The Legend of Luke
by Brian Jacques
Illustrated by Chris Baker
Cover Illustration by Chris Baker
412 pages
Copyright 1999
Only a few seasons have passed since the events of Mossflower. Plans drawn up during those terrible times are now being acted upon. Plans for a wonderful safe place where all can live in harmony. The woodlanders are busy building a new home. Everyone is helping. Their haven will be an Abbey, an Abbey known as REDWALL.
Creatures from far and wide have been drawn to this community. Among them is a traveller from the north. She is Trimp the Rover, a young hedgehog maid. As the workers sing songs, using the rhythm to bring together their efforts of pulling and lifting, Trimp joins them. She shares a half-remembered ballad recounting the adventures of a brave warrior mouse. His name? LUKE!
Martin, a warrior mouse now in his middle seasons, is stunned to hear this song of his long lost father. He wishes to know more. But the traveller can tell him nothing more. So Martin and his friends Gonff and Dinny set off with Trimp to return to the Northland shore, and seek the truth of the father he barely knew.
"A floodtide of memories poured in on Martin's senses. Every rock, even the wind-driven sand drifts, looked familiar to him. Turning to his tired companions, the Warrior spoke in a hoarse whisper. "I was born here; I know this place."
Martin encounters friends and enemies, old and new. There is Folgrim, the mad otter, and his brother the Chieftain, Tungro. There are GUOSIM shrews aplenty, and little Chugger. There are battles with Flitchayes and the dreaded Painted Ones.
At long last, the adventurers discover a clue, an extraordinary shipwreck. It is a ship known as Arfship, and it is home to three ancient, veteran warriors. In their possession is a dusty old volume. It is the ship's log of the good ship Sayna. In it is chronicled the dramatic account of Luke's pursuit of his hated enemy, the pirate stoat, Vilu Daskar, to avenge the murder of his beloved wife.
Luke and his companions sail the Sayna, a tiny frail vessel, in an epic voyage in pursuit of the slavers who plow through the oceans in their monstrous ship, the Goreleech. This ship and its pirate captain drive fear to the ends of the earth, as they plunder far flung tropic isles. The ship, its decks often awash in blood, becomes known simply as The Redship.
In this tale the stories of father and son are interwoven. Many of the mysteries of the Abbey's early years unfold. Every true Redwaller will want to sign on for this adventure!
American Edition
Books by Brian Jacques
- Redwall (1986)
- Mossflower (1988)
- Mattimeo (1989)
- Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales (1991)
- Mariel of Redwall (1991)
- Salamandastron (1992)
- Martin the Warrior (1993)
- The Bellmaker (1994)
- Outcast of Redwall (1995)
- The Great Redwall Feast (1996)
- The Pearls of Lutra (1996)
- The Long Patrol (1997)
- Marlfox (1998)
- The Legend of Luke (1999)
- Lord Brocktree (2000)
- Taggerung (2001)
- Castaways of the Flying Dutchman (2001)
- A Redwall Winter's Tale (2001)
- Triss (2002)
- Angel's Command (2003)
- Loamhedge (2003)
- Urso Brunov (2003)
- Rakkety Tam (2004)
- High Rhulain (September 20, 2005)
