- Catteni Series
The Catteni Series (also called the "Freedom Series") is a
tetralogy ofscience fiction novels byAnne McCaffrey . In this universe, humans are slaves of feline humanoids, the Catteni.The Catteni Series consists of four books: :"Freedom's Landing" (published 1995):"Freedom's Choice" (1996):"Freedom's Challenge" (1998):"Freedom's Ransom" (2002)
The initial story about the Catteni was "The Thorns of Barevi", which first appeared in 1970 (and is included in the collection "Get Off the Unicorn", 1977). A human female, Kristin Bjornsen, escapes slavery, but unlike others before her, she resourcefully evades capture for weeks. However, a Catteni gets injured nearby, and helping him betrays her fugitive existence. This story was modified and included as the beginning of the "Freedom's Landing" novel.
In "Freedom's Landing", the Catteni routinely round up human troublemakers and drop them on empty planets - if they survive, the world is suitable for their own people. Kristin is included in such a group, which is dropped on a world they nickname "Botany" (after the Australian destination for transportees,
Botany Bay ). Surprisingly, a Catteni noble, Zainal, is among their group - the same one Kristin helped earlier. While trying to cope with their new situation, they discover the existence of another alien race that is using the planet as a gigantic farm.In "Freedom's Choice" the humans begin to create a real colony, a community that can support itself. They also attempt to contact the aliens farming the planet.
In "Freedom's Challenge", having discovered that the Catteni are dominated by another alien species, the Eosi, the colonists lead an effort to rescue dissidents from Eosi-controlled worlds and create a rebellion against the Catteni.
"Freedom's Ransom" deals with the aftermath of the rebellion, and the beginnings of a complex trade relationship that will benefit both the humans and the Catteni.
Woven through all four of the books are details of the relationship between the protagonist, Kristin Bjornsen, a former slave, and Zainal, a renegade Catteni.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
