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A review by piepieb
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman by Brian Jacques
4.0
I loved [a: Brian Jacques|5329|Brian Jacques|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1309635011p2/5329.jpg] when I was a kid. In my opinion, this is one of his best non-Redwall books, and I think it's definitely the best out of this trilogy.
This book is in three parts, and firstly Ned and Ben's story of origin is presented. You can't help but feel sorry for the poor, mute boy -- Ben -- at the beginning of the book. It's not long before this orphan finds a friend in Ned, a stray Labrador, and destiny has plans for these two, including being accidental stowaways on a pirate ship. You can feel the pitching of the ship as the waves toss it back and forth and hear the storms as their story takes you onto the pirate voyage and then later to the home of a shepherd in Tierra del Fuego.
The bulk of the book, however, takes place in the English village of Chapelvale. There is a whole cast of fun and eclectic characters here, including a sad and lonely widow lady who takes Ben and Ned in. Like Redwall, this novel contains riddles, and it's fun to solve the mysterious puzzles along with the villagers. I wish I could have tea and ice cream and lemonade with them -- they seem like a quirky and kindhearted bunch!
I read this book years ago, and it was fun to go back and revisit and travel along with Ben and his dog. There was all sorts of potential and opportunity for these two, and it's a pity this series ended after only three books.
This book is in three parts, and firstly Ned and Ben's story of origin is presented. You can't help but feel sorry for the poor, mute boy -- Ben -- at the beginning of the book. It's not long before this orphan finds a friend in Ned, a stray Labrador, and destiny has plans for these two, including being accidental stowaways on a pirate ship. You can feel the pitching of the ship as the waves toss it back and forth and hear the storms as their story takes you onto the pirate voyage and then later to the home of a shepherd in Tierra del Fuego.
The bulk of the book, however, takes place in the English village of Chapelvale. There is a whole cast of fun and eclectic characters here, including a sad and lonely widow lady who takes Ben and Ned in. Like Redwall, this novel contains riddles, and it's fun to solve the mysterious puzzles along with the villagers. I wish I could have tea and ice cream and lemonade with them -- they seem like a quirky and kindhearted bunch!
I read this book years ago, and it was fun to go back and revisit and travel along with Ben and his dog. There was all sorts of potential and opportunity for these two, and it's a pity this series ended after only three books.