''Mattimeo'' is a
fantasy novel
Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fa ...
by
Brian Jacques
James Brian Jacques (, as in "Jakes"; 15 June 1939 – 5 February 2011) was an English novelist known for his '' Redwall'' series of novels and '' Castaways of the Flying Dutchman'' series. He also completed two collections of short stories ent ...
, published in 1989. It is the third 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. It is also one of the three ''Redwall'' novels to be made into a
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...
, alongside its
self-titled novel (Season 1) and "
Martin the Warrior
''Martin the Warrior'' is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1993. It is the sixth book in the ''Redwall'' series. It is also one of the three ''Redwall'' novels to be made into a television series, alongside the self-titled novel ...
" (Season 3).
Plot summary
Slagar the Cruel
''Mattimeo'' is a direct sequel to ''
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, ...
''and''
Mossflower
''Mossflower'' is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1988. It is the second book published and third chronologically in the '' Redwall'' series.
Plot summary
The story begins in the Mossflower Wood, where a community of animals ...
'', taking place eight seasons (two years) after the events of the first novel. The peaceful woodland creatures of Redwall Abbey are busy preparing for a feast during the
summer equinox. Matthias and Cornflower have had a son named Mattimeo, who has been generally spoiled throughout his life by the inhabitants of Redwall. Meanwhile, the masked fox Slagar the Cruel and his gang of slavers are planning to enter Redwall Abbey during one of their feasts. Slagar, a villainous fox craving revenge for a crime never committed against him, intends to capture slaves from Redwall and take them to an underground kingdom ruled by a mysterious, god-like figure named Malkariss to be sold as slaves. After drugging the Abbey residents, he kidnaps Mattimeo, Tim and Tess Churchmouse, Cynthia Bankvole, and Sam Squirrel. They meet Auma, (a young badger maid) and Jube, (a hedgehog), who were also kidnapped by Slagar the Cruel. Upon discovering the children missing, Matthias, Basil Stag Hare and Jess Squirrel with the help of a few friends, leave the Abbey to hunt down Slagar and return the children back home. They encounter Cheek, an ottercub Matthias describes as "Cheek both by name and by nature".
On their journey, they meet up with Orlando the Axe, the father of Auma, and Jabez Stump, the father of Jube. As they journey, they find the Guerrilla Union of Shrews in Mossflower (Guosim), and convince them to aid the travellers on their quest.
General Ironbeak
Meanwhile, at the Abbey, a horde of rooks, magpies, and crows led by General Ironbeak have come to conquer it. They instantly capture most of Redwall, starting from the top and working their way down. Then, Baby Rollo, Cornflower and Mrs. Churchmouse get kidnapped by the rooks, but the remaining Abbeydwellers manage to capture the Magpie brothers Quickbill, Diptail and Brightback with drugged strawberries, courtesy of Sister May. When the magpies went to forage for food for Ironbeak's crew, they ate the strawberries. The two forces then negotiate a hostage exchange. After that, the Abbey's residents take refuge in a basement called Cavern Hole, stocked with many supplies. Then Cornflower has an idea to dress up as a ghost and scare the rooks; they succeed, but General Ironbeak doesn't fall for the trick. He traps Constance in the gatehouse, then slips his army through the barricade.
Malkariss
After a long journey up cliffs, fighting a horde of archer rats, and crossing a desert and a gorge, Matthias's gang finally arrive at the underground kingdom of Malkariss, where Slagar has been trading his slaves. There, the heroes fight the massive army of rats, while Matthias frees the slaves held there and is reunited with his son. Then while they fight Matthias fights a large fiend called the Wearet and is thrown off a walkway into a pit where he confronts Malkariss who is revealed to be an ancient and somewhat repulsive polecat. Malkariss is about to kill Matthias with his own sword when the tyrant's slaves appear and destroy their master by pelting him with the stones and rocks which they had been using to build. Matthias frees the slaves and a great battle ensues during which Malkariss' kingdom is destroyed and his minions defeated. Later, Slagar reappears and kills Vitch, a rat slaver he worked with. Matthias and Orlando attempt to kill Slagar, who flees, only to plunge to his death down a well shaft.
The company return to Redwall after Stryk Redkite kills Ironbeak and his seer Mangiz and the woodlanders of Redwall send off the remaining ravens with iron collars around their necks.
The book ends with the residents of Redwall celebrating with a feast. Father Abbot declared the season Autumn of the Warriors' Return. The epilogue reveals that Tim had since become the abbey recorder (in an extract from his diary). Tess and Mattimeo had married, and Basil officially adopted Cheek (now bearing the title Cheek Stag Otter).
Characters in ''Mattimeo''
*Matthias
*Cornflower
*Mattimeo
*Slagar the Cruel
*Vitch
*Tim and Tess Churchmouse
*Cynthia Bankvole
*Rollo Bankvole
*Sam Squirrel
*Mangiz
*Auma
*Cheek
*Jubilation (Jube) Stump
*Basil Stag Hare
*Jess Squirrel
*Orlando the Axe
*Jabez Stump
*Nadaz
*Threeclaws
*General Ironbeak
*Stryk Redkite
*Constance the Badger
*Abbot Mordalfus
*Sir Harry the Muse
*John and Mrs Churchmouse
*Grubclaw
*Winifred the Otter
*Halftail
*Skinpaw
*Scringe
*Wedgeback
*Snakespur
*Fengal
*Deadnose
*Ambrose Spike
*Mrs. Bankvole
*Ragwing
*Malkariss
Reception
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
said the book is a "truly thrilling conclusion" to the Redwall trilogy, and praised the characters as being "realistically drawn" and "full of personality". The
Kirkus Reviews also offered some praise, calling it a "treat for Redwall's fans", but criticized its writing as being "wholly simplistic" and lacking depth.
Translations
*(
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
) ''Het Zuidland''
**''Het Zuidland: Slagar de Wrede''
**''Het Zuidland: De Kloof''
**''Het Zuidland: Malkariss''
*(French) ''Rougemuraille : Mattiméo''
**''Tome 1 : Salik le Barbare''
**''Tome 2 : Le Général Becdacier''
**''Tome 3 : Le Royaume du mal''
*(German) ''Mattimeo: Die Rache des Fuchses''
**''Slagar der Grausame''
**''General Eisenschnabel''
**''Lord Malkariss''
*(Italian)
*(
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
)
**Del 1: Slagar den Grymme
**Del 2: General Järnnäbb
*(
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
) Οι Γενναιοι: Του Ρεντγоυολ
*(
Latvian) ''Matimeo'' - Leģenda par Matiasa dēlu un Bendesmaisu Cietsirdi
**''Matimeo: Bendesmaiss Cietsirdis''
**''Matimeo: Ģenerālis Dzelzsknābis''
**''Matimeo: Malkariss''
References
External links
Plot summary
{{Redwall
Fictional mice and rats
Children's fantasy novels
British children's novels
British fantasy novels
Redwall books
1989 British novels
Hutchinson (publisher) books
1989 children's books
1989 fantasy novels
British novels adapted into television shows