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The Ninja Kat #1
Velcro: The Ninja Kat
In the Country of Widows, the military organization known as the Devil Corps has waged a secret war against its own people. Only one cat, the Ninja Kat, is aware of this evil scheme, and has sworn to stop this war before it's too late.
The Ninja Kat has been ambushing the Devil Corps and foiling their plots, certain that he's been making a difference. But it isn't until he meets a group of escaped hamsters that he learns how little he has accomplished: the Devil Corps have destroyed the hamsters' village and taken the survivors as prisoners, all under the Ninja Kat's unsuspecting nose. And when the Ninja Kat attempts to rescue those survivors, even he is shocked by what he discovers inside the Devils' lair.
Velcro: The Ninja Kat is an action packed tale that explores the tragic history of this strange new world populated by animals, as well as the mysterious past of the Ninja Kat himself. In the secret war, unlikely alliances will be made. Families will be torn apart, and others reunited in the worst of ways. And in the end, a magical secret even greater than the war itself will be revealed for the first time in generations.
The Ninja Kat has been ambushing the Devil Corps and foiling their plots, certain that he's been making a difference. But it isn't until he meets a group of escaped hamsters that he learns how little he has accomplished: the Devil Corps have destroyed the hamsters' village and taken the survivors as prisoners, all under the Ninja Kat's unsuspecting nose. And when the Ninja Kat attempts to rescue those survivors, even he is shocked by what he discovers inside the Devils' lair.
Velcro: The Ninja Kat is an action packed tale that explores the tragic history of this strange new world populated by animals, as well as the mysterious past of the Ninja Kat himself. In the secret war, unlikely alliances will be made. Families will be torn apart, and others reunited in the worst of ways. And in the end, a magical secret even greater than the war itself will be revealed for the first time in generations.
162 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2012
20 people want to read
About the author
Chris Widdop
10 books3 followersChris Widdop grew up with his cat, Velcro. And together, the two would constantly escape into the fantasy world that was their vivid imaginations, where they took part in many adventures. Now, as a young, new writer, Chris wants nothing more than to share those adventures with the world.
When he's not working on his writing, he enjoys watching movies with a critical eye and voicing his opinions on them in his movie review blog. He's a big film buff, and has begun work on his own film projects.
He also reputably likes chicken. Chicken is delicious.
When he's not working on his writing, he enjoys watching movies with a critical eye and voicing his opinions on them in his movie review blog. He's a big film buff, and has begun work on his own film projects.
He also reputably likes chicken. Chicken is delicious.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 13, 2014
As a seasoned fan and advocate of action/adventure series, in particular those belonging to the shonen genre of anime, I was intrigued by the initial description that accompanied this story. Picking it up and delving into the first few chapters quickly confirmed what I suspected the general concept of the story would be. Calling to mind some of the more serious animated series many of us have grown up on involving animal characters, such as Thundercats, Usagi Yojimbo, Star Fox, Swat Cats, and many others, Velcro The Ninja Kat makes use of fictional world uniquely occupied by anthropomorphic animals to establish a set up that admittedly, could have been just as possible were it told using humans. However, doing so would not have been as endearing or provided for as unique and imaginative a telling. The result of this approach using animals is a refreshing, inspired introduction into the classic depiction of the vengeance-driven hero.
The Plot: Without giving away too much for interested readers, Velcro The Ninja Kat is a story that those already familiar with comics, manga, graphic novels, anime, and animated series will readily understand and appreciate. Set in the Country of Widows, the events drop the reader smack dab in the midst of a clandestine war being waged upon its own citizens by the Devil Corps, a nefarious militaristic organization that is widely reputed as the country’s protectors and whose authority and might has no substantial opposition. Readers are quickly introduced to the Ninja Kat, a rogue agent in all black who has taken it upon himself to challenge the machinations of the Devil Corps at every turn, utilizing his own set of acquired skills, ninja tactics, and a personal, focused ambition to see the to the organization's desolation.
The Ninja Kat gains notoriety for single-handedly thwarting efforts by the Devil Corps to invade the varied villages which exist throughout the Country of Widows. Although he is mostly successful in his feats of espionage and sabotage, the Ninja Kat, like many lone-wolf type characters, eventually discovers his strength alone is not enough in tackling the greater aspirations of the large and powerful enemy he is attempting to take down for the greater good. It's this inevitable circumstance that leads him to begrudgingly enlist the help of the Country of Widows' other affected occupants, who are just as determined and desperate to facilitate the Devil Corps' downfall. This is where a good portion of the story resides as the Ninja Kat runs into the repercussions of involving others in his personal war against the Devil Corps. The Ninja Kat is forced to enlist the aid of allies while learning to see and accept the strength of others he might otherwise have underestimated. This makes for an interesting lesson on the part of the intended hero as he must look beyond himself and embrace the reality that the fight against the Devil Corps is not his alone.
The Structure: This is a relatively quick and easy read by most novels’ standards. The style is concise and does not waste time inundating the reader with superfluous material or information that is irrelevant to establishing the world or the characters. While I'm personally of the mindset that this is the trademark of a good author, there were instances in the book where I felt more elaboration would have been appreciated. This, however, did not interfere with my receiving an adequate idea of the world I was supposed to be envisioning.
A reader might initially be tempted to consider Velcro The Ninja Kat a story best suited for children or young teens. However, while devoid of gratuitous violence, questionable dialogue, or sexually explicit situations, there are a few instances of mild, albeit descriptive violence and language, as well as depictions of certain actions by the characters, that would keep this from exclusively being a story for adolescents. The book's tone remains relatively consistent throughout, except for instances in which the atmosphere is influenced by certain characters and the mood they project.
A good example would have to do with the assembly of victimized hamsters, whose mostly accommodating, kindly, and jovial dispositions in light of their pressing circumstances present a nearly stark contrast to the brooding Ninja Kat's determined vendetta. For this reason, it wouldn't be that difficult to assume this story was geared toward the sensibilities of adolescents. However, delving further into the plot and the history of the protagonist uncovers a rich account showcasing an appropriate amount of emotion and depth that turns this story into something older individuals can appreciate. As it stands, I feel the book is most appropriate for teens and young adults, as they will be able to grasp the themes and receive entertainment in the engaging scenes of combat.
The Setting: Not much actual description is given to the Country of Widows in terms of what makes it geographically distinct, not that this detail is the focus of the story. Conversely, a distinct amount of detail is given to describing areas where important actions or events take place, such as the hamster's village, the beehive sancturary, or the Devil Corps' innermost lair. I felt after getting the reader so invested in such an unusual and particular world meant to be distinct from our own, more time would have been dedicated to this in exposition form or otherwise. While this does not necessarily detract from the story, this could have been an opportunity to enrich it as well.
Right away, the reader will realize this is a world occupied entirely by primarily anthropomorphic animals of varying species. The author does a good job of presenting them as individuals demonstrating human intelligence and emotions while at the same time never letting the reader forget that they still exhibit their animal traits, which further serves to make them distinct as characters. One instance in particular has the Ninja Kat playing with an item as if he were an actual car in front of a bewildered collection of hamsters, comically dispelling the concept of his whole-heartedly serious persona. Scenes like this one showcase how the author maintains his vision of an animal-themed world where such amusing instances can be considered the norm by those who occupy it. It's evident there are creatures which are not humanized, however, which leads me to wonder if there is a greater significance to certain species possessing human traits and others being more animal-like.
I was curious if this world would at all be segregated according to the different species, given the mention of numerous villages with homogonous populations. I thought it might've been a good opportunity in my early read for the disjoined species of cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, bees, spiders, and presumably others separated by their villages to be rallied together by the Ninja Kat in his mission against the Devil Corps, which is ironically enough integrated yet as a force of disguised evil. I was surprised to find that much like in real life, the diverse population of the Country of Widows was already integrated, with cats and dogs and hamsters and bees already quite familiar with and open to one another without any obvious show of discrimination or perceived system of hierarchy. The Devil Corps is an organization that plays on this idea, as it is made up of varied species yet appears to selectively target certain species for capture and experimentation while rejecting others. I would like to believe this concept will be played more or at least touched upon within future books, but only time will tell.
While set in what would widely be considered a modern or even post-modern time period, an unexpected element of the story is the incorporation of "Magic," which, for all intents and purposes, it just that. A crucial aspect of the story has to do with the utilization of this force being employed by the modernized Devil Corps. Their doing so draws on the world's mostly buried, war-torn history and alludes to what this story is not only truly about, but what it is attempting to accomplish. I'm not typically a fan of mixing concepts, especially when they are contradictory in nature or wind up being juxtaposed. However, the author did well to consolidate and fuse these two opposing elements into an intriguing, original idea any sci-fi/action fan can get behind.
The Characters: The characters are, for the most part, likeable and relatable. The Nina Kat begins the book as a mysterious masked vigilante of sorts, who has taken it upon himself to stop the Devil Corps' plans at nearly any cost. I say nearly because throughout various points in the story, the Ninja Kat is shown to have quite the moral compass, often demonstrating compassion, empathy, regret, sorrow, frustration, brashness, impatience, and a slew of other emotions which might otherwise undermine or betray the persona of the composed, professional agent of justice he might represent on the surface.
Though he is determined to do what it takes to fight the Devil Corps, even risk bodily harm or death to himself, he is not (yet) the cold-hearted avenger that will confront the hard choices of exercising any and every means to eliminate evil where he sees it. I do not see him forsaking any comrades or betraying his principles in order to achieve the results he seeks. In that regard, the Ninja Kat is more of an idealistic, principled vigilante, motivated by a desire to extinguish villainy the "right" way in keeping with a moral code or not at all, which is what you would come to except in a hero. Where his character truly shines comes in the form of his back story, which, appropriately, is kept discreet throughout the story and alluded to at all the right moments.
Other characters will leave impressions in their own way, but few succeed as well as the Ninja Kat. The hamsters, such as The Elder Ham and Thomasina, prove to be downright charming in their own right. The rabbit, Chippy, is frustratingly adorable, which is perfect for the purposes of his role in the events at work. Those in line with the Devil Corps, such as those of the upper echelons of command, are predictably evil in ways, yet their dialogue and role within the events is interesting enough to drive the story along without having to stop and question too much. Likewise, the many other characters throughout the book are given fair exposure in relation to their importance and highly individualized personalities in the short but suitable introduction to a much deeper series of impending events.
Speaking of the Devil Corps and its members, their being a militaristic organization designed to serve the country's people yet secretly harming them has much potential story-telling wise to play with examples of moral ambiguity and conflicts of interest among its ranks. Like many real-world military organizations, not everyone enlisted necessarily agrees with or is aware of their organization’s full intentions upon despite carrying out its orders. Hence, all of its soldiers cannot be considered evil, which will likely place the Ninja Kat at odds with who should be regarded as the enemy. This is already evident in the opening chapters as the Devil Corps are widely accepted as being on the side of good by the civilian populace while the Ninja Kat is portrayed as a foreign spy or terrorist in the public eye.
The Theme(s): There are several places throughout the book in which the significance of the Ninja Kat's actions are held up and scrutinized for the reader's benefit. At its surface, Velcro The Ninja Kat appears to be a simple, straightforward series about correcting injustice through action. Readers will find that this theme is revamped several times as the story evolves from correcting injustice to achieving vengeance with justice as a convenient consequence to questioning the meaning of revenge to victory through solidarity and so on. The importance of camaraderie, loss, personal sacrifice, fortitude, family ties, growing up, and other lessons come to define the most poignant segments of the story. There is even a brief but significant chapter that has the Ninja Kat trying to understand what revenge is when his motives are questioned, which to me stood out in a good way as it both demonstrated character development and exposed, even briefly, another dimension in which this story could be enjoyed.
Overall: Like many shonen anime titles and/or action series, Velcro the Ninja Kat has a fairly clear sense of the kind of story it wants to be. While dabbling in moments of appropriate introspection and emotional revelations, it remains first and foremost a direct, focused story concerned with action, adventure, and suspense facilitated by situational conflict, dangerous missions, sword fighting, and hand-to hand-combat. What keeps the story interesting, however, is the promise of seeing even more of this fantastic world and the greater development of the protagonist as he matures in the course of his mission to ultimately defeat the Devil Corps. Needless to say the anime fan in me is looking forward to reading the next installment.
[SPOILER ALERT!!!]
On a personal note, I loved the twist halfway through where Velcro is revealed to be a woman. I didn’t see it coming. Also enjoyed the flashback of her life and the steps she took toward wanting to avenge her father’s death only to learn the enemy she sought was the organization she so admired. Made me want to go back to the beginning and re-read her lines in a female’s voice. The sex of voice of the protagonist is SUCH a crucial element, in my opinion. Lol.
The idea that the confusion of her gender inadvertently masked her activities was a good one. When I first read about her time in the Devil Corps and her eventual desertion, I thought "wouldn’t they immediately suspect Velcro was the terrorist hitting them at every opportunity?" You covered that base well, though. Honey was a fun character I liked reading about, perhaps one of my favorites, and Maggie is quite sympathetic. The relationship between Velcro and Charlie was interesting as well. I really enjoyed the training sessions she had with her father by the Twin Trees, as the imagery was fun to envision. I do wonder about Velcro and Charlie’s mother, however. Does she play a part in the story at all?
The Plot: Without giving away too much for interested readers, Velcro The Ninja Kat is a story that those already familiar with comics, manga, graphic novels, anime, and animated series will readily understand and appreciate. Set in the Country of Widows, the events drop the reader smack dab in the midst of a clandestine war being waged upon its own citizens by the Devil Corps, a nefarious militaristic organization that is widely reputed as the country’s protectors and whose authority and might has no substantial opposition. Readers are quickly introduced to the Ninja Kat, a rogue agent in all black who has taken it upon himself to challenge the machinations of the Devil Corps at every turn, utilizing his own set of acquired skills, ninja tactics, and a personal, focused ambition to see the to the organization's desolation.
The Ninja Kat gains notoriety for single-handedly thwarting efforts by the Devil Corps to invade the varied villages which exist throughout the Country of Widows. Although he is mostly successful in his feats of espionage and sabotage, the Ninja Kat, like many lone-wolf type characters, eventually discovers his strength alone is not enough in tackling the greater aspirations of the large and powerful enemy he is attempting to take down for the greater good. It's this inevitable circumstance that leads him to begrudgingly enlist the help of the Country of Widows' other affected occupants, who are just as determined and desperate to facilitate the Devil Corps' downfall. This is where a good portion of the story resides as the Ninja Kat runs into the repercussions of involving others in his personal war against the Devil Corps. The Ninja Kat is forced to enlist the aid of allies while learning to see and accept the strength of others he might otherwise have underestimated. This makes for an interesting lesson on the part of the intended hero as he must look beyond himself and embrace the reality that the fight against the Devil Corps is not his alone.
The Structure: This is a relatively quick and easy read by most novels’ standards. The style is concise and does not waste time inundating the reader with superfluous material or information that is irrelevant to establishing the world or the characters. While I'm personally of the mindset that this is the trademark of a good author, there were instances in the book where I felt more elaboration would have been appreciated. This, however, did not interfere with my receiving an adequate idea of the world I was supposed to be envisioning.
A reader might initially be tempted to consider Velcro The Ninja Kat a story best suited for children or young teens. However, while devoid of gratuitous violence, questionable dialogue, or sexually explicit situations, there are a few instances of mild, albeit descriptive violence and language, as well as depictions of certain actions by the characters, that would keep this from exclusively being a story for adolescents. The book's tone remains relatively consistent throughout, except for instances in which the atmosphere is influenced by certain characters and the mood they project.
A good example would have to do with the assembly of victimized hamsters, whose mostly accommodating, kindly, and jovial dispositions in light of their pressing circumstances present a nearly stark contrast to the brooding Ninja Kat's determined vendetta. For this reason, it wouldn't be that difficult to assume this story was geared toward the sensibilities of adolescents. However, delving further into the plot and the history of the protagonist uncovers a rich account showcasing an appropriate amount of emotion and depth that turns this story into something older individuals can appreciate. As it stands, I feel the book is most appropriate for teens and young adults, as they will be able to grasp the themes and receive entertainment in the engaging scenes of combat.
The Setting: Not much actual description is given to the Country of Widows in terms of what makes it geographically distinct, not that this detail is the focus of the story. Conversely, a distinct amount of detail is given to describing areas where important actions or events take place, such as the hamster's village, the beehive sancturary, or the Devil Corps' innermost lair. I felt after getting the reader so invested in such an unusual and particular world meant to be distinct from our own, more time would have been dedicated to this in exposition form or otherwise. While this does not necessarily detract from the story, this could have been an opportunity to enrich it as well.
Right away, the reader will realize this is a world occupied entirely by primarily anthropomorphic animals of varying species. The author does a good job of presenting them as individuals demonstrating human intelligence and emotions while at the same time never letting the reader forget that they still exhibit their animal traits, which further serves to make them distinct as characters. One instance in particular has the Ninja Kat playing with an item as if he were an actual car in front of a bewildered collection of hamsters, comically dispelling the concept of his whole-heartedly serious persona. Scenes like this one showcase how the author maintains his vision of an animal-themed world where such amusing instances can be considered the norm by those who occupy it. It's evident there are creatures which are not humanized, however, which leads me to wonder if there is a greater significance to certain species possessing human traits and others being more animal-like.
I was curious if this world would at all be segregated according to the different species, given the mention of numerous villages with homogonous populations. I thought it might've been a good opportunity in my early read for the disjoined species of cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, bees, spiders, and presumably others separated by their villages to be rallied together by the Ninja Kat in his mission against the Devil Corps, which is ironically enough integrated yet as a force of disguised evil. I was surprised to find that much like in real life, the diverse population of the Country of Widows was already integrated, with cats and dogs and hamsters and bees already quite familiar with and open to one another without any obvious show of discrimination or perceived system of hierarchy. The Devil Corps is an organization that plays on this idea, as it is made up of varied species yet appears to selectively target certain species for capture and experimentation while rejecting others. I would like to believe this concept will be played more or at least touched upon within future books, but only time will tell.
While set in what would widely be considered a modern or even post-modern time period, an unexpected element of the story is the incorporation of "Magic," which, for all intents and purposes, it just that. A crucial aspect of the story has to do with the utilization of this force being employed by the modernized Devil Corps. Their doing so draws on the world's mostly buried, war-torn history and alludes to what this story is not only truly about, but what it is attempting to accomplish. I'm not typically a fan of mixing concepts, especially when they are contradictory in nature or wind up being juxtaposed. However, the author did well to consolidate and fuse these two opposing elements into an intriguing, original idea any sci-fi/action fan can get behind.
The Characters: The characters are, for the most part, likeable and relatable. The Nina Kat begins the book as a mysterious masked vigilante of sorts, who has taken it upon himself to stop the Devil Corps' plans at nearly any cost. I say nearly because throughout various points in the story, the Ninja Kat is shown to have quite the moral compass, often demonstrating compassion, empathy, regret, sorrow, frustration, brashness, impatience, and a slew of other emotions which might otherwise undermine or betray the persona of the composed, professional agent of justice he might represent on the surface.
Though he is determined to do what it takes to fight the Devil Corps, even risk bodily harm or death to himself, he is not (yet) the cold-hearted avenger that will confront the hard choices of exercising any and every means to eliminate evil where he sees it. I do not see him forsaking any comrades or betraying his principles in order to achieve the results he seeks. In that regard, the Ninja Kat is more of an idealistic, principled vigilante, motivated by a desire to extinguish villainy the "right" way in keeping with a moral code or not at all, which is what you would come to except in a hero. Where his character truly shines comes in the form of his back story, which, appropriately, is kept discreet throughout the story and alluded to at all the right moments.
Other characters will leave impressions in their own way, but few succeed as well as the Ninja Kat. The hamsters, such as The Elder Ham and Thomasina, prove to be downright charming in their own right. The rabbit, Chippy, is frustratingly adorable, which is perfect for the purposes of his role in the events at work. Those in line with the Devil Corps, such as those of the upper echelons of command, are predictably evil in ways, yet their dialogue and role within the events is interesting enough to drive the story along without having to stop and question too much. Likewise, the many other characters throughout the book are given fair exposure in relation to their importance and highly individualized personalities in the short but suitable introduction to a much deeper series of impending events.
Speaking of the Devil Corps and its members, their being a militaristic organization designed to serve the country's people yet secretly harming them has much potential story-telling wise to play with examples of moral ambiguity and conflicts of interest among its ranks. Like many real-world military organizations, not everyone enlisted necessarily agrees with or is aware of their organization’s full intentions upon despite carrying out its orders. Hence, all of its soldiers cannot be considered evil, which will likely place the Ninja Kat at odds with who should be regarded as the enemy. This is already evident in the opening chapters as the Devil Corps are widely accepted as being on the side of good by the civilian populace while the Ninja Kat is portrayed as a foreign spy or terrorist in the public eye.
The Theme(s): There are several places throughout the book in which the significance of the Ninja Kat's actions are held up and scrutinized for the reader's benefit. At its surface, Velcro The Ninja Kat appears to be a simple, straightforward series about correcting injustice through action. Readers will find that this theme is revamped several times as the story evolves from correcting injustice to achieving vengeance with justice as a convenient consequence to questioning the meaning of revenge to victory through solidarity and so on. The importance of camaraderie, loss, personal sacrifice, fortitude, family ties, growing up, and other lessons come to define the most poignant segments of the story. There is even a brief but significant chapter that has the Ninja Kat trying to understand what revenge is when his motives are questioned, which to me stood out in a good way as it both demonstrated character development and exposed, even briefly, another dimension in which this story could be enjoyed.
Overall: Like many shonen anime titles and/or action series, Velcro the Ninja Kat has a fairly clear sense of the kind of story it wants to be. While dabbling in moments of appropriate introspection and emotional revelations, it remains first and foremost a direct, focused story concerned with action, adventure, and suspense facilitated by situational conflict, dangerous missions, sword fighting, and hand-to hand-combat. What keeps the story interesting, however, is the promise of seeing even more of this fantastic world and the greater development of the protagonist as he matures in the course of his mission to ultimately defeat the Devil Corps. Needless to say the anime fan in me is looking forward to reading the next installment.
[SPOILER ALERT!!!]
On a personal note, I loved the twist halfway through where Velcro is revealed to be a woman. I didn’t see it coming. Also enjoyed the flashback of her life and the steps she took toward wanting to avenge her father’s death only to learn the enemy she sought was the organization she so admired. Made me want to go back to the beginning and re-read her lines in a female’s voice. The sex of voice of the protagonist is SUCH a crucial element, in my opinion. Lol.
The idea that the confusion of her gender inadvertently masked her activities was a good one. When I first read about her time in the Devil Corps and her eventual desertion, I thought "wouldn’t they immediately suspect Velcro was the terrorist hitting them at every opportunity?" You covered that base well, though. Honey was a fun character I liked reading about, perhaps one of my favorites, and Maggie is quite sympathetic. The relationship between Velcro and Charlie was interesting as well. I really enjoyed the training sessions she had with her father by the Twin Trees, as the imagery was fun to envision. I do wonder about Velcro and Charlie’s mother, however. Does she play a part in the story at all?
January 23, 2018
The premise is simply amazing. A Ninja Kat! How could anyone resist?
The characters certainly have a lot to offer. The Ninja Kat, Charlie, the hamsters....They all capture the imagination and sympathies of the reader. Not to mention a villain you'll simply love to hate. The world itself is rich and full of potential.
The book, however, doesn't quite reach that potential, which isn't surprising, considering this is the author's first book. I can, though, see the writing style and plot grow and mature with every book in the series. So, for any fans out there of kickass Ninja Kat's on a mission, I'd say: Give this series a chance and stick with it. I'm certainly planning to.
The characters certainly have a lot to offer. The Ninja Kat, Charlie, the hamsters....They all capture the imagination and sympathies of the reader. Not to mention a villain you'll simply love to hate. The world itself is rich and full of potential.
The book, however, doesn't quite reach that potential, which isn't surprising, considering this is the author's first book. I can, though, see the writing style and plot grow and mature with every book in the series. So, for any fans out there of kickass Ninja Kat's on a mission, I'd say: Give this series a chance and stick with it. I'm certainly planning to.
March 5, 2017
With a harrowing protagonist and imaginative setting, Velcro: The Ninja Kat by Chris Widdop brings a fun twist to the vengeance-driven hero.
Even though I'm not a seasoned reader of action/adventure, and couldn't remember the last time I've read a series with anthropomorphic animals, Widdop's trilogy (so far) was so engaging, it was easy to leave my bookish genre preferences behind. His cast of characters, who exhibit human intelligence and emotions as well as animal traits, are distinct from each other as they battle against an oppressive government and uncover dark, magical secrets.
That is most obvious with Velcro as the main character. The crusade to bring peace throughout the Country of Widows clashes with morals and others on how to do it. Obstacles along the way aren't just physical or during combat, they're emotional. Every book guides Velcro to keep to the course and also look within. Velcro is challenged to understand that being a warrior isn't just about combat, but coming to terms with a deeper meaning of revenge and justice, when to refrain or use the skills that have been learned, and the importance of family and sacrifice. Throughout discoveries of magic, infiltrating the government, and providing help to flailing survivors, a moral compass lends itself to explore compassion, regret, frustration, impatience, and most of all, ambition and determination.
War affects everyone, and each supporting character has their own personal battle too. Velcro leads the revolution in an animated world populated by hamsters, bees, spiders, dogs, and rabbits - to name a few. A variety of personable and fun supporting characters are delightful, creepy and whimsical like Honey, a sassy and determined friend of Velcro's, to an evil scientist Spider. The Devil Corps may be attacking their own people, and the damage they cause may be their downfall. The victims they manage to leave behind turns many into fighters or allies, each one having their own distinct personality and motives to their causes.
The enemies Velcro duels against are clever and fascinating. In terms of world-building, if there is something that could be improved, it might be the details of geography. I struggled with following or picturing the places Velcro prowled into with the second novel, The Green Lion, where the bulk of the expedition is making alliances and evading regions. Every place is notably different by its culture and how Velcro is treated by enemies or allies, but it was a bit difficult to grasp where Velcro is was at times or how to travel between locations without backtracking the story a little. But Widdop's use of world-building is decent, giving villages and characters enough contrasting personalities where all of his threads tie together nicely.
Widdop is an engaging writer who comes into his own and improves in every installment. One of his best skills is creating combat scenes where Velcro's bouts are exciting. He has a true keen sense of describing what his characters are doing in bite-sized details. His writing may be too simplistic for some, where perhaps the dialogue could've been a bit more polished, but I was thoroughly engaged to move from one book to the next to find out what happens. Every book is an expansion on what he previously built and grows to the next stage of the story.
Velcro: The Ninja Kat series offers thrills, humor, and heart. Widdop's adventure is perfect for readers looking for an enjoyable, short set of books to dive into. Each installment picks up where the last one ended and takes you on an action-packed, offbeat journey with unique characters. (And has inspired me to get a cat to call Velcro too.).
Even though I'm not a seasoned reader of action/adventure, and couldn't remember the last time I've read a series with anthropomorphic animals, Widdop's trilogy (so far) was so engaging, it was easy to leave my bookish genre preferences behind. His cast of characters, who exhibit human intelligence and emotions as well as animal traits, are distinct from each other as they battle against an oppressive government and uncover dark, magical secrets.
That is most obvious with Velcro as the main character. The crusade to bring peace throughout the Country of Widows clashes with morals and others on how to do it. Obstacles along the way aren't just physical or during combat, they're emotional. Every book guides Velcro to keep to the course and also look within. Velcro is challenged to understand that being a warrior isn't just about combat, but coming to terms with a deeper meaning of revenge and justice, when to refrain or use the skills that have been learned, and the importance of family and sacrifice. Throughout discoveries of magic, infiltrating the government, and providing help to flailing survivors, a moral compass lends itself to explore compassion, regret, frustration, impatience, and most of all, ambition and determination.
War affects everyone, and each supporting character has their own personal battle too. Velcro leads the revolution in an animated world populated by hamsters, bees, spiders, dogs, and rabbits - to name a few. A variety of personable and fun supporting characters are delightful, creepy and whimsical like Honey, a sassy and determined friend of Velcro's, to an evil scientist Spider. The Devil Corps may be attacking their own people, and the damage they cause may be their downfall. The victims they manage to leave behind turns many into fighters or allies, each one having their own distinct personality and motives to their causes.
The enemies Velcro duels against are clever and fascinating. In terms of world-building, if there is something that could be improved, it might be the details of geography. I struggled with following or picturing the places Velcro prowled into with the second novel, The Green Lion, where the bulk of the expedition is making alliances and evading regions. Every place is notably different by its culture and how Velcro is treated by enemies or allies, but it was a bit difficult to grasp where Velcro is was at times or how to travel between locations without backtracking the story a little. But Widdop's use of world-building is decent, giving villages and characters enough contrasting personalities where all of his threads tie together nicely.
Widdop is an engaging writer who comes into his own and improves in every installment. One of his best skills is creating combat scenes where Velcro's bouts are exciting. He has a true keen sense of describing what his characters are doing in bite-sized details. His writing may be too simplistic for some, where perhaps the dialogue could've been a bit more polished, but I was thoroughly engaged to move from one book to the next to find out what happens. Every book is an expansion on what he previously built and grows to the next stage of the story.
Velcro: The Ninja Kat series offers thrills, humor, and heart. Widdop's adventure is perfect for readers looking for an enjoyable, short set of books to dive into. Each installment picks up where the last one ended and takes you on an action-packed, offbeat journey with unique characters. (And has inspired me to get a cat to call Velcro too.).
February 18, 2021
As a reader, do you every wonder: “gee, why aren’t there any anthropomorphic ninja books to read?” Well I’ve got great news for you THERE’S A SERIES!
From author/filmmaker and friend Chris Widdop comes: “VELCRO: THE NINJA KAT“, a 5 book series {only 3 released as of this posting} about a cat named Velcro who is a ninja fighting against a corrupt military. Simple premise, but lots of things to explore.
The Good:
•The world is very imaginative.
Mr. Widdop has said that these books come from games he use to play with his pets as a young child and you can tell in the level of imagination surrounding everything. There’s a youth’s non restrictive thinking to it most world building lacks these days. The environment of animal toys and equipment described and manifested into anthropomorphic tech will make you chuckle at the brilliance of it. Magical elements are introduced and explained in a way that’s easy to accept and make you excited for future stories.
•The supporting cast is wonderful.
Aside from a few cats we meet, who I feel are just introduced for future stories, we spend most of the book with a group of escaped hamsters. These guy are wonderful and could have an entire book dedicated to their history. They’re also the major form of comic relief, which when you think about hamsters makes perfect sense.
•The pacing is incredible!
Each chapter leaves you unable to not automatically start reading the next one, a feat most books rarely accomplish. And from a debut novel too! If the remainder of the series holds this pacing I’ll be very pleased.
•The action scenes are clear and intense.
Being a book with “ninja” in the title you’re going to expect some action via fights. You won’t be disappointed here. When the abundant fights break out they’re presented clearly and effectively. The visceral nature of the fights also caught me off guard a bit which was nice.
The Bad:
•Velcro loses every fight!
Now I’m sure this is for dramatic character growth over the series, but for a cool ninja character at least one battle should have gone their way. Getting too much help can cause problems.
•The tone was a little confusing.
This isn’t a complaint about the prose. The prose was clear throughout. My issue here was age rage of the intended audience. In the early chapters once Velcro teams up with the hamsters the tone and writing comes off as a kids book. Like 8-10 aged kids. This wouldn’t be a problem normally, it’s a well written kids book in that regard. The problems with it appear later. The first of which is a lone appearance of the big “GD”.
Now I’m not here to go into the moral/social issues with the term, it’s Mr. Widdop’s book and he can write what he pleases. From what I remember of his Twitter feed when the book was coming out this moment received friction. I can understand why, it’s jarring when it occurs! You’re reading a fun kids book when BOOM! Then back to fun kids book.
It seemed intentionally out of place.
I say it was done intentionally because of the full tone shift happens in Chapter 16. From here we get a gritty, rather emotional backstory which from here the tone is a consistent adult fantasy book. I feel this was where Mr. Widdop always wanted the book to be and the future books will maintain this tone. Each half of the book is well done, they just clashed a bit for me.
Short-Story-Long:
I thoroughly loved this book and am excited to read the rest of the series! You should pick this up and give it a read too.
~_M.H._~
From author/filmmaker and friend Chris Widdop comes: “VELCRO: THE NINJA KAT“, a 5 book series {only 3 released as of this posting} about a cat named Velcro who is a ninja fighting against a corrupt military. Simple premise, but lots of things to explore.
The Good:
•The world is very imaginative.
Mr. Widdop has said that these books come from games he use to play with his pets as a young child and you can tell in the level of imagination surrounding everything. There’s a youth’s non restrictive thinking to it most world building lacks these days. The environment of animal toys and equipment described and manifested into anthropomorphic tech will make you chuckle at the brilliance of it. Magical elements are introduced and explained in a way that’s easy to accept and make you excited for future stories.
•The supporting cast is wonderful.
Aside from a few cats we meet, who I feel are just introduced for future stories, we spend most of the book with a group of escaped hamsters. These guy are wonderful and could have an entire book dedicated to their history. They’re also the major form of comic relief, which when you think about hamsters makes perfect sense.
•The pacing is incredible!
Each chapter leaves you unable to not automatically start reading the next one, a feat most books rarely accomplish. And from a debut novel too! If the remainder of the series holds this pacing I’ll be very pleased.
•The action scenes are clear and intense.
Being a book with “ninja” in the title you’re going to expect some action via fights. You won’t be disappointed here. When the abundant fights break out they’re presented clearly and effectively. The visceral nature of the fights also caught me off guard a bit which was nice.
The Bad:
•Velcro loses every fight!
Now I’m sure this is for dramatic character growth over the series, but for a cool ninja character at least one battle should have gone their way. Getting too much help can cause problems.
•The tone was a little confusing.
This isn’t a complaint about the prose. The prose was clear throughout. My issue here was age rage of the intended audience. In the early chapters once Velcro teams up with the hamsters the tone and writing comes off as a kids book. Like 8-10 aged kids. This wouldn’t be a problem normally, it’s a well written kids book in that regard. The problems with it appear later. The first of which is a lone appearance of the big “GD”.
Now I’m not here to go into the moral/social issues with the term, it’s Mr. Widdop’s book and he can write what he pleases. From what I remember of his Twitter feed when the book was coming out this moment received friction. I can understand why, it’s jarring when it occurs! You’re reading a fun kids book when BOOM! Then back to fun kids book.
It seemed intentionally out of place.
I say it was done intentionally because of the full tone shift happens in Chapter 16. From here we get a gritty, rather emotional backstory which from here the tone is a consistent adult fantasy book. I feel this was where Mr. Widdop always wanted the book to be and the future books will maintain this tone. Each half of the book is well done, they just clashed a bit for me.
Short-Story-Long:
I thoroughly loved this book and am excited to read the rest of the series! You should pick this up and give it a read too.
~_M.H._~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2015
Velcro: The Ninja Kat, by Chris Widdop, is a great fantasy book written by an equally great author. The story is set in a world where feline and canine and other mamals, excluding humans, are the dominant species. In this fantastic fantasy world, there is a certain feline who has taken center-stage. Without a completely thought-through plan, the head-strong and very determined Kat sets out to re-instate justice throughout the land, despite the fact that the Kat is named a criminal. This amazing Kat will stop at nothing to ensure that the innocent are protected. Velcro: The Ninja Kat is definitely worth the read for anyone who has an affection toward cats. -Rani
This is a truly amazing book and I am so glad I got the chance to read it. I was also lucky enough to "meet" the author, twice. So far I have read bool one, this one, and book two, Velcro: The Green Lion. I am very excited for the third book, Velcro: The Masquerade, and am hoping above hope that I will be able to acquire it soon.
I was idiot enough to not recognize what a wonderful writer Widdop is until almost two years after I first saw that he wrote a book. Blame it on not reading them soon enough. I had been putting it off thinking, "Eh, it looks okay but I've never heard of Chris Widdop..." That was so very, very stupid of me because once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Luckily I had still purchased the second book even before I read the first! Blame that on a love of reading.
I am looking forward to reading the next book as well as the chance(if I get one) to actually meet Chris Widdop, not just purchase a book from. I am a young writer of fiction(good? probably not but I'm trying) and would love the chance to have a conversation with him. Okay, may I've only added this last part in hopes that this will somehow get back to Chris Widdop. What can I say, a young writer wants pointers from a better writer.
-Rani, a young optimistic writer
This is a truly amazing book and I am so glad I got the chance to read it. I was also lucky enough to "meet" the author, twice. So far I have read bool one, this one, and book two, Velcro: The Green Lion. I am very excited for the third book, Velcro: The Masquerade, and am hoping above hope that I will be able to acquire it soon.
I was idiot enough to not recognize what a wonderful writer Widdop is until almost two years after I first saw that he wrote a book. Blame it on not reading them soon enough. I had been putting it off thinking, "Eh, it looks okay but I've never heard of Chris Widdop..." That was so very, very stupid of me because once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Luckily I had still purchased the second book even before I read the first! Blame that on a love of reading.
I am looking forward to reading the next book as well as the chance(if I get one) to actually meet Chris Widdop, not just purchase a book from. I am a young writer of fiction(good? probably not but I'm trying) and would love the chance to have a conversation with him. Okay, may I've only added this last part in hopes that this will somehow get back to Chris Widdop. What can I say, a young writer wants pointers from a better writer.
-Rani, a young optimistic writer
December 12, 2012
There is a mysterious cat hiding in the shadows dressed all in black. The Ninja Kat is attacking the military unity called the Devil Corps run by the Devil Dog. By dressing in black and hiding in the shadows, the Ninja Kat uses the element of surprise to outwit the Devils. Without surprise, no other weapon seems to stand a chance against the Devil Corps who have Magic and technology at their disposal. When the Ninja Kat is finally overpowered, the Kat teams up with a group of Hamsters with courage and determination and the ability to develop new technology.
The premise of the book is good, intriguing even. It’s cute how Widdop uses a hamster’s store bought habitat as the hamster’s city. I enjoyed picturing cats using martial arts and dogs as soldiers. Unfortunately these cute elements are contrasted against bad language making it inappropriate for elementary and middle schoolers. Parents concerned about language should be aware even at the young adult level.
When the author started talking about the mysterious Black Magic, I was also disappointed. Black Magic and hamsters fighting in balls became too predictable for me. I wanted to like this story by I just don’t think I can recommend it to anyone.
The premise of the book is good, intriguing even. It’s cute how Widdop uses a hamster’s store bought habitat as the hamster’s city. I enjoyed picturing cats using martial arts and dogs as soldiers. Unfortunately these cute elements are contrasted against bad language making it inappropriate for elementary and middle schoolers. Parents concerned about language should be aware even at the young adult level.
When the author started talking about the mysterious Black Magic, I was also disappointed. Black Magic and hamsters fighting in balls became too predictable for me. I wanted to like this story by I just don’t think I can recommend it to anyone.
December 18, 2012
Things that I liked:
1. The anthropomorphism. It was well-done, slick and semi-casual, leaving little room for question, and leaving the reader little choice but to just go along with it.
2. The world. Widdop is a good world-builder. Without going overboard, I got a good sense of the setting, which is always important.
3. The story arcs. They were obviously thought-out and I enjoyed them.
Things that didn’t work for me, or weren’t my cup of tea:
1. The pacing. I feel like from the beginning, everything is a whirlwind, and we’re swept off into the story at 100 miles an hour. Diving into the action at the beginning is fine, but I would have liked some chapters in there that were slower and let me find out and care more about the characters. (Some of these came later, though.)
2. The mood. I think that I’ve learned that middle grade (usually) isn’t my thing, unless it’s crossover or stellar, like Harry Potter, which is both. Again, no one else would notice this unless they don’t usually do middle grade either.
All in all, Velcro was pretty entertaining and certainly had good framework, and I really liked it, but the demographic and mood weren’t my cup of tea. If you’re all about MG, I encourage you to check it out!
1. The anthropomorphism. It was well-done, slick and semi-casual, leaving little room for question, and leaving the reader little choice but to just go along with it.
2. The world. Widdop is a good world-builder. Without going overboard, I got a good sense of the setting, which is always important.
3. The story arcs. They were obviously thought-out and I enjoyed them.
Things that didn’t work for me, or weren’t my cup of tea:
1. The pacing. I feel like from the beginning, everything is a whirlwind, and we’re swept off into the story at 100 miles an hour. Diving into the action at the beginning is fine, but I would have liked some chapters in there that were slower and let me find out and care more about the characters. (Some of these came later, though.)
2. The mood. I think that I’ve learned that middle grade (usually) isn’t my thing, unless it’s crossover or stellar, like Harry Potter, which is both. Again, no one else would notice this unless they don’t usually do middle grade either.
All in all, Velcro was pretty entertaining and certainly had good framework, and I really liked it, but the demographic and mood weren’t my cup of tea. If you’re all about MG, I encourage you to check it out!
December 17, 2012
I first started reading VELCRO: THE NINJA KAT while traveling. It proves to be an enjoyable companion for the trip. This short novel is the first installment of the Velcro: the Ninja Kat series and I hope there will be more it come. It tells the story of Velcro, a cat who seeks revenge of her father's death. Velcro has some really awesome martial arts skills and the fighting scenes are interesting to read. Since this is the beginning of a new series, there are a lot of set-up pieces, information, and back stories. However, the author is wonderful in creating the Ninja Kat world as well as to personify the the animal characters in this story. This is a wonderful beginning of a new series and I am looking forward to more upcoming books from the author.
June 28, 2013
This is a truly original story in a setting like no other. It's refreshing to see a book that dares to be really original.
Unlike other books with unique settings, this one doesn't let exposition slow the story down. It drops the reader right into the middle of the action from the first page, and doesn't slow down much from there. The author trusts that the reader will be able to learn about the setting on his own.
There is a lot of action here: fighting, infiltration, escapes -- all the hallmarks of an adventure story. But the book isn't a simple two-dimensional adventure. The characters are real and well-developed. Because of that, the reader feels he has more of a stake in the good guys' cause.
Unlike other books with unique settings, this one doesn't let exposition slow the story down. It drops the reader right into the middle of the action from the first page, and doesn't slow down much from there. The author trusts that the reader will be able to learn about the setting on his own.
There is a lot of action here: fighting, infiltration, escapes -- all the hallmarks of an adventure story. But the book isn't a simple two-dimensional adventure. The characters are real and well-developed. Because of that, the reader feels he has more of a stake in the good guys' cause.
September 16, 2013
I had a bit of trouble envisioning the main characters, at first, but as the book became more exciting, it no longer mattered. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
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