The Cat Dreamer Quentaris Chronicles

The Quentaris Chronicles #16

by Isobelle Carmody

A strange, mind numbing fog shrouds Quentaris and a cat that is more than it seems enters the city. It is a dangerous time in Quentars. A time of confusion and despair. before it is over, the city and its magical rift caves will face destruction.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

150 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Isobelle Carmody began the first novel of her highly acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles while she was still in high school. The series has established her at the forefront of fantasy writing in Australia.

In addition to her young-adult novels, such as the Obernewtyn Chronicles and Alyzon Whitestarr, Isobelle's published works include several middle-grade fantasies. Her still-unfinished Gateway Trilogy has been favorably compared to The Wizard of Oz and the Chronicles of Narnia. The Little Fur quartet is an eco-fantasy starring a half-elf, half-troll heroine and is fully illustrated by the author herself.

Isobelle's most recent picture book, Magic Night, is a collaboration with illustrator Declan Lee. Originally published in Australia as The Wrong Thing, the book features an ordinary housecat who stumbles upon something otherworldly. Across all her writing, Isobelle shows a talent for balancing the mundane and the fantastic.

Isobelle was the guest of honor at the 2007 Australian National Science Fiction Convention. She has received numerous honors for her writing, including multiple Aurealis Awards and Children's Book Council of Australia Awards.

She currently divides her time between her home on the Great Ocean Road in Australia and her travels abroad with her partner and daughter.

Librarian's note: Penguin Australia is publishing the Obernewtyn Chronicles in six books, and The Stone Key is book five. In the United States and Canada this series is published by Random House in eight books; this Penguin Australia book is split into two parts and published as Wavesong (Book Five) and The Stone Key (Book Six).

Reviews

[Renee V · Rating 2 out of 5]

The two star rating is in relation to all the other Carmody books I have read, which is any that crosses my path. Isobelle Carmody is one of the authors that I will read anything from, she is an early favourite of mine. You could also pin it to my current mood or my age and changing tastes.

There are some similarities here to her other stories, in particular some aspects of the cat I found very familiar, but as this is a short story set in a world that is shared by other authors I guess you could see these books as introductions to their style of story telling.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short book, hence why it took so little time to read (well, so little while I was living life, going to work, etc., around reading sessions). I really did enjoy it - obviously it was pretty simplistic, but I really enjoyed the world in which it was set. Plus I reckon Igorik was sexxxxay.

I must admit it was a bit weird that he ended up with the shapeshifter...at the same time, I wanted it to happen, but that end scene where she turns back into a cat and snuggles into him just put bad images in my head. LOL.

Still, I do love Isobelle Carmody's writing in general so I enjoyed this one.

[Moopies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I read it for the first time when i was 17, newly moved to a new country. Re-read it a few months ago, and it was still wonderfully magical. The book is a part of a series called "Quentaris Chronicals" by a collection of authors, I wish there had been more to this particular story ^_^ <3

[Webfrau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really just a short story. It seems like the series of books is aimed at younger readers, though the vocabulary and ideas don't seem especially simplified but being so few pages it really lacks the richness and depth that I have come to expect from this author.

[Julie Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very intriguing read.