Mattimeo

Mattimeo
UK 1st Edition Cover
Author(s)	Brian Jacques
Illustrator	Gary Chalk
Cover artist	Pete Lyon
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Series	Redwall
Genre(s)	Fantasy novel
Publisher	Hutchinson (UK) & Philomel (US)
Publication date	1989
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	312 (UK Hardback) & 446 (US Hardback)
ISBN	ISBN 0-09-173898-9 (UK Hardback) & ISBN 0-399-21741-X (US Hardback)
OCLC Number	19263369
Preceded by	Mossflower
Followed by	Mariel of Redwall

Mattimeo is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1989. It is the third book in the Redwall series.

Plot introduction

All his life, the worst thing young Mattimeo had to fear was a stern lecture from his father Matthias, but all that changes when Slagar the Cruel visits Mossflower Woods with plans to kidnap Mattimeo in a bid to shake the very foundations of the Abbey and its inhabitants.

Plot summary

Slagar the Cruel

Mattimeo is a direct sequel to Redwall and Mossflower, taking place eight seasons after the events of the first novel.^[1] The peaceful woodland creatures of Redwall Abbey are busy preparing for a feast during the summer equinox.^[2] Matthias and Cornflower have had a son named Mattimeo, who has been generally spoiled throughout his life. Meanwhile, the masked fox Slagar the Cruel and his gang of slavers are planning to enter Redwall Abbey during one of their feasts. Slagar, a villainous fox craving revenge for a crime never committed against him, intends to capture slaves from Redwall and take them to an underground kingdom ruled by a mysterious, god-like figure named Malkariss to be sold as slaves. After drugging the Abbey residents, he kidnaps Mattimeo, Tim and Tess Churchmouse, Cynthia Bankvole, and Sam Squirrel. They meet Auma, (a young badger maid) and Jube, (a hedgehog), who were also kidnapped by Slagar the Cruel. Upon discovering the children missing, Matthias, Basil Stag Hare and Jess Squirrel with the help of a few friends, leave the Abbey to hunt down Slagar and return the children back home. They encounter Cheek, an ottercub Matthias describes as "Cheek both by name and by nature".

US cover of Mattimeo

On their journey, they meet up with Orlando the Axe, the father of Auma, and Jabez Stump, the father of Jube. As they journey, they find the Guerrilla Union of Shrews in Mossflower (Guosim), and convince them to aid the travelers on their quest.

General Ironbeak

Meanwhile, at the Abbey, a horde of rooks, magpies, and crows led by General Ironbeak have come to conquer it. They instantly capture most of Redwall, starting from the top and working their way down. Then, Baby Rollo, Cornflower and Mrs. Churchmouse get kidnapped by the rooks, but the remaining Abbeydwellers manage to capture the Magpie brothers Quickbill, Diptail and Brightback with drugged strawberries, courtesy of Sister May. When the magpies went to forage for food for Ironbeak's crew, they ate the strawberries. The two forces then negotiate a hostage exchange. After that, the Abbey's residents take refuge in a basement called Cavern Hole, stocked with many supplies. Then Cornflower has an idea to dress up as a ghost and scare the rooks; they succeed, but General Ironbeak doesn't fall for the trick. He traps Constance in the gatehouse, then slips his army through the barricade.

Malkariss

After a long journey up cliffs, fighting a horde of archer rats, and crossing a desert and a gorge, Matthias's gang finally arrive at the underground kingdom of Malkariss, where Slagar has been trading his slaves. There, the heroes fight the massive army of rats, while Matthias frees the slaves held there and is reunited with his son. Then while they fight Matthias fights a large fiend called the Wearet and is thrown off a walkway into a pit where he confronts Malkariss who is revealed to be an ancient and somewhat repulsive polecat. Malkariss is about to kill Matthias with his own sword when the tyrant's slaves appear and destroy their master by pelting him with the stones and rocks which they had been using to build. Matthias frees the slaves and a great battle ensues during which Malkariss' kingdom is destroyed and his minions defeated. Later, Slagar reappears and kills Vitch, a rat slaver he worked with. Matthias and Orlando attempt to kill Slagar, who flees, only to plunge to his death down a well shaft.

The company return to Redwall after Redkite kills Ironbeak and his seer Mangiz and the woodlanders of Redwall send off the remaining ravens with iron collars around their necks.

The book ends with the people of Redwall celebrating with a feast.

Characters in Mattimeo

• Matthias
• Cornflower
• Mattimeo
• Slagar the Cruel
• Vitch
• Tim and Tess Churchmouse
• Cynthia Vole
• Sam Squirrel
• Mangiz
• Auma
• Jubilation (Jube) Stump
• Basil Stag Hare
• Jess Squirrel
• Orlando the Axe
• Jabez Stump
• Nadaz
• Threeclaws
• General Ironbeak
• Stryk Redkite
• Constance the Badger
• Abbot Mordalfus
• Sir Harry the Muse
• John and Mrs Churchmouse
• Baby Rollo
• Ambrose Spike
• Mrs. Bankvole
• Ragwing
• Winifred Otter
• Malkariss

Continuity errors

The characters Lettie and Rollo Bankvole alternate between being voles and mice throughout the book.

Book divisions (English)

• Book 1: Slagar the Cruel
• Book 2: General Ironbeak
• Book 3: Malkariss

Translations

• (Dutch) Het Zuidland
  • Het Zuidland: Slagar de Wrede
  • Het Zuidland: De Kloof
  • Het Zuidland: Malkariss
• (French) Rougemuraille : Mattiméo
  • Tome 1 : Salik le Barbare
  • Tome 2 : Le Général Becdacier
  • Tome 3 : Le Royaume du mal
• (German) Mattimeo: Die Rache des Fuchses
  • Slagar der Grausame
  • General Eisenschnabel
  • Lord Malkariss
• (Italian)
• (Swedish)
  • Del 1: Slagar den Grymme
  • Del 2: General Järnnäbb
• (Greek) Οι Γενναιοι: Του Ρεντγоυολ

References

1. ^ Jacques, Brian (1999) [1990]. Mattimeo. Kew York: Ace Fantasy. p. 87. ISBN 0-441-00610-8. 
2. ^ Jacques, Brian (1999) [1990]. Mattimeo. Kew York: Ace Fantasy. p. 6. ISBN 0-441-00610-8. 

External links

• Plot summary

Preceded by Redwall	Redwall Series (chronological order)	Succeeded by The Pearls of Lutra
Preceded by Mossflower	Redwall Series (publication order)	Succeeded by Mariel of Redwall