Novel Review: The Tattooed Cat by Gary W. Ritter

I reviewed this novel on 19/11/19 in another blog, now defunct.

The Tattooed Cat

Dark forces are at work in a small Wisconsin community.

At the cusp of the new millennium, Elena and Greg Bailey arrive in Green Springs to help her hospitalized mother. As they drive into town, cats are everywhere and seem more populous than humans. Within hours, Elena and Greg discover a horrendous scene in the nearby woods. When they report their finding to the police, the response is not what they expect. 

The local church with its tainted past and charismatic pastor has become the only house of worship in Green Springs. Eccentric, billionaire architect Marcus Ahriman manipulates events to suit his satanic mission. At the same time, two mysterious sisters confound Elena as they work behind the scenes for a higher purpose.

If Elena doesn't get to the bottom of the great wickedness in high places that's at work in this enigmatic town, all humanity will suffer.

Perspective by Peter:

I was asked to review this novel by the author in preparation for the audiobook of this novel and Alien Revelation. After being blessed and thoroughly entertained with Alien Revelation, it was a no-brainer to accept this request.

Well, all I can say is that this is a brilliant novel! Made even better by the author's admission when he added the Biblical and spiritual aspects of it following his conversion to Christianity. He had written The Tattooed Cat before his conversion, as he states,

I initially wrote The Tattooed Cat in 1998.  In bringing it out of my dusty archives, it was exactly twenty years old.  The title had stuck with me all those years, so I was pleasantly surprised to read the story again and see that it still had potential.  The one thing I had to change was its strict secular nature, as in the intervening years I had become a follower of Jesus Christ and needed to modify the novel to align it generally with my belief system.  Given the supernatural aspects of the book, the end result is my calling it speculative Christian fiction.  Regardless, my prayer is that there will be some who have never sought a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and who will be convicted to do so through the evangelistic passages they’ve read here.  That’s why God placed me in the position of being able to write novels and to give Him all the glory.  For those who already know Him, please be encouraged that Jesus is coming soon.

It was a captivating, entertaining read and as the cliche says, "...couldn't put it down!" Annoying when life and reality have to shatter these reading episodes! Ritter seems to have this knack of constructing novels with a solid foundation of action, mystery and intrigue to keep you coming back for more and your curiosity piqued to the degree that you invest yourself heavily in the novel.

I am not a cat fan, (despite having two at home and we have an understanding between us!) and this novel has reinforced this. Two days ago, I saw a photo of about 12 cats or more huddled together and I immediately became tense as this reminded me so much of the pack of cats description in this novel. I scrolled past it quickly and had to move on! All I kept thinking about was the effect this had on the character, Charles Mayfair. Looks like this has rubbed off onto me! Ritter had successfully creeped me out! 

It is this cat description that is the first creepy aspect of this novel. They are everywhere! Even at a murder scene, but that is all I am going to say about that!

This "cats are everywhere!" scene at the beginning of the novel is a great platform to introduce our main characters, Greg and Elena and why they have come to Green Springs. It is from here that Ritter shows his expertise at characterisation. I was drawn to Elena but not so much to Greg. I picked up that this latter character had some issues and these were revealed as the novel progressed. It is Elena's well-developed character that becomes a mainstay in this novel as everything revolves around her reason for being in Green Springs and, as it is revealed, her crucial and pivotal role in the events that play out in the satanic manipulations and motives of Marcus Ahriman. But then again, all the characters in this novel are believable and credible to the degree of their involvement in Ritter's plot arcs.

Another engaging aspect of this novel is just that, plot arcs. Ritter has many of these going on at the same time and either after a few chapters of one arc and its characters, we are introduced to more with other characters, leading up to an explosive end where all these arcs intersect, leading to one very satisfying and action-packed finale. All ends are tied together and everything explained. And this is where the satisfaction comes into play. 

From the intersection of these arcs until the finale, I was exhausted and riveted, curiosity more than piqued! I wanted to know more about the mysterious two sisters, who really is Marcus Ahriman, what is the connection between him and Pastor Nesbitt, and what is it with all these cats! What will become of Charles Mayfair, is Greg really out of the picture or is there something suspicious going on with him? And then there is the sense of evilness that pervades everything to do with Marcus Ahriman and Pastor Nesbit. Is this just their persuasive personalities or is this due to something more? What is the connection between the new Millenium and an ancient artifact that places Elena and her mother at the centre of Nesbit's and Ahriman's attention? Who or what is The Tattooed Cat? 

My goodness if these questions do not keep a reader engrossed and invested in this novel, I don't know what would! 

I agree with Ritter's assessment of this novel being his entrance into speculative fiction, I would add that it is edgy, speculative fiction. I would also consider that it is also his entrance into the Christian Horror genre as well. Not sure if he has considered this, but it does fit into this genre and yes, there is such a thing as Christian Horror! Go here: Christian Horror? Is There Such A Thing by Thomas Smith and Christian Horror: On the Compatibility of a Biblical Worldview and the Horror Genre by Mike Duran for further investigation). Ritter does both well in this novel. However, I would not have picked this up from the original cover below.

I found this cover interesting. Normally a cover is supposed to show what the novel is about or reflect what genre the novel is. It is supposed to grab my attention and demand that I look inside or read the description. With this cover, I had no idea. I was drawn to this novel purely due to the word tattoo in its title. Why? One reason is that I read a secular horror novel about a soldier in WWII who was captured by the Germans and experimented on with tattoos over his body that had living demons in them. These would manifest when he was asleep and cause him to commit horrible atrocities to those he was with (while asleep). I wondered then if The Tattooed Cat was similar to this? The other reason was I wondered why anyone would tattoo a cat, taking the title literally. I then wondered what was the connection with the clock tower in the background that also takes up half of the cover image? These reasons, (a tattooed cat and clock tower) did not lead me immediately to see that this novel was about speculative fiction and Christian horror or even satanic oppression and demonic activity. So, it drew me in for the wrong reasons but is a novel I would have read based on the description alone.

Now, this is not a criticism of the cover. However, I would have preferred to have the cover to have a much darker and sinister atmosphere that would lead me to suspect horror, supernatural and demonic elements. To be fair though, both the cat and the clock tower play important roles in this novel. You will find that you cannot have one without the other and there is a reason why the title combines the two words together. For me to explain further would give away far too many spoilers and invoke the wrath of readers and the author alike. So not going there! To do this is a breach of the unwritten reviewer's code of practice! I have been guilty in the past but have only done so to outline a spiritual aspect of the novel that needed to be explained.

Speaking of spiritual aspects, Ritter has portrayed this well. It shows how easy it is for a congregation to follow blindly whatever a Pastor says or does without question and for all the wrong or inappropriate reasons. This novel shows what happens when a Pastor has no accountability and who is there for his own self-gain and nefarious motivations. No concern is shown for any aspect of his congregation's welfare and is treated as a means to his ends or should I say to the one he serves, and who is not the God of the Bible. How different it would have been if the latter was the case! His charismatic appeal is seductive to both men and women and especially evokes sexual desire in his female members leading to some forbidden boundaries being crossed with horrendous outcomes! When I saw the surname of Marcus I instantly Googled it and was not surprised as to its definition. I have had this name in another supernatural and demonic novel and both usages amount to the same definition. So this gave me more clues as to who Marcus could be and where Ritter was taking this novel. I wondered if this was deliberate on his part or not, but surely this could not be just a coincidence or made up by him? Only Ritter can answer that one.

Reading all the accounts of Nesbitt's congregation and specific ones where members are following blindly what he says and does, reminds me of so many Christians I have seen in other denominations who place their Pastor almost above God and would rather follow the former than the God of the Bible or what He says in His Word. It is tragic that this happens and these followers always end up spiritually mislead, spiritually abused and trapped in cult-like circumstances. We are instructed in his Word to be God pleasers, not man pleasers. However, in this novel, this congregation were not only blindly following the Pastor but were under the demonic oppression to do so.

Marcus also had the same seductive, charismatic appeal and was even more persuasive than Nesbit. Questions are raised in the first half of this novel as to his background and identity but towards the end of the novel, Ritter gives us tidbits of info that fit into place and add more suspense and tension that leads up to the explosive finale.

Ritter has God playing a behind the scenes part but nonetheless, it is evident that He is very much alive in this background as He has employed his human and non-human agents to do his bidding and raise up certain characters to confront and defeat the satanic powers behind the two antagonists. Ritter has God speaking to one main character directly in guidance and instruction when circumstances have become dire and this character is at the end of themselves. It is very much like the Old Testament verse that says,

So he answered me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts. Zechariah 4:6 (HCSB version)

Now how much of this type of supernatural is poetic licence and how much is experienced in reality? I would suspect that Ritter's depiction here is fairly accurate. I have many accounts from fellow Christians who have experienced similar where they have heard audibly or in their mind, the voice of God instructing them in the emergency of their situation or in spiritual warfare. I have experienced this myself. In Christian novels of this genre and calibre, it is very entertaining and suspenseful but in reality, it shows that we need to be open to the Spirit and obedient to His instruction and guidance. It all comes down to trusting in Him, not in ourselves and living out His Word in our lives and not just being hearers of His Word, as James 1: 22 says,

But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]. (Amplified Bible)

Ritter shows this in this depiction of spiritual warfare. This character hears the audible voice of God, being urged forward on with specific instructions and learns to obey when they realise it is Him and He is Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscience, and Omnipresent. I pray that Christians will take this to heart of those who need this encouragement, while those who are seeking Him will see that a relationship with God and Jesus is victorious over sin and death, and of any evil employ of satan or any demon spirit.

There are some spiritual and Biblical gems that Ritter has included in the "tying up loose ends" (my wording not Ritter's) section at the end of the novel. Apart from them being relevant to the storyline, they also have more important relevance to the reader, whether Christian or not. And this is where Christian fiction can play such an important role in educating and uplifting the reader, it brings the Christian reader to greater truths of God's Word and challenges the non-Christian reader to consider such truths. This is very consistent with why Ritter writes the novels he does, for the same reasons.

The Editorial Review on this novel's Amazon page is a great advertisement that sings the praises of this novel very aptly. It sums up all my impressions of The Tattooed Cat and Gary's writing. I don't believe in reinventing the wheel so if something has been said before by someone else and it is what I have found to be true, then I will quote it. This is from Gary's Amazon Bio, the following quote is exactly how I find him from his novels:

All of Gary’s books are written from a Christian worldview that highlight God’s grace—just as Gary was saved by that same grace. They also show the flip side of God’s character. The trouble today in our Christian culture is there’s such an emphasis on grace that we forget God must also judge the wicked and condemn them through His wrath.

Gary’s books are realistic and powerful. They demonstrate the struggles many have in coming to the Lord in true faith. Spiritual warfare in its many forms is integral to Gary’s stories. Jesus has already won the victory over sin, but we in real life must fight the battle every day, just as Gary’s characters must as well.

I will leave this review on this positive and encouraging note. If Ritter continues to compose novels like this one and from what I reviewed in another of his novels, Alien Revelation, then this is one author to read, review and follow. God has His hand on this author and l can see will be instrumental in God ministering to Christian and non-Christian alike in his novels. Based on this, I must read his other novels sooner rather than later.

The three ratings below are based on my discernment:

World Building 5/5

Characters 5/5

Story 5/5

The two classifications below are based on the booklet, A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland:

Spiritual Level 4/5

Enemy Spiritual Level 3/5

Overall Rating: 4.4 Stars

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Spiritually, based on my review and on the aforementioned reference booklet, A Spiritual System for Rating Books by David Bergsland (Radiqx Press)and that The Tattooed Cat contains elements of the criteria of what constitutes Christian Redemptive Fiction outlined in this booklet, together with David Bergsland we bestow to Gary W. Ritter,

The Reality Calling Redemptive Fiction Award

Congratulations, Gary!

If you would like to investigate The Tattooed Cat, click on the image below:

 

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Reviews help promote an author’s novel to potential readers and encourage the author to keep writing. Reviews also help get the author’s message (and God’s message) to the reader, whether Christian or not, who may need encouragement and support in their lives while being entertained by the story.

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