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The Iron Breed
Two bestselling novels of science fiction adventure from legendary storyteller Andre Norton collected together for the first time, The Iron Cage and Breed to Come. A young woman and a young man face down powerful enemies as they come of age in a far future universe full of menace and technology so powerful as to be almost magic. Two bestselling novels of science fiction adventure from the People saga of legendary storyteller Andre Norton together for the first time.
The Iron Cage: Jony has always loved and been protected by the People, the bearlike inhabitants on the planet he calls home. But when a star ship arrives carrying Jony’s original species, humans–humans who seek to exploit the People for their own ends–Jony is forced to choose between loyalty to the creatures he considers his family, and the need to reconnect with his long lost heritage.
Breed to Come: On a distant future Earth, humans have polluted the planet and departed, leaving their pets behind to inherit a blasted world. But from that devastated past, a new breed of intelligence arises: the catlike People. Now humans return and the People are in no mood to deal once again with the “demons” who abandoned them to fate so long ago.
The Iron Cage: Jony has always loved and been protected by the People, the bearlike inhabitants on the planet he calls home. But when a star ship arrives carrying Jony’s original species, humans–humans who seek to exploit the People for their own ends–Jony is forced to choose between loyalty to the creatures he considers his family, and the need to reconnect with his long lost heritage.
Breed to Come: On a distant future Earth, humans have polluted the planet and departed, leaving their pets behind to inherit a blasted world. But from that devastated past, a new breed of intelligence arises: the catlike People. Now humans return and the People are in no mood to deal once again with the “demons” who abandoned them to fate so long ago.
448 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2013
19 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Andre Norton
690 books1,391 followersAndre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
maybe-read-sometime
January 6, 2013I'm so glad to see that apparently, the person who was awarded control of her existing works is actually moving to allow some things to be reprinted. Not sure why it took nearly four years, and not sure that this is where I'd have started, but anyway. Things are moving, and that's good.
August 16, 2022
This book contains two novels, ‘The Iron Cage’ and ‘Breed to Come.’ I initially thought these were from the same series, since the non-humans in both are called “the People,” but it turns out they’re different species and the stories are unconnected.
‘The Iron Cage’ tells the story of young man Jony and his two younger siblings, who are living with the People, bear-like aliens, after escaping from another race that were using them as lab animals. When a ship containing human explorers lands on their world, the younger boy and girl are intrigued by them. However, the newcomers see the People as animals and treat them as such, reminding Jony of how he was treated by his captors. It’s an interesting premise, but ultimately it doesn’t really deliver – the plot seems to be building towards an explosive climax which will reveal all, only to end in an abrupt and unsatisfying manner, leaving a lot of loose ends untied. How do the humans react to Jony’s actions? Do they integrate with the natives? Does young Geogee remain on their side or return to Jony and the People? Who were the previous inhabitants of the city they find, and why did they leave someone behind in (presumably) suspended animation? We never get answers to any of these questions, which I found frustrating.
‘Breed to Come’ is about another species called the People, who evolved from cats after Earth was abandoned by humans. This is a much better story. The protagonist, Furtig, is a young male of the People who leaves his clan to seek out his famous ancestor, Gammage. Gammage lives among the deserted lairs of the Demons (humans), learning their secrets and preparing for their possible return. Shortly after Furtig joins Gammage, a spaceship arrives, containing four humans hoping to find out why humans left, and to find a solution to an environmental issue on their new world. What will happen when the humans and the People meet? The conclusion does feel a little rushed, but it’s still very entertaining (though I did dislike that rats, as so often in literature and film, were portrayed as evil).
‘The Iron Cage’ tells the story of young man Jony and his two younger siblings, who are living with the People, bear-like aliens, after escaping from another race that were using them as lab animals. When a ship containing human explorers lands on their world, the younger boy and girl are intrigued by them. However, the newcomers see the People as animals and treat them as such, reminding Jony of how he was treated by his captors. It’s an interesting premise, but ultimately it doesn’t really deliver – the plot seems to be building towards an explosive climax which will reveal all, only to end in an abrupt and unsatisfying manner, leaving a lot of loose ends untied. How do the humans react to Jony’s actions? Do they integrate with the natives? Does young Geogee remain on their side or return to Jony and the People? Who were the previous inhabitants of the city they find, and why did they leave someone behind in (presumably) suspended animation? We never get answers to any of these questions, which I found frustrating.
‘Breed to Come’ is about another species called the People, who evolved from cats after Earth was abandoned by humans. This is a much better story. The protagonist, Furtig, is a young male of the People who leaves his clan to seek out his famous ancestor, Gammage. Gammage lives among the deserted lairs of the Demons (humans), learning their secrets and preparing for their possible return. Shortly after Furtig joins Gammage, a spaceship arrives, containing four humans hoping to find out why humans left, and to find a solution to an environmental issue on their new world. What will happen when the humans and the People meet? The conclusion does feel a little rushed, but it’s still very entertaining (though I did dislike that rats, as so often in literature and film, were portrayed as evil).
December 13, 2016
Iron breed is about cats In a world were they are specially advanced and on a mission. I really liked this book because I like sci-fi books and books like this were animals are becoming as advanced as humans. Kind of. Is you liked Emerald Sea, Against the Tide or even Star Flight by the same author as Iron Breed(Andrew Nortin). Please do read this book my grandfather told me to read it and it was amazing. This book made me feel like i was really in the story and i was with them. And read his other books. :)
February 8, 2015
Andre Norton is one of the greats. This is no exception. I have always appreciated how she weaves the question of what is intelligence and what is humanity into her science fiction stories. In this book, humans rediscover their world and commit the same mistakes and injuries others had committed against them. Some of us learn from our mistakes so there is always hope for earth humans in her books. Sometime I telligence and sense can be learned from those we once treated as pets.
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April 23, 2022Revisiting An Old Favorite
First read The Iron Cage (the first volume in this collection) in the mid 70s. Revisiting it and the follow up has been entertaining. When I read the first volume didn't realize the People are anthromorphic cats that seem to be descended from our present day house cats.,
First read The Iron Cage (the first volume in this collection) in the mid 70s. Revisiting it and the follow up has been entertaining. When I read the first volume didn't realize the People are anthromorphic cats that seem to be descended from our present day house cats.,
November 25, 2013
Read Breed to Come in grade school and still remember it vividly. This is on the must-buy list!
January 15, 2015
A good, solid sci-fi novel. The action is done well and the story flows without too much padding. For the furry minded reader, the anthropomorphic aspects of the story are subtle but prevail throughout the arc of the tale.
February 21, 2022
Iron Breed
What would happen to our pets and lab animals if humans abandoned Terra? Andre Norton spins a couple of thought-provoking tales about the line between "animals" and "people"?
What would happen to our pets and lab animals if humans abandoned Terra? Andre Norton spins a couple of thought-provoking tales about the line between "animals" and "people"?
May 6, 2013
I like a lot of Andre Norton's books, but I found these two title way to preachy. I don't mind books having a theme or "lesson", but these two books seemed to want to bludgeon me with it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews