Catseye

By: Andre Norton

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

The classic far-future novel about the telepathic bond of friendship between human and animal from the grande dame of science fiction and fantasy. 

Exiled after his home planet was turned into a military outpost following an interstellar war, Troy Horan is relocated to the planet of Korwar. Under the watchful eye of the police state, he lives in the slums in a restricted area for sub-citizens. He works as a day laborer in an interplanetary pet shop and has no idea why the Terran animals have been imported to Korwar or why he has the ability to silently communicate with them, especially the Kinkajou. 

But a murder forces him to flee with his animal friends into the Wild, where mysterious, sealed ruins conceal Korwar's most fiercely guarded secret. With no one he can trust and an entire government under siege, Troy leads his extraordinary band of warriors in a final bid for freedom none of them may survive. This action-packed, classic outsider story will be enjoyed by listeners of all ages.

©1961 Harcourt, Brace, and World, Inc. (P)2018 Tantor

New story for me by an old favorite

Young adult SF
Andre Norton was a skilled writer. The MC Troy is a displaced war refugee trying to survive on a new world with only his own abilities to feed his belly. Many things introduced remain a mystery, and some of them deadly, but as Troy is very much a young man without power or influence trying to survive interstellar politics, that's in many ways appropriate. The writing is crisp and moves at a decent pace as Troy faces his challenges with new friends. Entertaining many decades after first written, a quick read for teens and above.
Narrator Eric Michael Summerer does a pretty good job. Sometimes listening to audiobooks can put me to sleep, especially if there's not a variety in the tone, but not so here. The speech was clear, unhurried, and well-spoken. There wasn't a huge variety in the voices for the various characters, but there was enough to decently convey the story. Solid 4*

A new format for an old favorite

I thoroughly enjoyed this new format for an old favorite, by one of my favorite authors.

Never get tired of this one.

I first read this book in the late '60's, and I have re-read it umpteen times. I finally recorded it myself so I could "read it" hands free while painting and doing other things. I could not do mp3 until I got the software, but then this recording came along, and I snapped it up!
I love it!

Cats, foxes, a kinkajou, a young man - in space

Troy Horan - displaced from his home planet and patrimony and consigned to a ghetto - gets the opportunity to work in a pet shop with VERY exotic animals - some of which come from Terra. Not ordinary animals but GMO that are much more than they were. Interstellar criminals, local wilderness rangers and Troy and his compatriots discover things that will intrigue the reader. Heck, it's Andre Norton writhing hard SF. Of course it's good. The narrator does a fine job.

another hit t

viry good it kept my intreat all the time this is one of the best

trust your. pets

unusual take on relationship between man and beast. thought provoking. a little wordy sometime but a good "read"

A very good scifi classic...

This is a very good audible version of a classic that I read when I was a boy. I have no criticisms. If you like Andre Norton, you'll love this!

Like meeting an old friend, once more.

Ms. Norton has been a favorite author of mine for 40 years. Great classic sfy/fantasy.

A Unique, Bona Fide Thriller

Catseye

This book is superbly suspenseful with excellent world building. Norton had a gift with language, and I had a mental movie of this world no matter the scene (a teeming, caste-divided city, an eerie, dead(ish) jungle, even travel in a futuristic flitter.

Our protagonist, Troy, is a sub-citizen who gets a week-long contract for labor, and is poignantly relieved to get it. Little does he know that his new employment is about to open up a can of Her-Hers* on him. But he also finds himself in possession of…a gift. As his ability develops, the exploitation of the underclass ratchets up quickly to the intensely personal, and the stakes quickly lead to violence, flight, and pursuit.

This book seems to be a stand-alone novel. It screams for a sequel, though this will never be, RIP, Ms. Norton. There are other books set in this world, however, and I hope that Ms. Norton's estate is arranging to have all of her work recorded. It is well worth it, appropriate for listeners of all ages.

*Not an anachronism, now that I think about it.

An old favorite!

I remember reading this book as a kid, and it was so neat to finally have it on audible. I hope they bring back a lot of André Norton’s older novels and do the same. It’s a great story!

So good to have this book on Audible

I loved this novel when I first read it in the 1970s and had searched Audible for it before. When I saw it was listed in the new book section I was so pleased. If you’re an animal lover and feel kinship with other species then this book is a joy. Being set in the future on a different planet from Earth means it doesn’t (at least to me) appear dated.

Great audio version of a classic SF book

I have loved this book for years and read it countless times, so I was delighted to find it as an audiobook. Eric Michael Summerer's reading of the book is very good. I will definitely listen to this classic again.

Catseye

One of my favourite Andre Norton books. I was so pleased to find it in audible, and well read. I just wish there was a larger selection.

May have to listen again

I didn’t dislike it, but I did have a hard time following what was going on in the latter third of the book.

It’s a good early mystery type romp with animals one man can communicate with on a planet in a Star Trek-like universe (but not following the government (I. E. The Federation), but rather the people of the random planet it takes place on).

The narrator was good and read the somewhat dated style so that it was easily understandable.