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Ratha Creature The Named Clare Bell Books

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Ratha Creature The Named Clare Bell Books

Ratha's Creature is the first book in Clare Bell's Named series. It's a story about a young female named Ratha whose clan keeps herds of animals for food, while the people outside her clan hunt for their meat. She is training to be a herder, someone who keeps the animals together and protects them from predators and raiders, when she comes across a wild fire while helping to fight off a party of nomadic raiders who want to steal her clan's herds. Realizing the defensive potential of fire, and, through some experimentation, discovering that fire can be managed and maintained, she tries to bring her discovery to her clan so that they can all benefit from it. But fire has long been a danger to her people, and instead of embracing the knowledge, and its potential benefits, she brings, the leader of her clan drives her out. Never having had to fend for herself before, Ratha nearly starves to death before she meets Bonechewer, a young male who teaches her the skills she needs to survive. They come from very different worlds, but Ratha soon realizes they have more in common than she thought, and that the world is more often colored in shades of gray than in black or white.

This is a tale of heartbreaking loss, advancing technology meeting resistance in the form of tradition and superstition, prejudice, love, growth, and maturing perspectives. In short, it is a coming of age story...except that all of the characters have four feet and fur. I first read this series years ago, when I was a kid. I loved it then and I still love it. The characters are well-developed and interesting, and the story itself is timeless. Nearly everyone will be able to relate to this story on some level, and I think adults will appreciate the struggle of the protagonists; but it's written at a level that can be enjoyed by children as young as 11 or 12. There are some themes in the story that might not be appropriate for all children, so parents should be aware of that. This whole series is charming and full of imagination. If I could I'd give it more than five stars.


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Ratha Creature The Named Clare Bell Books Reviews

There are plenty of cat stories out there in the publishing universe. I can honestly say I've never read any cat story that's quite like the work of Clare Bell. Don't look for cuddly bright eyed kittens here! Part Clan of the Cave Bear, part Jungle Book, Clare's prehistoric feline fantasy takes us into the world of a clan of sentient cats called the Named and one spirited yearling named Ratha. Back in print after many years, these works are back on the shelf and in the hands of eager readers again.

This first book is Ratha's story, her journey in discovering her own strength as she changes roles from herder, to rebel, exile and heroine. When a spirited Ratha discovers ways to handle the fire that so terrifies her people, she doesn't realize that her actions will lead to exile, and a loss of all she's ever known. As Ratha is forced to grow up and struggle through hardship to find her way, she must learn what road to travel, despite the price she pays to walk it. When the Clan who exiled her is threatened with being destroyed, she must decide if she will be the key to their survival against the attacks of the Unnamed.

Reading this again after so many years I was pleasantly surprised to find this book has lost none of its impact and strength. Ms. Bell has created a harsh prehistoric world that her cat clan lives in. This is not a land of magic or easy choices. Each choice leads to inevitable consequences, even when it may be the right choice to make. The author's deft handling of her characters allows for readers to suspend their disbelief and really visualize this band of sentient cats that herd animals for food. The cats still have to contend with the lack of hands and the demands of their nature, but the personalities and societal pressures are very familiar and all too human.

While the tale moves quickly and is relatively short, this is not a light story--there are extremely poignant moments, and triumph is often mixed with tragedy. The author manages to pull the reader into the world without lengthy scene setting or world building detours. The book moves fast--but the tale never stumbles over itself in the telling. It's a powerful story. It's the story of what makes a leader and what kinds of roads they often travel. It's the story of love and loss and betrayal. It's a story of big cats in an unforgiving wilderness and how they survive.

This is not a cute or cuddly story. It's a serious adventure and coming of age tale that will likely appeal to young teen and young adult readers. Given some of the mature elements in the story, this may not be as appropriate for younger readers the complex characters and mature relationships make for demanding reading! If you want to read more about Ratha and her clan, take heart! There's more to the The Named series. "Clan Ground", "Ratha and Thistle Chaser", and "Ratha's Challenge" are all back in print and the brand new "Ratha's Courage" is due out soon! If you like cat stories like these, you might want to check out "Tailchaser's Song" by Tad Williams and the "Catfantastic" story anthologies edited by Andre Norton.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad
Ratha's Creature is the first book in Clare Bell's Named series. It's a story about a young female named Ratha whose clan keeps herds of animals for food, while the people outside her clan hunt for their meat. She is training to be a herder, someone who keeps the animals together and protects them from predators and raiders, when she comes across a wild fire while helping to fight off a party of nomadic raiders who want to steal her clan's herds. Realizing the defensive potential of fire, and, through some experimentation, discovering that fire can be managed and maintained, she tries to bring her discovery to her clan so that they can all benefit from it. But fire has long been a danger to her people, and instead of embracing the knowledge, and its potential benefits, she brings, the leader of her clan drives her out. Never having had to fend for herself before, Ratha nearly starves to death before she meets Bonechewer, a young male who teaches her the skills she needs to survive. They come from very different worlds, but Ratha soon realizes they have more in common than she thought, and that the world is more often colored in shades of gray than in black or white.

This is a tale of heartbreaking loss, advancing technology meeting resistance in the form of tradition and superstition, prejudice, love, growth, and maturing perspectives. In short, it is a coming of age story...except that all of the characters have four feet and fur. I first read this series years ago, when I was a kid. I loved it then and I still love it. The characters are well-developed and interesting, and the story itself is timeless. Nearly everyone will be able to relate to this story on some level, and I think adults will appreciate the struggle of the protagonists; but it's written at a level that can be enjoyed by children as young as 11 or 12. There are some themes in the story that might not be appropriate for all children, so parents should be aware of that. This whole series is charming and full of imagination. If I could I'd give it more than five stars.