内容简介
TheottersofGreenIslehavelongbeenenslavedtotheWildcatRigguFelis.Theyworkandwaitforthedaytheirsaviorwillarrive—theprophesizedHighRhulain,whowillleadtheminbattleandareturntoglory.Meanwhile,youngTiriaWildlough,anottermaidatRedwallAbbey,pinesforherchancetolearnthewaysofthewarrior,muchagainstthewishesofherfather.SowhenaninjuredospreyarrivesattheAbbey,seekinghelpforitswoundsandcarryingtalesofanembattledclanofotters,youngTiriaknowswhatshemustdo.Forages9andabove.
作者简介
BrianJacquesFollowinginthegrandtraditionofWatershipDown,BrianJacques’bestsellingRedwallbooksstaranimalsinmedievalEnglandwhomustprotecttheirhomeagainstevil.Equalpartsenchantingfantasyandmoralitytale,theseadventure-filledbookshavecaptivatedreadersworldwide.BiographyThedrawingsthatopenthechaptersinaRedwallbookmaylooksweet,butBrianJacques'fantasiesarenotforthefaintofheart.Adventure,peril,betrayal,anddownrightslaughteraboundintheseheftynovelsaboutthecreatures--mice,hares,moles,badgers,andsparrows--whoinhabitRedwallAbbeyinmedievalEngland.BrianJacqueshashadalifenearlyasexcitingasthatofsomeofhischaracters:AfterdroppingoutofschoolinhisnativeLiverpoolattheageof15,hetraveledtheworldasamerchantseaman,visitingportsfromAmericatoAsia.UponreturningtoEngland,heheldawidevarietyofjobs,fromrailwayfiremantoboxeramongthem.Inthe1960s,heandhistwobrothersformedtheLiverpoolFishermen,afolksinginggroup.Jacquesalsotriedhishandasaplaywright,producingseveralstageplays--BrownBitter,WetNellies,Scouse–aboutnativeLiverpudlians.TheRedwallstories,whichweretoearnhimlegionsoffans,werebornoutofhistimeasavolunteerstorytellerattheRoyalWavertreeSchoolfortheBlindinLiverpool.Jacquesmaintainsthathisdetailedwritingstylewasdevelopedhere;hewasforcedtobeasdescriptiveaspossible,sohisaudiencewouldbeabletoexperiencehisstoriesasiftheycouldsee.HecreatedthefirstRedwallstoryasagifttothechildrenoftheschool,butneverintendedtopublishitcommercially.FortunatelyforhismanyfansonbothsidesoftheAtlantic,afriendsenthisfirstmanuscripttoapublisher,andtherousingseriestookoffinEnglandin1986andintheU.S.thefollowingyearwithRedwall.Jacquestakesissuewiththenotionthathisbooksare"fantasy"fiction,adescriptionthathesays"smacksofswordsandsorceryanddungeonsanddragons....Iliketothinkofmybooksasold-fashionedadventuresthathappened‘Onceuponatime,longagoandfaraway.'"Thenovelsappealgenerallytoanaudienceofnine-tofifteen-year-olds,buthaveadmirersbothyoungerandolder.Thetalespivotontheconflictbetweengoodandevil;goodinvariablytriumphs.Indeed,moralityissuesarealwaysclearinJacques'books:cruelty,greed,andavariceareeradicatedinallforms;bravery,loyalty,andresourcefulnessreaprewardsaplenty.Whenitcomestocharacters,though,Jacquesislesssimplistic:MartintheWarrior,whothroughhiscourageandcunningrosetobecomethenoblestherointheland,isgiventoimpetuousness,andthemiscreantClunyhasbothgoodandbadsides,alaLongJohnSilver.Forfemalereaders,theRedwallbookscanbeextrasatisfying.Hisfemalecreaturesareasadventurousasthemales:theydon'tfaintintotheirmalecounterparts'arms,butexplore,swashbuckle,andrescueontheirown.InMarielofRedwall(1991),thecourageousgirlmousechildMariel,thrownoverboardbytheGabool,leaderoftheevilpirateSearats,exactsherownbrandofrevenge.Jacques'usuallyswiftpacesometimescomestoaslogginghaltwithextraordinarilydetaileddescriptionsofthelegendaryRedwallfeasts,rightdowntothelastacornanddropofbuttercupandhoneycordial.Buttheauthorisredeemedbyhisdelicateinterweavingofsubplots,hismemorablemenagerie,hisrollickingsenseofadventure,andhisabilitytotransportthereaderintoanentirelydifferentworld,aworldthat,asonecriticforTheNewYorkTimesputit,"isbothanincredibleandingratiatingplace,onetowhichreaderswilldoubtlesscheerfullyreturn."GoodToKnowBrianJacqueswrotehisbooksinlonghandoronamanualtypewriter,or,iftheweatherpermits,outdoors.Despitehissuccessasanauthor,Jacquescontinuedtobroadcasttheweeklyradioshow,Jakestown,thathehostedbeforehewrotetheRedwallbooks.DateofBirth:六月15,1939PlaceofBirth:Liverpool,EnglandDateofDeath:二月5,2011PlaceofDeath:Liverpool,EnglandEducation:St.John’sSchool,Liverpool,EnglandWebsite:http://www.redwall.org
