The Bellmaker [Paperback]

Vicious Foxwolf, Urgan Nagru--a fox who long ago discovered the body of a wolf and skinned it to wear as his own--is holding the young Mariel and Dandin captive. The pair are at the mercy of the evil despot and have only one hope of survival. But can they really count on the legendary freedom fighter, Martin the Warrior, to come to their rescue?

The Bellmaker fairly boils over with passion, intrigue, and adventure. A true page-turner, the heat is immediately turned to high, and never cools until the close of the very last chapter. Brian Jacques's skill lies in creating fantastical yet believable characters, placing them in an extraordinary yet convincing setting and then letting loose with a flood of imagination that takes the breath away. One of the best writers of our time, Jacques comes through once again for his readers in this remarkable tale of good triumphing over evil. --Susan Harrison --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

For the seventh volume of the Redwall series, Jacques sticks to the tried-and-true formula-action aplenty and a huge cast of woodland creatures-that has won him such a dedicated following. When the merciless Foxwolf Urgan Nagru and his mate, the scheming vixen Silvamord, oust good Gael Squirrelking from the throne of Southsward, Mariel the Warriormaid and her companion Dandin-two adventuresome wandering mice from Redwall Abbey-join forces with those forest denizens still loyal to their king. Meanwhile, back at the Abbey, a prophetic dream inspires Mariel's father to round up a party to search for his daughter. Comic relief-as well as a touch of tragedy-is provided by a pair of uncouth and piratical rats as a seemingly endless stream of cliff-hangers and dazzling combat winds its way through lovingly described forest feasts. The author must be commended for creating a world of equal-opportunity adventuring, in which female creatures can be just as courageous (or as diabolical) as their male counterparts, but the characterizations are broadly drawn. Despite their well-delineated quirks, foibles and quaint speech patterns ("Zurr, thurr'm a gurt 'ole in ee shipper 'ere"), "nobeast" really grows or changes much in this neck of the woods. Ages 9-up. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Grade 4 Up?Fans of Jacques's books will be delighted to see this one hit the shelves. The story has four distinct settings: Castle Floret, where a fox dressed in a wolf skin rules as the Urgan Naguru, chief of the Horderats; Mossflower Abbey, where two infants befriend Blaggut, a surprisingly gentle Searat; Southsward, where a band of river otters and moles fight to protect the Squirellqueen Serena and her son Truffen; and the bounding main, where the title character, Joseph the Bellmaker, and his band of Redwall adventurers join forces with sea otter Finnbarr Galedeep, skipper of the Pearl Queen, to search for Joseph's daughter Mariel. With the exception of the Redwall Abbey folks, all points converge at Castle Floret for a grand battle, with fights to the finish for the bad guys, and a grand celebration feast for the victors. This is storytelling at its best. Adventures abound, and with them comes heartache. Not every beast survives to the end of this story, and Jacques is wise enough not to perform too many miracles. Characters are easily identified by their speech and the rabbits, with their "toodle pip, wot?" are a positive delight. It is not necessary to have read any other Redwall books to make sense of this one, though new readers will undoubtedly demand the other titles after finishing it.?Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Gr. 5^-7. This seventh adventure in Jacques' popular Redwall saga harks back to Mariel of Redwall (1992) and features the feisty mousemaid Mariel as well as her father, Joseph the Bellmaker. Having had no news of Mariel for several seasons, Joseph is worried and rightly so he discovers when Martin the Warrior gives warning in a dream. Joseph soon finds himself sailing south with a small band of friends to confront the diabolic Foxwolf Nagru, who not only has conquered the kingdom of Southward, but also has imprisoned Mariel and her companions. As usual in the series, the story juxtaposes the experiences of several separate groups of animals, both good and bad, most of whom come together for the final conflict. The expected deeds of derring-do and the violent battle action also are present as are the warmth, the endearing dialectal dialogue, and the established line between good and evil as represented by the characters. Jacques spins another irresistible tale for Redwall fans, who will enjoy meeting old friends and following their exciting new exploits. Sally Estes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

"Fans of Jacques's books will be delighted to see this one hit the shelves." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Bar all doors! Vicious Foxwolf and his horde of rats are coming to Southsward! Mariel and Dandin, prisoners of the merciless despot, have one slim hope. One chance of escape. But can the legendary freedom fighter, Martin the Warror, return from the past to save them? Or is it... too late?

Brian Jacques was born and bred in Liverpool, where he lives today. At the age of fifteen he went to sea and travelled the world. He has worked as a stand-up comedian and playwright and now hosts his own programme, Jakestown, on Radio Merseyside. His bestselling Redwall books have captured readers all over the world and won universal praise. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.