Darkness Rising

Catmage Chronicles #1

by Meryl Yourish, Julie Dillon (Illustrator)

It's been hundreds of years since the Darkness last surfaced, a grim time when both humans and Catmages lost their lives. But now the Wild Ones work with humans again, and thirteen-year-old Andy Cohen gets the surprise of his life when a talking cat shows up in his front yard. Goldeneyes, a powerful Catmage, needs Andy’s help. In the exciting first installment of this new series, Meryl Yourish takes the reader into a world of magical cats, dark powers, and a boy who finds himself entangled in their war.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Magic, Cats

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2012

About the author

Meryl Yourish has managed to turn her love of cats and reading fantasy into creating a fictional world where cats have human intelligence and magical powers. It's no coincidence that some of the major Catmages look remarkably like cats that are or were in her life.

When she's not writing about Catmages, she's working on fantasy novels. A trilogy about the last dragon is in the works.

Meryl lives in Richmond, VA, and loves spending time with her friends and their children. She can often be found at RavenCon, the annual Richmond-area SF and fantasy convention.

Find out more about Meryl, her writing, and her cats at https://merylyourish.com/

Reviews

[Kogiopsis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll be the first to acknowledge that my rating of this book is mostly a mismatch of reader and book; this is probably a great middle grade read, but I'm not a middle-grade reader anymore. The concept is cute - magic cats with ties specifically to Jewish history - but I found the exposition a little too clunky for me. I also felt that, weirdly for a book which included their POVs, the cats did not come across very... catlike. It's hard to explain; as a lifelong cat person, there's just this nebulous feeling of recognition that I get from a well-written feline character, and I didn't get it here. They could have been any species fairly easily, with the exception of the kittens.

I also want to note that Andy gave off STRONG ADHD vibes, but spent most of the book being chastised (and feeling guilty) for his ADHD traits. I'm not sure if Yourish wrote him intentionally as ADHD but I hope the answer is yes, and that it's addressed more in later books with sensitivity and compassion. It seems like the kind of series where that would be handled with care, at least, even if it wasn't really brought up here.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful YA fantasy. Telepathic cats, good vs. evil, ties to historical events, kids who actually sound like kids...

Totally left me wishing my cats could tell me what they're thinking!

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was a thrilling, unique, imaginative, & dark upper MG that I really loved. Andy is a terrific MC, & his best friends Becca & Mike are also so great. They have a great dynamic together, & you can tell that they, & even their families, are such great friends. Goldeneyes is a tough cookie. If not written the right way, she could have come off as too mean & unlikable. But the author wrote her perfectly, & because of her tough persona, it makes the bonds she DOES form even more special & meaningful. I loved her. Letsan(or fuzzypants lol)May have my heart though..or Patches..love them both for completely different reasons. This has this whole Catmage world, with its own Council & everything. They have “Magelights” on their collars, & they can do magic & communicate telepathically. Not all cats are Catmages though. The line started back with the “The One Above Us All”, which I’m assuming is God. Such an intricate story, & so creative & full of detail & imagination. Everything from the Magelights, Catmages, the Wild Ones, the Seekers, 1/2 breeds, the Council, Nanagers, the Compound, Saunders, & more make for such a dark, magical, gripping, fast-paced story. You fall head over heels for these characters, & root for them to succeed. These are darker with the violence, so definitely upper MG, & Andy is 13. The only thing I didn’t like(because it’s me, & I can’t handle stuff like that), is in the 1st 5 pages you come across, I believe, 12 cats who were recently murdered. Not on page, & since it wasn’t detailed & I had no connection to them(sounds horrible, but my mind can handle that BECAUSE it’s fiction, & there was no connection)that wasn’t too bad for me. But the main thing is at the end there’s an animal death that I was connected to, & it was not fun to say the least lol Other than that, the writing, characters, plot, story building, pace..everything was incredible, & I’ve already started the 2nd book. Just hope no more deaths of characters I care about lol Also, I believe this is the 1st book where a character is said to have a parent who died in 9/11. I liked that the author did that. Andy is definitely a hero like his dad. BEAUTIFUL cover by Julie Dillon as well.💜

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through one of Goodreads' First Reads giveaways.

I'm a softie. I enjoy young adult books written for all ages of "young adult." Most of the YA I've been reading recently has been aimed at 16-18, but this one is aimed at 12-15, I'd say (considering Andy's age). It does deals with some serious themes (torture, bullying, murder, manipulation) but in a non-depressing, non-graphic way. The friendships formed gave me warm fuzzies.

In Darkness Rising , Andy and his friends, along with the help of some Catmages (cats gifted with human-like thoughts and magical abilities) must work together to rescue a trapped Catmage imprisoned by the Evil One.

Andy, Becca, Mike and all the other children in this book sounded their age (from what I can remember of myself and my peers at that age). They did not, thankfully, sound like adults. They say things that are sometimes a touch rude, or mean, or whiny because they haven't yet learned the cryptic versions that us adults use. I liked the distinctive personalities among the Catmages (Goldeneyes was likable despite her curtness).

The three human characters follow a Harry-Ron-Hermione triangle. Andy's the adventurous one. Mike has the sense of humour. Becca is smart and a bit more cautious.

I particularly related to the Andy's frustration with the bully named Taylor. It's the worst thing when you, the victim, are punished essentially for being the victim and the bully is let off time after time.

I loved the mythology / culture of the Catmages. I'm not a huge cat person (by that, I mean that I like cats, but they are not so fond of me), but I loved the Catmages. It makes me wish I had one of my own!

I would gladly recommend Darkness Rising to young teens, especially if they like cats, although I think any age group could enjoy this book.

[Althea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. On the whole I liked it.

Characters:
I really loved the cat characters in the book. They had very distinct personalities with good and bad character traits. I especially liked Patches for his innocence and ambition. I would pick up the sequels to this book just to find out what will happen to Patches. With the exceptions of artsy Becca, evil/misunderstood Taylor and goofy Mike, the human characters were a bit harder for me to picture. We know that Andy's smart, but that's pretty much all there is to him. He's supposed to be special because he's descended from Aaron, but we don't exactly know why his ancestry matters. This question will probably be answered in later books.

Plot:
Any book featuring sentient, talking cats gets a thumbs up from me. This book has plenty of adventure and lots of magic. I liked the second half of the plot a lot better than the first. The first half os a bit slow, but the action in the second half more than makes up for it. I liked the premise a lot. My only issue with the story is that the ending is a bit of a downer. I'm not against downer endings, but this book came across as a bit of a shaggy cat story. There were a lot of great themes and ideas that were introduced that will undoubtedly be expanded on in later books, but I feel like the plot of this book suffered as a result.

This series has got great potential. I would definitely recommend this book to those who like middle grade fantasy, and those who like cats.

[Fireworkrox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much!!!!! It was great that Goldeneyes found the thing she was looking for. I don't think that the cat that had died should've died. I was surprised by the cats talking about the council! Then, when I read on, it made sense. The catmages had gotten their human language long ago. I loved it and i cant wait for the next book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XDXDXD

[Carlos Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, dark powers, plus a talking cat!!! I need a copy. I'll read this three times. And I have a feeling I won't be the only one.

[Aelvana · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Council of Catmages is brutally murdered, Goldeneyes is sent to look for one of the powerful elders who has gone missing: her grandmother, Nafshi. But in addition to locating her kin, she's got an additional task of locating the one human who has been prophesied to be someone important to the Catmages. Goldeneyes would never dream of harming a human, but to communicate with one goes against her nature. Still, if she must she'll follow orders . . .

Andy never expected the cat that was hanging around his house would start talking to him. Or that her problems and his were about to intersect. Andy's just trying to get through school without the local bully making his life miserable. But soon things get a lot weirder . . .

This was excellent. The Catmages stole the show, with each of them so very much a cat ("Dratted instinct," as Goldeneyes would say) yet also so much more. Goldeneyes is proud, aloof, powerful, and completely out of her depth. Lestan (aka Fluffypants) is an easy favorite, with his carefree cheerfulness and willingness to goof around. And Patches, adorable Patches, has a great big heart but is definitely not right in the head.

But although the Catmages function practically like adults for the story, Andy and his circle of friends and enemies is also important. I liked that Andy could only help in small ways. He might be in the prophecy, but none of the Catmages have much idea what that says about him, and for the time being they're content to function in their own skills and strengths and delegate Andy to smaller tasks. Still, the fact that the prophecy even exists, and the extent of human involvement on the enemy side, keeps Andy's contributions important, and likely to be even more so in future stories.

I liked the way Andy's Jewish roots work into the story. It provides some interesting bits of history and culture, while at the same time not focusing overly much on what makes him different. And it gives him something that Goldeneyes doesn't have, something he can teach her about.

This is also a story about bullying. It was interesting to see multiple layers of this: between cats, between kids, between adults. And none of them offer a pat answer, but rather display the profound effects of generational abuse. I do hope at least some of those unhealthy relationships resolve. I also liked Becca's continued insistence that Andy not just shut up and take it (because, among other things, this is a behavior pattern that does nothing to discourage the bullying and does result in the bully never getting into trouble).

The first book is currently 99c, and if even that's too much for a blind buy, the sample is available, and that was more than enough to get me hooked. If you like cats, or kid's books, this is a very good one to try. I rate this book Highly Recommended.

See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked the first few chapters of this book. And I really wanted to like the rest. I put the book down for a few months in an effort to give my chance to try it again, but by half way through, I just had to give up. I love the background of the world. The myth of the creation of the cat mages has an ingenious hook. The older cats tend to be fun characters. And who can resist cats as protagonists?
But... But I find the bad guy too omniscient for the level of hero the book offers. The "hero" is a 13 year old child and the most abrasive of the cats in the book (and I am counting the cats on the side of the bad guy here). If you can get past the most visible characters, I suspect there is a quite nice story here, but I was not able to get to it.

[Lurline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magecats fighting evil

This is a YA book in that some of the main characters are middle school children in addition to the cat mages. The book has a strong good vs evil theme as well as bullying issues reflected in both student as well as adult victims. The fantasy storyline is exciting and engaging. I want to read the entire series to get to the final resolution.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkness Rising is the first in the YA series The Catmage Chronicles. I’m not sure I would categorize it as YA and fantasy, because it does have some darker elements to it.

There are a wide range of characters, including the Catmages, Andy and his band of friends (and enemies!), and the Catmage antagonist and his gang. Some of the Catmages have two names, like Goldeneyes, where one is more of a nickname.

Andy is the one whom the Catmages are searching for in order to help defeat the Darkness, which has risen up again after nearly three hundred years. The Son of Aaron is who can help save the Catmages. He is a young teen coming from a single-parent home. It turns out he can identify quite a bit with Goldeneyes, and they form a strong bond with one another. In many ways, Andy is the kind of kid you want to be your friend: loyal, kind and protective.

The world building of the Catmage society and their history was woven in perfectly, as Goldeneyes teaches Andy about her life. As it turns out, when Goldeneyes briefs Andy on all of this, the last time the Darkness rose coincided perfectly with the Salem witch trials. The Wild Ones, those expelled for breaking the Laws of Secrecy and other laws, are responsible yet again for the Darkness rising up.

The Catmages have a council and a Compound where they reside, and the Wild Ones and the Evil One have invaded. Life for Catmages is in turmoil. At the core of the conflict are political agendas and strife. A greed for power.

Unfortunately, the Evil One has captured one of the wisest and most powerful of the Catmages – Goldeneyes’ grandmother – and the prophecy states that Andy is the way to defeating the Darkness. Goldeneyes and her catty friends are helping Andy – and later his friends – to figure out how to rescue Nafshi from the Evil One.

There’s just a bigger problem: the Evil One knows who Andy is, and how to manipulate him to his advantage. Andy has his own set of problems at school, headed by Taylor the bully, who creates problem after problem for Andy.

The relationships in this first installment are what make this book strong and complete, from the Catmages to the humans and everywhere in between. Plus, the Evil One’s neighbor seems to be the only person the Evil One fears. Mackie is great!

[K.C. Sprayberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Cats and dogs living together."
So begins this captivating tale. Yet, the statement doesn't come from the Catmages who must rebuild their lives after a devastating attack upon their council. Nor do those words come from young Andy Cohen, who is a victim of bullying, and the Son of Aaron – predicted to assist the Catmages in stopping the Darkness, along with Goldeneyes (Zahavin) and Hakham.
Meryl Yourish was unknown to me, until I received an email asking me to review her book. Not knowing much about it, I said yes. I'm always game for a new story, and this one has now fulfilled a hole in my reading heart with the demise of Robert Jordan. I have found the replacement for his great series, which is finished. The Catmage Chronicles starts off with a wonderful tale of cooperation between species, bullying and racism overcome by children growing up in a world changed by 9/11, and old ways evolving into better ways.
The story has a strong start, with the antagonist seeming to have won with a simple dark act, yet a survivor makes a prediction, and the search is on. Through the characters eyes, as cat, a man, and a boy, the reader discovers a world that cat lovers can relate to without hesitation. The Biblical teachings here aren't overbearing, in fact they relate to everyday life, and don't slow the flow of the story in the least bit.
What I loved most was Yourish's vivid descriptions of the cats, their colorations, their eyes, their temperament. She has an uncanny knack of yanking the reader into her world, and keeping it crisp and clear throughout. I highly recommend this novel not only for all children from 13 and up, but also their parents, to share these delights with an age group starting to pull away.
I received this book for a full and honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

[Cindy III · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book through first reads.

Darkness Rising was a very enjoyable read. It had many things I liked. There was humor, moments of suspense, friendship, and some action. There were times in the book where I did not expect situations to go the way they did. Riveting moments. It had its sad parts too. I teared up around the last pages.

I have read books with cats before, but not like Darkness Rising. The Catmage culture was interesting. I will not look at cats the same way.

My favorite felines were Letsan, Goldeneyes, and Patches. Goldeneyes is at first not fond of Andy. She's rough outwardly, but a softie inside. The development of Goldeneyes and Andy's friendship was gradual and wonderful to be a part of as a reader. Letsan was easygoing and amusing. Patches was weird, but in a good way. Really all the Catmages were likable. Even Razor. This does not include the Wild Ones.

The story and character development was good. I liked Andy and his friends. Andy cares a lot about them. If only he took as much care of himself. Mike was funny and I like his dramatic antics. I also liked Becca. Then there is the villain. He is despicable. He has his "justification" for doing what he does. It was sort of revealed, so I would like to see more of his backstory in the next book.

There is also Taylor who causes some trouble for Andy. There was a small part in the book that revealed more about Taylor. It wasn't just I behave bad just because, which I liked. I did find the dialogue among Andy's and his friends' parents awkward. I felt that people don't really talk that way. Other than that I didn't have a problem getting into the story.

[Cheryl Landmark · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, delightful read this was! Even though I'm more of a dog person than a cat person, I really loved the Catmages in this story with their magical ability to speak and their distinct personalities, traits and temperaments.

Andy and his friends were typical young children and acted their ages. I enjoyed the interactions between Andy, Mike and Becca, which reminded me a lot of the triad of Harry, Hermoine and Ron in the Harry Potter series. My two favourite cat characters were Goldeneyes, who started out to be rather unlikeable with her sullen, prickly attitude but who later redeemed herself, and Patches, who was an innocent, goofy, adorable little cat.

The book dealt with a number of very serious issues such as bullying, torture and murder, but also with friendship, loyalty and humour. The development of the special relationship between Andy and Goldeneyes was gradual and touching.

There was plenty of adventure and magic in this book, and I'm sure many young and adult readers alike would enjoy it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darkness Rising is a very well written novel full of action, suspense, and humor. I really loved the plot, for I am definitely a fan of cats. Goldeneyes, Lei Lei, Patches, and Silsula are my favorites. The human characters were also likable and very realistic. Becca sounds like the kind of girl that I might become friends with.

I really liked the mention of the Salem Witch Trials. Thats actually a topic that I am very interested in. Reading about Andy's history lesson was very enjoyable.

I have a few favorite parts in this book. One of them is when Nafshi met Patches. Patches is adorable, and I hope to see him in future books in the series. I also liked Lei Lei, the kitten that Andy met when he visited the Compound with Goldeneyes.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels. Even people who aren't cat-lovers may find this book fun. I am looking forward to reading the next book!

[Christine Ottaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read. It is very imaginative and tells the story of Andy and his two friends Mike and Rebecca and their adventure with some Catmages - cats of greater intelligence and powers.
There is an underlying theme of bullying between young people, between the head of the school and Andy and between the cats. A downside is that none of these issues was resolved.
However the baddies really are baddies and the young people very credible.
I think the story lacked pace in places and the whole of it took far too long in real time. Would a catamage caged and drugged and rarely fed survive a whole year?
Finally I think the ending has far too many unresolved issues - the baddies (cats and humans) run away - that's it - no one is brought to justice or dealt with and what happened to Patches hiding in the dark? I would have like to see a little more resolution and not so many flapping loose ends for the second story.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

The book description had me at "cat." This title is probably best suited to a middle-school-age audience. As an older reader, I would have liked to have seen more character development; the cats had more personality than the humans. The villains (human and animal) were bullies, childish, and always seemed to be one step ahead of the good guys. The plot did not move along very smoothly with the action skipping large chunks of time. This introduced a serious lack of believability for me. With some editing, this book could be so much more and appeal to a broader age range.

I thank Ms. Yourish and Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A boy that grows into a man

Another series that youngsters will enjoy. This book introduces us to Andy, a young Jewish boy, who is learning about the Salem Witch Trials. Then a cat that has been hanging around his house decides it is time to talk to him and so the journey begins. The school principal is an evil one and kids will understand the bullying and adults telling stories. The evil one has captured a powerful Catmage and Andy must help save her--if he could just control his emotions. I really enjoyed this book and the ending made me buy the second book immediately--I can't wait to read it.

[Finrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piacevole fantasy con target "young adults" ma che pur con le limitazioni del caso è comunque decisamente godibile e piacevole anche per chi è "adult" e basta. “Darkness Rising” è ben scritto, con una trama coerente e personaggi azzeccati e ben delineati, e infine con interessanti spunti verso la cultura e la religione ebraica. Ovviamente non esiste una versione in italiano (è un autopubblicato) ma è scritto in un inglese piuttosto facile.
Insomma: da comprare subito se amate il fantasy ed i gatti!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was one of the lucky winners of this book through a goodreads contest. I finished the book and I really enjoyed it. I have the second book and have started it. I think it was well written. This is written for older children. I tried to read it with my 8 year old but he didn't like it too well and there are some parts that are not meant for young children.

Overall, I did enjoy it and I will pass it on so other people can read it also.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great story that held my interest even as an adult - I will put Darkness Rising into out library at school!