The Legend of Luke

The Legend of Luke, U.S. covers
Year Published:	1999
Illustrator:	Chris Baker
U.S. Cover Artist:	Troy Howell
UK Cover Artist:	Chris Baker
Page Count:	374
ISBN:	039923490X
ISBN-13:	9780399234903
Chronological Order:	4
Publication Order:	12
The Legend of Luke, UK covers

The Legend of Luke is the twelfth published book in the Redwall saga by Brian Jacques. It takes place after Mossflower in terms of storyline, and serves as a direct sequel.

Book Divisions (English)

• Book 1: Martin
• Book 2: Luke (A.K.A. In the Wake of The Red Ship)
• Book 3: A Warrior's Legacy

Summary

While woodlanders construct Redwall Abbey, Trimp, a roving hedgehog, encounters Ferdy and Coggs Stickle. She visits the Abbey and sings a song to inspire the workers lifting a beam. Martin the Warrior recognizes the name of his father, Luke the Warrior, mentioned in the lyrics and asks Trimp what she knows about him. Martin decides to quest north to learn more about his origins. Martin, Gonff the Mousethief, Young Dinny, and Trimp befriend an orphan woodlander named Chugger, Krar Woodwatcher, as well as two brother otters, Folgrim and Tungro. When they reach the North Shores after a short journey, Martin meets his father's old friends Vurg (who at first mistakes him for Luke) and Beau, who live in half of a large ship called Arfship lodged between enormous rocks. They show him a book titled In the Wake of the Red Ship, an account of Luke's life.

The narrative flashes back to Martin's birth to Luke and his wife Sayna. Luke was the leader of a tribe of mice who relocated north from Mossflower Woods in the hopes of evading enemies. The tribe lived an idyllic life at their new home 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 in pursuit of Daskar. Martin, an older mouse at this time, wished to accompany his father, but Luke declined, giving Martin his sword, and the chance to name the ship, which was deemed Sayna.

After sailing for a very long time, the ship became low on food. Luckily, the crew found an island filled with an abundant amount of food, but a stranded hare attacked them for stealing some of it. The hare introduced himself as Beau, and soon accompanied them.

After a long period of tracking the Goreleech, the crew landed on an abandoned island. They found a pile of fruit lying mysteriously in front of them, and believing it was some type of peace offering from natives, ate it. The fruit was actually drugged, a trap laid by the resident vermin. Awaiting sacrifice to a snake named Slariss inside a cave, Luke managed to kill the beast, then threatened the leader of the savages in exchange for safe passage off the island.

The Sayna followed the Goreleech to the Twin Islands, two islands very close together with a narrow waterway between them. The Goreleech ambushed the Sayna by ramming it with a sharp horn on its bow. The ship was sunk, and everyone on board killed except Luke, Vurg and two other mice from the crew. 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 he could only steer to. Vurg and Beau sneaked aboard to free the slaves as Ranguvar and Luke killed foe beasts. 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. The other half of the ship was permanently lodged between the rocks.

Back in the present, Beau and Vurg presented Martin with a tapestry of his ancestor, which would eventually be expanded into one of the mouse himself. They all return to Redwall.

Meanwhile, back at the Abbey, the others are hard at work continuing its construction. Martin allegedly chose to put down his sword and live a life of peace upon returning, and the book ends with a narration by Abbess Germaine.

Characters in The Legend of Luke

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
• 2010, US, Firebird Books, ISBN 9780142501092, Pub. Date: January 2010, Paperback