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A review by earthsprite
The Legend of Luke by Brian Jacques
2.0
Really disappointed going back to Jacques in adulthood. The animals are adorable, of course, but I skimmed over the saccharine feasts and shenanigans, looking for actual plot.
Speciesism in spades, naturally. Jacques rarely takes a complex approach to good and evil.
Also? This is a *tragedy*, no matter how sweet or fulfilling the frame story tries to make it.
I don't find Luke's fate praiseworthy. He abandoned his son, as well as the women and children of his tribe to seek revenge. And he took many of the able-bodied fighters with him. (Who all die at sea.) Consequently, Martin is captured into slavery despite this whole nonsense of "ridding the world of the great evil red ship." Like, Luke, buddy, you chose your dead wife over your living son. That's not heroic. And the ending in which Martin is somehow satisfied by this story is completely contrived -- maybe a Viking warrior culture would be into it but I simply didn't believe it.
Blah.
Speciesism in spades, naturally. Jacques rarely takes a complex approach to good and evil.
Also? This is a *tragedy*, no matter how sweet or fulfilling the frame story tries to make it.
I don't find Luke's fate praiseworthy. He abandoned his son, as well as the women and children of his tribe to seek revenge. And he took many of the able-bodied fighters with him. (Who all die at sea.) Consequently, Martin is captured into slavery despite this whole nonsense of "ridding the world of the great evil red ship." Like, Luke, buddy, you chose your dead wife over your living son. That's not heroic. And the ending in which Martin is somehow satisfied by this story is completely contrived -- maybe a Viking warrior culture would be into it but I simply didn't believe it.
Blah.