The Mark of the Cat

By Andre Norton

Book Overview

When Mieu, his treasured companion and friend is stolen, Hynkkel must travel into the unknown with only a red-gold sandcat pendant to remind him of his loss in a test of survival. Reprint. LJ. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0441519717
• ISBN13: 9780441519712
• Release Date: October 1993
• Publisher: Ace Books
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

The Despised Non-Warrior

Mark of the Cat (1992) is the first novel in the Outer Regions novels. The Five Queendoms of the Outer Regions are each associated with a particular gemstone: Vapala with the Diamond, Kahulawe with the Sapphire, Thnossis with the Ruby, Azhengir with the Topaz, and Twahilic with the Emerald. Each queendom varies in its terrain, customs and products, but all are ruled by a Queen and owe allegiance to the Emperor. Vapala is the richest queendom in water -- thus having much more vegetation -- and considers itself to be the only civilized queendom in the Outer Regions. The Emperor has grown frail and his death seems imminent. Haban-ji has ruled long and peacefully, but his passing will lead to dissension among the Queendoms. His son, Shank-ji, has openly expressed his intention to undertake the trials to be the next Emperor, thus keeping the office within the queendom of Vapala. This break with customs has irritated many traditionalists, especially in the other four queendoms. The people of the Outer Regions have a religion similar to Druidism, but they do not have gods and goddesses per se. Rather they have aware and intelligent Essences that guide each queendom and have aspects peculiar to that specific queendom. A greater Essence guides the Five Queendoms as a whole. Each child is taught how to communicate with the Essences, but some persons have greater abilities to contact and receive information from them. In this novel, Klaverel-va-Hynkkel is a native of the Queendom of Kahulawe. He is the second son of the last full commander of the queendom's forces. Hynkkel is not a warrior, showing little talent with traditional weapons. He is skillful with sling and staff, but these are considered to be merely tools of the common folk. He excels in the maintenance of the algae ponds, is talented with animals, and surpasses all others in trading with merchants, so he has been allowed to work as a servant to the House of Klaverel. Yet his father Meguiel treats him with disdain and his brother Kalikku openly calls him a weakling and tries to bully him. Hynkkel goes to market one day and is summoned to a sick animal belonging to Ravinga, the doll maker. He calms the animal and searches the mane for the salsuckers that frequently torment yaksen. Instead, he finds an evil amulet -- a desert rat tooth with strange markings -- that Ravinga knocks from his hands and ritually destroys. She then gives him a round pendant fashioned with the head of a Sand Cat by a master craftsman. When Hynkkel comes home from the market, he is met by his brother and sister. Kalikku immediately notices the pendant and tries to take it, but Melora-Kura, his sister, blocks this effort and asks to make a drawing of it for her files. Hynkkel learns that they have come to fetch him for the choosing feast of Siggura, his other sister, who has just come into heat. Since she is envious of Kura, Siggura is sure to make a big production of the ceremony; Melora-Kura ha

The Mark of the Cat

This book is short, and what is there deserves five stars. However, the story feels unfinished. Hynkkel, rejected to the role of servitude by his family and despairing over the murder of his pet cat, is forced into a manhood ritual by his father. He emerges from this test of survival with a new grace and self confidence and new friends, including a feline, but still finds himself on the outskirts of society. He is dismayed when he is seemingly forced into a new and surprising path. Just when the Essence smiles upon him and he appears to be a winner, the book ends with more questions than answers in the reader's mind. Once again Andre Norton's writing is superb. Hopefully, there will be a sequel, otherwise the book is as unsatisfying as decaf.

Where is the sequel?

this story was about a young boy, who defying all odds and with a little magic came out as emperor, however the evil was not totally overcome. So Andre Norton, one of my favorite authors. I ask where is the sequel?

Initial Fantasy

One of the first fantasies that I read and I have to say one of the best. I felt that the story could have continued but I think it was still a good book.