Barque Cats Return!

Catacombs: A Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (F MCC Main)


Reviewed by Jeanne

In the future, spacecraft have cats on board who keep down vermin such as mice who chew on cargo and components that could endanger the ship and its passengers. These highly trained cats also alert the crew of potential hazards such as air leaks. The cats are so valuable that they usually have their own person assigned to keep them well cared for and healthy.

Or that’s the way it used to be, before a panic caused the humans to try to eradicate animals. A whole group of the Barque Cats and some of their humans followed the alien cat Pshaw-Ra to his home planet, a paradise for cats.

As Catacombs opens, Barque Cat Chester and his boy Jubal are beginning to wonder a bit as to whether they jumped out of the proverbial frying pan into the fire. For one thing, this planet is very hot and rather uncomfortable for long haired cats and their humans. For another, their welcome has been a bit. . . reserved. It seems Pshaw-Ra may have misrepresented things just a bit. It soon becomes obvious that there’s something sinister going on and the Barque cats may be just pawns in the struggle for power among the royal cats.

Oh, and Pshaw-Ra has plans to take over the universe for cat kind.

I enjoyed this second book more than the first, in part because the setting is so vivid. The authors did an excellent job of evoking the hot, sandy, arid world—not an easy thing to do when I was surrounded by winter when I read it! The Egyptian imagery and mythology were a plus for me. The scenes in the catacombs were particularly effective. Parts of it reminded me of McCaffrey’s Dragonriders; I won’t say more. Humans and cats work more as a team in this book, with better developed personalities on both sides, and the action scenes are well done. One thing I noticed in the first book was that one character who was supposed to be in her twenties sounded younger than that; in this book, there are no such problems. Both McCaffrey and Scarborough are seasoned writers, though usually they write for adults; I felt there might have been a little bit of adjusting going on in Catalyst which has smoothed out in Catacombs.

This is one of those books that adults or teens would enjoy, and you needn’t have read Catalyst first. Cat lovers will especially enjoy the books, but even if you aren't a feline fan there's plenty to like here. Unfortunately, this appears to be the last book. I for one will miss Chessie, Doc, Pshaw Ra and Chester. I hope many will be inspired to make their acquaintance.

Cats in Space: Catalyst, a Tale of the Barque Cats

Catalyst: A Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Reviewed by Jeanne

I’m a long time Anne McCaffrey reader, though I admit it’s been awhile since I read one of hers.  As with most fans, the Pern series was my favorite, but I also enjoyed the Crystal Singer books. I was lucky enough to hear her speak at a convention in Atlanta many years ago and found her to be as delightful as her books. I hadn’t read any of the novels by Ms. Scarborough, but I knew she was a respected fantasy author in her own right, a Nebula winner for The Healer's War (F SCA Main). I wasn’t sure who the “Barque Cats” were, but since I’m intrigued by cats in general I thought I’d give it a try.

In the future, when space travel is a given and humans have spread to other worlds, it’s a lucky ship that has a Barque cat. Not only do these cats hunt down vermin that can damage cargo and equipment, but they also warn the crew of air leaks and other dangers. These specially bred cats bring high prices among spacers, and usually have a crewperson assigned to them to insure their health. Such a pair are Chessie (the cat) and Janina (Cat Person, though Chessie calls her Kibble). Chessie’s bloodlines go back to the original Barque Cat, Tuxedo Thomas, so her kittens are especially valuable. On a visit to the vet’s, pregnant Chessie is catnapped. While Janina is frantic to find her, she’d be even more frantic if she knew that Chessie’s kittens were going to be even more extraordinary than their mother: they’re able to form psychic bonds with humans.

Meanwhile, word of an epidemic may mean the end of all livestock—and that includes the Barque Cats.

You don’t have to be a science fiction fan to enjoy this book. In fact, I knew a person who argued that McCaffrey isn’t a science fiction writer at all and shouldn’t have won the Hugo. I’d disagree with that but I would say that she’s a writer for readers of all tastes due to her emphasis on character over mechanics. You don’t have to understand physics or quantum theory to read and enjoy her books; the hardware is just the set dressing for the play.

Also, as in many McCaffrey books, there’s a pretty clear line between good guys and bad guys, albeit with some chance of redemption. As with other books, McCaffrey seems to believe that some people can change or else show a different side to their personalities. In this book, the best developed characters are the cats, especially Chessie, son Chester and the enigmatic and imperial Pshaw-Ra who doesn't especially like humans but who does love Fishie Treats. There’s a touch of grit to the tale—not everybody lives to happily ever after—but the authors sweep you along. I was chewing my nails by the end and totally disconcerted one of my feline companions, Flora Snicklefritz, by scooping her up for a reassuring hug. Flora, who didn’t need reassuring at all, took it with good grace and a dollop of condescension, leading me to suspect there’s a bit of Barque Cat in her as well. There’s some humor along the way, especially for those who love cats and their idiosyncrasies. The ending mews--er, cries out for a sequel, but it’s not a cliff-hanger. A second book, Catacombs, is due out in December.

At this point, I’d add that several reviews said this was more like a Young Adult book and I’d agree it could well be in the YA section. Several of the main characters are young humans and cats, but that doesn’t mean adults wouldn’t enjoy it as well. I’ve found some excellent YA books that I’d put up against adult books any time. Judging from the number of adults who are avidly reading Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy, others are discovering the same thing.  Sometimes I have the suspicion that some adult authors pad their books, while YA and children’s authors are free to just tell the story as it needs to be told.

I would write more, but suddenly I feel compelled to go to the store and buy Fishie Treats.

BPL doesn’t have a copy of Catalyst but thanks to our ILL system I was able to borrow this book and enjoy!

 Flora Snicklefritz awaits Fishie Treats from a safe distance.