As a boy on Norden, Troy Horan had dreams of becoming a Range Master like his father before him, hunting with bright fussel hawks and tracking vast herds of
tupan... but, even across interstellar distances, war always comes to destroy dreams. Like many others across the galaxy displaced by skirmishes, Troy winds up
on Konwar, where he must scrounge for day labor jobs with other noncitizen refugees outside the great city of Tikil. It seems a stroke of luck when he finds
work in Kyger's pet shop: Troy's childhood taught him skills in handling animals, and Kyger imports all manner of exotic creatures catering to the whims and
vanities of Tikil's moneyed elite. Kyger even has a fussel hawk, a painful reminder of home. But it's the man's latest imports that truly captivate Troy: Terran
animals, peculiar creatures like cats and foxes and the clever kinkajou... animals with whom Troy develops an unexpected telepathic bond. All, however, is not
as it seems at Kyger's shop. Soon, Troy finds himself caught up in a dangerous web of clashing powers and interworld intrigues, where his animal bond might save
his life - or endanger it.
Review
First published in 1961, it's hard not to see the age in Norton's "tell"-heavy style. Traces of racism tinge the plot, particularly in the untrustworthy
"yellow" shop assistant Zul, and it's hard to imagine a modern kid or teen reading the Tikil honorific "Gentle Homo" - the local term for "gentleman" - with
anything but a snigger. Norton's characters read a bit flat compared to many of today's offerings. It also reads rather juvenile, despite the main character
being (nominally) an adult; had it been written today, it probably would've featured an aged-down Troy and been aimed at the middle grade market, but such
categories weren't options at the time. Beyond those issues, though, are some interesting ideas and settings... too many to really explore properly, but which
present some nice mind's-eye candy. The story reads fast, like much of Norton's work, and if there are some convenient coincidences that stretch credulity now
and again, it still generally entertains.
When Cory's dad is sent to Vietnam, he is sent to live with foster uncle Jasper, a Nez Perce Indian living on a working Appaloosa ranch out West. Cory thought
it would be a great adventure, like something out of a book - but, since the moment he arrived, he's been nothing but afraid. Every shadow might hide a cougar or
a wolf. He couldn't stay seated on a horse, and lacked the courage to try again. Even Jasper seems to have given up on him, leaving him behind at the ranch
house to wait for the elderly medicine man Black Elk, due down from the hills any day now. Then Cory accidentally breaks the man's "medicine bag," a terrible
desecration that he demands the boy fix... and the next thing Cory knows, he's in the body of the beaver scout Yellow Shell, in a lost world from native tales
when the animals walked and lived as men. The Changer Coyote's minions are on the warpath, and the peaceful tribes of the land fear he means to turn the world over as has
been prophesied, with the Old People falling to little more than slaves before a new master species. Yellow Shell and Cory must find courage they never knew they had
to survive a journey straight out of legend, one to save his people and the other to return home.
Review
I read this long ago, but reread it as part of an online book challenge. It has not aged particularly well, unfortunately. Though Norton likely intended
this to be an homage to Native American culture, it comes across as stiff and stereotyped when read today; apparently, Indians - or animals standing in for Indians -
are entirely without humor or joy, concerned solely with coup-counting and medicine energy and the bare basics of tribal survival... but, then, white boy Cory's not much
more rounded himself. (Norton also refers to the animal-tribe women as "squaws," which as I understand it is an offensive term, especially these days when we white
people should know better. Yes, we should've known better then, too...) Cory often disappears into the mind of Yellow Shell, resurfacing only at key
moments; as a passenger, he learns what it means to be brave, to study the land, to rely on himself, and to bring honor to one's family and peers. Often,
though, he's muddling through medicine that's way over the heads of both beaver and boy; the climax in particular sees him reduced to almost observer status
through much of it, and the rules at play are unclear save as the odd gut instinct. The wrap-up seems abrupt (which is all I can say without spoilers.) The tale has
plenty of adventure and some nice descriptions - I was surprised how much I remembered, actually, so those parts linger well in the mind - but in this day and age it
induces enough cringes to temper enjoyment somewhat. (I couldn't help wondering how the concept would play out in the hands of a Native American writer in modern times.)
It's a new year and a new school for middle-grade boys Sig, George, Artie, and Kim... and they couldn't be more miserable. Sig fears he'll never
be able to keep up with his classes. George, swept up in his elder brother's Black Power fervor, demands to be called Ras (Swahili for "Prince"),
contributing to growing family tensions. Small Artie just wants to be part of the in-crowd, though no matter how hard he tries he can't seem to get
the attention of the cool football boys. Lonely Kim hides behind books, sick of being the only Asian kid on the bus. Then Sig gets it into his
head to sneak into the abandoned old house near the bus stop, the one due to be demolished soon, to see if the eccentric old man who lived there left
any secret treasures behind. It's there that he finds the strange dragon puzzle with its jewel-like pieces, pieces that seem to come alive. As each
boy finds the box, each assembles the dragon - and each is swept up in fantastic tales of ancient and magical times, back when dragons and mystery
still walked the earth.
Review
Ages ago, I started - but ultimately abandoned - this book; as an impatient child, the lack of actual dragons for good stretches bored me. But I
remembered what I'd read of it, and it lurked and nagged at me for over twenty years. When I found a copy for two bucks (one, with a half-off coupon),
I decided to give it another try, now that I'm undeniably older, theoretically wiser, and marginally more patient. I'm glad I did, though I can still
see why my younger self tired of it.
Andre Norton wrote middle grade and young adult adventures and genre fiction long before they were separate categories in a bookstore. They're full of
imagination and action, but also full of dated stereotypes and a somewhat stiff, formal writing style. (They also tend to be boy-oriented, likely because
high adventure with boys was much more marketable.) Norton's multicultural cast has a few unfortunate stereotypes here and there, particularly with
George/"Ras" and the whole Black Power movement that was in such high fervor in the 1970's when this tale was published (not to mention Asian Kim's dutiful
studiousness.) Beyond that, though, it's actually a decent tale of adventure, with some life lessons thrown in for good measure. The boys each become part
of ancient myths and tales from four corners of the world, living through Sigurd's encounter with Fafnir in Norse Germany, the tale of Daniel and the dragon
of Babylon, the final days of the "real" King Artos Pendragon of Britain, and the ancient chaos of war-torn Han (China) and a principled hero known as the
Slumbering Dragon. If Norton's depictions of ancient times and cultures look a little stilted by today's standards, well, this wasn't meant to be a scholarly
work but an entertaining story, plus she was deliberately mimicking the stylized version of reality often presented in epics. It's a story that would likely
still entertain readers today, if they can get past some of the dated elements to rediscover it.
Incidentally, though this is considered Book 4 of Norton's Magic Sequence, it's unnecessary to read the tales in order.
Since ancient Egypt, cats have held a special place in the human imagination. These are collections of fantasy and sci-fi short stories about cats, big and
small: cats of the past, cats of the future, and cats from other worlds.
Review
Given my notoriously poor luck with anthologies, on the whole these are fairly good. The stories' tones range from humorous to introspective, the styles
simple to convoluted, the quality good to mediocre or boring. In progressive anthologies, some stories progress through sequels, so you get to revisit favorite
(or not-so-favorite) characters. As implied, this can be good or bad, depending on your reaction to the initial story. I wish more people would venture away
from the standby feline plot devices of Nine Lives and Ancient Egypt/Bastet for their cat stories, but I suppose that's just my beef. Likewise, I find the
pre-story author hype (wherein the editors tout the credentials of the authors, as if only the works of famous authors are worth reading) subtly irksome. Cat
lovers who like fantasy and science fiction should find something to enjoy in these books, but even as a confirmed feline fanatic who likes both genres, I was
left cold by several stories here.
Incidentally, I know there is at least one more book in the anthology series, probably more, but my budget is strained sufficiently that I can't justify the
purchase price of any further installments.
