Avram Davidson.

I particularly enjoyed Lucius Shephard's short story "The Jaguar Hunter" about a Central American villager and hunter of Jaguars. The story is about the encroachment of urban life on the small town village. It had an incredible integration of Central American Indian themes that I really enjoyed. I want to say more, but I'm afraid I might give away the story.

Avram Davidson's story "Duke Pasquale's Ring" is set in his alternate 18th century universe of Doctor Englebert Esterhazy and includes witchcraft, aristocracy and, of course, a cat! Avram Davidson is well known for his amazing ability to create a rich background and convincing language.

I highly recommend this fun little anthology.

Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan