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Shipscat #1
SKitty
The Captain thought that their shipscat would be an asset at the trade negations, so he ordered Dick to bring her with them. Dick had warned her repeatedly not to hunt on this planet, but what cat ever does what a human tells her to?
Nook
First published July 1, 1989
11 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,538 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 10, 2014
This short story is a about the bonding between SKitty and Mr. White. It is a good introduction to the Shipscat. If you like this short story, read the books. It is also the first story of four short stories about the Shipscat. It's good for a quick bedtime read.
March 18, 2022
Cute bo9m
It's a short story about a genetically altered cat in space. What's not to like. It's one of my feel good reads. There is another 📖📕 in the series. Which I am going read now. Enjoy!!!!!!!
It's a short story about a genetically altered cat in space. What's not to like. It's one of my feel good reads. There is another 📖📕 in the series. Which I am going read now. Enjoy!!!!!!!
April 5, 2025
Space going kitty cat doing what cats do best!
February 26, 2011
Vaguely disappointing. Maybe it's the fault of the short length; there's just not enough time to develop characters and background to my satisfaction. I remember now why I avoid short stories.
A lowly spacer has charge of the ship's cat, which has been genetically modified for intelligence and secretly has developed telepathic communication. The ship has stopped at a distant planet where they are trying to establish trade with an alien race. Very predictably, the cat saves the day and wins it's ship the contract by killing a species of vermin plaguing the aliens.
A lowly spacer has charge of the ship's cat, which has been genetically modified for intelligence and secretly has developed telepathic communication. The ship has stopped at a distant planet where they are trying to establish trade with an alien race. Very predictably, the cat saves the day and wins it's ship the contract by killing a species of vermin plaguing the aliens.
November 18, 2015
Fun!
I'm a cat lover, so of course this is a natural for me. But the notion of a telepathic cat roaming the spaceways brings back nostalgic memories of early Andre Norton stories. I just wish this one was longer...
I'm a cat lover, so of course this is a natural for me. But the notion of a telepathic cat roaming the spaceways brings back nostalgic memories of early Andre Norton stories. I just wish this one was longer...
July 30, 2016
Great fun! A thoroughly enjoyable escape to a new world. And I'm not altogether sure that Some cats I've known don't have the same special talents Skitty possesses...they just aren't ready to let the Hans know quite yet.
I recommend this one highly if you like cats.
I recommend this one highly if you like cats.
October 23, 2011
very cute, will have to read the rest!
June 7, 2012
Enjoyable enough, although the formatting could have used some work. Words were weirdly hyphenated.
November 24, 2015
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
December 22, 2022
re-read 2/27/2014
December 29, 2015
I love Skitty. I actually named a cat after her. Would love a full sized set of books or a trilogy with her and S-cat.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews