Rakkety Tam

infobox Book |
name = Rakkety Tam
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = UK 1st Edition Cover
author = Brian Jacques
illustrator = David Elliot
cover_artist = David Wyatt
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series = Redwall
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Viking (UK) & Philomel (US)
release_date = 2004
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 384 (UK Hardback) & 372 (US Hardback)
isbn = ISBN 0-670-91069-4 (UK Hardback) & ISBN 0-399-23725-9 (US Hardback)
preceded_by = Loamhedge
followed_by = High Rhulain

"Rakkety Tam" is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2004. It is the seventeenth book in the Redwall series.

Plot introduction

When Gulo the Savage and his army of vermin sweep across the land, it's up to Rakkety Tam MacBurl and his friend Wild Doogy Plumm backed by one hundred hares from Salamandastron to stop the advance of the bloodthirsty wolverine and protect Redwall and Mossflower.

Plot summary

From a region known only as the Land of Ice and Snow emerges Gulo the Savage, a vicious wolverine in command of a horde of a hundred white vermin (foxes and ermine) who eat the flesh of their enemies. After murdering his father, Dramz, Gulo assumed control of his father's territory. However, only he who possess the Walking Stone may rule, and after his father's death, Gulo's brother, Askor, steals the stone and sails to Mossflower Woods. Gulo pursues his brother with the vermin under his command. Most notably was his Captain the white fox named Shard and his mate the vixen Freeta. Although Shard was the Captain of this feral horde, it is Freeta that held the real power, intelligence and sway.

Meanwhile, the mercenary squirrel Rakkety Tam MacBurl, along with his companion Wild Doogy Plumm, find themselves at odds with their current rulers, Squirrelking Araltum and Idga Drayqueen, both arrogant, foolish creatures who spend more time on ceremonies in their honor than ruling the kingdom.

When the forces of the Squirrelking are ambushed by Gulo and dozens of squirrels are massacred, Tam and Plumm are given the chance to escape the trivialities of the kingdom and track the invaders. Gulo had stolen the king's new Royal Banner, so Tam and Doogy are sent off to find it. The king promises to release them of their bonds after long minutes of persuasion from Idga (they had sworn allegiance to him some seasons before) if they succeed in finding, and returning, the banner. They eventually meet up with the Long Patrol and continue their hunt.

The Long Patrol, however, has its own problems. Some hares were ambushed and lost a precious drum, which was supposed to be going to Redwall Abbey as a present. It turns out that Gulo has possession of the drum as well as the banner.

At Redwall, the cousin of the Abbot and his traveling companion arrive with a story and a riddle. When two maidens, Sister Armel (the infirmary sister), a squirrel, and the niece to Skipper of Otters, Brookflow (often called Brooky), try to solve the riddle, the spirit of Martin the Warrior appears to Armel, telling her to take his sword and bring it to 'the Borderer who lost his sword', that being Rakkety Tam. Armel and Brooky head out into the woods, but are captured by Gulo's army.

Meanwhile, a volethief named Yoofus Lightpaw is up in a tree when he sees Gulo's army beneath with the king's banner. He steals it from them and flees with it.

Tam , Doogy, and the goshawk Tergen are sent to find Gulo's army. There, they find Sister Armel and Brooky held captive, and upon rescuing the two maids, Armel gives Tam the Sword of Martin, taken back from Gulo's dead captain, Shard. The freed captives and the rescuers then return to Redwall.

When an army of hares reaches Redwall, Rakkety Tam takes command of the force and splits them into two groups: one to constantly harass the flesh-eating enemy, and the other to guard Redwall. Tam and Doogy take the harassment force out to find Gulo's army, encountering the Guosim, Log-a-Log Togey, and Yoofus. They join forces to fight off Gulo. However, when crossing the pines, they lose Doogy and Yoofus.

Yoofus and Doogy end up in thehouse of one of Yoofus' neighbours, a dormouse named Muskar Muskar, and his family, who are being held as servants by a small group of thick-headed but violent vermin. Yoofus and Doogy fight off the vermin in there. They want to go back to Yoofus's cave before continuing back to Redwall. When the two arrive, the volewife feeds the hungry travelers sausages and they meet Rockbottom, a tortoise (which is actually the Walking Stone). They head back to Redwall. At Redwall, the other part of Gulo's army attacks the Abbey, led by Shard's mate, Freeta. It is she that is responsible for entrance of the Abbey for it was her cunning that thought up the plan. The vermin are all killed, but in a fierce battle, Freeta mortally wounds the Brigadier of the Long Patrol, Crumshaw.

Tam and the party chase Gulo's army down a river and wounds him badly. Then, they continue back to Redwall.

When the harassment force returns, the squirrels, with the aid of the hares, Guosim shrews, and inhabitants of Redwall, attack the remainder of the flesh-eating army. After a great victory, Tam challenges Gulo to single combat. In the end, Tam wins by launching Gulo onto his shield, onto which he had carved a fierce edge, and slaying him.

Tam eventually marries Sister Armel, and they have a daughter, Melanda. Together, they journey back with Doogy, Brooky, and Tergen to the Squirrelking and Queen, who have had a son named Roopert. When Doogy and Tam are free of their old bonds, two old friends of Tam's, Hinjo and Pinetooth, ask Tam and Armel to be the new king and queen, but Armel takes the crowns and throws them into the sea. Then they all continue on to Salamandastron, where Tergen stays, and all the others return to Redwall.

Characters in "Rakkety Tam"

*Dramz
*Gulo the Savage
*Askor
*Rakkety Tam MacBurl (Tam)
*Wild Doogy Plumm (Plumm)
*Squirrelking Araltum and Idga Drayqueen
*Lady Melesme
*Sister Armel
*Brookflow (Brooky)
*Tergen
*Shard and Freeta
*Log-a-Log Togey
*Yoofus Lightpaw
*Brigadier Crumshaw
*Tergen
*Corporal Butty Wopscutt
*Sergeant Wonwill
*Captain Derron Fortindom
*Ferdimond De Mayne
*Melanda MacBurl

Book Divisions (English)

*Book 1: The Warrior Who Sold His Sword
*Book 2: The Warrior Who Gained a Sword
*Book 3: The Walking Stone

Translations

*(French) "Rougemuraille: La Pierre Qui Marche"

Trivia

*The name of Gulo the Savage comes from the scientific name of the wolverine, "gulo gulo", following a naming trend often employed by the author.
*Tam and Doogy are from the area of the Redwall universe which corresponds to Scotland in the real world (Doogy, being from farther north, has a more prevalent accent than Tam). They both wear kilts and carry bucklers, claymores and Sgian Dubhs (spelled "sgian dhu" in the book).

External links

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