The Legend of Luke is the twelfth book in the Redwall saga by Brian Jacques. First published in 1999 in the UK and 2000 in the U.S., 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 work site and sings a song to inspire the laborers 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. 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, Krar Woodwatcher, as well as two otter brothers, 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. Young Martin wished to accompany his father in pursuit of Daskar, but Luke declined this request, giving him his sword and the chance to rename the ship, which was deemed Sayna.
Together with Vurg, Beau, and others, Luke sailed after Daskar. However, after a very long time, the ship became low on food. Luckily, the crew found an island filled with abundant resources, but a stranded hare attacked them for stealing. The hare introduced himself as Beau, and soon accompanied them.
After a long period of tracking the Goreleech, the crew landed on a volcanic island. They discovered a mysterious pile of fruit, and believing it was a 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 killed 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 isles very close together with a narrow waterway between them. The Goreleech ambushed the Sayna by ramming it with a sharp spike on its bow. The ship was sunk, and everyone on board was killed except Luke, Vurg, Beau, and two other mice from the crew. Luke was captured by Daskar when the Sayna was destroyed. He befriended a black squirrel, Ranguvar Foeseeker, who also wanted her revenge. Luke convinced Daskar of a hidden treasure to which only he could guide him. Vurg and Beau sneaked aboard the Goreleech to free the slaves as Ranguvar and Luke dispatched of their foes. Luke maneuvered to where he had trapped Daskar to one end of the ship, then steered it between two rocks, breaking it. Luke, Ranguvar, Daskar, and the entire vermin crew were drowned as a result. The other half of the ship was permanently lodged between the rocks.
In the present, Beau and Vurg confer Martin with a tapestry of his ancestor, which Redwallers would later expand into one of the mouse himself. The group journeys back to Mossflower together.
Meanwhile, at the Abbey, the woodlanders have been continuing its construction. Upon his return, Martin allegedly chooses to put down his sword and live a life of peace, and the story ends with a journal entry from Abbess Germaine.
Characters in The Legend of Luke
Audiobook[]
The Legend of Luke has been released in audiobook format.
Trivia[]
- Brian Jacques was inspired for this novel by a fan inquiry. "The idea came from a young fan who wanted to know what had happened to Martin's father. And that was where I started." - Brian Jacques, Omaha World-Herald, January 23, 2000
- Brian Jacques was writing The Legend of Luke as early as 1997. "Luke is to be the subject of my next book. I bow to the many many of my readers who have asked for his story, so... it is on its way!!" - Redwall.org's Ask Brian, Vol. 2
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
- 2014, UK, Red Fox, ISBN 9781782954378, Pub. Date: September 2014, Paperback
Books in the Redwall Chronicles, by Brian Jacques |
Redwall · Mossflower · Mattimeo · Mariel of Redwall · Salamandastron · Martin the Warrior · The Bellmaker · Outcast of Redwall · Pearls of Lutra · The Long Patrol · Marlfox · The Legend of Luke · Lord Brocktree · Taggerung · Triss · Loamhedge · Rakkety Tam · High Rhulain · Eulalia! · Doomwyte · The Sable Quean · The Rogue Crew |