HIGH RHULAIN: A Tale From Redwall
by Brian Jacques
Philomel Books
ISBN: 0399242082
Ages 10-up
384 pages

• Read an Excerpt

Like the sun, High Rhulain will rise anew,
To set the downtrodden free.
A warriormaid with Wildlough blood,
Must cross the Western Sea...

So goes the legend surrounding the dream in which Martin the Warrior says there will be a special maid to rescue the otters who have been enslaved by Riggu Felis, the wildcat chieftain. Ottermaid Tiria Wildlough is drawn to this vision. Although she does not know that she's destined to become the next high Rhulain, she knows that she must do what she can to rescue her friends from evil Riggu, his murderous sons and his band of vicious wildcats. Gathering the best of her clan, along with help from Salamandastron's Long Patrol hares led by the colorful Major Cuthbert Blanedale Frunk and two great birds, she sets off on a dangerous and bold journey. This quest will lead to death and destruction for both sides --- friends and foe will suffer terribly during the great battles that ensue.

Some of the characters included in this eighteenth Redwall story are "the silver-furred squirrel, an ancient dry stick of a beast, bent by many long seasons" and the ancient librarian/recorder of the Abbey known as Old Quelt, along with his assistant, Sister Snowdrop, a smart, funny little mouse who happens to be exceptional at riddles. There's also Abbess Lycian of Redwall, who helps keep everyone calm and runs the Abbey with a firm but loving paw. Even the two birds, the giant osprey known as Pandion Piketalon and the goose known as Brantalis, offer quirky, loving support to this troop of strange personalities.

On the darker side, Riggu Felis is a villain who is as horrible to look at as he is to deal with. His family is torn apart by greed and his wife has gone mad. His son Pitru has even murdered his own brother Jeefra. Jacques is a master at capturing these fascinating personalities and interweaving them into a believable adventure.

Throughout the story there is the constant reference to food --- all gatherings are celebrated with the most scrumptious of dishes, usually prepared at the Abbey under the skillful paws of a tubby little shrew cook known as Friar Bibble.

The meal included a long chestnut and apple plait with a crispy golden crust, bean and scallion soup and summer salad. The dessert was a batch of redcurrant tarts with meadowcream. There was cherry cordial to drink, plus the obligatory pot of teas...

Between riddles, anagrams, mysterious messages, fearsome battles and delicious meals, the plot moves along with a building force. The artwork is skillfully done by David Elliot and fleshes out Jacques's word-painted worlds. Fans of the Redwall series will be delighted by this wonderful adventure, and even those who have not read previous works will love HIGH RHULAIN.

   --- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

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