Responses to "Do you think the series has gone downhill at all? If so, where exactly do you think the slide started? If not, ...well, feel free to rant on at me for asking the question. -_^":

Eileen

Yes, I think the quality of the series has declined. I think it began with "Tailed A Thief," in which the main problem was a lack of participation from the cats (Koko didn't even say "Yow" until somewhere in the second half of the book). "Sang for the Birds" had the same problem, and the general story line also began to get thin in that book. The series hit rock bottom with "Saw Stars," which I considered to be the first (and at this point, the only) book that was really poorly written from a literary standpoint. The series has rebounded about to the "Sang for the Birds" level in the last two books. As I've mentioned before, the decline is only understandable for someone who has spent so many years writing so many books about the same subject. As much as I love the literary world she created and miss the quality that my regular visits in it used to have, I know that Braun is not superhuman, and everyone gets tired.

Awennie

the only thing I hate to see changing a bit about the books is, what is unfortunately happening all over for real, and that is, that there is so much building, and improving going on in Moose County! I'm 2 or hree books behind right now, (on Who...Robbed a Bank, the current seller in pb I think, but haven't gotten to ...Said Cheese, or the next one or two), and am a bit upset to see that the OLLLD hotel has been all done over...though very well... It reminded me of a place my mother and I would stay in San Francisco when I was a little girl in the early ' 70's we called The Driscoll. It was comfy and homey, and everybody knew us, and the food left MUCH to be desired...we LOVED it! Then the old couple sold it, died, and it was terrible and newy, and stuck-up-yuppyfied! [Maintainer's Note: I've witnessed so many casualties of this "yuppification" - it's downright depressing.] Ah well, life goes on, and so will the books I DO hope!

BLShanks

The Cat Who series has not gone downhill. Ms Braun's works are consistently refreshing and challenging!

Rachel D.

I do think the series has slipped a tiny bit, but I have to really think to pinpoint exactly when, because I think the slide has been pretty gradual. It would have nothing to do with her style. That, to me, has remained pretty consistant throughout the series.
I think I was shocked in The Cat Who Talked To Ghosts when Iris Cobb was murdered.. I saw her being a character that could go on and on, but I suppose the death could be justified because there had been indications that Qwill might have had some feelings for Cobb and God forbid he falls hard for a woman who needs more attention that Polly. To have Qwill married would ruin the entire series for me! After that, I figured anybody in Moose County was fair game in the murder scene and it certainly seems true.
However, I suppose that I can't really say that's a downfall with the series. I get a little disappointed when I see something that Ms. Braun overlooks or recalls incorrectly such as the slight error in computing how many weddings Qwill has been the best man. He told two different parties (one being the Rikers) that it was the third time he had been the best man and the first time he hadn't dropped the ring! Little inconsistencies such as that make me think Ms. Braun may have too many characters on her hands to keep them straight any more, but I still love them all and will always be a huge fan...well, except for that irritating Don Exbridge... when is she going to knock him off?? =) [Maintainer's Note: Jess wait.] That man has been bugging me for nearly a decade!
I would stick by Braun even if she put out a couple stinkers, because I'm a die-hard, loyal fan who will always be waiting for the next Cat Who....

P. Moose

I do think the series has slipped a lot in the past several years, but that in no way makes me less of a fan to Braun... I will buy and read the books no matter what because I love the characters as members of my own family. I notice the same things you see, though, like Pickax changing in so many ways but still being explained as a town of 3,000... I lived in a town of 2,600 for a few years when I was in school and no matter how much I suspend my disbelief, I cannot dream that there would be a community college, a dermatologist, several museums and the like in a town of that size.. I suppose that may be some of charm to the series for me, though... it is so full of personalities and happenings, yet in real life, who would live in such a place where people were mysteriously dying every few weeks? (I also notice that she can be a little inconsistant as time goes by...but that could come from the confusion of re-describing events so many times over, I suppose.)
Pickax is an impossible dream and because of that, it's hard to validate it as realistic in any way shape or form. I have noticed that the books are becoming fluff for me in the sense that I can breeze through them in a matter of minutes. I cannot dream of using the novels for serious substance reading, but I've always used them as an escape and for that purpose, they work wonderfully.. I know I can always lose myself in the lives of Qwill, Koko and the others any time I wish! I adore Qwilleran and have been sad on and off for many years that I will never actually be able meet him in person.. but he's immortal and will always be there when I need a Cat Who... fix!

Janeva

I feel the last two books I have read were not written by the same author, the fun is gone. So, who is the author of the latest books?

Michael B.

Yes, I do think that the quality of the books has slipped, but I started the series with The Cat Who Sang for the Birds, and I loved it some much that I read all the books in just a few months. With the exception of The Cat Who Robbed a Bank, I have enjoyed everyone and will continue to read them as soon as they are published. I think that Polly drags Qwill down, and I wish that they would go their separate ways. I don't hate Polly and I don't want to see anything bad happen to her. I wish that Qwill and the cats would go on more trips. My favorite book was The Cat Who Moved a Mountain. I would like to see more like that. I will, of course, always love the books. They are wonderful fun.

Frank

Look, the way I see it, the series is slipping one way, but staying the same in another. There is a considerable difference in the mystery part of The Cat Who Saw Red (the earliest one I've read) and The Cat Who Saw Stars (the latest one I've read), considering that there is no mystery in The Cat Who Saw Stars, merely a murder and a confession, but the humor is the same (if not better) in The Cat Who Saw Stars as The Cat Who Saw Red. I think The Cat Who Saw Stars is a worthy installment to the series, even though the mystery part stunk, and there were a lot of loose ends (a whole lot).



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