Fans of the Redwall series eager to sink their teeth into the latest adventure from Brian Jacques will be surprised to find that the cover of Castaways of the Flying Dutchman belies the contents of this fine mystery novel. A handsome young lad, sporting a billowing, ripped shirt, gazes off into the distance, while behind him a ship founders on an eerily tempestuous sea. It's true, the first (brief) section of the book does tell the tale of a stowaway orphan on the legendary, ill-fated ship, the Flying Dutchman. And that's as swashbuckling a story as they come. But as soon as the boy and his newly adopted dog are tossed into the sea during a ferocious storm, the book takes a sharp turn. Ben and his dog, Ned, given eternal life by a sympathetic angel, now set out to "bring confidence and sympathy, help others to change their fate." Two centuries later, they arrive in the village of Chapelvale, which is filled with quirky, affectionate citizens, who immediately welcome the mysterious but kindhearted and brave boy and his dog. The impending destruction of their village by the blustering, bloated Obadiah Smithers, an industrial speculator, propels Ben and his new friends into a thrilling search for a solution, involving ancient Byzantine gold chalices, mysterious coded messages, and some fierce tête-à-têtes with hired bullies. Illustrator Ian Schoenherr's intriguing line drawings at the beginning of each chapter hint at the upcoming clues to the mystery. Redwall fans be warned: you'll find no warrior mice here. But readers will find a satisfying story that never leaves a doubt as to the ability of good to triumph over evil. (Ages 9 to 12) -- Emilie Coulter


From Publishers Weekly
Well known for his Redwall books (over a dozen volumes detailing the quests and feasts of various plucky woodland creatures), Jacques here turns his attention to the human world, and his fans will not be disappointed. Readers led by the title and cover art to expect a briny swashbuckler may be surprised to find that the bulk of the story consists of an ambling scavenger hunt set in a cozy English village. Pure-hearted enough to escape the curse that befalls the crew of the legendary Flying Dutchman, a boy and his dog are instead granted immortality and sent forth to "spread peace and joy" throughout the world. Two centuries later, in 1896, the ageless Ben and Ned (the latter is the dog) land in Chapelvale, a quaint village threatened with industrialization by a passel of nasty developers and ruled by a gang of juvenile delinquents. With the help of the villagers, the duo conducts a fairly contrived search (one clue is even written in invisible ink) for the ancient land title that will save Chapelvale from its grim fate. Though most of the characters are bipeds, the story doesn't veer much from the Redwall formula. Ultimately, it doesn't much matter whether the bumbling thugs sent from London to intimidate the Chapelvale populace are weasels or humans--Jacques's fans will be tickled by the characters' goofy slapstick regardless of their genus. The care taken with design (among other features, line drawings are set niftily into the first page of each chapter) adds to the appeal. All ages. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-This novel has a split personality. It begins with flair in 1620 in Copenhagen, where the sinister Dutch sea captain Vanderdecken begins an ill-fated journey aboard the Flying Dutchman. Also onboard is young Neb, a stowaway who is immediately discovered and put to work. The crazed captain, cursing God, forces them to sail the ship around Cape Horn in a horrible storm. An angel bearing a sword appears and dooms the ship and its inhabitants to an eternity of ghostly sailing; Neb and his dog, however, receive the gift of eternal life, the ability to read one another's thoughts, and the duty to roam the world and help others in need. After a brief sojourn in Tierra del Fuego, the story jumps forward to England in 1896, where the boy and his wisecracking dog, now calling themselves Ben and Ned, help save a village from being demolished. From this point on, the novel reads like an old-fashioned children's mystery, with all the good-hearted villagers pitching in, guided by Ben, to find the missing land deeds that would foil the plans of a black-hearted industrialist. Esoteric clues, buried treasure, village bullies, an absentminded librarian, and nice old ladies create a cozy, claustrophobic atmosphere that will make readers wonder what the Flying Dutchman had to do with anything-except for giving Ben nightmares. The supernatural aspects seem out of place and superfluous. Readers who are pulled in by the exciting sea adventure may well abandon the book once it segues to the slower, longer section ashore.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public LibraryCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 5-9. The indefatigable storyteller of the Redwall books spins a tale around the story of the seventeenth-century Flying Dutchman, a ship condemned to sail the seas forever with its ghastly, ghostly crew. A mute boy, Neb, stows away only to find that the hard life he fled on land is far exceeded by the time he must spend with the ship's surly crew and mad captain. When an avenging angel sets the ship on its eternal journey, the boy and a black Labrador he has saved are spared and cast ashore. Both receive the gift of speech and will live forever young. Fast-forward to 1896 England. The boy, now known as Ben, and his sardonic canine sidekick arrive in a picturesque village in time to save an elderly woman from the town bullies--and, eventually, the whole town from disaster. The swashbuckling language brims with color and melodrama; the villains are dastardly and stupid; and buried treasure, mysterious clues, and luscious culinary descriptions (generally involving sweets) keep the pages turning. There's even a befuddled but extremely wise librarian who doubles as a schoolmaster. Older readers who enjoy Jacques will like this, too. Sequels possible. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Take the adventure element from the anthropomorphic Redwall fantasy series and mix in a bit of mystery àla the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew, and you'll come close to Brian Jacques's Castaways of the Flying Dutchman. This book reads like two stories in one, the first taking place on the 17th-century decks of the legendary ship, the Flying Dutchman, where a 15-year-old boy and a stray dog struggle to survive the horrid conditions and the murderous crew. But when a deadly storm sinks the ship, it's only with a bit of angelic intervention that the two survive and are gifted with immortality.

The second part of the story takes place some 200 years later. During this time, the boy (Ben) and his dog (Ned) haven't aged a day, and their wanderings have led them to the small English village of Chapelvale, where they befriend an elderly widow who tells them that the little village may soon be destroyed. It seems a greedy developer named Obadiah Smithers has plans to buy the town up, tear it down, and mine it for limestone. The widow's family has long been rumored to own the lands where the village stands, but the woman can't find the necessary paperwork to prove her title. And without it, Smithers can't be stopped.

Ben and Ned offer to help the widow look for the paperwork and are aided in their quest by a couple of local youngsters. Eventually, Ben finds a clue that suggests one of the widow's ancestors has hidden the necessary title documents. But as one clue leads to another, before long everyone is off on an adventurous treasure hunt through town. Hampering their efforts is a gang of local bullies led by Smithers's nasty son, but it doesn't take long for Ben to outsmart the bullies, and rob them of their power.

Adding to this wonderful reading experience are Ian Schoenherr's pen-and-ink drawings at the start of each chapter, which help readers anticipate what's coming and visualize the clues. And while Jacques has opted for more human heroes this time out, fans of his Redwall series will find similar themes and the same sense of adventure. (Beth Amos)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Fans of the New York Times bestselling Redwall series will be delighted with Brian Jacques' latest. The legend of the Flying Dutchman, the ghost-ship doomed to sail the seas forever, has been passed down throughout the centuries. But what of the boy, Neb, and his dog, Den, who were trapped aboard that ship? What was to become of them?

Sent off on an eternal journey of their own, the boy and his dog roam the earth through out the centuries in search of those in need. Braving wind and waves and countless perils, they stumble across a 19th-century village whose very existence is at stake. Saving it will take the will and wile of all the people--and a very special boy and dog.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Well known for his Redwall books (over a dozen volumes detailing the quests and feasts of various plucky woodland creatures), Jacques here turns his attention to the human world, and his fans will not be disappointed. Readers led by the title and cover art to expect a briny swashbuckler may be surprised to find that the bulk of the story consists of an ambling scavenger hunt set in a cozy English village. Pure-hearted enough to escape the curse that befalls the crew of the legendary Flying Dutchman, a boy and his dog are instead granted immortality and sent forth to "spread peace and joy" throughout the world. Two centuries later, in 1896, the ageless Ben and Ned (the latter is the dog) land in Chapelvale, a quaint village threatened with industrialization by a passel of nasty developers and ruled by a gang of juvenile delinquents. With the help of the villagers, the duo conducts a fairly contrived search (one clue is even written in invisible ink) for the ancient land title that will save Chapelvale from its grim fate. Though most of the characters are bipeds, the story doesn't veer much from the Redwall formula. Ultimately, it doesn't much matter whether the bumbling thugs sent from London to intimidate the Chapelvale populace are weasels or humans--Jacques's fans will be tickled by the characters' goofy slapstick regardless of their genus. The care taken with design (among other features, line drawings are set niftily into the first page of each chapter) adds to the appeal. All ages. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature - Joshua Lusk

This is a thrilling story about a boy and his dog who get stuck on a haunted ship. After they fall off the boat and are whisked ashore, an angel voice guides them through many adventures. Brian Jacques authored the very popular "Redwall" series, which features anthropomorphic animals. This book focuses on people rather than animals and therefore departs from his previous style. However, fans of the "Redwall" series and new readers will enjoy this engaging, suspenseful tale. It is appropriate for older elementary students through adults. 2002 (orig. 2001), Ace/Penguin, Ages 9 up.

VOYA

The legend of the ill-fated Flying Dutchman is the springboard for this story set in 1620 in which an avenging angel condemns the ship and its villainous crew to sail the seas forever. Thirteen-year-old Neb, a mute boy, and the black Labrador dog he has befriended and named Den are spared, however, because of their innocent hearts. The angel makes them immortal, restores Neb's voice, and gives Den the ability to communicate telepathically with Neb. These gifts have a price, however. Neb and Den must roam Earth, helping people in trouble and moving on when they hear a certain bell ring. In 1896 the companions, now called Ben and Ned, arrive in Chapeldale, England, and befriend a brother and siste, who are close in age to Ben. Chapeldale appears to be a peaceful English village, but wickedness is afoot. Unless Mrs. Winifred Winn can prove that she owns the land on which the village is built, Obadiah Smithen will rake over the town to build a limestone quarry and cement factory. Ben, Ned, and their friends have only seven days to solve the mystery of the missing deeds. Ben has no other powers, but his immortality gives him talents that imbue him with confidence and mystery. Readers who enjoy fantasy will love imagining that they are like Ben. Frequent references to the trauma of the Dutchman's demise get a bit tiring, but it is easy to skim over these brief parts, and they will not affect the reader's overall enjoyment of this lively adventure, first in what looks to be a new series by the creator of the popular Redwall books. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8). 2001, Philomel, 327p, . Ages 12 to 14.Reviewer: Dolores Maminski SOURCE: VOYA, April 2001 (Vol. 24, No.1)

KLIATT

Neb, a mute orphan boy, and a scrawny black Labrador dog called Den, team up in Denmark in 1620, taking dubious shelter on a sailing ship. Work is hard, the boy's masters are harsh￯﾿ﾽand the ship is called The Flying Dutchman. As conditions worsen and the food runs out, Neb despairs of surviving the voyage. Divine intervention arrives in the form of an angel when the captain of the ship calls down curses on Heaven itself. Neb and Den are washed overboard when the angel condemns the ship to its eternal journey. The castaway pair, now calling themselves Ben and Ned, are given the ability to communicate with each other as well as eternal life, and Ben receives not only the ability to speak but also to be able to speak any language he hears. They are charged with helping people however they can and must go from place to place as directed by the angel. Most of the story concerns Ben and Ned's attempt to save a village from ruthless industrialists in 1896, searching for the deeds to an elderly widow's land. There are mysteries and riddles galore in this appealing story, as well as mouthwatering descriptions of meals and a generous dollop of humor. The characterizations are appealing, if a bit melodramatic, and the story flows well. The plot could easily have become fluffy, but Jacques adds a psychological element that heightens the suspense and tension of the tale. Redwall fans will not be disappointed, and Jacques is sure to win himself new readers as well. KLIATT Codes: JS￯﾿ﾽRecommended for junior and senior high school students. 2001, Berkley, Ace, 356p., Scanlon

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