High Clowder Cats

"No cat lover will want to miss this ride! 

OCTOBER 10, 20220 COMMENT

https://thebookcommentary.com/review-preview/740/high-clowder-cats#

High Clowder Cats

Category:Science Fiction & Fantasy

Author:Ruby Knight

Cat lovers and anyone who enjoys our feline friends will discover a gorgeous treat in High Clowder Cats by Ruby Knight, the first entry in the Clowder Cats series. Bushytail is a feral cat on a mission to find a home where he can seek prey without dogs and other inconveniences standing in the way as is the case in the farmyard. He is competitive and prefers to be far from the din created by humans and from competition from other toms. But he reluctantly joins a band of wild toms where he meets Bristle. He allows Bristle to mentor him. He will have to learn and master the three rules and other powers that Bristle wants him to develop. But is he up to it?

High Clowder Cats packs a wallop for readers, with ingeniously developed characters and an adventure that brings a lot of hilarity with it. The author’s understanding of the world of cats and their nature is astounding and the superb use of anthropomorphism makes these feline characters adorable and relatable. Ruby Knight’s storytelling craft shines in this tale, with timely paragraph breaks, cleverly written dramatic scenes, and terrific descriptions. The prose is fluid and has a spell of its own. But it is the unforgettable characters that readers will adore, these feral cats on a mission that is fraught with challenges, dangers, and enemies. Byshytail’s journey from being a loner to working with others has wonderful lessons for readers. Themes of teamwork, family, responsibility, leadership, love, death, and justice are well-written. While this is a novel about cats, it doesn’t lack the realism that readers seek in transporting tales. Pulsating with action, this book is a delightful read, the kind of book you read and pick up again because it is a work of beauty. No cat lover will want to miss this ride! 

Reviewed By: Franklin Bauer

Reviewed Date: October 8, 2022

Category: Science Fiction & Fantasy

""A story of hope, love, sacrifice, and adventure” Literary Titan

SEPTEMBER 23, 20220 COMMENT

Literary Titan ★★★★★

https://literarytitan.com/tag/high-clowder-cats/

Life as a feral cat is not easy. When you are alone without a colony, surviving is even harder. Bushytail is determined to have a territory and family of his own. So he sets off to find a territory away from humans where he can meet other tom cats. He finds a home with a group of toms, and they have great adventures together. That is until one of the tom cats, Watcher, Bushytail’s friend, meets a tragic end. Bushytail is shocked and sad that his friend has died. He decides to set off for another territory, hoping to start over. On his way, he is joined by Bristle, a wise, secretive, and strong tom cat. This chance meeting is the beginning of a story of hope, love, sacrifice, and adventure. Ruby Knight has written an incredible fantasy story for teens and young adult readers that will also entertain and captivate adult readers. The protagonist Bushytail is resilient, sweet, and has hidden leadership qualities that are revealed as the story unfolds. He does, however, have some fascinating weaknesses that provide additional depth to his character. Bristle, Bushytail’s mentor, is a medicine cat; he is mysterious and reveals his knowledge and teachings to Bushytail whether he wants these lessons or not. The other characters in the story are detailed and add an additional layer to the overall story as you get to know them. Readers will find themselves cheering for them and frantically turning the pages, wondering what they’ll get up to next. The pace of the story never lets up; readers are kept on edge, waiting to see what happens next to this band of cats. The drama in the novel is well done and commendable; readers can easily visualize the dynamics between the characters. The story’s setting is well written and makes for a pleasant reading experience as the reader can visualize the environment and feel like they are there with this colony of cats. The world-building is expertly woven with extra attention paid to the small details making for a memorable and immersive experience. High Clowder Cats by Ruby Knight is a captivating young adult fantasy novel. The storyline is original, interesting, and easy to get lost in. This is a fantastic start to this new series about a group of feral cats and the struggles they face in order to survive. Literary Titan

“High Clowder Cats by Ruby Knight is unlike any other fantasy book I’ve read before.”

SEPTEMBER 6, 20220 COMMENT

High Clowder Cats – 5 stars

There are so many novels within the fantasy genre, that sometimes it can be hard to decide what to read next. So many stories very generic and don’t really add anything new but High Clowder Cats by Ruby Knight is unlike any other fantasy book I’ve read before. I don´t think I have ever come across a fantasy book involving cats, but I am so glad that I came across this novel.

High Clowder Cats is not only unique, but also a great written story with intriguing characters. This story will capture you from the very beginning thanks to Ruby Knight´s wonderful writing. The classic elements of a fantasy story are there, which will make any fan of the genre enjoy this story and even if you are not a big fan of fantasy, this would be a great novel to start with. It would also be a great a story to introduce children to the fantasy genre as they will certainly find the characters appealing. Personally, as someone who loves animals, I was immediately captured by the synopsis, and I was glad I read this novel. As I said, it is unique, and I love finding stories like this. They are a breath of fresh air in the genre.

If you get the chance to read High Clowder Cats do it. It is a fascinating story with great characters and amazing writing. A real page-turner. Great for people of all ages and even those who don’t like the fantasy genre. This story has a meaning beyond just being an entertaining story, which is why I would also encourage people to add High Clowder Cats to their TBR (To-Be-Read) lists. I know this is a novel that I will be revisiting, and I hope to read more of Ruby Knight´s books in the future.

REVIEWED BY

Evelyn Hadley

“Embodying the spirit of friendship, and heroism …”

SEPTEMBER 12, 20220 COMMENT

The BookViral Review:

Enchanted reading from the first page to the last, High Clowder Cats is the first release in Ruby Knight’s Clowder Cats series. A release in a genre populated by too many shallow unexciting characters and narratives that seem to plod through recycled storylines but where Knight gives her readers a read that is wholly delightful and above all original.

When writing for younger readers fantasy doesn’t have to be clever, but it does need to stoke the embers of imagination and it’s this that Knight does so well. With an inventive plot and strong pacing it inspires much sentiment whilst a powerful emotional centre draws us to her feline characters.

With characters like Bushytail, Bristle, Stealth and Brokenear instantly rendered in our imaginations readers quickly become invested in their lives which allows Knight to focus on emotive resonance and thematic depth. Needless to say, she hits the ground running with a magical adventure that delivers the traditional sense-of-wonder readers expect to find in fantasy adventure stories with trials and tribulations manifesting themselves with each turn of the page.

With its strong emotional arc (tissues will be needed following Storm’s birth) High Clowder Cats remains conceptually strong throughout but particularly sparkles to life when it’s at its most antic with animated debates amongst the cats, treachery and well-imagined battle scenes.

High Clowder Cats is clearly the manifestation of a highly visual imagination, but perhaps more importantly it takes us beyond a stirring adventure. Embodying the spirit of friendship, and heroism that’s reminiscent of all-time fantasy classics.

A strong and notable debut that rightly raises high expectations for future releases in the Clowder Cats series High Clowder Cats is a highly recommended five-star read.

“I almost didn’t want it to come to an end. I rate this 5 out of 5 and recommend it to children and adults alike”

SEPTEMBER 3, 20220 COMMENT

High Clowder Cats by Ruby Knight

A mother cat is forced to abandon her litter as is customary for cats in the wild to do. She is especially worried about one of her kittens, a ginger tomcat with a bushy tail. Will he survive in the wild with his bright coat?

Bushytail breaks away from his band of siblings and learns to fend for himself. He is especially brawny because catching a meal is always a tall order for him. It’s not long before he outgrows the farmlands and makes an arduous journey to the bushland. He has dreams of conquering his own territory and starting a family.

Bushytail soon finds out that the bushland is not without other tomcats with ambitions just like his. Fighting for dominance at this stage is futile, they are all more experienced than Bushytail. However, they are all outsiders to this land. Setting aside their rivalries and travelling together would be best.

Bristle takes Bushytail under his wing and they journey together to the hinterland as he teaches Bushytail how to be a better hunter. At first Bushytail isn’t too keen on the lessons, but he grows more enthusiastic when they start to pay off. The end of his training coincides with their arrival at the valley, the home territory of High Clowder.

As outsiders Bristle and Bushytail are regarded with caution at first, but they soon prove their worth to their new clowder.

High Clowder Cats, is a riveting tale about survival in the wild. It follows the lives of a group of cats each struggling to survive in the bushland. Their survival tactics are as different as their personalities. Soon their values clash . There is a fight for dominance at High Clowder, the best cat must win if this clowder is to survive and set a precedent for catkind living together.

This was highly entertaining and engaging. I almost didn’t want it to come to an end. I rate this 5 out of 5 and recommend it to children and adults alike. The story builds up steadily and reaches a satisfying climax at the end.

Grab yourself a copy on amazon or Barnes&Noble.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022 MAUREEN WAHU BOOK REVIEWS

WATERSHIP DOWN WITH AN AUSTRALIAN VENEER

AUGUST 31, 2020

High Clowder Cats by Ruby Knight

Louie Stockfeld on Aug 28, 2022

High Clowder Cats is fast-paced, constantly interesting and doesn’t talk down to its audience. It doesn’t patronise children and makes for a quick, fun read for adults. Ruby Knight’s roots in high fantasy are clear: a classic tale of good triumphing over evil, our ragtag, humble protagonist, Bushytail, an outsider, finds himself swept up in a magical world, where he finds it up to him to do the right thing! High Clowder Cats’ strongest point is it’s Australianness. Bushytail’s connection with The Stone and the place of cats in this world makes for a nuanced exploration of colonisation, of Indigenous Australian land rights, of where colonising people can find their place in this magical land while remembering to whom we owe things. Adults will recognise this instantly, for children, it starts an important conversation. An excellent first entry into this series, High Clowder Cats is a must-read for Australian audiences.

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