Mort(e) by Robert Repino

Between this book and Grasshopper Jungle I feel I've discovered my true weak spot: humanity at the mercy of mutant animals and insects.

Underground, for thousands of years, a colony of intelligent ants has been slowly, silently plotting their revenge against mankind. To do this they have found a way to turn the humans own pets into an army that will help bring about the war to end all wars.

At the heart of this story is a house cat named Sebastian who, before his emancipation, sees himself as the protector of the house. His human "parents" seem to be going through some troubles, not the least of which include his mother sleeping with the neighbor who owns a dog named Sheba. Sebastian and Sheba eventually form a loving bond all their own, but it comes to a chaotic and abrupt end when the animals become sentient and the war with the humans becomes violent. Sebastian, now named Mort(e) becomes a hero of the war and takes on dangerous missions in the hopes of finding Sheba.

Repino has a way of crawling inside the heads of all these creatures that surround us and shows us the world like we've never imagined it. Just the thought of a super breed of ants breeding and plotting for thousands of years is enough to creep me out, but then to have it all be part of a long plot to lull mankind into a false sense of superiority so they can came come back and take what they've long felt was their world to begin with...

It's crazy. But brilliant-crazy, entertaining-crazy, and a whole lot of fun.

Mort(e)
by Robert Repino
Soho Press 2014

Click on the link (attached to the title above) to read the first chapter at Powell's Books.
No, Powell's did not pay me to say that, or provide me with the book. They're just awesome.