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Cat Magic
Some people in Maywell, New Jersey, commute to New York. Some are working on a lab project that will change the world — if it is allowed to succeed.
And some people are witches.
Amanda Walker is not a witch — yet. She's an artist, looking for work — unaware that someone has a desperate need for her, a dark plan that may require Amanda to enter death itself.
If she is allowed to live long enough to make the choice.
Amanda's tale is far stranger than she knows. It is ancient beyond memory. In times of great change it must be relived, in all its fear and hope, its wisdom and its passion.
One of those times is now.
And some people are witches.
Amanda Walker is not a witch — yet. She's an artist, looking for work — unaware that someone has a desperate need for her, a dark plan that may require Amanda to enter death itself.
If she is allowed to live long enough to make the choice.
Amanda's tale is far stranger than she knows. It is ancient beyond memory. In times of great change it must be relived, in all its fear and hope, its wisdom and its passion.
One of those times is now.
448 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1986
About the author
Whitley Strieber
128 books1,151 followersAmerican writer best known for his novels The Wolfen,The Hunger and Warday and for Communion, a non-fiction description of his experiences with apparent alien contact. He has recently made significant advances in understanding this phenomenon, and has published his new discoveries in Solving the Communion Enigma.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
February 21, 2022
-Ideas interesantes casi tapadas por el despliegue técnico.-
Género. Narrativa fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Gato mágico (publicación original: Cat Magic, 1986) nos lleva a Maywell, un pueblo de los Estados Unidos de América en el que creyentes (y practicantes) de la brujería y la Wicca conviven en paz con los que no creen o creen en religiones más convencionales, una de las cuales tiene un líder que odia a las brujas y planea hacer algo al respecto. En el pueblo también viven científicos que experimentan sobre resurrección, al pueblo también llega una ilustradora para trabajar con una de las brujas más importantes de la localidad en su nuevo libro y, además, también visita el pueblo un gato sobrenatural con intenciones poco claras.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
Género. Narrativa fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro Gato mágico (publicación original: Cat Magic, 1986) nos lleva a Maywell, un pueblo de los Estados Unidos de América en el que creyentes (y practicantes) de la brujería y la Wicca conviven en paz con los que no creen o creen en religiones más convencionales, una de las cuales tiene un líder que odia a las brujas y planea hacer algo al respecto. En el pueblo también viven científicos que experimentan sobre resurrección, al pueblo también llega una ilustradora para trabajar con una de las brujas más importantes de la localidad en su nuevo libro y, además, también visita el pueblo un gato sobrenatural con intenciones poco claras.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
August 1, 2021
3.5 stars
There are some really interesting elements here: witchcraft, a scientific study into life after death, a priest with a dark past. These made for some great scenes, especially when the darker subject matter came to the fore, but unfortunately I found the story to be too convoluted and disjointed.
There are some really interesting elements here: witchcraft, a scientific study into life after death, a priest with a dark past. These made for some great scenes, especially when the darker subject matter came to the fore, but unfortunately I found the story to be too convoluted and disjointed.
December 31, 2015
I found this book completely and absolutely boring and nonsensical and stupid.
I am not from the US and I do not have any idea about Wiccan or whatever (it seems a bunch of hippies to me doing nature rituals and all that, a religion for the ones who need to believe in something and dont know exactly what).
The book itself is crap, the giant cat, the fairies, the characters, everything is so absultely absurd that I pity the day I found this piece of sh** in a book market.
The worst thing: the writing so full of stupid images, that are just a bunch of words put together (the dream of the consciousness of nature in the wild scent of love travelling through space and time in the wings of a dove, and such crap)
The only good thing about this is that I have finished it today and I can forget about it.
I am not from the US and I do not have any idea about Wiccan or whatever (it seems a bunch of hippies to me doing nature rituals and all that, a religion for the ones who need to believe in something and dont know exactly what).
The book itself is crap, the giant cat, the fairies, the characters, everything is so absultely absurd that I pity the day I found this piece of sh** in a book market.
The worst thing: the writing so full of stupid images, that are just a bunch of words put together (the dream of the consciousness of nature in the wild scent of love travelling through space and time in the wings of a dove, and such crap)
The only good thing about this is that I have finished it today and I can forget about it.
March 23, 2013
As a fan of Strieber, i picked this book up for the hell of it. The premise sounded ok, but I'm never a big fan of how witchcraft is handled in fiction so I was a bit hesitant. Whitley Strieber proved me wrong as he approaches modern witchcraft and Wicca in a tactful and honest way in this book, coupled with a great story of life, death, and rebirth. What impressed me was his grasp of witchcraft. I was fearing a cheesy "evil witch" or magical spells being cast to enchant silverware to dance or something. But he did it in a way that could honor the spirit of what witchcraft really is about: love, intent, and communion with the world around us. Blending that with his gritty, dark, truthful, personal storytelling, he is able to deliver both a story to entertain and a message to contemplate. Well done, Mr. Strieber.
July 17, 2011
This book changed my life. It gave me the keys to find what I believe in which eased the ache in my soul.
March 17, 2013
This was my fourth time reading CAT MAGIC, and I still enjoy it.
I don't like how the author blends ancient Witchcraft myth & legend into story that is trying to portray 'modern' Wicca in a positive light. But -it was written in '86, before the new generation of Pagans became the 'in' thing, and it does help Strieber weave an interesting web.
For those who have read this already read this, the part with the frog in the lab... it breaks my heart every time! Ripped away from Summerland, and thrust back into pain and confusion - it makes me shed a tear and resent life.
My full review is up on BBB - http://beckisbookblog.wordpress.com/2...
I don't like how the author blends ancient Witchcraft myth & legend into story that is trying to portray 'modern' Wicca in a positive light. But -it was written in '86, before the new generation of Pagans became the 'in' thing, and it does help Strieber weave an interesting web.
For those who have read this already read this, the part with the frog in the lab... it breaks my heart every time! Ripped away from Summerland, and thrust back into pain and confusion - it makes me shed a tear and resent life.
My full review is up on BBB - http://beckisbookblog.wordpress.com/2...
December 2, 2015
I thought it would be your average trash book, and it is, but it was also a bit whimsical and just plain weird. I really liked Mother Star of the Sea.
October 19, 2012
I read this book when I was 14 in 1986,
the same month I got This Mortal Coil's "It'll End In Tears",
and first dropped L.S.D.;
I am re-reading it, now, inside of cannabis vapors,
so my judgment is, still, the opposite of clouded.
This book is slow to start,
but is an earthen version of the samekind of disinhibiting stimuli as
Gustav Meyrink's "The Angel of the West Window",
Gerard de Nerval's "Aurelia"
and Philip K. Dick's "V.A.L.I.S.",
but couched in a 80's horror novel.
Proof of re-incarnation and dreamie Dark Fantasy+++++
the same month I got This Mortal Coil's "It'll End In Tears",
and first dropped L.S.D.;
I am re-reading it, now, inside of cannabis vapors,
so my judgment is, still, the opposite of clouded.
This book is slow to start,
but is an earthen version of the samekind of disinhibiting stimuli as
Gustav Meyrink's "The Angel of the West Window",
Gerard de Nerval's "Aurelia"
and Philip K. Dick's "V.A.L.I.S.",
but couched in a 80's horror novel.
Proof of re-incarnation and dreamie Dark Fantasy+++++
September 12, 2011
Fucking fantastic.
A book that really makes you think about the possibilities of what happens after you die.
Definitely a book you can't put down.
A book that really makes you think about the possibilities of what happens after you die.
Definitely a book you can't put down.
October 30, 2020
DNF before page 50.
Not absolutely terrible I suppose, but obviously written by a creep and I just really didn't care at all about the story. The dialogue is unrealistic, all the men are gross, and I didn't care enough about any of the characters, even the "witches." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Not absolutely terrible I suppose, but obviously written by a creep and I just really didn't care at all about the story. The dialogue is unrealistic, all the men are gross, and I didn't care enough about any of the characters, even the "witches." ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
August 4, 2019
Uneven read. I became aware of Whitley Strieber earlier this year, read the first two books in his Communion series, so was curious to go back and revisit his earlier week. Catmagic, at first, seemed like a fairly by-the-numbers 80's horror novel much in the vein of a Stephen King or Dean Koontz. But it seemed as though a whole witchcraft subplot never really took shape and the cat was more a clunky plot device than anything else. The comparison might be unfair but Catmagic doesn't hold a handle to Cujo.
January 21, 2021
Surreal and nonsensical, Cat Magic is a hard book to enjoy if you're a reader not completely engrossed in witchcraft and have a deep love for feline friends. Whilst there were elements of the story I did enjoy (the crazy scientist hellbent on killing and resurrecting his subjects for instance), the overall premise fell flat. Despite trying hard to loose myself in the surreal, I just couldn't suspend my belief enough to get into the book; a giant cat, larger than a mountain who looms large over a small town, seen by many yet largely ignored? Nah, didn't work for me.
November 25, 2016
Whitley Strieber is cracked. He was abducted by aliens! .....a whole bunch of times! (you can read about that in his book "Comunion"). "Cat Magic" was written by Strieber and his buddy Jonathan Barry. Only....Barry doesn't actually exist. Just Strieber. Strieber alone wrote this book. Why did he list Jonathan Barry? Because Whitley Strieber is cracked! This book still wasn't bad I suppose. It's not a "true" story like Comunion was. It's a novel...about witches n shit.
September 30, 2013
Started out fine. But after about 100 pages began to bog down with a bunch of pseudo philosophy/religious junk and the story got strung out badly.
I thought the later half of the book rather poor to terrible. As a horror story it sucks with the main horror being the poor writing.
I thought the later half of the book rather poor to terrible. As a horror story it sucks with the main horror being the poor writing.
April 6, 2020
Like if you had three fantasy nerds describe the first fantasy trope that came into their heads (Frankenstein's monster, fairies, and witches), and combined that with the ramblings of an insane conspiracy theorist, then molded that into a vaguely Stephen-King novel shaped book.
October 2, 2012
This was one of my favorite books in high school. It really made me think on how we are all connected and intertwined. The store is odd and twisted. Just my kind of book.
October 14, 2018
This book is bad. Laughably bad. Hands down one of the worst books I have ever read.
March 28, 2017
Le voy a poner a este libro 2,5. La verdad es que no sé por qué pero no creo que menos sea correcto para este libro porque tiene cosas buenas. Este libro llego a mis manos porque como ya he dicho en varias reseñas sigo un reto de juego de tronos y lo que nos pedían es que en la historia apareciera un felino y la verdad es que me volví loca por mi cuarto y no conseguí encontrar ninguno. Empece a pedir consejos por twitter pero al preguntarle a una gran amiga me dijo yo tengo uno por casa si lo quieres?. Fui a su casa a vernos un poquete y me lo dejo sin ninguna duda. La verdad es que se lo agradezco pero se ve que las lecturas no las tenemos muy parecidas XD. Yo soy mas de fantasía y ella un poco lecturas mas "adultas". Para empezar ella ya me dijo que no me iba a gustar mucho pero quise darle la oportunidad porque a veces las historias pueden sorprenderte. En un principio lo que me contaba en los primeros capítulos me pareció bastante interesante ya que eran un grupo de científicos que estaban investigando en animales la posibilidad de matarlos y traerlos de nuevo a la vida. Se ve que con el paso de los capítulos pues ha ido perdiendo mi interés. Empiezan con animales pero luego con la necesidad de la persona que da el dinero para el estudio pasan a los humano. Porque mas o menos de la mitad del libro en adelante es sobre lo que uno de los personajes que fallecen ve tras morir, parece interesante porque dices tal vez eso sea lo que podría pasar, pues si es eso prefiero no morirme. Empiezan a surgir situaciones de las que yo llamo "caos" y es que para mi es todas las ideas de historias sueltas que te vengan a la cabeza las vas enlazando con mas cosas ilógicas y al final....las haces "lógicas". Ahora soy yo la que no sabe si tiene lógica XD. Me han quedado algunos hilos sueltos, no pongo ejemplos porque serian spoilers demasiado fuertes. Referente a los personajes pues creo que algunos como el tio de Amanda, los dos primeros científicos, la monja, Robin, Uvas y seguramente algunos mas no han tenido ningun peso en la historia, los personajes que mas peso y mas nos han dejado conocerse han sido Amanda nuestra protagonista y el cura Simón. Otra de las cosas que no me han gustado del libro es que al existir un cura en la historia he leido capítulos y capítulos con conversaciones sobre religión , ya sabéis tipo " si expiar tus pecados dios te dejara ir al cielo" "sois unos pecadores", etc etc, puede que hay gente a la que le guste o no le aburra este tipo de capítulos pero conmigo he llegado a pensar en pasarme paginas sin leer, cosa que nunca me había ocurrido. Entretenido vale, recomendable no!.
February 6, 2024
More thoughts in my January wrap-up ⬇️
https://youtu.be/5T7-HJuf3J8?si=l_QyN...
https://youtu.be/5T7-HJuf3J8?si=l_QyN...
September 3, 2017
About halfway into the book, I can safely declare I'm rooting for the Cat. The other characters so far are annoying, playing with life and death like no-one ever would get hurt, but the Cat is there to kick their behinds and ruin all their plans, and that's why I love him. Go Cat.
Mother Star of the Sea is my other champion, then come the frog and Tess the monkey. I'd love to see them unleash the apocalypse on bratty scientists, arrogant witches and our terminally dumb heroine and then ride in the sunset while chewing a Snickers bar.
EDIT: And by the end of the book I was ALSO shamelessly rooting for the extremists. "Terminally dumb" is the right definition for Mandy, because you don't prance around naked when your worst enemy is ready to burn you and your whole coven alive.
I was also insanely happy to see her die, even if I knew she would come back. How irritating. The only person I hated more was Bonnie.
Aunt Kate, on the other hand, had my sympathy when she remembered how her husband was a better person before Constance's manipulations brought him to madness. Was I really supposed to like that bunch of hippies?
Mother Star of the Sea is my other champion, then come the frog and Tess the monkey. I'd love to see them unleash the apocalypse on bratty scientists, arrogant witches and our terminally dumb heroine and then ride in the sunset while chewing a Snickers bar.
EDIT: And by the end of the book I was ALSO shamelessly rooting for the extremists. "Terminally dumb" is the right definition for Mandy, because you don't prance around naked when your worst enemy is ready to burn you and your whole coven alive.
I was also insanely happy to see her die, even if I knew she would come back. How irritating. The only person I hated more was Bonnie.
Aunt Kate, on the other hand, had my sympathy when she remembered how her husband was a better person before Constance's manipulations brought him to madness. Was I really supposed to like that bunch of hippies?
March 19, 2015
Skip it.
Started out okay but by the end it had devolved into a bunch of rants about witchcraft, folk lore, and dealing with guilt. All good subjects, but not when laid on with a shovel. The characters and plot were okay, but they just could not struggle through the mounds of prose that were heaped all about. Even the prose wasn't so bad, but it stood directly in the path of the plot and dragged it all down to a painful crawl. By the end I was skimming just to get through it and see if there was any nugget of gold. Nope.
Also, the e-book is clearly an OCR scan - that was not done well. If you don't mind the character named "Clark" being constantly referred to as "dark", good on you - get ready for lots and lots more of the same.
Started out okay but by the end it had devolved into a bunch of rants about witchcraft, folk lore, and dealing with guilt. All good subjects, but not when laid on with a shovel. The characters and plot were okay, but they just could not struggle through the mounds of prose that were heaped all about. Even the prose wasn't so bad, but it stood directly in the path of the plot and dragged it all down to a painful crawl. By the end I was skimming just to get through it and see if there was any nugget of gold. Nope.
Also, the e-book is clearly an OCR scan - that was not done well. If you don't mind the character named "Clark" being constantly referred to as "dark", good on you - get ready for lots and lots more of the same.
October 6, 2015
BOOK REVIEW....
I had trouble getting into this story from the beginning. A good part of that was the reading itself. But also the story. It was very wordy. I found myself wishing it was a paperback so I could skip in places. Over all it was just an okay story.
AUDIO REVIEW......
I found the narrator to sounded like she wasn't really interested in the story. The characters were different enough sounding to be able to tell the difference of who was speaking for the most part. However they were annoying sounding. I didn't like the sound of them at all.
*****Received this via audiobookblast in exchange for an unbiased review. ****
L.
I had trouble getting into this story from the beginning. A good part of that was the reading itself. But also the story. It was very wordy. I found myself wishing it was a paperback so I could skip in places. Over all it was just an okay story.
AUDIO REVIEW......
I found the narrator to sounded like she wasn't really interested in the story. The characters were different enough sounding to be able to tell the difference of who was speaking for the most part. However they were annoying sounding. I didn't like the sound of them at all.
*****Received this via audiobookblast in exchange for an unbiased review. ****
L.
October 13, 2013
I read this in high school and loved it. Then, I found it in a bookstore years later and picked it up to see if I still liked it. I was surprised at how much I disliked it. The premise of the story is great, but the writing is quite cheesy and the plot becomes very predictable. I felt the same about his sequel to The Hunger, too. If you likes book about witches, not well written, then this one is for you.
September 1, 2014
I read this book many years ago. I recently ran across it on Goodreads and remembered - yeh, I read that one.
What stayed with me is that hell is whatever you think hell is, so when you die, if you go there, what happens to you is what you expected to happen to you when alive.
There's also a story of a witch's coven and a Christian group that doesn't like the witches and the idea of dying and being resurrected. . . .
That's what I remember, anyway.
What stayed with me is that hell is whatever you think hell is, so when you die, if you go there, what happens to you is what you expected to happen to you when alive.
There's also a story of a witch's coven and a Christian group that doesn't like the witches and the idea of dying and being resurrected. . . .
That's what I remember, anyway.
January 22, 2015
Cats, magic, art, science, I can't think of it getting any better. Streiber is an excellent writer and is very good at understanding both male and female views. I also love how he had the traditional churches accepting the "pagans" and the new fundamentals being the issue. It's basically the same way I truly see the problem too so I was happy to see it that way and that's why I used quotes. It's truly an exciting novel with unexpected events and anxious moments. I also found it very emotional.
September 2, 2008
I can't even remember how many times I have read this book. It was given to me by my mother and I have read it so many time that I have had replace it once and looking to replace it again. Nice light read that totally grabs you and puts you in the book.
February 9, 2011
This was my favorite book for years and years. I haven't read it for a long time, but I may try it again to see if I still like it. The spine and the cover captured my attention, and the writing kept it the entire way through.
April 8, 2022
Amusing highlight: a new perspective on Maid Marian and Robin Hood.
Otherwise, a slog. Started and put down twice over the last year. Sometimes I wonder why I push myself to endure but the reason is the hope of some little nugget to make it worth the time.
Otherwise, a slog. Started and put down twice over the last year. Sometimes I wonder why I push myself to endure but the reason is the hope of some little nugget to make it worth the time.
March 11, 2011
If this is how Whitley Strieber usually writes, I can't imagine why anyone ever read his alien books, even if they think they're real.
February 28, 2012
It's my favorite book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews