The Taggerung (Redwall)

The nomad clan of Sawney Rath can feel their fortunes changing, much for the better. The Mighty One, the next great leader, has been born within the walls of Redwall Abbey and, at any cost, Sawney Rath is determined to harness the power of this magnificent beast - the deadly Taggerung!





A baby otter is kidnapped from Redwall by Sawney's ruthless band of villains called the Juska. They believe he is a Taggerung - a legendary animal said to have supernatural fighting skills. The young otter is raised by Sawney Rath as his own son and trained to be a ruthless killer, but the Redwall spirit cuts deep and as the Taggerung reaches adolescence he begins to dream of another life . . .

Brian Jacques's 14th fantasy in the popular Redwall series exceeds expectations in this suspenseful tale of good versus evil where the nefarious vermin seek to destroy the peace-loving mice, moles, shrews, and otters of Redwall Abbey. The villainous Sawney Rath clan of rats, weasels, foxes, and ferrets believe Deyna, an otter born of the community at Redwall, is their Taggerung, a great warrior destined to lead them. Members of the Sawney Rath clan kidnap Deyna from his home as a young otter, but to no avail. As Deyna grows, he embarks upon a search for his true family at Redwall.

As ever, the master storyteller's language lends his swashbuckling adventures a mysterious and magical quality, as well as a hint of the Old World as the characters address each other with thees and thous. Hearkening back to medieval times, Jacques presents a tale of courageous warriors and grotesque evildoers alike, each group journeying toward conflicting ends. Danger, fear, action, heroism--Taggerung is an intense page-turner with startling plot twists that will keep readers on their toes. (Ages 9 to 15) --Yvonne Schindler