Cats Have No Lord

I had fun reading this journey/quest fantasy, but ultimately, it was like eating candy you like, but don't love -- fun, but not really filling or satisfying. Maybe it's because I wanted to read it for years, and it didn't live up to (what I felt) was its potential.

So our lovable, scruffy heroes set out on their journey, but there are many, many complications. Some ideas felt unfinished, but I only realized that once I thought about them. The quest ends in a rush, perhaps part of why I felt it could have been better.

Recommended for a fantasy fix.

I just read “Cats Have No Lord” by Will Shetterly and found it a decent, but not great book.

It follows the adventures of Lizelle, a roguish woman, in a medieval sort of fantasy setting. Near the beginning she leaves her lover, a local noble, and on her way out steals some valuables, including a nice necklace that’s actually significantly grander than she realizes.

She rides a horse with whom she has a telepathic link, and soon meets up with a big time rogue with mysterious skills and powers as well as a fat, merry monk who knows a bit about their paths in the future.

Once they figure out what Lizelle’s stolen necklace actually is, their adventures get more serious and their enemies more powerful.

The book isn’t great, with lots show more of openings for more stories or more in-depth stories about the relationships between some characters. For instance, does everyone in this world telepathically communicate with their horse, or is that special between Lizelle and Darkwind? If it’s special, and Darkwind is special, how did Darkwind agree to be ridden by Lizelle?

Some of the world’s gods had a few scenes where they looked at the people and once in a while popped into the world to manipulate, which reminded me of some of the movies I’ve seen based on Greek mythology.

The ending was too fast, without the good guys having to do much clever or mighty to vanquish their foes.

Overall, it was entertaining, but not ultimately very rewarding. show less

Its an okay book. The Mythology of this world reminds me a lot of Steven Brust's Draegaran Books, but set in a more traditional fantasy world. Its well written, but didn't capture my attention. Many of the characters were cardboard, the ending at odds with the first part of the book.

slightly ambiguous fantasy of a struggle for control of a magic mist stone and the return of the god(ess) which will mean the end of the universe