The Cat Master
Grade 5–9—On a bright Texas night, the elderly and infirm Cat Master, the spiritual leader of all cats, tries to contact his successor, Buddy, through mind speak. Unfortunately, his message is telepathically intercepted by would-be usurper Jett. A chain of events is set in motion that causes Buddy to leave his pampered life Indoors to return to the Outs and a feral lifestyle, in order to claim his birthright. This story is as old as Cain and Abel, and Pemberton has borrowed heavily from a tradition of stock characters and predictable situations. There are the annoyingly naive kittens, Zekki and Pris, who can't see danger while it's holding the door open for them, and the evil Jett, who's every dastardly deed cues maniacal laughter. There is an overuse of capital letters to indicate everything from The Law that dictates all areas of feline behavior to The Boy, left behind by Buddy, Zekki, and Pris while they fulfill their destinies. Fortunately, a strong cast of supporting characters covers a multitude of melodramatic sins and keeps the action moving to an ultimately satisfying conclusion. The use of swearing in a few situations seems unnecessary.The Cat Mastershould find an audience with readers waiting for the latest entry in Erin Hunter's "Warriors" series (HarperCollins).—Kara Schaff Dean, Needham Public Library, MACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.