Customer Reviews

Eye of Cat a

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Next to Lord of Light, Zelazny's best, and one of the all-time great sci-fi books. More than anything it is a study of psychology--how life and experience shape our character and world view. Singer builds a mental trap for himself that he can't escape and descends into schizophrenia, wrestling with the modern and ancient that conflict within him. At the end he finds closure, in a powerful and tragic manner. A deep, complex book that deserves multiple reads. Highly recommended.

The action never lets up once it gets rolling, but this book manages to be as literate as anything you can find. The prose is lyrical and intense. Zelazny uses it make you feel the exhaustion, pain, fear, et cetera the Singer is feeling. You get right into his mind. This book is also chalk full of Navajo folklore. The very end turns into a struggle between Singers light and dark halfs. The world needs more books like this.

In EYE OF CAT, Roger Zelazny tells the story of the last Navajo tracker, more than a full century into the future. In the world of this book, teleportation is possible, and all across the planet there are "trip boxes" that can be used to move instantly from one place to another.

The book's story follows the aforementioned Navajo tracker as he uses these trip boxes to run from an evil alien presence that he had previously made a deal with; as the tracker defends himself from the alien's mind-probing abilities, he descends into a primitive mindset that causes him to see the entire world as the spirit world of Navajo mythology. A group of powerful psychics attempts to help him, but even they are reinvented by the tracker's mind as native totems and cave paintings. The way Zelazny intertwines this unique--although not incomparable to that of his book BRIDGE OF ASHES--future world, with the surreality of Navajo myth, killer aliens, and the powers of teleportation and psychic ability is really cool, experimental, and well-done.

Best of all, it's frequently surprising--Zelazny usually is, and he doesn't disappoint here--and it's also funny, lyrically written, and a page-turner sure to make you neglect any other books you may be reading at the same time.

Read it, for sure. I just read it, but it strikes me as the sort of book I'll still be thinking about years from now.

This is a singular book about a singular personage, William Blackhorse Singer, "the last Navajo tracker on a future earth". The other characters are quite interesting as well, whether human, alien or spirit. They are represented well from an inner self viewpoint via their metaphysics and psychology, including Navajo and Native ones. The prose, poetry and imagery are out of this world. Yet their action moves in a quickly changing way in surprising plot twists. As in many books by this author, history and culture are woven into the story smoothly, supporting without disrupting the flow of events.

As a fan of Navajo and Native Ways, as well as Roger Zelanzy, this is my favorite short novel of this author. I like most works by Roger Zelazny -- with their visionary adventures -- including mythical magic, sharp action, and great wit. My favorite work by this author -- or any author -- is "The Great Book of Amber", a ten novella saga of Amber and Chaos, with a Quintessence of great adventure, mythical magic, sharp action, and great wit +++

Usually, I really like Zelazny's work. Unfortunately, in this case, he's just gone too far with his mythological basis. I'd estimate that more than half of this book consists of nothing but his interpretation of snippets from Navajo mythology stuck smack in the middle of a story. There IS a decent action-packed plot buried in there, but it's just overwhelmed by the mythology. By the end, the whole thing becomes a psychological "experience" as Zelazny basically drops the plot so the protagonist can confront himself. Even worse, the very last pages leave me unsure about whether or not he succeeds. With a tighter linkage between mythology and plot, this could have been an excellent book. But, because the two elements are so disjoint, and because Zelazny emphasizes the mythology over the plot, it just fails. So, unfortunately, I have to rate this book at a Not Very Good 2 stars out of 5.

William Blackhorse singer is a retired hunter of alien zoo specimens. He is also the last Navajo indian in the world.

The world goverment calls upon his skils when an alien diplomat is threatened by a shape-shifting assasin. Singer's got an awful suspicion - that one of his many catches - the last of its kind , one-eyed , cat-like shape-shifter , is intelligent.

He goes to the zoo , where Cat communicates with him telepatically , and promises Cat his own life if only he'll agree to protect the alien diplomat. Cat agree's and indeed kills the assasin.

But then , he wants to change the deal. Cat want's a return match , another hunt , but this time as the hunter. Singer agree's but his past does'nt allow him to fight for his life without reservasions. He has an unconscience death-wish. He must come to terms with his roots - his indian beliefes , mithology and power-songs. He must also overcome his wife's death , and connect with the new era - learn to think as a modern man , inorder to survive this hunt where his skils are pitted against a shape-shifting telepath that hates him like the devil!

I gave the book only 4 stars 'cause i've read better from Zelazney , but you can feel the familiar touch , although in this book , there's less use of mithology and alot more writing about indian spirituality. As always a bit philosophical but not to heavy on the mind.

A nice book I recommend , espacialy to fans of Zelazney's work.

Cat was great. The various hunts were great. A little disappointed by the ending. I agree with some other reviewers that the mythology / ancient story telling was a bit heavy relative to the length of the rest of the book.

The plot is ok if you skim quickly over the many pages of indian folklore. If he had included more of the alien pursuing the main character it would have been much better. For a while there it was excellent.... but then back to the pages and pages of folklore. The end was very anticlimactic.

With this novel, Zelazny proves that he still and always will remain the king of SF/Fantasy

Wonderful exploration of alienation as well as a gripping tale.