Tailchaser's Song

I read this book almost 30 years ago and loved it. It made me want to read Tad Williams Dragon Bone Chair Trilogy which became one of my all time favorites.I recently reread both and gifted this hardcover copy to my wife who is a huge cat lover. She was teary eyed when she unwrapped her gift for Fritti's picture on the frontispiece looked eerily like our beloved cat-son of 14 years - Nick whom we recently lost over the Christmas holidays. She read and loved the story. We dedicated the book to our Nick.Thank you Tad for being such a great writer!

I read this to my children decades ago, and we all loved it. So I bought a copy for my adult son to read to his own children (There's a story behind why I bought it for him and not his 3 siblings; but I'll leave it at that).Children need to old enough to focus on a story with plots. And the story can be a little dark at times; so I'd gauge a child's ability to handle some things that could be considered scary. My youngest was 5 when I read it to her and her siblings, and she did fine. But some children might have trouble with understanding that there will be a happy ending while things seem so sad and dark.As for adults... go for it! It's deep enough to be interesting to an adult mind. And it's whimsical enough to keep it engaging.

I love this book. It's cute, but Tad clearly didn't really know a lot about kitties way back in the olden days when he wrote this. It's also clear that he loves cats, though, so he's forgiven.Example: Tad talks about a male calico kitty in the book. We know that there are very few (if any) male calicos in the world. Maybe that male calico is a magical kitty, though! Again, Tad gets a pass because this is such a lovely little tale (tail).I read a book when I was a teenager called "The Fur Person". It moved me profoundly. This book had a similar effect on my. I'm hugging Tad Williams in my heart for this book.

I first read this many moons ago, when I was about 11 or 12 years old, and it quickly became a cherished favorite. I was afraid it wouldn't be as captivating, re-reading it in my forties, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it's still just as endearing, engrossing, and touching as it was in my childhood. Fritti Tailchaser's story has stayed with me all these years, and that doesn't happen with most books I read.Highly, highly recommended!

This is my first Tad Williams book to read. It started off slow but once it picked up I was hooked! His style of writing captures you and draws you in, its been a long time since I read a book that captured fear in such a real way that made me want to get up and run! Also, I could believe the cat's reaction and responses because it reminded me of my cats! That's what made the book so much fun to read also.

I first read this book in fifth grade, and I'm not exaggerating in saying that it defined my taste in media and likely influenced my decision years later to major in English lit. I read and loved this book, moved on to Tad's other books, then jumped off into reading all sorts of other fantasy books, then mythology and poetry, then classic literature. I've re-read it quite a few times since then (I'm now 30) and enjoy it every time. My dog-eared paperback always has a spot of honor on my bookshelf, one of the few "dead tree" books I keep around now that I have a Kindle.It's a classic hero's journey kind of tale, but what makes it really shine are the great characters, the convincing feline perspective, and the dark bits of horror that take you by surprise in what could otherwise turn out to be a cute story about cats, were it written by a different author. It's very similar in that way to Watership Down, which I read and thoroughly enjoyed quite a while after finding Tailchaser's Song.Despite whatever parallels you might draw between this and similar books, it stands on its own as a unique and charming novel. It has certainly stuck in my head for the last 20-something years.

I am baffled. The same chunk of about 40 pages is fully detached from both the first copy I bought, as well as the replacement I was sent. This appears to be a fundamental issue with manufacturing, and not just a book that got damaged while shipping.The binding is incredibly weak on both, and every page is at risk of falling out if the book isn't opened delicately enough.I'm heartbroken. This is one of my favorite childhood books, and I would have really loved to have a nice copy of it to share with some of the children in my family. As it is, the book can't be borrowed out to anyone without risk of pages disappearing.

This is but one of a few books I've read multiple times - 5 to be exact. (Robert Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" and "Time for the Stars" being the other two.)Essentially, this novel is akin to the Lord of the Rings meets Watership Down. And arguably better than both. There is a rich heritage in this book. Mythos, lore, noble characters, and well our beloved fine furried friends. If you are a cat lover and have not read this book, you are in sin. I'm sure of it. Some furry deity shall surely agree.That said, there is a downside. This book is so beloved by me, that although I've bought a few other books by the author, I can never bring myself to read them. You see, I'm afraid to ruin such a perfect image I have of the author. Maybe it's just that I do not think anyone can write a more enjoyable book. Regardless, I am sorry Tad, someday I might read another work of yours. But I wager I'll just re-read Tailchaser's Song for the 6th or 7th time instead.CAUTION: DO NOT LOAN THIS BOOK OUT TO GIRLS. The three I did, never came back. This one was in fact bought for a lady friend. And I just flat out decided to buy her a copy rather than loan her mine, knowing I'd never see it again.

This is the story of a young ginger tomcat named Fritti Tailchaser. When Hushpad his fiancée mysteriously disappears, he goes to see the Elders. Many strange things have indeed happened lately and a group of valiant cats are elected to leave and seek help at the Court of Harar. But Fritti's too young, and he's left behind. Restless, he sets out on a quest of his own to rescue his friend.As he makes his way in the Old Woods, encountering all sorts of animals, helping a fox and sealing a pact with squirrels, he hears more and more rumours of tyrannic cat-shaped, red-clawed beasts devastating the land. Luckily he'll also join up with Pouncequick, a small kitten from home who had lost his way in the forest, and meet the senile Eatbugs and a pack of cats who set out to help him. What he doesn't know yet is that at the end of the road lies the nightmarish mound of Vastnir, source of all evil.Even though it is a nice story, halfway between a fantasy and a fable, I am sad to admit that Tailchaser's Song failed to hold my attention, and I often found my thoughts wandering while I was reading.

Read this years ago and loved it. Its different. Along similar lines as the Duncton series.

Change from the norm for the author good read

I read this book when I wasnt a cat lover. I had 2 dogs and they werent keen on cats either.Now I do own a cat and this book is brilliant. Williams takes you on a journey into the world of cats which is just perfection.Read this book !

not the type of book I would expect