Feline fantasy charms in 1985 classic

SPOILER-FREE, SLIGHT ALLUSION TO ENDING, SOME THEMES AND LORE.

It's a testament to the author's skill that Tailchaser's Song succeeds with its premise: that of a fantasy adventure following a group of anthropomorphic cats.

Though barbed with a whisker of bathos and occasional paw dip into some dark themes, Tad Williams's 1985 debut novel anticipates a lot of his distinctive, meticulously-crafted style and thread of uncynical goodness to be found later in his famous Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series epic, but packed into a fast, easy read of 280 pages or so: ideal for someone looking for a fresh take on the genre without committing to the demands of some of its weightier doorstop tomes.

The cats are endearing and sketched with deft turns of phrase that clearly evoke a cat's movement and sensibility, while the careful world-building and cat culture ranging from origin myths for the mystery humans known as "M'an" to cat slang weave a sense of depth to keep the plot buoyant and afloat.

The themes are enduring and eternal and part of the genre's appeal and one of its roles in human life - a message to keep hope alive.

There must have been moments of doubt after deciding to go for it with his premise of a feline fantasy novel, but it's a good thing Williams did.

Overall: Tailchaser's Song ably translates the charisma of cats into a charming story of generally gentle escapism and adventure showcasing the style and skills of one of the world’s now-most lauded (and not just) fantasy authors.

What might sound to some more writing class than classic somehow ends up working, firmly giving it more of the air of the latter, particularly given Williams's subsequent success.

Note: This secondhand 1992 edition found on eBay and used for the review had a lovely nostalgic look to it - reminiscent of some of that generation of iconic and unrelated D&D novels that had a big impression on lots of readers all those years ago.