Catfantastic II

(aka) Fantastic Cat

~ A Collection of Original stories by Various Authors

Edited by Andre Norton & Martin H. Greenberg

Contains a Short Story from the "Noble Warrior Series"

Contains ~

• Vii~ Introduction by Andre Norton
• 09~ Bomber and the Bismarck (nv) by Clare Bell
• 39~ A Puma and a Panther (ss) by Wilanne Schneider Belden
• 49~ The Last Gift (nv) by Elizabeth H. Boyer
• 78~ Papercut Luck (ss) by Patricia B. Cirone
• 91~ Shado (ss) by Mary Lois Dunn
• 105~ In Bastet’s Service (ss) by Pauline M. Griffin
• 124~ Shadows (ss) by Caralyn Inks
• 144~ The Execution (ss) by A. R. Major
• 156~ Hermione at Moon House (ss) by Ardath Mayhar
• 163~ Quest of Souls (ss) by Ann Miller & Karen Rigley
• 178~ Ede’s Earrings (ss) by Sasha Miller
• 194~ Clara’s Cat (ss) by Elizabeth N. Moon
• 213~ Hob's Pot (nv) by Andre Norton
• 235~ The Queen’s Cat’s Tale (ss) by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• 253~ The Keep-Shape Spell (ss) by Mary H. Schaub
• 273~ Of Age and Wisdom (ss) by Roger C. Schlobin
• 283~ Critical Cats (nv) by Susan M. Shwartz
• 304~ In Carnation (ss) by Nancy Springer

Synopsis ~

Write-up from the back of paperback ~

A Yowl Shatters the Silence of the Night –
It is a call to battle, a warning of danger, or the greeting of a fellow prowler stalking through the darkness, heading for a rendezvous with adventure in one of the magic places - those mysterious realms undetectable by mere humans. Tonight, the cats are gathering to tell their tales, of times past or yet to come, of the two-legged beings they have adopted as their own special pets.
So let us join them now, and if we are very quiet, as silent as a cat on the scent of likely prey, we may be privileged to learn some long-kept secrets of the feline kind. Listen now, the stories begin, legends of such mighty warriors as: Bomber, the ship's cat out for revenge on the German warship, the Bismark; Graywhiskers, who ruled his kingdom with a unique weapon of his own creation; Bat and Punkin, who had patiently lived out several lives while waiting to find the only humans worthy of being theirs; Hermione, who as familiar to an astronomer would have to guard him not from falling stars but from the unexpected dangers lurking in his very own home...

Review of Catfantastic 2 by Fred Patten in Yarf! The Journal of Applied Anthropomorphics #12, Published by Yarf!, Edited by Jeff Ferris, $4.00, 60pgs. ~ cover by Bill Fitts (pg. 5) 1991     reprinted in: Yarf! The Journal of Applied Anthropomorphics #27, (1993)

     Catfantastic (reviewed in Yarf! #3) was evidently popular, because here is Catfantastic II. It contains eighteen more brand-new fantasies about cats; and they’re all magical or anthropomorphic pusses this time.
     The stories are all enjoyable, although there is not quite as broad a range of settings and moods as was in the first volume. There are no pure comedies, and only a few that are wryly humorous adventures. There is a preponderance of mood pieces about cats who are the loyal companions and protectors of lonely old women, frightened young girls, and friendly but doddering old wizards.
     But there are stories that are dramatically different. Clare Bell’s Bomber and the Bismarck describes how a highly unusual cat was responsible for the sinking of the Third Reich’s prized battleship. Elizabeth H. Boyer’s Nordic The Last Gift tells how the ancient jotun, Skrymir, creates cats and kittens to amuse his lonely housemaid; and how the vain hero, Airic, foolishly gives them the jotun’s last gift for mankind. In Patricia B. Cirone’s Papercut Luck, a paper-cat good-luck charm comes to life to save a peasant girl’s family as the Mongols besiege Canton. And in Elizabeth Ann Scarborough’s The Queen’s Cat’s Tale, Queen Guinevere’s cat relates how it was really Morgan le Fay, disguised as a cat, who was responsible for the fall of Camelot.
     Nine of the eighteen stories are by authors who were in the first anthology. Three of those are sequels to their earlier stories, so if you enjoyed the original adventures of Marylois Dunn’s Cat, Ardith Mayhar’s Hermione, or Andre Norton’s Thragun Neklop, you can ad their further exploits in Dunn’s Shado, Mayhar’s Hermione at Moon House, and Norton’s Hob’s Pot. The other stories are independent tales, set in worlds of high fantasy or modern American metropolises; in dignified mansions and raucous carnivals and bleak animal shelters; featuring ‘ordinary’ cats and cat-goddesses. If you liked Catfantastic, you’ll like Catfantastic II, II … er, too.

Bibliography of English Editions ~

•  (1991) Edited by Andre Norton & Martin H. Greenberg, Published by DAW, PB, 0-886-77461-6, 978-0-886-77461-5, No.839, Fantasy 88677-UE2461, $4.50, 318pg ~ cover by Braldt Bralds

Non-English Editions ~

•  (1994) Published in Amsterdam; by De Boekerij, PB, 90-225-1622-9, 256pg ~ translated by Renée Vink ~ cover by Braldt Bralds ~ Dutch Title Superkat II en andere fantastische kattenverhalen [Super cat II and other fantastic cat stories]
  

View the Original contract

• Catfantastic 2 - 1991 Catfantastic 2 - 1991
• Catfantastic 2 - Dutch - 1994 Catfantastic 2 - Dutch - 1994
•