Tailchaser's Song
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|
 US Hardcover Edition | |
| Author | Tad Williams |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Braldt Bralds |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | DAW Books |
Publication date | November 21, 1985 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardback and Paperback) |
| Pages | 333 (Hardback) & 400 (Paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-8099-0002-5 (Hardback) & ISBN 0-88677-953-7 (Paperback) |
| OCLC | 12799359 |
| 813/.54 19 | |
| LC Class | PS3573.I45563 T35 1985 |
Tailchaser's Song is a fantasy novel by American writer Tad Williams. First released on November 21, 1985, it is Williams' first published work.[1][2]
The story focuses on a personified cat named Fritti Tailchaser, set in a world of other anthropomorphic animals who live in their natural environments but each have their own language, mythology, and culture.
It is reportedly being adapted into an animated feature film.[3][4]
Plot summary
[edit] | This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (April 2025) |
The novel is set in the world as cats see it, with humans being mysterious and distrusted creatures in the eyes of feral cats. The cats see themselves as the first and most important species; the novel takes the approach that all creatures consider their kind to be the dominant species of the planet. Their myths view humans, or "M'an", as a race of deformed descendants of cats.
Tailchaser's Song begins with an exposition of the cats' mythology. Meerclar Allmother is identified as the primordial creator of all other beings, who brought forth a pair of cats who are the progenitors of the entire species as well as divine figures, Harar Goldeneye and Fela Skydancer. Their first litter are called the Firstborn; the middle child, Grizraz Hearteater, raises a monstrous hound out of jealousy and sets it to attack all cats. The eldest of the three, Viror Whitewind, slays the creature but is himself killed. Hearteater is driven out and flees beneath the ground, while Whitewind's death causes his father to flee to the heavens after searching for Hearteater in a murderous rage and makes his mother permanently silent. The youngest brother, Tangaloor Firefoot, renounced his claim to the throne and fled from the court out of grief.
After this introduction, Fritti Tailchaser, a young ginger tom cat, sets out to stray from his home, the Meeting Wall Clan, in search of his friend Hushpad after strange disappearances of other cats have been reported. The kitten Pouncequick follows him. Together, they set out on a long journey to visit the feline royal Court of Harar, with the intention of resolving the mystery of the disappearances. They meet a crazy cat named Eatbugs, who travels with them for parts of the journey. They soon run into some Firstwalkers, cats who live in the wild, who are of a direct bloodline from Goldeneye and Skydancer. Their thane (leader), Quiverclaw, challenges Tailchaser ceremonially and is impressed enough to allow him and Pouncequick to accompany them for a time. Soon, they must part ways.
The protagonists make their way to Firsthome and the Court, but are treated there with indifference. They pick up a new friend, Roofshadow, and go northwest. They are captured by a group of evil cats called the Clawguard, and taken to Vastnir, where Grizraz Hearteater enslaves cats to take over the world. Tailchaser manages to escape with Roofshadow's help, and races to Ratleaf Forest, where he asks a clan of squirrels to alert them for him in repayment for a debt contracted with their lord's brother. He feels guilty that Pouncequick, Eatbugs, and Roofshadow are still trapped in Vastnir. He returns there, where Quiverclaw and Prince Fencewalker, a court cat, come to the rescue. Lord Hearteater creates the Fikos, a dog-like monster of terrible power, out of a mound of dying creatures. Tailchaser takes advantage of the chaos to rescue Pouncequick, Eatbugs, and Roofshadow, but Eatbugs is lost on the way out. Roofshadow and Pouncequick escape while Tailchaser goes back to find Eatbugs. He goes into a crevice and sees Eatbugs in a near-deathlike state. Upon Tailchaser's uttering a prayer to Lord Tangaloor Firefoot, Eatbugs awakens, revealing himself to actually be Firefoot incognito. Tailchaser runs out of Vastnir at Firefoot's urging, while Firefoot goes to deal with Hearteater, resulting in the destruction of Vastnir.
Pouncequick decides to return to Firsthome and stay there. Roofshadow wants to accompany him, so Tailchaser is left on his quest alone. Firefoot appears to him in a dream, confirms that Hearteater's power is broken, and encourages Tailchaser to continue his quest for Hushpad. He goes east to Bigwater (Qu'cef) and sneaks onto a boat. A man approaches and rows across, taking him to an island called Villa-on-Mar. There he finds none other than Hushpad. She wishes to stay, and Tailchaser stays with her. Gradually, Tailchaser realizes that he is still a feral cat, and does not want to live with humans. Tailchaser sets out to return home. The ending may be seen only as the beginning of a longer saga, but there have been no follow-ups or sequels to date.
Folk and folklore
[edit]The cats of Tailchaser's Song have a well established system of songs, poems, and mythology, such as Meerclar the Allmother, Harar Goldeneye and Fela Skydancer the Two, and the three Firstborn cats. The cats, as one brethren, call themselves 'the Folk'. The novel contains a developed system of cat speech and style as well, to go with their customs.
Language and pronunciation
[edit]Tad Williams has come up with a very large variety of terms, called the Higher Singing, used by the cats to express themselves and explain things. Included in the book is a complete glossary, as well as a character 'directory' and a map of Tailchaser's world. Also included are Williams' notes on pronunciation, which apply not only to spoken words but to first names as well (such as Fritti, Harar, or Meerclar): "'C' is always pronounced 'S': thus, Meerclar is pronounced 'Mere-slar.' In the instances where an 'S' has been used, it is only to clarify the pronunciation. For example, I felt that 'Vicl,' although the true spelling, was a little boggling; hence, 'Visl'. 'F' has a soft 'fth' sound. Vowels tend to conform to Latinate 'ah-eh-ih-oh-ooh.'"[5]
The name Meerclar itself originates from the novelette "The Flame Bringers" by Michael Moorcock, 1962. In the story, Meerclar is not a goddess but god. He was called as "Lord of the Cats" or "Protector of the Feline Kind".
Adaptations
[edit]In November 2011, it was announced that Animetropolis is developing a computer-animated film adaptation, with International Digital Artists, the producer of Cat Shit One, animating it.[3]
Tailchaser's Song was announced to be released in the United States sometime after 2018,[4] with Peter Ramsey, the director of Rise of the Guardians,[6] set to be the executive producer.[4] As of 2023, no trailers or updates on production have been announced.[4]
Reception
[edit]Kirkus Reviews criticized the book for borrowing from other books in the fantasy genre which causes it to fail to "distract the reader from the shameless falsity of the characterizations." Publishers Weekly kept their review curt, stating "Williams's first novel should engage the fancy of cat lovers."[7][8]
See also
[edit]- Warriors (novel series) - A novel series with a similar premise
References
[edit]- ^ "Tailchaser's Song". PW. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ Williams, Tad. "Thanks to that Imaginary Cat". Official website. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ a b Fleming, Mike (November 5, 2011). "AFM: 'Tailchasers Song' Headed For Animated Feature". Deadline. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Tailchaser's Song at IMDb
- ^ Williams, Tad (1985). Tailchaser's Song. New York: Daw Books. p. 368. ISBN 0886773741.
- ^ "The Teaser Poster to TAILCHASER'S SONG!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ "Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Animated movie IMDB
- Tailchaser's Song title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database