Loamhedge: A Tale from Redwall - Softcover

Jacques, Brian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0142403776 ISBN 13: 9780142403778

Publisher: Firebird, 2005

Synopsis

The sixteenth full length Redwall novel sheds light on the Abbey's ancient origins in a thrilling adventure. Loamhedge, the deserted Abbey, has been forgotten for countless seasons. What secrets do it's ruins hold? When it becomes clear that wheelchair-bound Martha might be cured by a formula buried there, two old warriors are inspired by the spirit of Martin the Warrior himself to go on a quest for the ancient Abbey and three young rebels are determined to go with them. Meanwhile. the giant badger Lonna Bowstripe thirsts for vengeance as he relentlessly pursues Raga Bl and his murdering crew of Searats...who are on their way to attack Redwall itself.  The valiant Abbeybeasts must defend their home, but how can they, when their boldest warriors are away on their quest? Will Redwall fall to vermin invaders at last?

About this title

Review:

Number sixteen in the esteemed Redwall animal fantasy series, young readers will find Loamhedge just as wild and woolly as its predecessors. In this chapter of the seemingly endless history of the woodland abbey, adventure is sparked by the sad plight of the haremaid, Martha Braebuck. Due to a terrible event that befell her when she was just an abbey Dibbun, Martha has lost the ability to walk. But when legendary mouse Martin the Warrior comes to her in a dream and explains that the secret to winning back her legs lies within the cursed walls of the ancient abbey Loamhedge, Martha hopes for a hero who will travel to the ruins on her behalf. Enter world-class adventurers Braggon the otter and Sarobando the squirrel. The best friends have come for a visit, and decide to undertake Martha’s quest. Yet, just as soon as the two tricksters leave, the peaceful abbey folk fervently wish them back, as Redwall is suddenly under siege from the dread searat Raga Bol and his motley crew of vermin. But even as he endeavors to force the Redwall folk from their cozy nest, Raga Bol is plagued by nightmares of the massive badger archer Lonna Bowstripe, who is coming to end his reign of terror. But will Lonna get to Redwall in time to save the forest folk? And will Martha ever walk again? The only thing that’s certain is that the fur will fly and numerous feasts will be noisily consumed in yet another fur-tastic tale from beloved British storyteller Brian Jacques. (Ages 10 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

About the Author:

"I sometimes think it ironic for an ex-seaman, longshoreman, truck driver, policeman, bus driver, etc., to find success writing children's novels," says Brian Jacques (pronounced "Jakes"). Yet it is all too true. With the publication of his first children's book in 1987, the award-winning Redwall, Jacques' fresh talent has received exceptional praise from reviewers in the United States and England. Newbery Award winner Lloyd Alexander called it "a fine work, literate, witty, filled with the excitement of genuine storytelling. Young people will surely be captivated. I hope they give their elders a chance to share the delights."

A well-known radio personality in his native Liverpool--as well as an actor, stand-up comic, and playwright--Brian Jacques is the host of "Jakestown" on BBC Radio Merseyside. Ever the performer, Jacques is well-known for applying his acting and entertainment background to his lively presentations to legions of young fans at schools across the United States and England.

Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England on June 15th, 1939. Along with forty percent of the population of Liverpool, his ancestral roots are in Ireland, County Cork to be exact.

He grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks. His interest in adventure stories began at an early age with reading the books of: Daniel Defoe, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Thomas Malory, Robert Michael Ballantyne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Kenneth Grahame. He attended St. John's School, an inner city school that had its playground on the roof. On his first day at St. John's, at the age of ten, he had an experience that marked his potential as a writer. When given an assignment of writing a story about animals, he wrote about the bird that cleaned a crocodile's teeth. The teacher could not, and would not, believe that a ten year old could write that well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then, that he realized that he had a talent for writing.

Some teachers at St. John's proved to be good role models. As Mr. Jacques recalls:

"My favourite teacher was Mr. Austin Thomas. He looked like Lee Marvin. Big Man. A Captain in World War II. He came to school on a big bush bike with the haversack on back. He was a man's man. Always fair. I was fourteen at the time when Mr. Thomas introduced the class to poetry and Greek literature. (Because of him, I saved seven shillings and sixpence to buy The Iliad and The Odyssey at this dusty used book shop.)"

This interest in poetry extended to Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Goldsmith.It was also at St. John's that Brian met a teacher, Alan Durband (who also taught two Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison), who, more than thirty years later would bring about a major change in his life.

After Brian finished school at fifteen, he set out to find adventure as a merchant seaman. He travelled to many far away ports, including New York, Valparaiso, San Francisco, and Yokohama. Tiring of the lonely life of a sailor, he returned to Liverpool where he worked as a railway fireman, a longshoreman, a long-distance truck driver, a bus driver, a boxer, a bobby (Police Constable 216D), a postmaster, and a stand-up comic.

 

Penguin mourns the passing of celebrated children’s book author Brian Jacques

About this edition

• Publisher: Firebird
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0142403776
• ISBN 13: 9780142403778
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 424