Tag, a naive young cat, is called upon to participate in the greatest adventure in cat history, to save the Queen of Cats from the scheming Alchemist. He is destined to learn of friendship and love, bravery and wisdom, and of the wild roads created by the Great Cats in ancient times.
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Book Description
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From Publishers Weekly
When a runaway kitten named Tag meets a mysterious black cat named Majicou in his dreams, he learns he is destined for bigger things. Called by Majicou, Tag enters the Wild Road, a magical highway known only to the animals, and learns that he is needed to find the King and Queen of cats and bring them safely to Tintagel. When Tag accepts the quest, he has no idea of the long and dangerous road he's begun. Prophecy says this Queen of cats, latest in a long line of feline royalty bred by a dastardly human scientist called the Alchemist, will give birth to the Golden Cat, the key to riches and power. As if the threat of capture by the Alchemist weren't enough, Tag has his paws full just finding the Queen and protecting her from the dangers of the outside world. Fortunately, he has the help of allies like the Maine Coon cat Seaklink and scarred old veteran Mousebreath, as well as a fox named Loves A Dustbin and a crafty magpie called One For Sorrow. King's parade of animal characters is presented with a keen eye for the details of animal behavior. The cast may prove a bit too precious for general fantasy readers, but cat lovers and fans of anthropomorphic fantasies such as Tailchaser's Song are guaranteed to enjoy this London-based author's enchanting debut.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
From School Library Journal
YA?This book promises readers a fine fantasy, but delivers much more?an epic and emotionally powerful story of animals, humans, and the ethics of their coexistence. A frame tale relates the spiritual traditions of cats and the history of their relationship with humans. The Wild Road of the title is a dimension containing the memories of all animals that have gone before. An evil sorcerer has tortured cats for many lifetimes in a quest to harness the power of the Wild Road and now, as a modern scientist, he is on the verge of succeeding. With a masterful use of language and plotting, King gradually reveals the true identity of the sorcerer and the great humor, love, and resilience of the small creatures destined to oppose him. Descriptions of felines suffering in human hands are graphic and horrible, but true to life; this is a war. Yet readers will find comfort in the wisdom the characters gain and the joy they find in life despite the evil they must fight. Like J. R. R. Tolkien, King creates humble and ordinary beings who undergo great trials, find extraordinary courage, and fight the good fight against impossible odds. Like Richard Adams, King breathes life into a rich and varied cast of creatures who talk, yet remain true to their animal natures. For teens who have appreciated other books that evoke a greater universe than that described by consensual reality, The Wild Road should be equally well loved and remembered.?Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By JBerry
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This book does have some good parts, and it has quite an interesting concept, but it is NOT the best cat fiction ever (as some reviewers have claimed!) If you want a good cat fiction read Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams - amazing! As good was Watership Down (a classic novel .. about rabbits - read it, too!) I found this book hard to get through, even though animal fantasy novels are my absolute favorite.
By me
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The Wild Road tells the story of two ancient souls and their encounters throughout time. One is the Majicou, and the other is the Alchemist. The Alchemist has been searching for understanding of the universe, but he has been approaching the problem in all the wrong ways. The Majicou is the guardian of great secrets that humans may not be privy to, and the Alchemist will go to any lengths to learn.
This is a story of magic and mysticism, loyalty and courage, as a group of feline friends set out to defend something which they themselves do not quite understand. It is also a story about how everyone can make a difference to the world, however insignificant their lives may seem.
The storytelling gathers more and more potence as the novel progresses, transporting the reader to times and places seen anew, through the eyes of other creatures. I highly recommend this.powerful tale, it is a captivating story and a philosophical journey
This is a story of magic and mysticism, loyalty and courage, as a group of feline friends set out to defend something which they themselves do not quite understand. It is also a story about how everyone can make a difference to the world, however insignificant their lives may seem.
The storytelling gathers more and more potence as the novel progresses, transporting the reader to times and places seen anew, through the eyes of other creatures. I highly recommend this.powerful tale, it is a captivating story and a philosophical journey
By Amy
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone who loves animals and/or is interested in history and mythology. It is an original fantasy story with a cast of adorable feline characters who, I'm warning you now, you will become very attached to. Young Tag's quest is gripping, exciting, scary and at times heartbreaking. The author clearly knows a lot about cats, both on a practical level (good descriptions of how they see, smell etc) and about their role in history. There are some lovely descriptions which are brilliantly imagined from a cat's viewpoint, and the characters are wonderfully portrayed. (By the time I had finished it, I wanted to take Sealink home!). As I mentioned earlier, you can't help but feel for the characters. Maybe this isn't the book for the more faint-hearted animal lovers as some of the descriptions might prove to be a bit upsetting. But overall, The Wild Road is a beautifully written, involving book which you won't forget. Also, it will change the way you look at the relationship between cats and humans. Quite simply the best book I've ever read!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unforgettable, if not always pleasant, hero cat
First: this is less fun than reading cats as imagined by Paul Gallico and Robert Westall. Where those two authors' cats always stand firmly in relation to the human world, the... Read more
Published on Feb 5 2003 by Gwen A Orel
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disturbing, but interesting
I read "The Golden Cat" BEFORE I read "The Wild Road" and even though reading "Wild Road" cleared up all my questions from the second book,... Read more
Published on Nov 12 2002 by A. Machiavelli
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rich cat fantasy--take a walk on the wild road
A very enjoyable, pleasurable, yet philosophical read that you will want to put down from time to time to take it all in. Read more
Published on Nov 9 2002 by "cloudia"
4.0 out of 5 stars
Engaging Feline Fantasy
I read Tailchaser's Song years ago and found it unentertaining. I recently read The Blood Jaguar as well and found it plodding. Read more
Published on Nov 9 2002 by Logan Daugherty
3.0 out of 5 stars
Eh, could be a -lot- better...
First off, go hit the library if you want to read this book. Don't bother wasting the [$] the used book store will charge you. Read more
Published on Oct 22 2002 by "khriskin"
2.0 out of 5 stars
Eh, I'm not impressed.
Not a bad book, by any means, but not a very captivating one either. Had to make myself sit down and read it just to get finished. Read more
Published on Oct 22 2002 by "khriskin"
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Purrfect Read!
This definitely belongs in the hall of fame of animal tales, alongside Watership Down and Tailchaser's Song. Read more
Published on Aug 4 2002 by Elaine Carter
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Worst Book Ever
This book was pure torture. I kept thinking it HAD to get better. Boy was I mistaken. I thought it would never end.
The ending was just as lame as the rest of the story.
The ending was just as lame as the rest of the story.
Published on Jun 10 2002
1.0 out of 5 stars
Give me a break
I think that some people like fantasy novels just for the sake of reading fantasy novels - regardless of the talent of the author. This author clearly has no talent. Read more
Published on Mar 23 2002 by Robert Reardon
3.0 out of 5 stars
Talking cats. And magical roads. Somehow, they go together.
It's a decent book. I usually enjoy books with talking animals, so I liked it well enough, but it's no where near my favorite. Read more
Published on Mar 16 2002 by ibix
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