Lord Brocktree
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''Lord Brocktree'' is a
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
novel by
Brian Jacques James Brian Jacques (, as in "Jakes"; 15 June 1939 – 5 February 2011), known professionally as Brian Jacques, was an English author known for his ''Redwall'' series of children's fantasy novels and ''Castaways of the Flying Dutchman'' series. ...
, published in 2000. It is the 13th book in the ''
Redwall ''Redwall'' is a series of children's fantasy novels by British writer Brian Jacques, published from 1986 to 2011. It is also the title of the first book of the series, published in 1986, as well as the name of the abbey featured in the book, ...
'' series to be published. It is the earliest chronological installment in the series, and the last prequel written by Jacques.


Synopsis

The book focuses on a
badger Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by the ...
, Lord Brocktree, and haremaid Dotti as they journey towards Salamandastron, the mountain fortress of badger lords, to recapture it from the wildcat Ungatt Trunn.


Plot summary

This book revolves around the
Eurasian badger The European badger (''Meles meles''), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a badger species in the Family (biology), family Mustelidae native to Europe and West Asia and parts of Central Asia. It is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red L ...
Lord Brocktree, father of Boar the Fighter, grandfather of Bella of Brockhall, and great-grandfather of Sunflash the Mace. He sets out to find the ancient badger mountain stronghold of Salamandastron, aided by the quick talking
hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves ...
maid Dorothea Duckfontein Dillworthy and
European otter The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, European river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia and the Maghreb. The most widely distributed member o ...
Ruffgar Brookback. Meanwhile, in Salamandastron, trouble comes for Brocktree's father, Lord Stonepaw. Years of peace have left the mountain stronghold with few fighters, and those that remain are long past their prime, including Stonepaw himself. The
European wildcat The European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') is a small wildcat species native to continental Europe, Great Britain, Turkey and the Caucasus. Its fur is brownish to grey with stripes on the forehead and on the sides and has a bushy tail with a bl ...
Ungatt Trunn, son of Mortspear, Highland King of the North, lays siege to the fortress with his Blue Hordes. Eventually the mountain is overrun, leading to the deaths of many hares and even of Stonepaw himself, who dies valiantly defending his hares, taking many vermin with him as he does. The wildcat takes at least sixty hares as prisoners, but through the efforts of warrior Stiffener Medick and his otter friend Brogalaw, they escape. Lord Brocktree gets an army from the hare Bucko Bigbones, after Dotti defeats him in a contest. Thanks to the Bark Crew, the group of guerrillas formed by Stiffener and Brogalaw to harass Trunn, the Blue Hordes are slowly starved, their supplies cut off. Ungatt Trunn tricks the Bark Crew into putting up a last stand in battle, but Lord Brocktree joins forces with the hares and saves the day. The book culminates in a massive final battle, with many memorable characters killed, including Jukka and Fleetscut. Eventually, when the battle ends up a near-stalemate, Trunn and Brocktree face off in a duel. After a failed assassination attempt on Brocktree by the sea
rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...
s Ripfang and Doomeye and the corsair fleet captain Karangool (Trunn's second in command) the badger eventually wins, snapping Trunn's spine and leaving him on the sand to die. Trunn is thrown into the water but survives, only to be drowned by Groddil, one of his former advisors. The book ends with thousands of hares rallying to form the Long Patrol under Brocktree and Dotti (whom the badger names first Long Patrol General).


Characters in ''Lord Brocktree''

*Lord Brocktree *Dorothea Duckfontein Dillworthy (Dotti) *Ruffgar Brookback (Ruff) *Lord Stonepaw *Lord Russano *Stiffener Medick *Torleep *Sailears * Ungatt Trunn *Mortspear, father of Ungatt Trunn *Brogalaw (Brog) *Jukka the Sling * Ruro *Fleetscut *Groddil *Willip *The Grand Fragorl, advisor of Ungatt Trunn *Bucko Bigbones, march hare of the North Mountains *Karangool, Captain of Trunn's fleet *Skittles, a precocious baby hedgehog *Ripfang & Doomeye, searat brothers *Rulango *Lady Rosalaun *Melanius *Mirefleck *Blench *Bobweave & Southpaw, twin hares *Bramwil *Riggo *Riverwolf, a pike *Gurth Longladle *Grenn, the oldest known and only female log-a-log of the series *Ruro *Snowstripe *Frutch *Udara Groundslay *Uncle Septimus


Book divisions (English)

*Book 1: The Days of Ungatt Trunn (also entitled: "Dorothea Leaves Home") *Book 2: At the Court of King Bucko (also entitled: "The Tribulations of a Haremaid") *Book 3: Comes a Badger Lord (also entitled: "A Shawl for Aunt Blench")


Translations

*(French) ''Rougemuraille : La Forteresse en péril'' *(Russian) ''Последняя битва''


External links


Plot summary
{{Redwall Novels about badgers 2000 British novels Children's fantasy novels British children's novels British fantasy novels Redwall books Hutchinson (publisher) books 2000 children's books 2000 fantasy novels British children's books Children's books about cats Novels about cats Children's novels about animals