Gummitch and Friends »

Here is a collection of extraordinary tales of cat-dom told only as Fritz could tell them. Many autobiographical in nature, all reflecting the powerful imagination for which he is famous, these ten stories span five decades of award-winning writing.

Included are exceptional cat poems and an Afterword by Margo Skinner Leiber plus two cat poems by Karen and Poul Anderson.

The 1,000 copy slipcased edition, signed by Margo Skinner Leiber and artist Rodger Gerberding, has a special 36 page tribute to Fritz by Justin Leiber, Poul Anderson, Karen Anderson, Robert Bloch, Ray Bradbury, Ramsey Campbell, Catherine Crook de Camp, L. Sprague de Camp, Harlan Ellison, Dennis Etchison, Stephen King, Judith Merril, Andre Norton, and Frank M. Robinson.

Publishers Weekly

This whimsical book is the first complete collection of the cat stories of the late Leiber (1910-1992), best known for his ``Fafhrd and Gray Mouser'' series, and features his last story, written especially for this volume. The roundup also serves as a tribute to Leiber; it is prefaced by a series of commemorative essays by such notables as Stephen King, Ray Bradbury and Andre Norton. While they are touching, their sheer number (14) is overwhelming. The volume concludes with a selection of amusing, though mediocre, feline-themed poems by Leiber's wife, Margo Skinner, and by Karen and Poul Anderson. The best of the cat stories have an autobiographical flavor and mainly concern Gummitch, a philosophically minded housecat, and his human family. Often Leiber assumes a cat's point of view, portraying non-human personalities with charm and humor and providing clever rationales for seemingly inexplicable cat-antics. The new story, ``Thrice the Brinded Cat,'' is disappointing; an incoherent and self-consciously salacious piece, it displays his talents on the wane. Other stories form an eclectic mix, from the post-apocalyptic farce ``The Great San Francisco Glacier'' to the haunting and surreal SF classic ``Ship of Shadows.'' They showcase Leiber at his peak as a master wordsmith, his prose elegant, evocative and witty. Gerberding's moody pen-and-ink drawings are a visually striking complement to the text. This collection is a must for any serious Leiber enthusiast, and it will go straight to the heart of any cat-fancying SF and fantasy fan. (Mar.)