Catseye by Andre Norton another classic reviewed

Catseye by Andre Norton

http://www.gpnp.net/backshelves.gpnp.net/001%20scifi%20ebooks/scifi%20fav%20authors/norton/Andre%20Norton%20-%20Cat's%20eye.pdf

Another classic reviewed

Catseye is a novel of the far future and the story of a young refugee, living in what has become a permanent refugee camp, the Dipple on the luxury planet of Kowar, a beautiful world that has made itself the home port for the wealthy and politically connected, at least in the settled portions of that world near the main spaceport.  Luxury and political intrigue go hand in hand as various power factions vie for influence in among the towers and palaces of the city of Tikil.

By Troy Harden refugee from a world converted to military use shares in none of those riches being of the Dipple.  His family was lost to war and plague and the young man, raised as a rancher seeks casual labor each day in his lonely existence.  His luck appears to turn when his country background lands him a place in Kyger’s exotic pet shop.

Kyger a tough merchant has specialized in importing animals from humanities old Home Terra, now fallen on hard times due to the war.  Immediately he is caught up in a web of espionage when his employer’s first shipment of alien animals, Terran cats is attacked.  Only Troy’s fast action in protecting the shipment and Zul, Kyger’s assistant save the cats.

Grateful Kyger hires Norden permanently a blessing that could raise him to the level of a sub citizen.  He begins additional duties for Kyger taking a hawk-like animal on an expedition with Rerne a ranger from the Wild.

Beyond the city lies the Wild an area preserved by the Rangers, descendants of the settle families who first landed on Kowar they jealously guard access to the Wild and to the ancient alien ruin of Ruhkarv, a vast underground city in which the a large party of scientists met an horrible end.   That alien installation is now warded with screens and automated weapons to keep the curious from harm.

Returning from his brief respite to the Wild, Troy quickly learns that the Terran animals are more than they seem.  For those who remember Andre Norton’s earlier Beastmaster series it will not surprise them to realize that the Terran animals that Troy meets and befriends are not mere pets.  The cats, fox and kinkajou have enhanced intelligence.  More they have been trained as spies forced to work for Kyger and his employers in espionage against the powerful of Kowar. 

But the animals are suspected after the death of a powerful former officer, ironically the one who banished Troy's people from their homeworld.  Kyger and his masters now seek to kill the Terran animals before the plot can be foiled but Kyger’s enemies catch up to him first.  He is murdered and Troy in the confusion escapes with the animals pursued by both Zul, the police and the Guild in the employ of the spymaster, Dragur.

Troy’s flitter crashes in Ruhkarv the one place, with its horrifying reputation he might temporarily elude his pursues, Troy and the five animals disappear into the depths of Ruhkarv, there to find many strange sights and traces of the unknown aliens.  Worse of all they find the site where the scientists had set up the recaller, a device to bring back images of the past, that instead brought back something monstrous.   The recaller was suppressed by remote control but is not off and the horror it unleashed once haunts the tunnels, not entirely alive or dead, here or not.

Fleeing in panic the group runs into Zul and the Guild, the Rerne and the rangers.  Troy with the animal’s help escape all of them into the Wild.  But Dragur captures Troy and Rerne.  Rather than employ torture or other crude methods he offers the young man a choice.  All that his family once held on Norden will be returned to him, if he will lead Dragur to the animals and call his four-footed friends out to their death.

Will Troy betray his friends?  Read on friends.

A powerfully written tale of a young man isolated from all human contact and love, living a hard-scrabble existence that marks him badly.  The story is devoid of female touch and impact, something not uncommon in the YA books of the 50’s and is poorer for that but it is that sort of “boy’s own” adventure tale that still has the power to move us with its unseen horrors and mysteries.