The Long Patrol - Hardcover

Jacques,Brian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0091765463 ISBN 13: 9780091765460

Publisher: Hutchinson, 1997

Synopsis

Damug Warfang, head of a thousand Rapscallions - the deadliest horde of foebeasts ever to jump from ship to store - is looking for slaughter and plunder. Can any beast stand against the conqueror and his savage troops? Tammo's dream comes true when he is given the chance to run with the Long Patrol, the legendary fighting hares of Salamandastron...

About this title

About the Author

Brian Jacques was born and bred in Liverpool. At the age of fifteen he went to sea and travelled the world. He worked as a stand-up comedian and playwright and hosted his own programme, Jakestown, on Radio Merseyside. His bestselling Redwall books have captured readers all over the world and won universal praise. He died in 2011.

Reviews

Grade 6-8?In this latest "Redwall" entry, Tammo, a young hare, becomes a member of a contingent of fighting forest folk who seek to defend the imperiled Redwall Abbey, led by the badger Lady Cregga Rose Eyes. Tammo and his comrades do battle against the Rapscallion foe, whose leader is the evil greatrat, Damug Warfang. Eventually the forces of good meet and clash with their evil enemies in a battle of legendary proportions. Good triumphs, of course, but not before several noble warriors have met their deaths. There is a tremendous amount of violence in this book. The characters maintain some of their animal characteristics, but it is their human qualities that make them either appealing or repugnant. The bad Rapscallions are thoroughly dishonest, traitorous, and cruel. The badgers, mice, hedgehogs, moles, and other assorted creatures that represent goodness may have foibles but they are unremittingly kind and generous. Pen-and-ink thumbnail sketches appear at the head of each chapter and strongly communicate the sense of drama. Some of the creatures, most notably the laboring class of moles, speak in an impossible, jaw-breaking dialect that may slow some readers down a bit; nevertheless, this is a worthy addition to a series that has found a definite niche among fantasy lovers. It breaks no new ground, but it is a satisfying adventure with a comforting, predictable conclusion. Its closing lines pave the way for yet another sequel.?Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A hastily assembled band of shrews, hedgehogs, and squirrels, led by a detachment of hares from the Long Patrol, marches out to defend Redwall Abbey from a horde of vicious rats in Jacques's latest installment (The Pearls of Lutra, p. 59, etc.). Under a new Firstblade, Damug Warfang, the thousand Rapscallions left after a failed assault on Long Patrol headquarters at Salamandastron set their sights on Redwall Abbey when they learn its southern wall is in desperate need of repair. Fortunately for the abbey's peaceful residents and many younglings, a platoon of the Long Patrol, including frisky new recruit Tamello De Fformelo Tussock, arrives to coordinate defense, and so does a relief column from Salamandastron. Jacques uses the winning formula developed in his earlier books, pitting treacherous, stupid, bloodthirsty woodland predators against heroic, commonsensical--and mostly vegetarian--good guys; opening with skirmishes, ballads, and feasts described in loving detail; breaking off, though never for long, for more meals and songs; building up to a climactic, seesaw battle; then finishing with a wedding, more feasting and verse, and a long-delayed homecoming. Fans will find characters and connections from previous books, the familiar thick dialect, delicious language, dashing action, and the comforting happy ending they've learned to expect. (Fiction. 11-13) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Jacques reads his own fanciful story about an adolescent hare who wishes to join the Long Patrol, a militant band of hare soldiers who strive against the evil rat Rapscallion. With complex names, such as Tamello De Formelo Tussock, and unusual animal characters, Jacques tells a story of battle, friendship, and leadership. This imaginative story will appeal principally to those who like animal personages in adult fairy tales. While Jacques's solid male voice gives variety and individuality to his characters' voices, he is not always easily understood. As the narrator, his broad Lancashire accent predominates. Overall, it does not make for easy listening. To follow the story and understand the text requires very active listening. Unfortunately, most audiences will tire of the effort.?Carolyn Alexander, Brigadoon Lib., Salinas, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The tales in Jacques's immensely popular Redwall series are set in an abbey populated by talking animals who behave like medieval warriors, scoundrels, peasants, etc. This presentation features the author himself taking all the parts. His voice has shades of his native Liverpool in it--it's gruff, yet expressive, and even friendly.He's delightful, though the effect is, of course, less sweeping than other recordings made with a full cast of voices. D.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Edition details

• Publisher: Hutchinson
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0091765463
• ISBN 13: 9780091765460
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384