I pounced on the invitation to read and review Cat Ladies of the Apocalypse. I will even admit I was working on a story to submit for consideration. If my story had been selected to be included, I would have been honored.
I've enjoyed post-apocalyptic stories since my youth. I read Z for Zacheriah in elementary school when it came out in the 70s and haven't stopped reading these stories. The movies have been watched, and even Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' video for You Got Lucky was a favorite. Cat Ladies of the Apocalypse brought back what I've enjoyed for so long.
Cat Ladies of the Apocalypse takes on existing standards and brings in whole new worlds to consider. The selection gives each story the ability to stand out on its own. Some tales feel like they're torn from the headlines of current newspapers, while other weave a tapestry of other-worldly delights.
As I finished one story, I wanted to continue into the next selection and also stop to ponder what I had just read. The enjoyment of the stories drove me forward, while the depth presented was something I wanted delve deeper into. Some stories have more of a light-hearted feel of kittens at play, others of the seasoned hunters stalking prey.
This collection is complete and well-built. The individual stories each stand on their own, and they are put together to create an arc from beginning to end. I have read other collections Lynn Worthen has worked on and she has once again succeeded in finding great pieces to fit the theme of the anthology. She then puts them together to create more than the stories would be by themselves.
The Stories
Here is a list of the 21 stories. Each one was given a brief statement by Lyn Worthen, the editor of this collection. I feel Lynn's words are perfect in giving the feel of each story and why it was selected. These aren't the complete statements, just enough to help you survive until you read them in their entirety.
I have also included links to other works I have reviewed that are written by, edited, or included the author.
Sushi and Chocolate and Coffee by Mia Moss
Here the weather is unpredictable at best, plants and animals have changed to survive, and at least one cat-loving former scientist combines new technology with a time-honored craft.
The Librarian by Hannah Hulburt
And who is in a better position to gather, preserve, and wield knowledge through dystopian times than our librarians?
The Riders of Harvestland by L.C.W. Allingham
In spite of her gray hair and Harley, Priscilla Prim is a character straight out of the Old West. If I was ever in a post-apocalyptic pinch, she and her cats are definitely the folks I'd want to have my back.
Care Taker by Audrey McLennan
Wars and zombie outbreaks aren't the only things that can lead to an apocalypse. The simple loss of a creature like bees, which are vital to the food chain, can have catastrophic consequences leading to apocalyptic scenarios. Thank goodness we still have druids to pull us back from the brink of disaster. Oh, wait.
Dawn of the Cats by Hannah Trusty
You can't have an apocalypse collection without at least one zombie story, and this one delivers on the "ewwws" and "aarghs," fights and bites, and shambling hordes. But – and I'm not ashamed to admit it – the story totally had me at the zombie-eating cats….
The Frayed Edges of the World by Annie Reed
What are you going to do when your nice, neat apocalypse abruptly takes a left turn on you? About the only thing you can do – go sideways.
Bad Luck Bridget by Caryn Larrinaga
In a world where conformity is the key to survival, those who don't conform – whether by attitude, belief, behavior, or simple appearance – have to hope they can survive long enough to find a like-minded community. Or, better still, an open-minded one.
The Hunger, Anthology (review)
Donn's Hill (review)
Donn's Shadow (review)
A Year of the Monkeys (review)
Wishes and Curses by Karli Sullivan
And if one day the conquering aliens themselves are destroyed, leaving the surviving humans to cope with the consequences of their occupation, it's highly likely that more than a few wishes and curses will be uttered.
Daughters of Bastet by Misha Herwin
Sadly, we live in an era where apocalyptic events are reported on the daily news, and no imagination is required to contemplate the destruction of bombed and burned-out cities and the lives lost to the fighting. In the face of that harsh reality, the old ways offer a compelling option.
Cat Ladies in the Time of Cthulhu by Joy Kennedy-O'Neill
When the dogs of war are rendered powerless against the ravages of impossible, Cthulhu-like creatures intent on world domination (or at least feasting), that's when the cats and their Nice Ladies will have their day.
Burning Bright by Leigh Saunders
Once the most basic needs of food and shelter are being met on a regular basis, how long will take before art begins to creep back into a broken world? It might not be listed on the official "hierarchy of needs" pyramid, but I suspect it's much closer to a foundational need than we might admit.
Alien Days, Anthology (review)
A Year of the Monkeys (review)
The Door to Gwunvailer by J. Ivanel Johnson
You never know what you're going to get when you ask for submissions – and I certainly never imagined this – but I'd barely gotten through the first verse of J. Ivanel's wonderful poem before I knew it was exactly what I didn't know I was looking for. Read this one aloud, and let your imagination soar.
Runt of the Litter by Carol Gyzander
The right traveling companion can make a long journey short, just as the wrong company can ruin even the shortest journey. And in a world where most people are left to their own definition of the law and how it should be enforced, the choice can make all the difference.
A Witch for the Chrome Furies by Joanna Z. Weston
The combination of an apocalyptic, post-diesel-punk, world and a young witch coming to grips with her power (thanks to a persistent feline familiar) was too much fun to pass up. If you listen closely as you read it, you may just hear swish and whisper of the Chrome Furies pedaling past your window.
A Good Arrangement by Kathryn Carson
When the world goes to hell, the tough team up. And when the team kicks you out, you have two choices: curl up in a ball and give up, or figure out how to survive all over again.
Cat Web by Meyari McFarland
We tend to think of apocalyptic settings as broken cities abandoned towns and desolated wastelands. In Cat Web, Meyari takes the apocalypse to a whole new level… up!
Witch of Washington Park by Sidney Williams
Surviving an apocalypse requires strength, adaptability, guts, and the ability to make-do without the creature comforts we've grown accustomed to. Unless, of course, you also have the wit to figure out how things work and the skill to turn that knowledge to your advantage.
The Bandits and the Golden Bell by Joe Borrelli
There are rumors that I was chuckling maniacally by the end of this story and possibly rubbing my hands together in glee. And looking sideways at the cat sleeping under my desk. All of these rumors are probably true…
Day 547 by Virginia Elizabeth Hayes
You know how it is when a natural-born storyteller launches into a yarn and everyone around can't help but sit and listen? Well, that's what Virginia has done here. I hope y'all enjoy this tale, 'cause it's not gonna be exactly what you expect…
Knowledge is Power by Wayland Smith
I didn't expect a character like Martha to turn up in the submissions pile, but once she did, she kept tapping me with her staff, reminding me that she and Rosita were there – and I'm glad she did. I think any post-apocalyptic world has a better chance of survival with a partnership like theirs to fight for it.
War of the Guardians by C.J. Erick
Too often, we think we know how the world works and our place in it. But what happens when nothing is what it seems and our place is not what it once was? How far are we willing to go to fix a broken world?
Other works of Lynn Worthen
A Year of the Monkeys—editor (review)
Cat Ladies of the Apocalypse is available on Amazon (link).
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