Tailchaser's Song [Paperback]

Tad Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2000

Fifteen years ago, a young author surprised and enchanted readers with his first novel-the story of Fritti Tailchaser, a courageous tom cat in a world of whiskery heroes and villains, of feline gods and strange, furless creatures called M'an.

The book was Tailchaser's Song, the author was Tad Williams.

The legend was born.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fritti Tailchaser a young ginger tom not yet a full grown hunter, is the main catamong a host of appropriately named feline peersin this extravagantly detailed fantasy. When his best friend, Hushpad, vanishes, Fritti embarks on a quest to find her, and so enters the list of jousters against the evils of the world. His many trials and adventures bring him into contact with a veritable galaxy of cats, who speak a language for which a glossary is provided. This feline epic culminates in a decisive battle with an evil cat god. Creating as fully realized a habitat as that of Watership Down and other imaginative animal communities, California radio personality Williams's first novel should engage the fancy of cat lovers. November 21
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA Animal epics are popular with YAs, and this one should prove no exception. Tailchaser, an orange-and-white striped cat, journeys to find his female friend Hushpad. She, like many of the other cats, has disappeared and the Folk (cats) are worried that something is amiss. Tailchaser realizes the severety of the problem when he is captured by several large cat-like creatures and forced into slavery in a subterranean world. Tailchaser's adventures are often violent but always exciting. Williams has used the language of the animals, both the "Common Language" and the "Higher Singing," but he has included two appendixesa glossary of terms and a descriptive list of characters. A map showing Tailchaser's route will also be of great help to readers. Fantasy lovers will lose their heart to Tailchaser and his companions Pouncequick and Roofshadow. Pam Spencer, Mount Vernon High School Library, Fairfax, Va.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: DAW; First Edition edition (December 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886779537
• ISBN-13: 978-0886779535
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (143 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #424,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Former singer, shoe-seller, radio show host, and inventor of interactive sci-fi television, Tad Williams is now a full-time writer. His 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn' series established him as an internationally bestselling fantasy author. The series that followed, 'Otherland', is now a multi-million-dollar MMO launching in 2012 from dtp/realU/Gamigo. Tad is also the author of the fantasy series, the 'Shadowmarch' books; the stand-alone Faerie epic, 'The War of the Flowers'; two collections of short stories ('Rite' and 'A Stark and Wormy Knight'), the Shakespearian fantasy 'Caliban's Hour' and, with his partner & collaborator Deborah Beale, the childrens'/all-ages fantasy series, the 'Ordinary Farm' novels. Coming in September 2012 are the Bobby Dollar novels, fantasy thrillers set again the backdrop of the monstrously ancient cold war between Heaven and Hell: the first is 'The Dirty Streets of Heaven.'

Tad is also the author of 'Tailchaser's Song': his first novel spawned the subgenre of cats and fantasy that we see widely today. 'Tailchaser's Song' is currently in preproduction as an animated film from Animetropolis/IDA.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Precursor to Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn - still good, July 2, 1998

By 

E White (Gainesville, VA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tailchaser's Song (Paperback)

I read Tad Williams' Memory Sorrow and Thorn trilogy years before reading Tailchaser's Song, and was continually struck at how much of what he did in Tailchaser was reused in Memory Sorrow and Thorn. They are different stories, yet it is neat to see how the author has continued to develop some of his earlier ideas and worked them into a greater piece as his skills improve.

More specific to this novel, Tailchaser's Song is a wonderful tale of adventure and coming into one's own. The personal ethics expressed in this story are rather unique in the fantasy world. The values are real and are not based on some extrodinary gift of the character (which typically separates the reader from the character), but on a choice and dedication to what is right.

Williams does a wonderful job of spinning this tale and keeping interest. Parts of it are predictable, but there are few (if any) let downs. The most impressive feature of the book, and what really makes it stand out, is the perspective. The main character is a cat, and the whole world is cleverly shown through a cat's eyes. It is very believable, and makes you look at your own pet differently -- with more respect, even.

This is a great book for anyone who likes adventure or fantasy stories. Tad Williams fans will feel at home, and cat lovers will delight in the telling of the tale.

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Look at a Fantasy Feline World, August 10, 2003

By 

B. Merritt "filmreviewstew.com" (WWW.FILMREVIEWSTEW.COM, Pacific Grove, California United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tailchaser's Song (Paperback)

Fritti Tailchaser is chosen among The Wall Council of cats to go and discover what is happening to a large number of their kin who have suddenly begun to disappear. And Tailchaser has his own agenda, too, that will clash with the world he once thought he knew; he has to find Hushpad, his chosen mate who is one of the cats whos disappeared.

As Tailchaser leaps upon this heroes journey, he finds that all is wrong with the cat world. A strange darkness has descended upon their Ka (spirit), and the further Tailchaser gets from his home, the more prevalent this sensation becomes, weighing him down. Something terrible is amiss. The cat Gods of long ago may still be battling it out for supremacy. But how is Tailchaser, a little tabby with a small white star on his head, supposed to help out? He has some help from some companions. Pouncequick, a youngling feline, starts the journey with Tailchaser. Pouncequick is an energetic but inexperienced hunting cat. Tailchaser feels him more of a burden (initially) then a benefit. Along the way Tailchaser and Pouncequick pick up Roofshadow, a female feline with more experience in the world then either of them. Now a trio, this band of brethren cats move from unfamiliar territory to unfamiliar territory, searching for clues to all the cats disappearance. They soon bump into Eatbugs, a strange cat that speaks incomprehensibly at times. He follows the trio and becomes a pain in the tail. But nothing, not even Eatbugs irrationality, couldve prepared them for The Mound: a horrible underground domain built by one of the Ancient Cat Gods. It is here that Tailchaser and his group of friends find the answers to the disappearing cats. Tailchaser, along with his companions, must foil the plans of Hearteater, one of the firstborn Gods of this cat-ish realm. Hearteater has unleashed a terrible power upon the world with his evil ways and has created the underground world of The Mound to bring light and darkness under his control.

An impressive amount of research went into the writing of this novel. Most notably is the cat behavior, cat language (singing, not talking, and High Singing), the movement of the moon and sun across the sky as seen from a felines perspective, and much work on the curious names given to all the characters.

Now Im not a cat person. I dont own one and havent been in a home with one since I was a teenager living with my parents (back in the late 70's and early 80's), but this story didnt require that I be so inclined toward cats. It was interesting enough to read the heroes journey, and that kept me turning the pages night after night.

So why only 4 stars and not 4-and-a-half or 5? Well, the parallels to Tolkien and other fantasy worlds were smackingly obvious. But Mr. Williams (the author) kept it entertaining enough, and varied enough, to make it a fun read. I think this would be a good gateway book for younger readers who might later want to tackle that magnum opus of a book: The Lord of the Rings.

Good Dancing to you all.

B+ rating

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures the magic and mystery of life and cats, January 7, 2000

By 

Anne Marie (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tailchaser's Song (Paperback)

Tailchaser's Song is a philosophic quest that is told in an enchanting way. The requisite battle between light and darkness is there, but there are no straight paths, just a lot of wisdom to gather if you keep your ears perked. I still greet cats with the musical language Tad Williams transcribes for those of us who are a bit too slow to understand cat speech just yet. This is one of my sacred trio of favorite books. As an added bonus, the quotes that introduce each chapter are wonderful as well.