Ratha & Thistle Chaser

This is probably my least favorite book of the Named so far. That being said, it is still an excellent book that happened to be a little too convenient for my personal taste. This involves the return of a character from the original book: Ratha's daughter Thistle-Chaser. Turns out she wasn't so empty-eyed after all. When drought has the Named looking for other sources of food and herds, they come to the ocean where Thistle-Chaser, calling herself Newt, has set up some version of life. The meat of this story is the disequilibrium of Ratha who is forced to examine her choices of throwing out cubs she didn't see as worthy of being Named. So, philosophy wise, it's fantastic, and I think Clare Bell should continue to be proud.

I just recently finished this book,and I say in all honesty that that it is AWESOME!!!The added viewpoints of Ratha's daughter Thistle-Chaser(a.k.a.Newt) and Thakur give the story more depth.I loved Thistle-Chaser!Her challenges of a crippled leg,learning speech,and seizures in which she dreams of Ratha biting her are daunting,and I was impressed with the courage she showed in facing them.Although I like Ratha a lot,she is definiteltly an ambivalent,'gray' character,who is complicated and messed up.Thistle-Chaser is messed up,too,due to the trauma she went through as a cub,but she is more of a true heroe than her mother;she is gentler,more likeable,more forgiving.Thakur,of course,was great.I have always liked his kind,open-minded nature,and I loved the way he helps Thistle-Chaser throughout the book.The ending is great,and I can't wait to read the next book!

This and 'Ratha's Challenge' were the two latest in the 'Ratha' series (even though this book, published in 1990, is now some 15 years old) that I never read as a child. I absolutely loved the first two books and was excited about receiving this one after a decade and a half of waiting. I did notice many similarities between Clare Bell's treatment of the 'Ratha' series and Jean M. Auel's 'Clan of the Cave Bear' & the Gear's 'Prehistoric America' series, including themes of loss, abandonment, alienation and exile. It's beautifully written although the final battle between Thistle-Chaser & Ratha reads somewhat awkwardly. I spent most of my time reading the book alternately laughing and crying. I could feel Thistle-Chaser's righteous anger at the Clan's treatment of her watery friends, and I could fully appreciate Ratha's abrasive personality. She always carries over strongly and even Clare Bell's evolution as a writer hasn't dulled Ratha one bit.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. (And I've read a lot.) This book has all the elements that make the first 2 wondeful and bring back the trauma from the first. This is also continued in the 4th book.

This book features all the original characters we've all come to know and love and the strange and sad Thistle-Chaser, from right out of Ratha's past! ratha and Thistle-chaser struggle to love eachother in this great book!