The Legend of Luke

infobox Book |
name = The Legend of Luke
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = UK 1st Edition Cover
author = Brian Jacques
illustrator =
cover_artist = Chris Baker
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series = Redwall
genre = Fantasy
publisher = Hutchinson (UK) & Philomel (US)
release_date = 1999
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 374 (UK Hardback) & 374 (US Hardback)
isbn = ISBN 0-09-176862-4 (UK Hardback) & ISBN 0-399-23490-X (US Hardback)
preceded_by = Marlfox
followed_by = Lord Brocktree

"The Legend of Luke" is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1999. It is the twelfth book in the Redwall series.

Plot introduction

A "New York Times" bestseller, "The Legend of Luke" is about Martin the Warrior's search for what happened to his father, Luke. The first and third sections of the book are about Martin's journey, in which he travels from Redwall Abbey to the far northwest of the continent. There he discovers five of his father's old companions, who read to him a written account of their story. The second section of the book is the story of Luke, his companions, and a black squirrel named Ranguvar Foeseeker.

Plot summary

The book begins during the construction of Redwall Abbey, when a roving hedgehog named Trimp meets Ferdy Stickle and Coggs Stickle. She visits the abbey and sings a song to help the workers lifting a beam. Martin the Warrior recognizes his father, Luke the Warrior, mentioned in the lyrics and asks Trimp more about him. He decides to go on a quest to learn more about his father. Martin, Gonff the Mousethief, Dinny, and Trimp befriend an orphaned woodlander squirrel named Chugger, the bird Krar Woodwatcher, as well as two brother otters, Folgrim (who eats vermin due to head injuries) and Tungro. When they reach the northlands, Martin meets his father's friends Vurg and Beauclair Fethringsol Cosfortingham, who show him a book titled "In the Wake of the Red Ship", an account of Luke's life.

The plot then flashes back to Martin's birth to Luke and Sayna. Luke was the leader of a tribe of mice who lived an idyllic life for many seasons until Vilu Daskar, captain of the "Goreleech", attacked the settlement and killed Sayna, as well as many others with his Sea Rogues. Luke vowed revenge upon Daskar and soon had an opportunity when Reynard Chopsnout, master of the "Greenhawk", sailed in, hoping to fix his broken vessel. Luke killed him and captured the ship. Together with Vurg, Beau, and others, they sailed off. Martin, now older, wished to accompany his father, but Luke declined, giving Martin his sword, and the chance to name the ship, which he dubbed "Sayna".

The account of Lukes' life contains the scene where Luke gives his sword to his son. The same scene occurs in the beginning of "Martin The Warrior", when Martin receives a flashback of his childhood, as he was captured and put out for the seagulls by Badrang The Tyrant. Therefore, the events in the Second Book occurred around the same time as "Martin The Warrior".

At one point, Beau was believed to be dead, but survived. Luke, however, was captured and forced into slavery by Daskar when the "Sayna" was destroyed. He befriended a black squirrel, Ranguvar Foeseeker, who also wanted her revenge. Luke is quite a bit like his son. For instance, he threatened to strangle the slavedriver, whereas Martin tried to choke a Marshank hordebeast with the creature's own whip. Luke was able to convince Daskar of a hidden treasure that only the mouse could steer to. Vurg and Beau sneaked aboard to free the slaves as Ranguvar and Luke killed foebeasts. Initially planning to run the ship aground where his tribe could join the fight to take the ship, upon realising his tribe had abandonded the area, Luke ordered the slaves to take the ship,trapped Daskar at one end of the ship, then steered it between two rocks, breaking it. The ship's stern sinks instantly and Luke, Ranguvar, Daskar, and the entire vermin army upon it were drowned. The bow becomes stuck between the two rocks and the surviving vermin are massacred by the liberated slaves.

Beau and Vurg presented Martin with a tapestry of his ancestor, which would eventually be expanded into one of the mouse himself. They returned to Redwall, and Martin allegedly chose to put down his sword and live a life of peace.

Characters in "The Legend of Luke"

*Trimp
*Ferdy Stickle and Coggs Stickle
*Martin the Warrior
*Luke the Warrior
*Gonff the Mousethief
*Dinny
*Chugger
*Krar Woodwatcher
*Folgrim and Tungro
*Vurg
*Beauclair Fethringsol Cosfortingham (Beau)
*Sayna
*Vilu Daskar
*Reynard Chopsnout
*Ranguvar Foeseeker

Book Divisions (English)

*Book 1: Martin
*Book 2: Luke
*Book 3:A Warrior's Legacy

Translations

*(French) "Rougemuraille : Le Guerrier disparu"
*(Italian) "La Leggenda di Luca"

External links

* [http://www.redwall.org/dave/luke.html Plot summary]