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Homunculus and the Cat
Just a typical kitten saves the afterlife story, disguised as a book about death.
In a world where every culture’s mythology is real, Medusa’s sisters want revenge on Poseidon, Troy is under siege again, and the Yakuza want their homunculi (mythological artificial humans) back.
Near Atlantis’ Chinatown, a kitten and her human campaign for homunculi rights. Against them are Japanese death gods, an underworld cult, and a fat Atlantean bureaucrat.
The main character dies (more than once) and a few underworlds’ way of death is threatened.
There are Also giant armored battle squids.
In a world where every culture’s mythology is real, Medusa’s sisters want revenge on Poseidon, Troy is under siege again, and the Yakuza want their homunculi (mythological artificial humans) back.
Near Atlantis’ Chinatown, a kitten and her human campaign for homunculi rights. Against them are Japanese death gods, an underworld cult, and a fat Atlantean bureaucrat.
The main character dies (more than once) and a few underworlds’ way of death is threatened.
There are Also giant armored battle squids.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2015
2 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 18, 2015
[I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.]
Good ideas in this mash-up of various mythologies and their associated creatures, however, in the end, it was a bit too choppy to my taste.
The world of Gaia was inventive, fun, full of conundrums and syllogisms, all of those making for a place brimming with diversity... and with the problems associated to it, especially acceptance. This theme, along with the one of "humanity" in its largest meaning, was developed through the homunculi: artificial human-shaped beings, crafted by alchemists, gifted with certain powers, with a beautiful appearance for some, with intelligence and feelings, yet considered as unworthy because they didn't have a soul—or so, some people said.
The political undercurrents permeating the story (the vote, the tricks used in Atlantis to thwart it against the homunculi, the strong will of a few people like Petra to help them get rights at last) were definitely interesting. Perhaps because of all the many creatures in this novel, the hypocrisy behind their reluctance to accept the "soulless" articificial beings was even more tangible, and made for a good metaphor of injustices happening in the human world. I can say I'd really have wanted this specific plot to shine more.
Where the mashup worked much less for me was in the narrative itself. A lot of things happened, more or less tied to the aforementioned plot depending on the moments, but they happened very fast, in a chaotic way. I guess it reflected the chaotic nature of Gaia, yet it didn't male for a coherent read, and there were several moments when I had no idea anymore what was happening, why, or how the characters had come to that particular point or conclusion. Even though it made more sense once I read a few pages back, it was annoying nonetheless.
The other problem with such fast-paced events was that they didn't leave much room to character development, and I felt I was told, rather than shown, the relationships between Tyro and the cat, Tyro and Mina, Tyro and Herakles... (Tyro wants to save him, but since I didn't get to see them interact much, I didn't feel very invested in knowing about the outcome. Same about Tyro and Ankh'Si: the conclusion here was so rushed I wasn't sure if my copy of the book missed a chapter or two.)
I really liked the world developed here, however it was so diverse that it eclipsed the characters. Since I like those to be as developed in a "humoristic" read as in a "serious" one, albeit in different ways, I suppose, it didn't work very well for me in the end.
Good ideas in this mash-up of various mythologies and their associated creatures, however, in the end, it was a bit too choppy to my taste.
The world of Gaia was inventive, fun, full of conundrums and syllogisms, all of those making for a place brimming with diversity... and with the problems associated to it, especially acceptance. This theme, along with the one of "humanity" in its largest meaning, was developed through the homunculi: artificial human-shaped beings, crafted by alchemists, gifted with certain powers, with a beautiful appearance for some, with intelligence and feelings, yet considered as unworthy because they didn't have a soul—or so, some people said.
The political undercurrents permeating the story (the vote, the tricks used in Atlantis to thwart it against the homunculi, the strong will of a few people like Petra to help them get rights at last) were definitely interesting. Perhaps because of all the many creatures in this novel, the hypocrisy behind their reluctance to accept the "soulless" articificial beings was even more tangible, and made for a good metaphor of injustices happening in the human world. I can say I'd really have wanted this specific plot to shine more.
Where the mashup worked much less for me was in the narrative itself. A lot of things happened, more or less tied to the aforementioned plot depending on the moments, but they happened very fast, in a chaotic way. I guess it reflected the chaotic nature of Gaia, yet it didn't male for a coherent read, and there were several moments when I had no idea anymore what was happening, why, or how the characters had come to that particular point or conclusion. Even though it made more sense once I read a few pages back, it was annoying nonetheless.
The other problem with such fast-paced events was that they didn't leave much room to character development, and I felt I was told, rather than shown, the relationships between Tyro and the cat, Tyro and Mina, Tyro and Herakles... (Tyro wants to save him, but since I didn't get to see them interact much, I didn't feel very invested in knowing about the outcome. Same about Tyro and Ankh'Si: the conclusion here was so rushed I wasn't sure if my copy of the book missed a chapter or two.)
I really liked the world developed here, however it was so diverse that it eclipsed the characters. Since I like those to be as developed in a "humoristic" read as in a "serious" one, albeit in different ways, I suppose, it didn't work very well for me in the end.
September 23, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
Since cats are my favourite animals and I adore them completely, I was really happy to see that a winged cat was one of the main characters in this book. I’m not sure if her kind actually exists in mythology… but it was still an interesting concept. And I thought the descriptions of her came across really well.
It was interesting to see bits and pieces of the world around, though I did spend a lot of the book completely confused about the kind of world they were in. While things did make a bit more sense later on, I did spend an awful lot of the book completely lost about why there were a lot of modern things in what seemed like a fantasy setting.
I thought the concept of the godfriends was a really cool one and it was especially good to see that many of them weren’t the obvious ones… such as Euryale and Ahmet. I also thought it was cool to see that the cat was named by her godfriend and how the name of the god became part of her name.
It was nice to get some idea of what different aspects were in the world, even if many of those didn’t really fit in with each other.
I thought it was good to see the cat interacting with various other characters and the nine lives thing was really interesting to see… but the description of the fire was awful. I cringed when I read it and actually found myself getting a bit emotional.
While it was difficult to read about the prejudice many of the characters were facing, I was intrigued by the whole concept of the beings. While they were apparently soulless, they certainly seemed to have feelings and emotions.
There was a lot that was intriguing about this book. I didn’t like that there wasn’t a proper resolution to part of the story at the end, but I really did love a lot of what the cat came out with. And I enjoyed seeing her interacting with Tyro. In the future, I would definitely be interested in reading more books by this author… and hopefully a sequel to this one.
(This review may contain spoilers).
Since cats are my favourite animals and I adore them completely, I was really happy to see that a winged cat was one of the main characters in this book. I’m not sure if her kind actually exists in mythology… but it was still an interesting concept. And I thought the descriptions of her came across really well.
It was interesting to see bits and pieces of the world around, though I did spend a lot of the book completely confused about the kind of world they were in. While things did make a bit more sense later on, I did spend an awful lot of the book completely lost about why there were a lot of modern things in what seemed like a fantasy setting.
I thought the concept of the godfriends was a really cool one and it was especially good to see that many of them weren’t the obvious ones… such as Euryale and Ahmet. I also thought it was cool to see that the cat was named by her godfriend and how the name of the god became part of her name.
It was nice to get some idea of what different aspects were in the world, even if many of those didn’t really fit in with each other.
I thought it was good to see the cat interacting with various other characters and the nine lives thing was really interesting to see… but the description of the fire was awful. I cringed when I read it and actually found myself getting a bit emotional.
While it was difficult to read about the prejudice many of the characters were facing, I was intrigued by the whole concept of the beings. While they were apparently soulless, they certainly seemed to have feelings and emotions.
There was a lot that was intriguing about this book. I didn’t like that there wasn’t a proper resolution to part of the story at the end, but I really did love a lot of what the cat came out with. And I enjoyed seeing her interacting with Tyro. In the future, I would definitely be interested in reading more books by this author… and hopefully a sequel to this one.
January 18, 2017
This book is underrated. Cats, mythology and pure awesomeness!
September 9, 2015
I would like to thank Curiosity Quills for an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review.
What an intriguing book. An enjoyable spin on the creatures of myths and legends, lands of fantasy and magic. Think Terry Pratchett’s Discworld with a slightly straighter face… but only slightly straighter!
It was colourful, witty, fast paced and all round a mostly good read. Despite the rating I’ve given it, this book was an pleasurable new story and, despite what I say below, I can see myself seeking out the next in the series to see what comes next.
And a cat that flips the bird? Took me a moment to get my mind around how it was done… was tempted trying to help one of my own cats learn do it just to get the idea right… but got there in the end without annoying a pet. Fun mental image.
Now for the constructive criticism side of things. Please note I’m not doing this to be mean, or negative or nasty. I provide constructive criticism to try and provide decent feedback on a story. As an author myself, I might not always appreciate people not liking my books, but if they explain it with constructive criticism I can at least learn why it didn’t work for them.
The reason I didn’t rate this book higher was that I found the storyline a little too fractured and splintered. And I’m not just talking about the mild inconsistencies in the plot like the Sanctuary Alchemist staying behind in Atlantis… but also joining their little pocket of fighters in the briny depths. The worm that snatches them from all the baddies then being a snake… those are just the usual hiccups that you often see in an ARC that are usually smoothed out in the final edit. I noticed them, but would never mark a book down for such things.
What really had me drop a star was I found the plot jumped all over the place too much. As if too many ideas were being crammed into the one storyline, rather than being paced out into the series. I also didn’t like the way chapters would start mid-conversation and then, still mid-conversation, the story would be backtracked and the plot, situation and surroundings then filled in. It just came across as a little too disjointed for me. Please note – this could just be an issue with the reader and not the author or their work! This is not me saying it was badly written or terrible. This is just me explaining why I didn’t score it as high as I might have. No hate mail please simply because I, the reader, couldn’t come to grips with the writing style! :-)
Also, and seriously not a big issues (none of them are big issues, minor flaws really in a great story) is that I feel a glossary might be needed for some readers. This is due to the vast array of mythical creatures, deities, places, objects, etc. listed from the world of fantasy. I knew what most of them were… but did find myself having to Google a few. So a glossary would have been nice. It’s a problem I’ve found with my own books and so, to draw the reader to my other work, the glossary can be put on the authors page rather than in the book. Just so readers have somewhere to go for an explanation. Something Mr Croft might like to look into?
Then there was the way the book came across if people are going to know and recognise each creature, deity, place and so on made it come across as more of an extension of existing work. So I’m not too sure if Mr Croft has had some shorter stories from this universe of his published elsewhere, or if the book is a culmination of writing in an online fantasy group… I don’t know. I just got the feeling this wasn’t the first works of this world, if that makes sense? This is not a bad thing, just a feeling I got that made me curious.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would. Ignore my constructive criticisms for the moment as they are mere niggles as to why I rated the book the way I did. The story was fresh, new, entertaining and enjoyable. I’ve already mentioned it to a few people who I know are into this sort of light-hearted fantasy. It is a good book.
Would I buy this book for myself? I probably would. And, as said, the ending has gotten me intrigued enough to see how the series unfolds.
In summary: Slightly disjointed and fractured in parts of the plot, but all in all a good and enjoyable read and one I would recommend. It is a good start to an interesting new series that anyone who likes fantasy, urban fantasy – or cats that can flip you the bird – should read.
What an intriguing book. An enjoyable spin on the creatures of myths and legends, lands of fantasy and magic. Think Terry Pratchett’s Discworld with a slightly straighter face… but only slightly straighter!
It was colourful, witty, fast paced and all round a mostly good read. Despite the rating I’ve given it, this book was an pleasurable new story and, despite what I say below, I can see myself seeking out the next in the series to see what comes next.
And a cat that flips the bird? Took me a moment to get my mind around how it was done… was tempted trying to help one of my own cats learn do it just to get the idea right… but got there in the end without annoying a pet. Fun mental image.
Now for the constructive criticism side of things. Please note I’m not doing this to be mean, or negative or nasty. I provide constructive criticism to try and provide decent feedback on a story. As an author myself, I might not always appreciate people not liking my books, but if they explain it with constructive criticism I can at least learn why it didn’t work for them.
The reason I didn’t rate this book higher was that I found the storyline a little too fractured and splintered. And I’m not just talking about the mild inconsistencies in the plot like the Sanctuary Alchemist staying behind in Atlantis… but also joining their little pocket of fighters in the briny depths. The worm that snatches them from all the baddies then being a snake… those are just the usual hiccups that you often see in an ARC that are usually smoothed out in the final edit. I noticed them, but would never mark a book down for such things.
What really had me drop a star was I found the plot jumped all over the place too much. As if too many ideas were being crammed into the one storyline, rather than being paced out into the series. I also didn’t like the way chapters would start mid-conversation and then, still mid-conversation, the story would be backtracked and the plot, situation and surroundings then filled in. It just came across as a little too disjointed for me. Please note – this could just be an issue with the reader and not the author or their work! This is not me saying it was badly written or terrible. This is just me explaining why I didn’t score it as high as I might have. No hate mail please simply because I, the reader, couldn’t come to grips with the writing style! :-)
Also, and seriously not a big issues (none of them are big issues, minor flaws really in a great story) is that I feel a glossary might be needed for some readers. This is due to the vast array of mythical creatures, deities, places, objects, etc. listed from the world of fantasy. I knew what most of them were… but did find myself having to Google a few. So a glossary would have been nice. It’s a problem I’ve found with my own books and so, to draw the reader to my other work, the glossary can be put on the authors page rather than in the book. Just so readers have somewhere to go for an explanation. Something Mr Croft might like to look into?
Then there was the way the book came across if people are going to know and recognise each creature, deity, place and so on made it come across as more of an extension of existing work. So I’m not too sure if Mr Croft has had some shorter stories from this universe of his published elsewhere, or if the book is a culmination of writing in an online fantasy group… I don’t know. I just got the feeling this wasn’t the first works of this world, if that makes sense? This is not a bad thing, just a feeling I got that made me curious.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would. Ignore my constructive criticisms for the moment as they are mere niggles as to why I rated the book the way I did. The story was fresh, new, entertaining and enjoyable. I’ve already mentioned it to a few people who I know are into this sort of light-hearted fantasy. It is a good book.
Would I buy this book for myself? I probably would. And, as said, the ending has gotten me intrigued enough to see how the series unfolds.
In summary: Slightly disjointed and fractured in parts of the plot, but all in all a good and enjoyable read and one I would recommend. It is a good start to an interesting new series that anyone who likes fantasy, urban fantasy – or cats that can flip you the bird – should read.
September 24, 2015
Author Nathan Croft took the fantasy kitchen sink mashup into why-the-hell-not? territory. Apparently not getting an answer, he rolled up his sleeves and wrote Homunculus and the Cat.
There might be a few fantasy tropes left unrepresented. He might have missed one or two pantheons or mythical creatures. But it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. In the book, every sentient (and a fair number of not-so-sentient) creature has his or her own godfriend, a deity with whom they have a personal relationship. Obviously, that calls for a lot of gods. The only exceptions are the Homunculi. (Come on, admit it. You don’t know what that is either.) This is possibly the first book where the very title sent me to Google. Wikipedia helpfully explained: “A homunculus (Latin for “little man”, plural: “homunculi”; from the masculine diminutive form of homo, “man”) is a representation of a small human being. Popularized in sixteenth century alchemy and nineteenth century fiction, it has historically referred to the creation of a miniature, fully formed human. The concept has roots in preformationism as well as earlier folklore and alchemic traditions.” Okay, then. Moving on.
In Nathan Croft’s world, the story starts with a magical cat. She’s a winged kitten, really, just starting on the first of her nine lives. That life is ended when she saves the life of a homunculus. Regenerated into life number two, she eventually ends up with Tyro, a human with a mysterious background. Tyro, cat at his side, has dedicated his life to obtaining full civil rights for the apparently soulless homunculi. That seemingly hopeless quest sends the pair all over the known world and into a few other ones. Along the way they meet centaurs, vampires, fey, dragons, mermaids, a boatload of gods and goddesses, and just about every other mythological and magical creature you could imagine.
And for me, that was the problem. I couldn’t keep the characters straight, let alone track the constant shifts in point of view. The cast was so vast that there was almost no chance for or evidence of character development. I tried to track the cat’s lives as she sacrificed one after the other for her friends, but even that was hard to follow. And that’s a shame, because so many of the right ingredients are there. Author Croft writes with humor and a nice feel for dialog. He just tries to cram too much into his tale. The problem with a new magical creature on almost every page is that we just don’t get to know any of them. We don’t see them grow as characters, so we don’t really care that much about their fate.
I would give Homunculus and the Cat three stars out of five. If you like fantasy books that poke every available pantheon and trope, if you like a fast pace, lots of action, and plenty of sword and sorcery, you might enjoy this one. But if you’re looking for character growth, if you need to develop strong feelings about characters in order to enjoy the time spent with them, this might not be the book for you.
*I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
There might be a few fantasy tropes left unrepresented. He might have missed one or two pantheons or mythical creatures. But it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. In the book, every sentient (and a fair number of not-so-sentient) creature has his or her own godfriend, a deity with whom they have a personal relationship. Obviously, that calls for a lot of gods. The only exceptions are the Homunculi. (Come on, admit it. You don’t know what that is either.) This is possibly the first book where the very title sent me to Google. Wikipedia helpfully explained: “A homunculus (Latin for “little man”, plural: “homunculi”; from the masculine diminutive form of homo, “man”) is a representation of a small human being. Popularized in sixteenth century alchemy and nineteenth century fiction, it has historically referred to the creation of a miniature, fully formed human. The concept has roots in preformationism as well as earlier folklore and alchemic traditions.” Okay, then. Moving on.
In Nathan Croft’s world, the story starts with a magical cat. She’s a winged kitten, really, just starting on the first of her nine lives. That life is ended when she saves the life of a homunculus. Regenerated into life number two, she eventually ends up with Tyro, a human with a mysterious background. Tyro, cat at his side, has dedicated his life to obtaining full civil rights for the apparently soulless homunculi. That seemingly hopeless quest sends the pair all over the known world and into a few other ones. Along the way they meet centaurs, vampires, fey, dragons, mermaids, a boatload of gods and goddesses, and just about every other mythological and magical creature you could imagine.
And for me, that was the problem. I couldn’t keep the characters straight, let alone track the constant shifts in point of view. The cast was so vast that there was almost no chance for or evidence of character development. I tried to track the cat’s lives as she sacrificed one after the other for her friends, but even that was hard to follow. And that’s a shame, because so many of the right ingredients are there. Author Croft writes with humor and a nice feel for dialog. He just tries to cram too much into his tale. The problem with a new magical creature on almost every page is that we just don’t get to know any of them. We don’t see them grow as characters, so we don’t really care that much about their fate.
I would give Homunculus and the Cat three stars out of five. If you like fantasy books that poke every available pantheon and trope, if you like a fast pace, lots of action, and plenty of sword and sorcery, you might enjoy this one. But if you’re looking for character growth, if you need to develop strong feelings about characters in order to enjoy the time spent with them, this might not be the book for you.
*I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
October 26, 2015
Rarely have I encountered a book that is both highly unique and exceptionally written. Homunculus & the Cat is a fantasy novel that defies description. Despite, or perhaps because of this, it is an exceptional novel that is entertaining and thought-provoking. And then, there is the Cat, an amazing creature that is heroic while being true to her feline nature. Her curiosity and impulsiveness draw her into a magnificent adventure.
This is a world where every culture's mythology is real. Gods and goddesses exist, as do mythical creatures and magic. Amongst these beings are the homunculi, artificial beings created by alchemists. Because they do not have a patron God and because they are artificial, they are seen as lesser creatures. Tyro is a jack-of-all-trades who is helping the homunculi rights campaign and working with the homunculi sanctuary in Atlantis. The quest to rescue a homunculi friend, Herakles, brings Tyro into contact with the kitten, an ennedi (an Egyptian winged cat). The homunculi are beset on all sides, by unscrupulous politicians, Japanese gangsters, shikome from the Japanese underworld and more.
What seems to start as a battle for rights, evolves into a battle between gods and men for control of the various underworlds.
As the cat is told by her goddess early on, following Tyro will definitely not be boring. As a reader I definitely agree. Homunculus & the Cat is an engrossing adventure that will interest fantasy fans looking for something out of the ordinary. Cat lovers will enjoy the ennedi kitten and her curious ways, as well as the important role she plays in the story.
5/5
Homunculus & the Cat is the first book in the Omnitheon cycle.
I received a copy of Homunculus & the Cat from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Visit http://muttcafe.com for more reviews
This is a world where every culture's mythology is real. Gods and goddesses exist, as do mythical creatures and magic. Amongst these beings are the homunculi, artificial beings created by alchemists. Because they do not have a patron God and because they are artificial, they are seen as lesser creatures. Tyro is a jack-of-all-trades who is helping the homunculi rights campaign and working with the homunculi sanctuary in Atlantis. The quest to rescue a homunculi friend, Herakles, brings Tyro into contact with the kitten, an ennedi (an Egyptian winged cat). The homunculi are beset on all sides, by unscrupulous politicians, Japanese gangsters, shikome from the Japanese underworld and more.
What seems to start as a battle for rights, evolves into a battle between gods and men for control of the various underworlds.
As the cat is told by her goddess early on, following Tyro will definitely not be boring. As a reader I definitely agree. Homunculus & the Cat is an engrossing adventure that will interest fantasy fans looking for something out of the ordinary. Cat lovers will enjoy the ennedi kitten and her curious ways, as well as the important role she plays in the story.
5/5
Homunculus & the Cat is the first book in the Omnitheon cycle.
I received a copy of Homunculus & the Cat from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Visit http://muttcafe.com for more reviews
June 19, 2016
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Set in a world where every fantastical animal and god can be found, prepare for a mash up of almost all things fantasy in Homunculus and the Cat.
Featuring the cat and Tyro, together battling for the one suppressed group in this universe, the Homunculi (Latin for little men), created by Alchemist and apparently soulless.
This is about as much as I understood from the story. While I really like mashups and I loved the idea of putting every fantasy creature together, it caused me to be confused during most if not all of the story. So many things happen all at once, and new characters are introduced almost on every pace. This also caused it to be difficult to really get attached to any of them or to fully appreciate the relationship between Tyro and them.
Which is a shame, because I really wanted to like and understand it better than I did now. It might have been not the right time for me to read this particular book, since I've a lot on my mind at the moment, but from other reviewers I read the same about the story feeling a bit splintered and it being disconnected at times.
This is not to say that I wouldn't want to try the next book, in hopes of some of the troubles being solved. I just like the idea so much!
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Set in a world where every fantastical animal and god can be found, prepare for a mash up of almost all things fantasy in Homunculus and the Cat.
Featuring the cat and Tyro, together battling for the one suppressed group in this universe, the Homunculi (Latin for little men), created by Alchemist and apparently soulless.
This is about as much as I understood from the story. While I really like mashups and I loved the idea of putting every fantasy creature together, it caused me to be confused during most if not all of the story. So many things happen all at once, and new characters are introduced almost on every pace. This also caused it to be difficult to really get attached to any of them or to fully appreciate the relationship between Tyro and them.
Which is a shame, because I really wanted to like and understand it better than I did now. It might have been not the right time for me to read this particular book, since I've a lot on my mind at the moment, but from other reviewers I read the same about the story feeling a bit splintered and it being disconnected at times.
This is not to say that I wouldn't want to try the next book, in hopes of some of the troubles being solved. I just like the idea so much!
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
November 5, 2015
AMAZING!! I love Mythology and this book is packed full of mythical creatures, gods, and goddesses. Unique and genuinely fun to read, I was impressed by Nathan Croft's storytelling with so many rich characters and not losing the theme of the story. As for Cat, she was my favorite by far, filled to the brim with cat curiosity, but still not being exactly all cat. A perfect beginning to, I hope, will be a great new trilogy to add to the ranks of greatness.
March 16, 2017
Presented as a literary fantasy, this book is splitting at the seams with intermixed ideas. Every god from every mythological pantheon exists at the same time, with the expected chaos from their imminent clashes. In the midst of it all, Croft pulls several extremely unlikely characters together for an intriguing adventure. Despite the sometimes dark outlook on the world, it presents a highly optimistic view of life because of the unique and interesting people in it. More than anything else, this book offers a masterful incite into the mind and perspectives of Millennials.
November 5, 2015
Ankh’Si-Amunet is a newborn Ennedi, a rare winged cat. Abandoned by her mother an accident landed her in Alexandria, flying among the people and doing as she wishes when she wishes. Driven by curiosity she flies on a whim into a darkened apartment after a whispered cry for help, only to be attacked by a shikome hunting a humunculus. She bites, and suffocates to death as its darkness swarms her lungs. Herakles, the humunculus, tells her this is only her first death. As a cat she has eight to live through – though two months old is a bit young to be dying. In her flight from the shikome she meets Tyro, and learns from the Goddess Amunet her purpose. In following Tyro she learns about people, life…and death.
I am a cat person, a complete crazy cat lady. When people ask if I have children (which comes up ridiculously often) I answer that I have cats. When Ankh’Si lost her second life, burning alive while crying alone in the basement of the sanctuary, I had to close the book. I had tears in my eyes and honestly didn’t know if I would finish the book. I was angry at the author for his treatment of Ankh’Si and didn’t think I could read through her repeated deaths. I tried reading again later and did manage to make it through the book, but I can’t decide if I like it or not.
This is a very unique book, a sort of alternative mythology/epic fantasy. I would be very interested in how accurate the mythology is, though I love mythology it’s definitely not an area of expertise of mine. I was amused by the Gods and Goddesses, who treated the world like their playground. That, at least, seemed fairly accurate.
The characters were well developed, and dynamic with all sorts of personalities. Even the dragons were uniquely developed – a lot of care went into the characters. The names were chosen with care, and different languages considered. It was a stimulating read, from Ankh’Si developing human traits through her observation to the underwater holy war between the Gods and Goddesses who used sharks and armored squids to fight. Even the Yakuza were involved, bringing philosophical opinions on death, the underworld, and homunculi.
While I am uncertain towards how much I liked the book – I remain upset over the violence and number of deaths Ankh’Si was forced to experience as just a young kitten – I would consider reading the second book in the series. It’s a beautiful world with an interesting combination of technology and magic, and thought provoking theories on philosophy.
**I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review first appeared on my blog on 9/20/15**
I am a cat person, a complete crazy cat lady. When people ask if I have children (which comes up ridiculously often) I answer that I have cats. When Ankh’Si lost her second life, burning alive while crying alone in the basement of the sanctuary, I had to close the book. I had tears in my eyes and honestly didn’t know if I would finish the book. I was angry at the author for his treatment of Ankh’Si and didn’t think I could read through her repeated deaths. I tried reading again later and did manage to make it through the book, but I can’t decide if I like it or not.
This is a very unique book, a sort of alternative mythology/epic fantasy. I would be very interested in how accurate the mythology is, though I love mythology it’s definitely not an area of expertise of mine. I was amused by the Gods and Goddesses, who treated the world like their playground. That, at least, seemed fairly accurate.
The characters were well developed, and dynamic with all sorts of personalities. Even the dragons were uniquely developed – a lot of care went into the characters. The names were chosen with care, and different languages considered. It was a stimulating read, from Ankh’Si developing human traits through her observation to the underwater holy war between the Gods and Goddesses who used sharks and armored squids to fight. Even the Yakuza were involved, bringing philosophical opinions on death, the underworld, and homunculi.
While I am uncertain towards how much I liked the book – I remain upset over the violence and number of deaths Ankh’Si was forced to experience as just a young kitten – I would consider reading the second book in the series. It’s a beautiful world with an interesting combination of technology and magic, and thought provoking theories on philosophy.
**I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review first appeared on my blog on 9/20/15**
September 8, 2015
This book is not normal. Let's just get that out of the way. If you are looking for a book just like something else you have read, then this is not for you. On the other hand, if you want a story that is more than a little different, where imagination and creativity jump out of nearly every page, then this should probably be on your list. Nathan writes with a wry, sardonic yet enthusiastic voice that carries the reader through each page.
Homunculus and the Cat tells the story of two main characters, the titular cat and a humanoid named Tyro. The two end up together in Atlantis campaigning for Homunculus (humanoid created by Alchemists) rights. There are a lot of forces in Atlantis that do not want this to happen, and from that opposition our characters get swept up into a conflict that is much bigger than they ever realized. The twists and turns are exciting, and it builds to one of the more imaginative battles I've read in some time. The armored battle-squid is almost single-handedly worth reading the entire book for.
The single strongest aspect of this book is the setting. That is not to say that the characters or plot are poor, they aren't, but this world is so unique and bizarre that I kept reading just to see where I got to go next. The basic idea is that this story takes place in a kind of parallel world to ours, where all of mankind's mythologies are real. You meet dragons and gorgons and mer-people and griffons and death demons; the list just goes on and on. You get taken all over the world as well, from the metropolis of Atlantis to underwater mer-people cities to a city built into and on top of the Grand Canyon. You never know what you will see in the next chapter, and the author approaches the whole world with the appropriate sense of wonder and jadedness.
All-in-all, I liked Homunculus and the Cat. The world was wildly imaginative, the plot moved at a brisk pace and the author's voice kept me thoroughly entertained. Recommended for anyone looking for something fun and a little off the beaten path.
Homunculus and the Cat tells the story of two main characters, the titular cat and a humanoid named Tyro. The two end up together in Atlantis campaigning for Homunculus (humanoid created by Alchemists) rights. There are a lot of forces in Atlantis that do not want this to happen, and from that opposition our characters get swept up into a conflict that is much bigger than they ever realized. The twists and turns are exciting, and it builds to one of the more imaginative battles I've read in some time. The armored battle-squid is almost single-handedly worth reading the entire book for.
The single strongest aspect of this book is the setting. That is not to say that the characters or plot are poor, they aren't, but this world is so unique and bizarre that I kept reading just to see where I got to go next. The basic idea is that this story takes place in a kind of parallel world to ours, where all of mankind's mythologies are real. You meet dragons and gorgons and mer-people and griffons and death demons; the list just goes on and on. You get taken all over the world as well, from the metropolis of Atlantis to underwater mer-people cities to a city built into and on top of the Grand Canyon. You never know what you will see in the next chapter, and the author approaches the whole world with the appropriate sense of wonder and jadedness.
All-in-all, I liked Homunculus and the Cat. The world was wildly imaginative, the plot moved at a brisk pace and the author's voice kept me thoroughly entertained. Recommended for anyone looking for something fun and a little off the beaten path.
May 24, 2017
First of all, I'd like to say thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. I've got tons of books from the site, ready to review. Can't wait!
So I've been reading this book for quite some time now, and honestly I nearly gave up on it a few times. But for the sake of the review, I managed to keep on at it until the end.
What I managed to gather from this book is that it takes place in a whole different universe, where myths and gods are real. Winged cats with nine lives, flying carpets, even homunculi. The main characters include the Ennedi Ankh' Si, a flying cat, Tyro, a simple human, and homunculi such as Mina and Herakles. A homunculus sanctuary, fighting for equal rights for their kind, is caught in a fire. In desperate need of help, the crew end up travelling all over the place - including to an underwater palace of a goddess, where they participate in a huge battle.
If I'm really honest, I can't tell you much more than that. There's some suspicious dude called Manga, and Tyro tries to rescue his friend Herakles - requiring a trip back to good ol' America. But other than that, I'm not quite sure what happened.
The writing itself is actually pretty good. The descriptions and metaphors are great, and there's a good deal of underlying humour in places. And the whole idea of this universe full of gods and demons and creatures both beautiful and terrible is wonderful. It's just a shame that I couldn't get into it. I felt like I was reading most of it through a daze, just trying to get it over with.
I will give this the benefit of the doubt - maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it, or I just wasn't paying enough attention. Others may enjoy this a lot more than I did. But I'm going to give it just two stars, which honestly feels like I'm pushing the bar a little already.
So I've been reading this book for quite some time now, and honestly I nearly gave up on it a few times. But for the sake of the review, I managed to keep on at it until the end.
What I managed to gather from this book is that it takes place in a whole different universe, where myths and gods are real. Winged cats with nine lives, flying carpets, even homunculi. The main characters include the Ennedi Ankh' Si, a flying cat, Tyro, a simple human, and homunculi such as Mina and Herakles. A homunculus sanctuary, fighting for equal rights for their kind, is caught in a fire. In desperate need of help, the crew end up travelling all over the place - including to an underwater palace of a goddess, where they participate in a huge battle.
If I'm really honest, I can't tell you much more than that. There's some suspicious dude called Manga, and Tyro tries to rescue his friend Herakles - requiring a trip back to good ol' America. But other than that, I'm not quite sure what happened.
The writing itself is actually pretty good. The descriptions and metaphors are great, and there's a good deal of underlying humour in places. And the whole idea of this universe full of gods and demons and creatures both beautiful and terrible is wonderful. It's just a shame that I couldn't get into it. I felt like I was reading most of it through a daze, just trying to get it over with.
I will give this the benefit of the doubt - maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it, or I just wasn't paying enough attention. Others may enjoy this a lot more than I did. But I'm going to give it just two stars, which honestly feels like I'm pushing the bar a little already.
October 21, 2015
This book is very hard to describe, but I am certainly willing to give it a try! Most folklores and mythologies are real in this fantastical tale set in a world where everyone has a godfriend, someone who is a real god. The homunculi are in trouble because no one wants to give them any rights because they don’t have godfriends, or a soul. And, as such, don’t deserve rights. Tyro and a cat set out to get homunculi rights, even at the expensive of their lives…or at least some of the cat’s nine lives.
The main character is a flying cat, who doesn’t have a name until her godfriend gives her one, which I thought was a very interesting concept. I really enjoyed this character as a whole. And the whole thing of a cat giving the finger was hilarious (even though it did get a little old). Tyro was a little mysterious and hard to understand but I felt better about him towards the end. Humor abounded all through the book which I appreciate; even when things are at their worst, humor does creep in. All in all, this was a very good book, but the action was non-stop, and getting to know the all the characters was a little difficult. Homunculus and the Cat would have benefited if the all characters, tropes, etc. were introduced with more time in between information as opposed to feeling like everything came at the reader at once, with no time to assimilate it. The book is worth a read because it is well-written, and the world is fascinating, has a lot of humor, and has such a lot of potential, just a little overwhelming. And, I will pick up the second, which is always an indicator I liked the book. Recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
The main character is a flying cat, who doesn’t have a name until her godfriend gives her one, which I thought was a very interesting concept. I really enjoyed this character as a whole. And the whole thing of a cat giving the finger was hilarious (even though it did get a little old). Tyro was a little mysterious and hard to understand but I felt better about him towards the end. Humor abounded all through the book which I appreciate; even when things are at their worst, humor does creep in. All in all, this was a very good book, but the action was non-stop, and getting to know the all the characters was a little difficult. Homunculus and the Cat would have benefited if the all characters, tropes, etc. were introduced with more time in between information as opposed to feeling like everything came at the reader at once, with no time to assimilate it. The book is worth a read because it is well-written, and the world is fascinating, has a lot of humor, and has such a lot of potential, just a little overwhelming. And, I will pick up the second, which is always an indicator I liked the book. Recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2015
I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.
Ten Second Synopsis:
An adventure tale that features gods, monsters, homicidal Japanese death spirits, mythical creatures and cats. Flying cats.
This book features a lot of action one with a final battle that can only be described as “epic”. The cat of the title is certainly a likeable and original character and the focus on homunculi rights early on in the book is interesting. This will be a hit with those who like their mythologies well and truly mashed up.
The world Croft has created draws on a lot of different mythologies and seems wholly original. The downside to that is that in the early chapters, there isn’t a great deal of explanation as to how the various factions interact.
All in all, this is a satisfyingly humour-filled adventure romp that oozes originality. You can imagine all the shenanigans that may occur when you have one protagonist with nine lives (and a penchant for giving the forks whether its warranted or not) and a second with no soul but a whole lot of heart. Add to that war, arson and general political point-scoring and you’ll have a pretty good idea about whether or not this one is for you.
Ten Second Synopsis:
An adventure tale that features gods, monsters, homicidal Japanese death spirits, mythical creatures and cats. Flying cats.
This book features a lot of action one with a final battle that can only be described as “epic”. The cat of the title is certainly a likeable and original character and the focus on homunculi rights early on in the book is interesting. This will be a hit with those who like their mythologies well and truly mashed up.
The world Croft has created draws on a lot of different mythologies and seems wholly original. The downside to that is that in the early chapters, there isn’t a great deal of explanation as to how the various factions interact.
All in all, this is a satisfyingly humour-filled adventure romp that oozes originality. You can imagine all the shenanigans that may occur when you have one protagonist with nine lives (and a penchant for giving the forks whether its warranted or not) and a second with no soul but a whole lot of heart. Add to that war, arson and general political point-scoring and you’ll have a pretty good idea about whether or not this one is for you.
August 26, 2016
Nathan does an amazing job,however, at tying the entire story together and keeping it flowing forward. Even though an eyebrow went up here and there, I still enjoyed it.
The story of Tyro is an enduring tale of the underdog fighting for what he knows is right despite the seemingly insurmountable odds against him. This character has many opportunities to throw up his hands and declare "this is not my fight" but he doesn't. As the story progresses I found myself cheering for Tyro because ,dang it, the underdog deserves to win once in awhile. The character is very complex and you can sense he has a lot of his own demons to contend with. Still, he leads the charge to save a friend who has betrayed him in the worse way.
And the cat: as a cat lover, I immediately adhered to her. Her loyalty to Tyro and her spunky attitude reminded me of my own cat. For a cat she has her own tragic tale to tell of betrayal. The most humorous moments in the book had the cat at the center of them. But also her level of loyalty is touching. She sacrifices everything for him, at least five times. What greater sacrifice is there than to lay your life down for those you love, even if you get eight resurrections.
Well done, Nathan, well done.
The story of Tyro is an enduring tale of the underdog fighting for what he knows is right despite the seemingly insurmountable odds against him. This character has many opportunities to throw up his hands and declare "this is not my fight" but he doesn't. As the story progresses I found myself cheering for Tyro because ,dang it, the underdog deserves to win once in awhile. The character is very complex and you can sense he has a lot of his own demons to contend with. Still, he leads the charge to save a friend who has betrayed him in the worse way.
And the cat: as a cat lover, I immediately adhered to her. Her loyalty to Tyro and her spunky attitude reminded me of my own cat. For a cat she has her own tragic tale to tell of betrayal. The most humorous moments in the book had the cat at the center of them. But also her level of loyalty is touching. She sacrifices everything for him, at least five times. What greater sacrifice is there than to lay your life down for those you love, even if you get eight resurrections.
Well done, Nathan, well done.
October 30, 2015
This was a good read and I enjoyed it but there was some much information and variety of the myths and legends of ancient times that I was getting confused. I hope the next story will center on one or two ideas. I like Tyro and hope he can reappear in the future. Any cat lover will enjoy this new series, from teen to adult.
December 26, 2015
I thought the world building was interesting, and it was a good concept, but I did not like the author's style of writing. It bothered me how he would shift point-of-view abruptly without any breaks in the writing. Also, I thought the ending was really dumb.
Read
February 16, 2017DNF at 26%
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