Catspaw

Cat #2

by Joan D. Vinge

CAT: Street Punk, Psion, Telepath, Survivor. . .

Kidnapped by an interstellar corporation and dragged to Earth, Cat is forced to use his skills to protect those he most hates, those who most hate him . . . .

The taMings. A cyber-augmented, DNA-incestuous clan of such wealth and power that their family arguments change the destiny of worlds. Now one taMing is a killer's target. But which? And who would dare?

Seeking answers, Cat finds lies and savagery, passion and atrocity--trails that lead from crystal valleys to clubs for silver-skinned beauties. From the homicidal enclaves of drug kings to a fanatic's pulpit. From the halls of the Assembly to a cyberspace hell. Seeking assassins, Cat discovers a mystery that could cost him his future. His sanity. His life.

Because Cat is no longer a bodyguard . . .

He's bait.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Cyberpunk, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Space Opera

411 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1988

About the author

Joan D. Vinge (born Joan Carol Dennison) is an American science fiction author. She is known for such works as her Hugo Award-winning novel The Snow Queen and its sequels, her series about the telepath named Cat, and her Heaven's Chronicles books.

Reviews

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Q:
Did they really know who I was? My paranoia started doing the multiplication tables.
(c)
Q:
I wondered what his problem was; if he was on drugs, or if just being a taMing was enough to fuck him up this bad.
(c)

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a LONG time ago but would love to revisit it, I remember it was a huge favorite of mine at the time.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe now I would read it with a more critical eye as I'm 16 years older than I was when I first took it home from my public library, I don't know. This book started for me what became a lifelong love affair with the science fiction genre. I also think that Cat, the main character, also counts as my first literary crush.
After that first encounter, I reread it, and the book prior to and the two books that came after it, far more times than I can remember. I perhaps shouldn't be reviewing it at all as I'm incapable of being impartial about it. All I can say is that this series and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card shaped the way I read than and continues to shape the way I read 16 years later. I would recommend everything by Joan D. Vinge but I will say, if you get hooked by her, you are destined to be frustrated as she is not a prolific writer, merely an amazing one.

[Brook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, where to start with Catspaw.

I first read this series as a teenager on the recommendation of my best friend (now spouse) and adored every book, but it was Catspaw I checked out over and over to reread. Cat is hands down one of my favorite characters of all time, and it's really in this book that he shines. I love how he's come into his own, and yet is still figuring himself out. His character comes through so clearly in this book, and I adore every messy bit of him.

The rest of the cast really shines as well. I loved their interweaving stories and motivations; each felt like a real person and not just a convenient foil or plot device for Cat. Elnear, Argentyne, and Micah were some of my favorites. The world had just as much depth, and I appreciated its many layers and facets, which felt distinct yet cohesive. The contrast between the taMings' world and Elnear's and the city's underbelly all worked in a way that made sense and felt viscerally real.

But the thing that grips me the most about this book is the plot and the themes wrapped up in it.

Let me break it down for you. A charming religious bigot works to pass a law that, on it surface, appears reasonable. This law is actually driven by his desire to eradicate a marginalized group, and will do irreparable harm to them. People in power who might stop it don't because they don't understand what it's like to be part of that group. Our protagonist will not be affected by this law because he has recently escaped horrific systemic violence and has made modifications to look "normal," thus escaping the fate that will befall the more vulnerable of his community. He could walk away from this. But he doesn't. Even though he's experienced years of abuse that has had lasting effects on his psyche, he walks right back into the line of fire by inviting an actual hate crime on himself. And finally, finally, his pain is enough to convince people to listen.

This is a book about passing and outing and the conflict between self-preservation and the needs of your community. It's about weaponizing your visibility and the extremes marginalized people have to go to in order to be taken seriously. It's about the fetishization of pain and screaming to be heard. It's about using your actual, physical body to prevent political violence being enacted on people who don't have the choice to pass. And it's about being openly, loudly yourself even as others label people like you deviants.

This book is about being queer, is what I'm saying. The parallels work with a number of identities, but the passing/outing and religious angle align it most closely with queerness. Plus, there's the centrality of Micah, an explicitly queer character portrayed in a universally positive light. He isn't around for most of the book, but found family themes are threaded throughout, and the vibes of "elder gay man counseling and supporting his young and foolish friend" are strong. The climax of the book involves him rescuing Cat from exactly the kind of violence many LGBTQ+ people experience. I don't know what Vinge intended, but as a queer person this book resonated with me so fucking hard and it's stuck with me my whole life.

I can't express how much this book means to me. I know exactly what's coming and yet I still get chills every time. It is genuinely the most affecting book I've ever read. It was formative to my identity as a young queer person, and it still holds just as strong today. I haven't even touched on all the other incredible themes she has going on regarding abuse and colonialism and corporations and technological advancement and so many other things... I don't know how this book holds so much. It's an experience I'm glad to have repeated so many times, and surely will again.

[Milele · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Brooke Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: Rape
Content: realistic kyriarchy, some violence, an explosion, exploitation, child neglect, sex,
Rating: 4 ½ stars
Recommendation: Fantastic cyberpunk with a smart-mouth dark hero in a sprawling universe as he copes with his own trauma among the responsible oligarchy. A must-read for science fiction readers, especially if you’re interested in rebellious survivors of oppressive social structures and highly recommended for those who like complex characters with growth amid a vividly concrete world.
Pros
Plenty of action, romance, drama, politics,
rollercoaster pacing worth another trip
Holds up today technologically and socially
Realistic/believable world building with kyriarchy
Complex characters that grow throughout the novel, Cat’s ending thoughts were particularly moving
Love the way language has evolved “N’yuk”
Rape is called rape and treated appropriately
Loved Cat, sympathetic, flawed with a stand out voice

Cons

Impatient for terms to be explained
Cat stretches the limit of human endurance like an action star


Vinge’s Cat series is classified as young adult, which isn’t dumbed down and has mature subject content. Quickly, readers learn in Catspaw that Cat is attending first year of university, which means today it’d probably be classed as New Adult but I don’t think that’s reason to keep it from underage teenagers. I wish I had found this as a teenager because the subjects and treatment would’ve been a welcome boon.

A dear friend of mine sent me Catspaw after discussing important books from our childhood. I didn’t read Psion beforehand because of their experience and that gap didn’t hinder my enjoyment. What happened previously is explained thoroughly when it’s relevant and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

Rather I was intrigued by it and I’ll be reading Psion and the final book, Dreamfall. Cat is so well done: heartbreakingly sympathetic and flawed with a resounding voice that speaks to many about relevant issues. The scene where he describes his happiest moment and not knowing “how to have fun” as another character put it, hit me hard/ square in the chest/immensely/severely.

There’s also the focus on characters and sociological effects that I adore and miss in many books. As my friend said while discussing this book, such inclusion makes it feel more real. Media doesn’t hold up much when not taking such things into consideration. Flat societies that such issues just has a way of dating work that’s dwarfed by tropes.

I appreciate how Vinge illustrates the disenfranchised and how privilege blinds. Cat holds no punches for those well intentioned allies that fuck up and aren’t doing right by the oppressed. I also like how even when they get it right, he doesn’t let their biases slide and accept their bigotry against him.

Beyond the depressingly concrete kyriarchy foundation, world building rocks in many ways. I love how language has evolved in Cat’s world. The passages describing the geography made me go “This area, right?” and then Cat dropped the name N’yuk for a nice little “Ah, clever” moment. For another example, there’s how V.I.P. has become vips, which blends seamlessly with its in-universe fanciful slang like deadhead and slip.

Technology wise it has things we dreamed of and obtained like video calls on our wrists alongside faster than light travel. One thing I’m sure others in better neighborhoods will balk at but payphones do still exist. They’re quite useful and anyone with such blind privilege to shout “LOL no one uses those anymore” can fuck right off now because people do use them, just not those you’re used to considering.

Music updates as always with mind-blowing clubbing experiences described. Not to mention The Monument it opens with which makes space travel and education extremely intriguing. All in all, the Cat series has immersive and sprawling world universe building that I want to explore more.

There were some things I wish was explained more up front like the symb instrument. From the moment it was mentioned, my reaction was “Oh, tell me more!” while tapping frustrated fingers until explained further. Undoubtedly, this was intentional and its effect worked so it’s hard to gripe about it. Then, I read Joan D. Vinge’s post on Science Fiction:
"Some people are used to "understanding everything they read," unlike kids, who are used to picking up new, unfamiliar terms and concepts, and patiently waiting until they become clear, which may be why most SF readers become fans of the genre in their youth. "

That’s a difference I didn’t think of and I’m going to keep in mind as I go forward reading more SF.
For “what’s been done to death” like telepathic aliens, I think people should keep in mind when this was published: 1988. Sure, it wasn’t new then either but nowadays it’s like beating a patch of dirt out of tradition where a dead horse rotted away generations before.

I think the Hydrean’s violence “feedback loop” is fucking dumb though I can see what purpose it serves. It was easy enough to ignore since it has little effect on Catspaw’s plot or theme. Still, there are parts of the psychic abilities I found different and interesting. Also, I found it easy to follow telepathic conversations with how they were written as well.

I like how Vinge handled Humans versus Hydreans and human…”progress”. A common theme but done well. After all it’s not that tropes themselves make a work bad but how you use them and she uses them masterfully. It’s no wonder to me Vinge’s popularity and success.

About the Author
Goodreads doesn’t do her justice. Many props for such fine writing and for being groundbreaking:
"In the first several years of her career Vinge earned the reputation of being one of the few women authors of "hard" science fiction, and she was a frequent contributor to Analog, which was certainly the publication most devoted to that style. Yet at the same time her stories have long been noted for their strong character development as well as their willingness to tackle such "soft" science issues as social structures and gender roles -- not surprising given her anthropological background"

And wiki that speaks of her triumphing over medical adversaries to return to writing.

[Julie Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat is trying to make something of the life he nearly lost in the previous book, and he's minding his business going to university when he's kidnapped. But this time it's not by actual criminals: These are some high-powered world leaders who want to employ him as a bodyguard. He agrees to protect Lady Elnear--related to his very close friend, Jule taMing--because someone is plotting to kill her and it's tough to assassinate someone with a telepathic bodyguard. That said, not everyone is happy with this arrangement (including Elnear herself), and sometimes Cat ends up babysitting, dealing with VIPs sulking, or skulking about trying to find someone to bang. It's kind of a drag, but he likes knowing he's helping Jule's family, and on top of that he now has access to drugs that let him use the telepathic talent he damaged in his fight with Quicksilver. Soon Cat is chasing many mysteries--not only is he trying to find and stop Elnear's would-be murderer, but he's looking for ways to expose Elnear's political rival as a bigot, trying to get access to stronger drugs, and searching for the mysterious additional psion among the taMings. Cat's knowledge of the underside of society gets him into places others couldn't, and he meets a man who can mentally project into machines, a woman who dances with illusions, and an old friend from the mines. But when things start to get ugly, Cat jumps into the line of fire as a bodyguard is expected to, and yet again carries the hatred of others on his own back. One of these days, he won't live through it. . . .

What's amazing about this book is how hilarious Cat sometimes is even though he's kind of a screw-up and kind of a badass. You almost think he must hate himself sometimes because he has so many terrible ideas and enacts them without a thought. Everything is heartfelt, though, and while I thought some of the premises were a little stretched (particularly the idea of telepathically entering a virtual reality), I loved seeing Cat be selfish and selfless at the same time, and can't believe how compelling and full this character is.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all-time favorite books. Cat is an orphan, and a mixed-breed (part human, part alien), and is trying to find a place where he can survive. Vinge does an amazing job of conveying what it feels like to be a loner and an outcast with an unpleasant past, but a need to be somebody and do something worthwhile. This isn't a fairytale -- it's based in a gritty and surprisingly realistic universe, and doesn't do happy endings. Not exactly an upper of a book, but one that I read every year or two anyway, as should everyone.

[rubywednesday · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as fun as the first book but it was good all the same. i think the more introspective style of the first book was better for me. i liked the edge here though

[Mel McIvor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really tempted to give this 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much! Holding back only because I want to be fair and acknowledge the following:
- Info dumps (especially toward the beginning)
- Some overwriting at the end (not sure the epilogue was necessary)
- Occasionally thin motivations for character choices

That said, overall I loved Catspaw. The main character is broken and believable, and Vinge creates such a REAL voice for him that I could hardly put this book down (and that doesn’t happen for me often!).

I didn’t read the prequel (Psion) beforehand (though it and the sequel are now on their way from Amazon), but that didn’t get in the way of following along. Might’ve accounted for some of the info dumps, though.

I’ve had this copy of Catspaw for 10+ years (bought it after meeting Michael Whelan), but for one reason or another, I just never read it—but I also never quite forgot I had it. When I finally picked it up last week, it was a hugely pleasant surprise.

There’s SO MUCH in this book. It’s science fiction, but also cyberpunk and a little noir. Vinge doesn’t let the formula of a standard story dictate her storytelling. There’s no easy setup-fallout-climax-conclusion arc, which I really appreciated, as it made things less predictable. Catspaw unfurls at its own pace, characters develop and form relationships in a way that actually makes sense (sadly rare nowadays), and though you always know who the villains are, you never quite know who’s responsible for what until all the pieces are revealed.

That’s quite an accomplishment—especially when you consider she’s writing from the first person perspective of a telepath. It’s HARD to create mystery when you’ve got a character front and center who can read minds, but Vinge pulls it off masterfully.

While not flawless, Catspaw has a compelling world and wonderful voice that made for one of my favorite reads so far this year!

[Michael Burnam-Fink · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up on the strength of the Snow Queen, and got quite a bit into it before realizing it was a sequel. I didn't much like it, but out of fairness, I'll bump it up a star. Maybe with the first book there's a better sense of character and setting.

Cat is a psion streetkid in a galaxy that hates psions. Psychically crippled from his last job taking down a terrorist and running out of credits, he's offered a job as a bodyguard for Elnear taMing, a politician and corporate executive one step away from membership in the Federation Security Council. To get there, she needs to survive and win a key vote over drug legalization, with the opposition being spearheaded by a charismatic televangelist.

Cat bounces through intrigues involving the very strange taMing family, and the criminal underworld of N'Yurk, still capitol of the Federation. Nothing is as it seems, but this is not 'wheels with wheels', or opaque post-human psychodramas, more like ambitious people who take one edge too far. This book might have been better if I connected with the narrator, but Cat comes off as alternately petulant and out of his depth, with a deus ex machina in the form of his telepathy. His final plan hinges on blackmail, and the lusts of his opponent. The thoughts about political systems and governance in an age of interstellar networks sit uneasily on a story which is very personal in scope. The final result comes to extruded generic scifi product.

[Tom Sorenson]

Did not finish. Fascinating book that showed me things that I have never experienced, all be it in a science fiction light. However, it mainly deals with Cat, a hated minority with psychic abilities to read people/their minds. In the author's attempt to show that, no this person denigrated as a non-human is actually really human, look at all these humans things he does ... that I don't do. Made me feel incredibly non-human which I get enough of all ready. Paraphrasing: "Every person has some part of themselves that they don't want other people to know about themselves. (Some other off-hand statement emphasizing that)." Me: "NO, I F****** WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME SO THEY CAN JUDGE ME FOR WHO I AM, AND NOT WHO THEY THINK I AM, AND THAT THEY'D TELL ME SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO KEEP GUESSING AND COULD BELIEVE/TRUST THEM. I AM SO TIRED OF HAVING TO MASK FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S COMFORT, AND NOT KNOWING WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS. Guess I'm not human after all, thanks society.

Other parts of the book that makes no sense how humans can act that way as well, while simultaneously being jealous, frustrated, and disgusted. Evoked a lot of strong emotions in me if that is what you are looking for. I had enough.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this in practically a single sitting.

Ms. Vinge's political insight is the sharpest in sci fi. In about ~400 pages of cyberpunk adventure she deftly illustrates liberalism's inevitable defeat at the hands of corporate statesmanship, how toxic masculinity and alienation destroy people, how our social isolation and repression harm us and those we love, the ways in which media cannot effectively handle politics, how bureaucratic violence is a form of colonial exploitation and requires a certain level of distance, the politics of drug deregulation, and humanity's inability to manage our new data-driven corporate future without serious tech augmentation, and eventually, evolution into a digital gestalt for data analysis and decision making.

She managed to cover pretty much every major interesting issue of 2020 in like, 1988.

Also there's a merman crime boss.

I cannot wait to read the third book in the series.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I liked the first book when I read it last week. I didn't mean to read the second one so soon, but I was too lazy to grab my Kindle from downstairs so I started to leaf through Catspaw instead. And I could not put it down.

It's everything the first book was just more and better. More intrigue, more politics, more Cat. Our hero is hired to prevent an assassination in one of the Combine families and is thrust between the world of elites and the one he came from, and these worlds don't meet smoothly.

My copy is an ex-library book, but I'm sad to say there's no dates stamped on the ticket (paper tickets in library books, remember those?). Hopefully at least one person in Waltham Forest read this gem before I got a hold of it.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I picked this one up at a convention approximately forever ago just because I liked the cover. I didn't realize it was the second one in a series until I was well into it, but since it deals heavily with the aftermath of the first book, enough of that action is described that I never really felt I was missing much. This is a dense book that reminded me a fair bit of C.J. Cherryh — rich future worldbuilding, complicated personal politics, technology and art and aristocracy and governance all heavily intertwined. It's a rough book to read at times — the protagonist has been through a lot, including a graphically described rape in childhood — but as an intended-murder mystery, it's complicated enough that it kept me guessing and closely involved.

[allyspock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remain charmed by this slightly dated yet wonderfully rich story. I feel like this book took the emotions from the first book and magnified them tenfold. While the first book showed us Cat’s difficult life and subsequent escape from it, this book showed us how Cat really felt about it all... as Cat got in touch with his own feelings too. Lots of good characters, interesting plot, some weird Neuromancer references, and one particular plot device (the Stryger situation) felt a little too obvious and overtly baiting a specific kind of reaction, but these books are good and I’m here for it!

[William Hillson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this book I was turning 18. I read it before I knew it was a series so there was a lot of confusion but I absolutely fell in love. If I could give more than five stars, I would. This book shifted and shaped my view on so many topics that I don't think Joan thought would be important when she wrote them into her book. I immediately bought the other two in the series and was heartbroken to learn there were no more. She has since become my favorite author and I hold the Cat series near and dear to my heart. I highly recommend this book.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though second in a series, this book fills in any gaps from missing the first book, but would probably feel more investment if you've read it.

A young telepathic street punk with a painful history, trying to make his way in a suspicious and manipulative dystopian world of high politics and very dark corners.

This story is grim and contains rape. The characters feel so vibrant and thoroughly fleshed out, each feeling like they have their own motivations and goals.

The pacing is good, and the world feels unique. Just not sure I need to keep a grim book in my collection.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the world building in this book and supporting characters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a complete fan of Cat. I felt like by the end of the book I didn’t truly know him as a character based of his actions and honor code. Specifically having sex with people in committed relationships where if word got out about their affair would spell ruin for both parties and then being judgemental about others behavior because they don’t live up to his honor code. But I guess I could say Cat also comes off as a more human character because of this.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book - aged very well, considering how technology has advanced and ideas of what cyberspace will be like. It's supposedly the middle book of three, but I'm not sure of the order of publication.

The story is good and the characters work, mostly. The protagonist can get a little on your nerves as he seems to be unerring in his opinions, though there are mitigating reasons for that.

The story has some violence (one graphic, but central to the plot) and sex (two non-consensual, none graphic)

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorites. Not surprisingly I read this in several other reviews.

The story and character development were first rate.
I especially liked the main character, Cat. This was a mesmerizing story interweaving technology, emotions and prejudice. The setting of a dystopian future was quite on point for the story.

This is a great read and worth the time to invest.

[A. Eisele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book holds a special place in my heart. In high school I found a copy at a Friends of the Library sale and bought it because I was intrigued by the cover (even though it was technically the 2nd book in a series)
This was one of my first introductions to cyberpunk and science fiction and I became enthralled with the setting and cast of characters. It ultimately inspired me to begin devouring more science fiction and to begin writing in the genre as well

[Heidi Schureck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the type of book that leaves you sad that the story has to end and has you missing the characters. Such great social and political commentary. Tw because it does include violence some of which is sexual. (It doesn’t go too much into detain but more so infers it.) If you like sci-fi this is for you

[Julene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat is an interesting character to follow. He discovers his strength and power. I was drawn into his journey and was excited to learn more about what he would discover. It takes modern day issues into the future and keeps the humanity at the same time.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is my favorite of the series. Love this book.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have gotten more out of this if I had read the first one. It was fun, if slightly predictable.

[Gina Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The continuing story of Cat, the half-human, half- Hydran.

[Joni]

Love this book!

[Leclerq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very atmospheric, I liked it.

[Kailynn Ayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a bit slow at times but an interesting story overall.