The Rogue Crew: A Tale of Redwall [Hardcover]

The diabolical Razzid Wearat (probably the nastiest, ugliest, most evil villain Jacques has ever come up with) has spent many seasons making a name for himself, torturing, killing, and raiding coastal settlements with his band of corsairs; now, the hideous mutant has acquired a unique ship - the "Greenshroud". This practical war machine is fitted with giant iron-plated wheels, so that it can sail on land as well as sea. After Razzid brutally murders four young hares to test out his new "toy", and tortures a solitary old otter to death solely for the fun of it, Lady Violet Wildstripe, the Badger Ruler of Salamandastron, sends out captain Rake Nightfur and his Long Patrol hares. Their mission; to seek out Skor Axehound and his Rogue Crew Sea Otters, the only creatures known to have opposed Razzid and lived to tell the tale. Rake and Skor must form an alliance of all their fighting beasts, and seek out the "Greenshroud", before much more damage can be done by the Wearat and his bloodthirsty crew.

However, Razzid has captured two young hedgehogs, who inadvertently tell him of Redwall Abbey, a place of plenty populated by simple woodlanders. Thinking it would be nice to rule this Abbey, and take its inhabitants as slaves, Razzid sets a course through Mossflower Woods towards Redwall. The two hedgehogs, however, manage to outwit Razzid's not-too-bright crew, and escape into the woods, where they meet up with a tribe of Guosim Shrews. The little band heads towards Redwall to warn Abbot Thibb and his creatures of the impending danger.

By this time, Skor and Rake have formed the alliance. Skor's trackers have figured out which way Razzid is headed; the Rogue Crew and Long Patrol set off as quickly as they can, hoping to beat Razzid to the Abbey, and defend its inhabitants from the horrendous, brutal Wearat.

It's a race to the finish as all three groups speed towards Redwall, a pulse-pounding race that, throghout the book, keeps one asking the same Question....

WHO WILL MAKE IT FIRST?

Brian Jacques has done it again; weaving a swashbuckling adventure to delight all readers of fantasy. I love all the Redwall Books, but I can definitely say that "The Rogue Crew" is one of the most exciting novels Jacques has ever written, and a fitting end to the 22-book series. Furthermore, it arrived four days before the estimated time; great work on the part of the company shipping it out, I would say.

*ONE WORD OF WARNING*: This is probably the most violent of the Redwall Books, owing to the ruthlessness of the villians, and the no-prisoners-taken attitude of the Rogue Crew. If you are under 13, I would not recommend this book until you are familiar with the rest of the series.

It was commonly believed that the despised Razzid Wearat had died in the last battle with the mighty sea otters. His injuries would have killed a lesser beast, but over time and with deadly determination, Razzid's scared body begins to heal. His injuries make him a ghastly sight, and his mind makes him an even scarier enemy:

He had lost both ears, and his head was a mass of shining scar tissue, minus its fur. One of his eyes was slitted, half shut and leaking. But there was no mistaking the brutal face and the barbarous stance. It really was Razzid Wearat.

Razzid now commands a completely refurbished ship called Greenshroud. With its giant sails and added wheels, it can easily transverse both sea and land. It doesn't matter what or who they might find along the way; if it serves Razzid to kill them, he does. If he wants something they have, he takes it. If he thinks they might be more clever than he --- which means any crew members --- they are good as dead. Razzid is a Wearat bent on destruction and power.

So when Razzid and his crew leave four young hares mangled and dead along with an old otter they had tortured to death, the Long Patrol hares are sent out to find Skor Axehound and his Rogue Crew Sea Otters. The Rogue Crew are the only ones who have been able to beat Razzid, and they are more than ready to help avenge the deaths of the poor beasts. They well know what a formidable enemy the murderous Wearat is.

For the time being, Razzid has his eyes on the capture of Redwall Abbey. From one of the little hedgehogs (Uggo) he catches, he learns that the Abbey is a place of plenty. He knows this will be a perfect place for him to take the inhabitants captive and enjoy the fruits of their famous cellars. Now bent on this new mission, and with encouraging words from the sly vixen Shekra --- who is considered a seer --- Razzid sets his sails and wheels to charge through the Mossflower Woods and find the Abbey.

The battles are bloody, the cost of lives dear, and Razzid has far underestimated the fearsome determination of Guosim Shrews, Rogue Crew, Long Patrol and the Abbey's inhabitants. The culminating battle is full of unexpected heroism --- especially from a little hedgehog named Posy and an old otter Cellar keeper known as Jum Gurdy. The swift, powerful sword of Martin the Warrior proves that the spirit of Redwall Abbey lives on through its gentle inhabitants.

Throughout the story, we are treated to wonderful menus and delightful drinks such as Addersting grog, Pennycloud Cordial, Blistery Barnacle ale, and Comfrey Dandelion Tea. As weary, tired or sad as the little Redwall beasts might be, they manage to share their love of drink and food along with their wild adventures.

Brian Jacques's last Redwall book has every kind of character and every spine-chilling adventure that readers could want. Plus, Sean Rubin's marvelous illustrations once again help give life to the fantastic characters and settings. Full of poetry, song, brave deeds and dastardly villains (especially Razzid Wearat), THE ROGUE CREW is a non-stop adventure from start to finish. Millions of fans from around the world are mourning the death of Jacques, but the legacy of these books will bring continued joy.

Redwall is always open, its tables laden, to you and any of good heart.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

by Evan Rindler

The staple of Brian Jacques Redwall series has always been a shamelessly straightforward version of adventure. The villains are cruel and ambitiously evil, while the woodland folk are kind but determined to keep their peaceful way of life, even if it means a war. Jacques uses animals for characters, and you can predict their demeanors by their species, an element of symbolism that is very easy to understand.

The Rogue Crew, completed shortly before the prolific author's death earlier this year, may be the last book in the series. Jacques died while writing Pondicherry, and it is unknown if it will be published posthumously. However, whether or not there is another tale in the saga, The Rogue Crew exemplifies Jacque's classic style.

The title refers to a group of war-hardened otters from the High North Coast who are the only hope of defeating the feared Razzid Wearat, a bloodthirsty pirate with a secret weapon: a ship that can traverse both land and sea! The perspective is split among several groups, which is used to create suspense when the audience knows what the characters do not. There are many twists and turns on the way to a predictable, but entertaining, conclusion. If the book falters, it falters where the series has; at this point, the formula has been well-tread and, while the individual characters are charismatic, the plot feels hackneyed. I wish that the narrative was more complex than the traditional good and evil story, and closer to the first books of the series which charted out a complex history.

By the same token, what the book does best is what the series has always done best. The descriptions of nature and landscapes are poetic and epic in scale. Each character's dialogue is written in a transliteration format, so that if read aloud, it would reflect a distinct dialect or inflection. This emphasizes the feel of an oral story, which is true to the series' origins. Jacques created the characters when he told stories to children at a school for the blind.

It is never wise to read a Redwall book on an empty stomach because it seems that each chapter includes a decadent description of food. If not eating, then the characters are singing merrily, another trademark. I challenge the reader to sing these songs out loud and find their rhythm. When I did so I appreciated them more, instead of feeling inclined to skip past.

As a die-hard fan of the series I was pleased, as should all those who love Jacques' lucid and adventurous style. If you're a newcomer, I recommend the originals, when the story was fresher, but the style just as good.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 16 reviews  4.8 out of 5 stars