Dreamfall (Cat) (Paperback)

by Joan D. Vinge (Author) "FIVE OR SIX centuries ago, the Prespace philosopher Karl Marx said the road to Hell is paved with good intentions..." (more)
Key Phrases: volatile pocket, bond tag, reef matrix, Corporate Security, Ling Natasa, Tau Riverton (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Half human, half Hydran, Vinge's young protagonist, Cat, has always been an outcast in the world of the mid-21st century. In this richly detailed and suspenseful sequel to Catspaw (1989), Cat travels to the planet Refuge, home to the only surviving enclave of Hydrans, a once-powerful race of psions, or telepaths, whose nonviolent culture left them at the mercy of aggressive human expansion. As part of a research team sent to study the cloud-whales, aerial creatures whose lifecycle may hold the key to advances in nanotechnology, Cat also hopes to learn more about his alien heritage. When he inadvertently helps a young Hydran woman kidnap a human child, however, he is swept into a deadly conflict between the two races. Vinge deftly twists together multilayered plot strands as misguided loyalties and fanaticism, both human and Hydran, propel events toward inevitable disaster. Although the story loses momentum near the end, it deftly explores themes of family and loyalty. And, as always, Cat proves a sensitive and engagingly stubborn narrator. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews
Another yarn featuring the half-human, half-Hydran, sometimes telepathic, always abused Cat (Catspaw, 1988, etc.). This time, on planet Refuge, Cat's employed by Tau Biotech to help plumb the secrets of the cloud-reefs, huge landforms composed of the solidified thoughts of the vast, enigmatic, floating, telepathic cloud-whales. But here, as everywhere, the psi-powered Hydrans are feared, hated, repressed, marginalized, and exploited. So when a human child is kidnapped by Hydran terrorists and held for ransom, Cat--he inadvertently helped the kidnapper--is immediately blamed by Tau's brutal police. Even when his innocence has been established, he's forced to act as a go-between--and the Hydrans mistrust Cat because his telepathy is blocked. Then Cat meets the kidnapper, the lovely Miya, and the two realize at once that they're destined soulmates. Unfortunately, Miya's sister Naoh, the chief terrorist, feels divinely inspired and intends to raise a planetary revolt. She's crazy, of course, and her plan would bring ruin to the Hydrans. Can Cat prevent a planetary disaster and hang on to Miya? The cloud-reef backdrop is spectacular but makes no sense. And despite Cat's streetwise upbringing, constantly alluded to, he hasn't learned anything useful, so his chronic suffering soon becomes tiresome. An overlong and mediocre addition to the series. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765303426
• ISBN-13: 978-0765303424
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #647,379 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #8 in

  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( V ) > Vinge, Joan

• This is item 3 in The CAt Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I'm totally bummed, February 10, 2004

By	jancola (Encino, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamfall (Paperback)

As far as I know, this is the last book Ms. Vinge wrote about Cat, and I think that's a damn shame. This book does not do him justice. I think Catspaw is one of the best books I ever read about sci-fi psychics, but this book was pale in comparison.

The first problem is the girls. Kissindre and Miya aren't half as interesting as the symbplayer and Elanor taMing (sic). Even Jule had more spunk than Miya, and every time Kiss shows up, I keep thinking, Aren't you the dull student from Catspaw? The answer is yes.

Also, because Cat is so enamoured of Miya, he spends a large chunk of the book being bubbly and happy. That's no fun! Cat is best as a snarky, cynical freak, and I'm not interested in listening to him go on about his 'one true love.' He makes up for this with much suffering towards the end, but still, this section is painful.

The most disappointing thing about this book is that the ending is not a great ending for the trilogy. His life is still up in the air, and he doesn't really grow in his power at all, if you know what I mean.

If you're like me, you pretty much have to read this book if you read Catspaw. Just don't get your hopes up too high. This book does nothing to diminish my very high opinion of Ms. Vinge as a writer (read my other reviews) but I think this is her slightest work.

If anyone's interested, I found Joan's homepage. Looks like it might be kinda old, but still authentic:
[...]

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A worthy sucessor -- with a blundered finish., October 27, 1999

By	B. J. West (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dreamfall (Hardcover)

For 90% of the book, "Dreamfall" is every bit as good as "Psion", moments are as good as "Catspaw". Then, in the last chapter, she blows her dismount and landing very, very badly. It's almost like she hit a time or length limit and said "and now, it's over", tying up the remaining loose ends with a couple of totally unbelievable ham-fisted gestures. Ms. Vinge then has Cat surrender to authority and walk away from everything he loves without a fight (completely out of character), presumably to rid him of complications that might hinder future sequels. It really pissed me off, because I had really been enjoying it until then.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the 3, August 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Dreamfall (Hardcover)

I liked Psion and Catspaw very much, but I enjoyed Dreamfall the best of the 3. It is true that the end was disappointing, as one reviewer here points out. But that's the author's prerogative.

Perhaps I enjoyed the 3rd book the most, because it builds on, and transforms, the character and world of the earlier books.

Perhaps it is because I am starting to get older myself, just like Cat is...