The Legend of Luke

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The Legend of Luke, US Cover

The Legend of Luke, UK Cover

[edit] Book Divisions (English)

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

[edit] Summary

While woodlanders are participating in the construction of Redwall Abbey, a roving hedgehog named Trimp meets Ferdy 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 what she knows about him. He decides to quest north to learn more about his origins. Martin, Gonff the Mousethief, Young Dinny, and Trimp befriend an orphan woodlander named Chugger, a bird Krar Woodwatcher, as well as two brother otters, Folgrim and Tungro. When they finally reach the northlands, Martin meets his father's old friends Vurg and Beau, 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 his wife 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 is dubbed Sayna.

At one point, Beau was believed to be dead, but survived. Luke, however, was captured by Daskar when the Sayna was destroyed. He befriended a black squirrel, Ranguvar Foeseeker, who also wanted her revenge. Luke was able to convince Daskar of a hidden treasure that only the mouse could steer to. Vurg and Beau snuck aboard to free the slaves as Ranguvar and Luke killed foebeasts. Luke maneuvered to where he had trapped Daskar to one end of the ship, then steered it between two rocks, breaking it. He, Ranguvar, Daskar, and the entire vermin crew were drowned.

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.

In the shortened summary of the book states that Martin learns the tale of how Luke fought a pirate fox. However, Luke's main enemy was Vilu Daskar, a stoat, and the pirate fox Luke fought, Reynard Chopsnout, was a minor character.

Characters in The Legend of Luke

[edit] Release details

• 1999, UK, Hutchinson Children's Books Ltd., ISBN 0091768624, Pub. Date: September 1999, Hardcover
• 2000, US, Philomel Books, ISBN 039923490X, Pub. Date: March 2000, Hardcover
• 2000, UK, Red Fox, ISBN 0099266059, Pub. Date: June 2000, Paperback
• 2001, US, Ace, ISBN 9780441007738, Pub. Date: February 2001, Paperback
• 2005, US, Puffin, ISBN 9780142501092, Pub. Date: June 2005, Paperback
• 2005, US, Firebird, ISBN 0142501093, Pub. Date: June 2005, Paperback
• 2007, UK, Red Fox, ISBN 1862301468, Pub. Date: August 2007, Paperback
• 2007, US, Red Fox, ISBN 1862301468, Pub. Date: September 2007, Paperback