The Legend of Luke: A Tale from Redwall (Redwall, Book 12)

Grade 5 Up-The saga continues as Martin, the warrior mouse, leaves Redwall Abbey on a quest to find out what happened to his parents, whom he can barely remember. He adds to his original party of Gonff, the mouse; Dinny, the mole; and Trimp, the hedgehog as he travels along. Among the most memorable characters on the journey are an outspoken baby squirrel and a half-crazed renegade otter who is redeemed by the young squirrel's innocent friendship. Eventually, Martin finds two elderly friends, the mouse, Vurg, and the rabbit, Beau, who sailed with his father on his final journey. These old shipmates share the story of how Luke the Warrior and the brave squirrel Ranguvar Foeseeker gave their lives to avenge the death of Martin's mother and rid the seas of the wicked pirate stoat, Vilu Daskar. Readers who have enjoyed the series on land will find this seafaring addition equally fast paced. The action is interspersed with the broad humor, rustic speech, and delicious vegetarian meals shared by the good-natured animal friends. Be aware, however, that the story of Luke the Warrior, told as a tale within a tale, is one of cruelty, revenge, and the ultimate self-sacrifice. Phonetic spelling of the various animals' dialects, used both in conversation and in the many songs, may act as a barrier to some readers. This 12th title in the series will have the most appeal where the previous books have a following.
Valerie Diamond, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The 12th book in the animated epic about the inhabitants and friends and enemies of Redwall Abbey, this is a grand, seafaring odyssey about Martin the mouse warrior and his treacherous return to the place of his youth. After the evil Vilu Daskar mercilessly massacred Luke's wife and most of his tribe, Luke left his son Martin behind in order to avenge his wife's death, never to return. With only the words of an old ballad to go on, an older and determined Martin, Trimp the hedgehog, and the mousethief, Gonff, set forth to battle weasels, water rats, aggressive crows, and tree vermin. Tricking the fox, Sholabar, into giving up his sea vessel, they locate half of the wreckage of Luke's ship wedged between two monolithic boulders. Martin is reunited with four remaining shipmates who give him Luke's journal; it outlines his capture by Vilu Daskar and plan to ram Vilu's boat into the mammoth stones, thereby avenging his wife's death and ridding the seas of Vilu's treachery forever. Martin's inner search and struggles with beasts of both land and sea will remind older readers of Homer, while also satisfying voracious fans of Jacques's series. The formulas are gratifyingly intact as Martin discovers, as all fatherless children hope to, that his parent had not abandoned him, but heroically sacrificed his life for the welfare of others. (Fiction. 11-14) -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.