Apprentice Cat

Toby's Tale #1

by Virginia Ripple

Toby is a young tom who dreams of becoming an apprentice cat, a feline partnered with an apprentice human mage, at the King’s Academy of Mages. When he is partnered with Lorn Ribaldy, the nephew of known traitor Master Hecktor Ribaldy, he learns his dreams are in jeopardy. There are those who want to keep undesirables out and that includes Lorn and anyone associated with him. In a meeting with Head Master Cat Meredith and Head Master Mage Jalen, Toby and Lorn are offered a way to change their status from provisional to permanent: find out why Toby’s father disappeared during a standard recon mission for the High Council. Now all they have to do is keep up with their homework and survive a little espionage.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Amazon

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 18, 2012

Reviews

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because it's protagonists are cats and i am a cat lover, i loved the magic and the academy and the link between the human and cat partnerships! Poor Toby is partnered with Lorn and they are both clumsy and very inept at magic however Toby has a very strong sense of smell which helps the two of them unravel a mystery behind the disappearance of Toby's father and the besmirching of Lorn's uncle Hecktor's name. It is a fun book and a light read but when it got into the religious aspect it sort of freaked me out!! Will still attempt to read the 2nd book in the series hoping to find more magic and thrilling adventures for our duo and much less preaching.

[Amy Shojai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a big fan of fantasy, although the Harry Potter books proved the exception to that rule. So when I received my copy of APPRENTICE CAT --magical cats? talking felines? evil magic? really? ... I set the book aside. Most of the "talking animal" books I've read left me cold, but when I finally started reading, this book was hard to put down.

This is pure furry fun. Set in an alternative reality with horse-drawn carriages the mode of transportation, young Toby must prove to his mother...and himself...he's a chip off the furry block when he applies to be an Apprentice Cat in a school for magical kitties who partner with equally magical humans. The writing is so seamless and matter of fact, the reader quickly becomes drawn into this world--magical cats? talking felines? evil magic? OF COURSE! In the book, it all makes sense. The author includes accurate cat behaviors to lend even more originality and credence to the feline characters. Bravo!

Toby's father disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and young Toby is partnered with the nephew of the traitor who did him in. Talk about tension! Was the fellow really a traitor? What happened to Toby's father? Will he be able to uncover the bad guys (and kitties) before he suffers the same fate?

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and will appeal to YA and New Adult readers--as well as folks like me, a much more mature cat! Four paws up!

I received Apprentice Cat as a prize in an online contest and have given it a fair and honest review.

Amy Shojai, a founder of the Cat Writers Association and author of the dog-viewpoint thriller LOST AND FOUND

[Lynette ~ Talia's Tomes ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW here: http://escapingrealitybookreviews.wor...

I recived a (signed!!!) copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. And, honestly? I gotta say… I LOVED this book! Not quite in the way that I love the older, deeper, New Adult/Young Adult books I loved this book as I’ve loved enjoyable, exciting, Middle-Grade/Young Adult books.Virginia Ripple has some serious talent in the Middle Grade Fantasy department, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Her writing style is fun and suspenseful, and she truly created an amazing story...

[J.A. Dalley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It is so hard these days to find a good clean book that teaches some great morals, and has lovable characters and a strong plot. Easily five stars!

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was the way that Ripple built the world. She never spent too much time explaining the way things were through narrative. It was almost all through dialogue. She made everything fit together well, and the world just seemed right.

I highly recommend this book! I couldn't put it down! Also superb job on the audiobook!

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. This book is a mix of fantasy and mystery. Toby and Lorn are likable lead characters. The story kept me interested from beginning to end. Overall I really enjoyed this book. A good read for the middle grades but older children and adults will also enjoy it.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a wonderfully written book, although the ending was a little short on details and wrap-ups of things mentioned early on in the book. I wondered what happened to Toby's father, Victor? What happened after Chivato was found dead? Who is the dark cat with the green eyes? These and many other questions linger. I guess there's room for a sequel. . . .

[Carol Siu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Cats, magic and loyalty mixed with suspense. A fun read.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, different, take on magic and mystery. The main conundrum is resolved, but the story does continue. (No cliffhangers here.)

The author does have the annoying habit of referring to the characters by color, rather than their names. There are more subtle ways of reminding us who is a human and who is a cat. It's hard enough for my limited brain to remember who's who, without the names being changed back and forth.

Magicians, villains, good guys, bad guys, friendship, betrayal - not all the kitties are sweet and fluffy. And not all the humans are evil. A good, clean read.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wizard cat!

What a great first story in this series. Toby is a magical cat who talks. He hopes to show his sceptical mother & tutor that he has what it takes to enter the Academy and pair with a human partner. He's paired with the nephew of a mage accused of treason before he died. The adventures of these two misfits make for interesting and enjoyable reading. Can't wait to read the next story.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised that this biblical sounding story was actually written by someone who knows scripture. Of course, the magic is just fun and image, cats and humans talking to each other (oh, I have a cat and we talk to him all of the time but he doesn't ever answer) and eating at the same cafeterias and taking classes together. Cute.

[Shani Walihinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing

The story and its phase is amazing.

Tobby is a young and ambitious talking cat. His partner Lorn is a not so talented at magic mage. Duo's journey toward uncovering the mystery that has befallen them is worth reading.

Tobby's mother's survival from the sickness and chivato's death makes the reader gasp.

A nice reading and i truly enjoyed reading it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mages & wizard cats

I really enjoyed this book, except for the lack of separating "scene" changes. One minute you are reading about one thing, and the next sentence takes you to an unrelated "scene". The story is about magic cats, and their human partners, and a mystery.

[Donna B. Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good 👍!

Not a light cozy, but very good. Characters are cats with strong personalities. The humans are the sidekicks in the story but it seems to work. Plot full of twists and surprises but it flowed well and was well thought out. Satisfying conclusion.

[Lennie McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A preferred for cat lovers.

Easily read by any age I found the book to be highly entertaining.
Part of a series it is a complete book in itself. Will leave you wanting to read others. Join Toby and his human Loren as they uncover deceit and treachery.

[Tena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted "Apprentice Cat " by the author, Virginia Ripple. I really enjoyed reading this story. I was intrigued, and continue reading, because it was coming from a cat's perspective!

[Tazz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was really a slow read

[Samantha Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really liked this i will try to get more in the series although i hear it gets more sadder as it goes along

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining read - enjoyed it.

[Toni Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Story

Loved your story of cats and them having magical abilities. Attending a school and being matched with their human created a fun story. I highly recommend.

[Jessica Cowgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read.. love the talking cats working with humans and doing magic. Definitely want to keep reading more

[J. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this book is fantastic.

[Julian White · Rating 3 out of 5]

A post-mediaeval world in which cats are able to talk and may become partnered with humans - and in which both species can work magic (though presumably not all !). Toby, whose bright orange colouring is explained early in the book, is accepted at the Academy and becomes embroiled in a plot to improve the status of cats in the world - a plot which may or may not explain the disappearance of his father, a 'loner' (a cat who is not partnered with a human - it seems there are more suitable cats than humans).

That's the bare outline. I think that the cats probably have the better of the arrangement as it stands so I wonder why some seem so anti-human. The premise is unusual, the magical aspect seems to have some logic (and the spoken spells seem to follow their own logic, enough that I was able to quickly work out the hidden code spell somewhat before the characters did). There is a religious order which has precepts based on Christianity (not too surprising given the author's background) but this isn't too intrusive. (Interestingly the Order's Book of the One seems to be the King James version... ) I'm not to sure about the elderly cat, partnered with a human monk, having a tonsure...

Note: While there are some homophone errors the typo(e)s are far fewer than in many books so the poor (non)review below may be ignored - perhaps the writer doesn't like cats? This is a fun read and the start of a series. I received a free introductory copy from the author.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suspect this is aimed at young adults who enjoyed the Harry Potter series. While the story was about on the level of the first Harry Potter story (the snobby cat who looks down on the riffraff reminded me of Draco Malfoy), there were some interesting parts to it that kept my interest. The religion there is heavily influenced by Christianity and while there are some "preachy" parts, they don't overwhelm the story. The mystery kept me going to the end and I immediately ordered the sequels. Praise be for Kindle's instant delivery as I dove into the next book.

I think if you enjoy Harry Potter and like cats, you would enjoy this book. If you like the Joe Grey mysteries and also like fantasy, I think you'll be interested in this book. I wouldn't hesitate to let a young adult read this book.

[Jeanne Foguth · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I loved that the story was primarily from the perspective of cats, the head-hopping slowed down the story.
Would recommend this to readers who love cats and sorcery.

[Eleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read about apprentice mages in a world where both humans and cats work magic, preferably together. It is clearly set up for a series, as the apprentices only finish their first year of training, and the "bad guys" aren't all caught.

[Jessica Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Not bad at all.....

Toby is a general all around hero. His companions run from street smart to stalwart. Besides, you've got to love a cat that practices passive resistance on occasion.

[alice Tileston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I received this free for a review...
whether I did or not, it is absolutely delightful!
would love to see it made into a movie!
reminds me of Brian Jacques Redwall series type of writing
dove right into journeyman cat as soon as I finished this one .....
happy reading all!

[Mike]

I was on the fence about this one reading through the sample, but the fourth homonym error ("moats of dust") tipped me over to the "no" side.

[Kris Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute and simple story. It lost me with the overwhelming religious and spiritual focus.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 3 out of 5]

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