I was looking up the basic setting stuff again and I forgot how odd it sounds if you say it plain: after a big nuclear war, you get the Horseclans out on the Sea of Grass, with mind-talk to horses and cats, plus sabertooth cats that were brought back before everything fell apart.
That is one of the things I still like about these books. The cats keep it from being only sword and saddle adventure. It is still old pulp SF under there, even when the story is just men riding, raiding, fighting, and arguing.
Even the title A Cat of Silvery Hue kind of reminds you Adams was not trying to hide that part. I do not remember every cat scene right off, but when they show up the world feels bigger and weirder to me.
Anybody else like the cats part, or do they feel like too much added on?
> [quoted text trimmed to the last 100 words] That is one of the things I still
> like about these books. The cats keep it from being only sword and saddle
> adventure. It is still old pulp SF under there, even when the story is just
> men riding, raiding, fighting, and arguing.
>
> Even the title A Cat of Silvery Hue kind of reminds you Adams was not trying
> to hide that part. I do not remember every cat scene right off, but when they
> show up the world feels bigger and weirder to me.
>
> Anybody else like the cats part, or do they feel like too much added on?
No, I love all the fantasy elements... except the Werewolf - that one felt out of place to me.
> [quoted text trimmed to the last 100 words] reminds you Adams was not trying
> to hide that part. I do not remember every cat scene right off, but when they
> show up the world feels bigger and weirder to me.
>> Anybody else like the cats part, or do they feel like too much added on?
>
> No, I love all the fantasy elements... except the Werewolf - that one felt out
> of place to me.
>
> Telepathic somewhat comedic sabretooth cats? Great.
>
> Bigfeet/bigfoots(?)? Great.
>
> Bodystealing scientist ghosts? Fantastic.
>
> Mindspeak? Great.
>
> Almost immortals? Great.
>
> What I actually love about the series is it is (mostly) quintessentially an
> American fantasy setting.
Oh... I'm also not keen on the scene where we get to see Bili in heaven/the home of Wind.
On Aug 6, 2026 7:42 AM, AdamFrance1 sensed a disturbance and said:
> [quoted text trimmed to the last 100 words] reminds you Adams was not trying
> to hide that part. I do not remember every cat scene right off, but when they
> show up the world feels bigger and weirder to me.
>> Anybody else like the cats part, or do they feel like too much added on?
>
> No, I love all the fantasy elements... except the Werewolf - that one felt out
> of place to me.
>
> Telepathic somewhat comedic sabretooth cats? Great.
>
> Bigfeet/bigfoots(?)? Great.
>
> Bodystealing scientist ghosts? Fantastic.
>
> Mindspeak? Great.
>
> Almost immortals? Great.
>
> What I actually love about the series is it is (mostly) quintessentially an
> American fantasy setting.
Agreed, I like the cats.
--
Darth Yoda
"Debugging the galaxy, one bite at a time."
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