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Celta's Heartmates
Celta Cats
Smart Cats know what they want. And on the world of Celta, they are very smart. They can be Familiar Animal companions, bonded with a person. These stories are seen from the cat’s very own eyes, and are six never before published Cat Stories, including the first Top Cat of Celta, Peaches; as well as a trio of stories about that favorite Fam, Zanth. Peaches Arrives on Celta, Plenty of problems for Peaches to challenges to his status; people lying about Peaches’ human companion and Peaches himself; Grandma’s acting mean...and there’s that very real concern that the Ship just might not land safely, fear he must overcome… Zanth Gets His Boy, Zanth’s meeting with a noble boy running from evil people changes both their lives in ways he couldn’t imagine Pinky Becomes A Fam, Pinky is a smart enough cat to know that there is a difference from being a regular cat and a Familiar Companion Cat, and bonding better with his boy. He’s determined to make the leap from cat to Fam, but didn’t realize exactly what that meant… Zanth Claims Treasure, Yes, the southern estate smells great, even better smelling is the glass orb full of magic that he finds, and will fight to keep… Baccat Chooses His Person, Life on the streets in the winter isn’t what Baccat deserves, and he’s determined to find a good person to take care of him. After all, he has so much to offer…but does he really deserve what he gets? Zanth Saves The Day, A FamCat on a beach just can’t sleep with all that odd hatching and squeaking going on. Zanth finds new friends and defends them against bullies…
146 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 11, 2017
94 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 13, 2019
2019 bk 292. What can I say - a science fiction collection told from the point of cats. It has been done before, but these are fun. Join Xanth, Pinky, Peaches, Baccarat as they prove their bravery and loyatly to their fam.
August 18, 2020
An enjoyable collection of short stories
A fun and entertaining collection of short stories. Well written and nicely paced. A mixture of stories with previously established characters and new ones. Highly recommend.
A fun and entertaining collection of short stories. Well written and nicely paced. A mixture of stories with previously established characters and new ones. Highly recommend.
January 26, 2018
Originally published at Reading Reality
I’m still looking for comfort reading. When I heard the FamCats of Celta meowing my name, I decided to answer.
This is likely to be what a blogging friend refers to as a “short and sweet” review. This is not a big book, the stories do not have big messages, but they are a whole lot of fun, particularly if you like the Celta’s Heartmates series. The stories in Celta Cats illustrate bits of backstory or side story of events that are referred to in the main series, but are told from the point of view of the FamCats, the Familiar Companion animals of Celta who happen to be cats.
It seems that any animal can become a Fam, if they have enough Flair (psi power) and enough intelligence. Fams are intelligent at what we would think of as a human level, but do not think human thoughts. They understand human speech and thought, but as the stories illustrate, they do not change their essential nature. The FamCats, in particular, are always very cat. Particularly in the “dogs have owners, cats have staff” sense. FamCats expect rewards for their service, and are not remotely shy about demanding those rewards. It’s part of what makes them so much fun.
Although this collection features FamCats, in the main series we meet many other animals who have become Fams, including foxes, dogs, birds, and even housefluffs, which seem like a less predatory version of the dustbunnies in Jayne Castle’s Harmony series.
Several of the stories in this collection feature Xanth, the FamCat who owns and protects Rand T’Ash, the hero of the first book in the series, Heart Mate. From Xanth’s perspective, he is the dominant partner. Rand’s perspective may be otherwise. But one of the most interesting stories in the collection is the first meeting between Xanth and Rand, told from Xanth’s perspective. At that point, Rand was a scared and very young man, who had just watched evil men burn out his family home, killing his parents and siblings., while Xanth was a full-grown and battle-toughened street cat. Those same men are hunting Rand, and it is Xanth’s knowledge of Druida City’s back alleys that keeps them both alive until Rand matures enough to come into his full power and exact his revenge.
Escape Rating A-: For adult readers, Celta Cats is a book for fans. The joy in the stories is filling in missing pieces of Celtan history, and especially viewing that history through the eyes of the Fams, who are so often the best part, or at least the funniest part, of many of the stories.
As a short story collection, Celta Cats is being marketed as a children’s book. I have my doubts about that. It’s true that there is no “adult” content per se. These stories are not romances, while the regular books of the Celta’s Heartmates series most definitely are. But what makes these stories special is their connection to Celta. The Xanth stories are particularly fun because they connect to Xanth (and Rand) as we already know them. Whether young readers will find them interesting without knowing anything about the background of Celta is something I’m just not sure about.
But for those of us who love the series, and can’t wait until next year for our next visit to Celta, these stories are utterly charming.
Reviewer’s Note: I read Celta Cats in the wake of Ursula K. LeGuin’s death. If you like the Celta Cats, you will love her Catwings series, which begins with, of course, Catwings. The Catwings stories, are, not surprisingly considering the title, about a family of winged cats. The wings seem to be a mutation, as the stories are set in the contemporary world and everyone, both cats and humans, are aware that the Catwings family needs to be protected from people who will want to study them. The stories are marvelous, the illustrations are lovely, and just like Celta Cats, the stories will be enjoyed by adults who love any intersection between cats and either science fiction or fantasy.
I’m still looking for comfort reading. When I heard the FamCats of Celta meowing my name, I decided to answer.
This is likely to be what a blogging friend refers to as a “short and sweet” review. This is not a big book, the stories do not have big messages, but they are a whole lot of fun, particularly if you like the Celta’s Heartmates series. The stories in Celta Cats illustrate bits of backstory or side story of events that are referred to in the main series, but are told from the point of view of the FamCats, the Familiar Companion animals of Celta who happen to be cats.
It seems that any animal can become a Fam, if they have enough Flair (psi power) and enough intelligence. Fams are intelligent at what we would think of as a human level, but do not think human thoughts. They understand human speech and thought, but as the stories illustrate, they do not change their essential nature. The FamCats, in particular, are always very cat. Particularly in the “dogs have owners, cats have staff” sense. FamCats expect rewards for their service, and are not remotely shy about demanding those rewards. It’s part of what makes them so much fun.
Although this collection features FamCats, in the main series we meet many other animals who have become Fams, including foxes, dogs, birds, and even housefluffs, which seem like a less predatory version of the dustbunnies in Jayne Castle’s Harmony series.
Several of the stories in this collection feature Xanth, the FamCat who owns and protects Rand T’Ash, the hero of the first book in the series, Heart Mate. From Xanth’s perspective, he is the dominant partner. Rand’s perspective may be otherwise. But one of the most interesting stories in the collection is the first meeting between Xanth and Rand, told from Xanth’s perspective. At that point, Rand was a scared and very young man, who had just watched evil men burn out his family home, killing his parents and siblings., while Xanth was a full-grown and battle-toughened street cat. Those same men are hunting Rand, and it is Xanth’s knowledge of Druida City’s back alleys that keeps them both alive until Rand matures enough to come into his full power and exact his revenge.
Escape Rating A-: For adult readers, Celta Cats is a book for fans. The joy in the stories is filling in missing pieces of Celtan history, and especially viewing that history through the eyes of the Fams, who are so often the best part, or at least the funniest part, of many of the stories.
As a short story collection, Celta Cats is being marketed as a children’s book. I have my doubts about that. It’s true that there is no “adult” content per se. These stories are not romances, while the regular books of the Celta’s Heartmates series most definitely are. But what makes these stories special is their connection to Celta. The Xanth stories are particularly fun because they connect to Xanth (and Rand) as we already know them. Whether young readers will find them interesting without knowing anything about the background of Celta is something I’m just not sure about.
But for those of us who love the series, and can’t wait until next year for our next visit to Celta, these stories are utterly charming.
Reviewer’s Note: I read Celta Cats in the wake of Ursula K. LeGuin’s death. If you like the Celta Cats, you will love her Catwings series, which begins with, of course, Catwings. The Catwings stories, are, not surprisingly considering the title, about a family of winged cats. The wings seem to be a mutation, as the stories are set in the contemporary world and everyone, both cats and humans, are aware that the Catwings family needs to be protected from people who will want to study them. The stories are marvelous, the illustrations are lovely, and just like Celta Cats, the stories will be enjoyed by adults who love any intersection between cats and either science fiction or fantasy.
December 23, 2017
Celta Cats by Robin D. Owens is a collection of short stories in the Pov of her wonderful Fams, from her fantastic Celta series. This book is a pure fun enjoyable read, especially for fans of this series. I have said in many of my reviews on the Celta series that my most favorite things are the Fams we get to meet in each and every book. The cats are in the majority, but there have been many other animal species.
Fams can talk to their human companion out loud or telepathically, and they are fiercely loyal to their human. They also have magic flair that enables them to do various things, including teleporting; though not all Fams are the same. They are all so much fun and add so much to the overall story.
When I heard Robin was going to do a book on some of the Fams we know, especially Zanth, with short stories in their POV, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the book, and I thoroughly loved each story. I will not write a review of each story, as they are short and the above description gives you an idea what each is about. Celta Cats was a fun lighthearted book to read, and as I said before, if you are a fan of this series, it is a do not miss.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
Fams can talk to their human companion out loud or telepathically, and they are fiercely loyal to their human. They also have magic flair that enables them to do various things, including teleporting; though not all Fams are the same. They are all so much fun and add so much to the overall story.
When I heard Robin was going to do a book on some of the Fams we know, especially Zanth, with short stories in their POV, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the book, and I thoroughly loved each story. I will not write a review of each story, as they are short and the above description gives you an idea what each is about. Celta Cats was a fun lighthearted book to read, and as I said before, if you are a fan of this series, it is a do not miss.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
March 4, 2018
I am not usually a fan of short stories, but I do like stories from a world I am already familiar with, and I am a fan of cats. So... Loved this collection. Robin's "famcats" are a fun and intriguing bunch, and she is clearly a person who knows cats, because their ability to communicate does not in any way make them less feline, as I am sure the three cats I currently live with would agree.
May 22, 2023
Reread. The first time I read this book, I was only about 4 books deep into the series and didn't know some of the Fams, and felt that it was just an okay book. Plus, at the time I disliked how snobby all the Fams were. I found them annoying and almost hated reading their parts, however, the deeper into the series I got, I understood why some people liked them. And really, if you're going to read this book, read more than 4 books in the series first. This book of short stories is told through the Fam point of view (kinda cool) and doesn't really make sense unless you've read the books in which the cats are a part of. If you've read the first book in the series, Heart Mate, then, you know Zanth. Peaches is from the first story in Heart And Swords. Pinky is briefly introduced in Heart Thief, but is the main Fam in Heart Choice. The last cat, Baccat is sort of mentioned in Heart Secret but is a nameless grey tabby and is the Fam in Heart Legacy. So, if you haven't read these books, Celta Cats is just going to be an odd collection of odd cat stories.
December 9, 2022
"Grandma Chloe, now nagged and picked at and scolded like he’d dropped back..."
"Grandma Chloe, now nagged and picked at and scolded like he’d dropped back to boyhood for his foolish mistakes."
This is a magical collection of Celta stories with FamCats at the center. From Peaches, the first FamCat onboard ship coming to settle Celta, to Zanth first meeting and bonding with T'Ash when he was just a child, these stories offer glimpses into the culture, and characters we've grown to love throughout the series of books set on Celta.
While each story stands alone, and has a beginning, middle and end, these are meant to enrich the reading of the series... a fun treat for those already familiar with Delta HeartMates, but not really a done in one, stand alone e, or entry to the series... Unless you want to discover a new Universe through they eyes of smart cats!
"Grandma Chloe, now nagged and picked at and scolded like he’d dropped back to boyhood for his foolish mistakes."
This is a magical collection of Celta stories with FamCats at the center. From Peaches, the first FamCat onboard ship coming to settle Celta, to Zanth first meeting and bonding with T'Ash when he was just a child, these stories offer glimpses into the culture, and characters we've grown to love throughout the series of books set on Celta.
While each story stands alone, and has a beginning, middle and end, these are meant to enrich the reading of the series... a fun treat for those already familiar with Delta HeartMates, but not really a done in one, stand alone e, or entry to the series... Unless you want to discover a new Universe through they eyes of smart cats!
February 27, 2018
Couldn't be better
If you, like me, love the fam animals of Celta you will love this book. There are many things about the Celta series to admire, but the fam animals are by far my favorite aspect. This book fills in some of the missing pieces of their stories. It is well worth the read.
If you, like me, love the fam animals of Celta you will love this book. There are many things about the Celta series to admire, but the fam animals are by far my favorite aspect. This book fills in some of the missing pieces of their stories. It is well worth the read.
September 25, 2020
I love these books
I know when I pick up Robin Owens book that I will be able to become list in the story and characters. I have been enjoyed each and every book in this series. I especially enjoy the fam animals and the thoughts and interactions with the other characters in the book. Keep writing Robin!!!
I know when I pick up Robin Owens book that I will be able to become list in the story and characters. I have been enjoyed each and every book in this series. I especially enjoy the fam animals and the thoughts and interactions with the other characters in the book. Keep writing Robin!!!
February 2, 2018
I bought the book but then I had to return it. There were too many typos for me to tolerate paying money for it. The stories, however were good. I enjoyed them all despite the fact that I don't really like animals especially as a protagonist.
July 28, 2018
Fams
Robin D. Owens writes a wonderful series on the planet Celta. This set of fam stories are told from the perspective of the intelligent animals of the planet. It fills in some missing questions.As usual,the stories are well crafted.I can hardly wait for a new story.
Robin D. Owens writes a wonderful series on the planet Celta. This set of fam stories are told from the perspective of the intelligent animals of the planet. It fills in some missing questions.As usual,the stories are well crafted.I can hardly wait for a new story.
February 18, 2021
Good background stories
Short stories of strong cat personalities with a new twist. Shows more intelligent species. We need one more story of the planet’s changes, thoughts, and intelligence before and after the spaceships landings.
Short stories of strong cat personalities with a new twist. Shows more intelligent species. We need one more story of the planet’s changes, thoughts, and intelligence before and after the spaceships landings.
December 15, 2017
I want more. Also I'm dumping all other books I meant to read on the and will reread HeartMate series cause this book just made we yearn for them again.
December 17, 2017
The cats have it!
Some Celtan fun for a snowy day. This will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. Just enough hints to draw you back to the main books in the series.
Some Celtan fun for a snowy day. This will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. Just enough hints to draw you back to the main books in the series.
January 6, 2018
Ok
I have loved this series from the beginning and especially the Fam part of it. This very brief additional stories of Famcats was not worth reading unfortunately.
I have loved this series from the beginning and especially the Fam part of it. This very brief additional stories of Famcats was not worth reading unfortunately.
July 30, 2018
Light-weight, but pleasant. A good summer fill-in read.
May 25, 2018
Lovely little collection of stories regarding the Fam Cats of Celta. Great fun to be in their minds for a change :)
April 28, 2019
A charming collection of cat stories from the terrifying Zanth to the ambitious Pinkie and lastly Peaches the first sentient to set foot, I mean paw, on Celta.
May 6, 2019
Fun read! Familiars are quirky intelligent animals.
December 11, 2019
Nice getting some backstory and new stories on the Celta Cats.
Read
July 4, 2020fun short stories that fill in some blanks as well
December 2, 2020
It was wonderful getting to see the exciting world of Celta from the animal companions' perspective. I am so, so glad this collection got published!
February 13, 2021
Cats!! I love these FamCats. Only gripe may be this was too short, haha.
Read
September 7, 20211/3/2019
June 26, 2022
These short stories are so freaking cute. I adore the fams.
August 1, 2023
Backstory, Yay!
Thank you for providing the Celta Fam backstories. It was nice to fill in the gaps for them. And nice to visit Celta again.
Thank you for providing the Celta Fam backstories. It was nice to fill in the gaps for them. And nice to visit Celta again.
October 3, 2023
Cute, short snippets and stories. Whetted my appetite to reread the series.
January 5, 2018
What a treat! Stories from the Fam Cats point of view.
Six stories and an outtake, and each one as good as the next. I loved how the author showed us these stories from the Fam Cats point of view.
While I loved each story, I would have to say my favorite was "Pinky Becomes a Fam". I loved it when he told Zanth to "Stop it", and stood up to the snooty Drina. But what I liked the most, was how Ms. Owens showed us how he thought as Danith help to bring out and shape his flair.
Six stories and an outtake, and each one as good as the next. I loved how the author showed us these stories from the Fam Cats point of view.
While I loved each story, I would have to say my favorite was "Pinky Becomes a Fam". I loved it when he told Zanth to "Stop it", and stood up to the snooty Drina. But what I liked the most, was how Ms. Owens showed us how he thought as Danith help to bring out and shape his flair.
January 27, 2024
Huge fan of Robin D. Owens’ Celta and its fam cats and other animals. The different personalities of the fams are as fully developed as the people.
March 8, 2018
explains a lot
some questions that i had about celta stories where answered for me. I love the celta stories. The fact that they really on magic so much that no one except for book 2 with raul tries to make anything. Its a great concept and original thinking for these books. Also I love the way the animals are involved. Many of us with animals realize how much of our lives do involve them. But the author brings together some of the pieces that were missing in the books. If you like the books then this is a great companion to the books.
some questions that i had about celta stories where answered for me. I love the celta stories. The fact that they really on magic so much that no one except for book 2 with raul tries to make anything. Its a great concept and original thinking for these books. Also I love the way the animals are involved. Many of us with animals realize how much of our lives do involve them. But the author brings together some of the pieces that were missing in the books. If you like the books then this is a great companion to the books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews