The Wild Road (Hardcover)

~ Gabriel King is a pseudonym for: (Author), M. John Harrison (Author), Jane Johnson (Author) "The one-eyed black cat called Majicou sat between a rusting cage and two sacks of stale grain on a shelf in a shop on Cutting..." (more)
Key Phrases: Ragnar Gustaffson, Old Smoky, Pertelot Fitzwilliam (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When a runaway kitten named Tag meets a mysterious black cat named Majicou in his dreams, he learns he is destined for bigger things. Called by Majicou, Tag enters the Wild Road, a magical highway known only to the animals, and learns that he is needed to find the King and Queen of cats and bring them safely to Tintagel. When Tag accepts the quest, he has no idea of the long and dangerous road he's begun. Prophecy says this Queen of cats, latest in a long line of feline royalty bred by a dastardly human scientist called the Alchemist, will give birth to the Golden Cat, the key to riches and power. As if the threat of capture by the Alchemist weren't enough, Tag has his paws full just finding the Queen and protecting her from the dangers of the outside world. Fortunately, he has the help of allies like the Maine Coon cat Seaklink and scarred old veteran Mousebreath, as well as a fox named Loves A Dustbin and a crafty magpie called One For Sorrow. King's parade of animal characters is presented with a keen eye for the details of animal behavior. The cast may prove a bit too precious for general fantasy readers, but cat lovers and fans of anthropomorphic fantasies such as Tailchaser's Song are guaranteed to enjoy this London-based author's enchanting debut.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA?This book promises readers a fine fantasy, but delivers much more?an epic and emotionally powerful story of animals, humans, and the ethics of their coexistence. A frame tale relates the spiritual traditions of cats and the history of their relationship with humans. The Wild Road of the title is a dimension containing the memories of all animals that have gone before. An evil sorcerer has tortured cats for many lifetimes in a quest to harness the power of the Wild Road and now, as a modern scientist, he is on the verge of succeeding. With a masterful use of language and plotting, King gradually reveals the true identity of the sorcerer and the great humor, love, and resilience of the small creatures destined to oppose him. Descriptions of felines suffering in human hands are graphic and horrible, but true to life; this is a war. Yet readers will find comfort in the wisdom the characters gain and the joy they find in life despite the evil they must fight. Like J. R. R. Tolkien, King creates humble and ordinary beings who undergo great trials, find extraordinary courage, and fight the good fight against impossible odds. Like Richard Adams, King breathes life into a rich and varied cast of creatures who talk, yet remain true to their animal natures. For teens who have appreciated other books that evoke a greater universe than that described by consensual reality, The Wild Road should be equally well loved and remembered.?Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 365 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; 1st edition (March 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034542302X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345423023
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,623,351 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much better than I expected!, December 10, 1999

By	K. Freeman (Apple Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Wild Road (Mass Market Paperback)

I picked up this book expecting it to be sentimental and silly. I was very pleasantly surprised. Firstly, the author uses language beautifully, and has a keen eye for animal behavior. Secondly, the plot and characters are refreshingly original -- while reminiscent of Adams' excellent The Plague Dogs, the book resembles Tailchaser's Song (which I didn't like) rather little, and I'm not sure what the reviewer was thinking who made the connection with Gallico's book. If I have a criticism, it's that the villain ( so far -- I'm not quite done with the book) has a nebulous, confusing quality which makes him less than purely terrifying. Overall, this is an excellent fantasy, very much intended for intelligent adults.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best!, January 17, 2000

By	Tanya (CA) - See all my reviews

Wonderful, amazing, fantasitic... Right away, this book became one of my favorites. It was adventurous and fun, and I couldn't put it down. I guess one of The Wild Road's secrets is that you fall in love with the characters from the first chapter and from then on you're eager to see what's going to happen next. The plot is very exciting and isn't like anything I read ever before. Being a cat lover, I cannot wish for a better book, because not only is it a very interesting story, it also present the reader with a problem of the cruel treatment of animals in labs. I recomment The Wild Road to all cat lovers! I have re-read it a couple of times, and each time it gets my interest from the first word, and keeps it to the last. Purrrs!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The WIld Road, January 17, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Wild Road (Mass Market Paperback)

The Wild Road is a terrific fantasy starring a cat named Tag, and a wonderfully colorful cast of characters including a fox called "Loves A Dustbin" and a bird dubbed "One For Sorrow"

The Wild Road is a little long and hard to understand for younger readers, and you may want to set it down a few times before you finish. It tells the sotry of mythical highways called 'The Wild Roads', and a never-ending battle between a cat and an Alchemist. I dropped one star because of the confusing plotline, which makes the book hard to understand, but it all adds up in the end. I definately recommend thsi book to kids and adults alike.