TALES OF THE BARQUE CATS
THE BOOKS
Grand Master of Science Fiction Anne McCaffrey
Catalyst (Book 1)
ISBN-13: 9780345513779 Random House
Pilot, engineer, doctor—ship’s cat? Since the early days of interstellar travel, the so-called Barque Cats have become essential to the well-staffed space vessel. Assisted by humans—Cat Persons—with whom they share a deep and loving bond, the Barque Cats are responsible for keeping spacecraft free of vermin, for alerting crews to environmental hazards, and for acting as morale officers.
But a widespread epidemic affecting livestock on numerous planets throws the felines’ future into doubt. Suddenly the galactic government announces a plan to impound and possibly destroy all exposed animals, including the Barque Cats. With the clock racing against them, a handful of very special kittens and their humans will join forces to save the Barque Cats, and quite possibly the universe as they know it, from total destruction.
From the Publisher
“This is magic . . . science fiction at its most primal and its best.”—January Magazine
“McCaffrey and Scarborough switch perspective to how the cats see things and their viewpoint is delightful. . . . This series is off to a good start.”—SF Crowsnest.com
Library Journal
The telepathic "Barque Cats" travel aboard space ships, where they sniff out oxygen leaks and other problems. When a corruption-riddled government plots to destroy all animals across the galaxy under the pretense of a transmissible disease, only a pair of felines and two determined young people stand steadfastly in the way. Frequent writing partners McCaffrey ("Dragonriders of Pern" series) and Scarborough (The Healer's War) join forces in the first of a two-book series, set in a world where cats are valued as much for their hard work as for their companionship. VERDICT With youthful protagonists and an incorrigible cast of cats, this lighthearted sf tale is a good choice for cat lovers as well as fans of the authors. [Library marketing; also available as an ebook, ISBN 978-0-345-51897-2.]
Available in mass-market paperback, e-book and audio book format
Catacombs (Book 2)
ISBN-13: 9780345513793 Random House
The spacefaring Barque Cats are valued members of every vessel’s crew, thanks to their special bond with humans. Then Pshaw-Ra, a mysterious cat with highly advanced knowledge, gives the felines the power of telepathy. When panic over a virulent plague drives the government to exterminate animals, Pshaw-Ra guides the cats and humans of the starship Ranzo to safety on his home planet, Mau. But Pshaw-Ra has a hidden agenda. His ultimate goal? Mate the Barque Cats with their godlike counterparts who rule on Mau and create a superior race to conquer the universe. His plans, however, may be doomed by his daughters’ battle royal to become queen, by a suspicious Barque Cat with an equally curious human friend—and by something stirring deep beneath the city with a hunger to devour all life . . . and an undying hatred for cats.
Publishers Weekly
McCaffrey and Scarborough follow January 2010's Catalyst with another light space adventure featuring super-smart cats. The barque cats, mistaken for a public health hazard, flee Earth for the feline-dominated planet, Mau, with the help of Pshaw-Ra, a mysterious cat with his own spaceship. Oddly, no one--including the humans--is bothered that he plans to take over the universe on behalf of felinekind. Chester and his 10-year-old human friend Jubal are likable young heroes who make a good foil to the charismatic, shadowy Pshaw-Ra. Readers of all ages will be entertained as the barque cats explore strange new worlds and save the day. (Jan.)
Library Journal
When powerful, mysterious cat Pshaw-Ra helps rescue the telepathic Barque Cats and their space-faring human companions from certain death, the refugees find Pshaw-Ra's planet Mau an uncomfortably hot, desert haven. One telepathically bonded pair, the human Jubal and his cat Chester, discover that Pshaw-Ra's altruistic intentions are really part of the ambitious feline's hidden agenda, a plot that must be stopped. This sequel to Catalyst continues the tale of cats in space and the humans who rely on them and further develops the feline society of the planet Mau, where cats are worshipped as gods. VERDICT Written with gentle humor and a genuine understanding of the feline species, this welcome addition to a new series will appeal to cat lovers and fans of McCaffrey (Pern series) and Scarborough (The Healer's War).
Available in trade paperback, e-book and audio book format