Breed to Come

I enjoyed this story immensely this week. Although Andre Norton is one of the authors that got me into science fiction, I don't remember this one from my childhood. This story is one that puts her in the top level of the great writers of the genre.

Breed to Come does what science fiction rightly is known for. The what if of the story combines with human interest to lead you to suspend disbelief and go with the wild ideas until you get to the end.

I was riveted by the story of Furtig and the people he finds in the lairs. I admire his spirit. He is not a great fighter and suffers a defeat near the beginning of the book. His defeat is accepted as a step on his journey to uncover the secrets of his world and grow as an individual.

Breed to Come is superior to many science fiction books written in the same years. There are several strong characters who carry out important tasks separately from Furtig. We care about those other characters and look forward to finding out the results of their endeavors when Furtig meets up with them.

This book is written in 3rd person, mostly from Furtig's POV. The story is told in past tense. It took me 3 days of several hours each day to finish. I recommend to all ages. I think kids as young as 8 years old would probably be OK with it. No sex and moderate violence. The ideal audience will be made up of cat lovers. I would classify this story as a futuristic post-apocalyptic adventure. Thanks, Andre Norton.