''Marlfox'' is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1998. It is the 11th book published and 13th chronologically in the ''Redwall'' series. Marlfoxes are an unusual breed of anthropomorphic foxes, which serve as the main antagonists in the book.

Plot summary

The wandering Noonvale companions travel to Redwall, where they wish to mount a show. On the way, however, they learn that the MarlRed fox, foxes will attempt to seize Redwall, and hasten onward to warn them, while Guosim from another part of Mossflower do the same. The Marlfoxes consist of List of Redwall characters#Queen Silth, High Queen Silth and her brood. They are different from other foxes in their fur, which gives them the ability to blend into almost any surrounding, invisible to all but the keenest eye. This ability has given rise to the false rumour that the Marlfoxes are magic, which they are not. However, Marlfoxes are highly agile and skilled with axes. Castle Marl, home of the Marlfoxes, is situated in the middle of an enormous inland sea, on the island that was once home to Eurasian badger, Badger Lord Urthwyte the Mighty. The Marlfoxes command a vast army of water rats, and they travel around the country seeking rare and priceless artifacts. The Marlfoxes, backed by an army of water rats, mount a successful invasion of Redwall and steal the tapestry of the long dead mouse hero, List of Redwall characters#Martin I, Martin the Warrior. The Marlfox List of Redwall characters#Ziral, Ziral is slain, however, and the remaining Marlfoxes swear revenge on the citizens of Redwall. List of Redwall characters#Mokkan, Mokkan, one of the Marlfoxes, escapes with the tapestry, leaving his siblings behind. Three young Redwallers, List of Redwall characters#Songbreeze "Song" Swifteye, Songbreeze Swifteye the female Eurasian red squirrel, List of Redwall characters#Dannflower Reguba, Dannflor Reguba the male Eurasian red squirrel, and a male Guosim common shrew named List of Redwall characters#Dippler, Dippler set out after Mokkan, trying to retrieve the tapestry. They meet List of Redwall characters#Burble, Burble, a European water vole, and have many adventures and meet many friends who help them on their journey, such as the gigantic common hedgehog Sollertree, who lost his daughter Nettlebud to the Marlfoxes and water rats, and the Mighty Megraw, a large osprey who used to live by the Marlfox island but was driven away in an ambush by magpies. Meanwhile, the remaining Marlfoxes lay siege to Redwall. After a series of battles, Songbreeze's father List of Redwall characters#Janglur Swifteye, Janglur Swifteye, Dannflor's father Rusvul Reguba, List of Redwall characters#Lady Cregga Rose Eyes, Cregga Rose Eyes the female Eurasian badger, and many others fight off the remaining army, killing the remaining Marlfoxes and restoring peace to Redwall. The surviving rats are divided into eight groups, with each group sent in a different direction. Song, Dann, Dippler and Burble meet some new friends and set out into the great lake to the island. Mokkan finds that Silth has been killed by one of his sisters, List of Redwall characters#Lantur, Lantur. He promptly kills her by pushing her into the lake full of northern pike, proclaiming himself King. However, the companions arrive and overthrow the water rat army. Mokkan escapes in a boat, but an escaped slave, whom we find out is Nettlebud, throws a chain at him and knocks him into the lake, where he is eaten by pike. The surviving water rats are left on the island to become peaceful creatures and farm the land, and the companions return home to Redwall, where Songbreeze Swifteye is named Abbess and Dannflor Reguba is named Abbey Champion by Cregga Rose Eyes, Redwall's blind badgermum. Dippler is named Log-a-log, and Burble is named Chief of the Watervoles. At the end of the novel is a note, stating that the entire tale was made into a drama, edited by one List of Redwall characters#Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop, Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop the hare.

Characters in ''Marlfox''

Redwallers and companions

*List of Redwall characters#Songbreeze "Song" Swifteye, Songbreeze Swifteye *List of Redwall characters#Dannflower Reguba, Dannflor Reguba *List of Redwall characters#Dippler, Dippler *List of Redwall characters#Burble, Burble *List of Redwall characters#Janglur Swifteye, Janglur Swifteye *Rusvul Reguba *List of Redwall characters#Lady Cregga Rose Eyes, Cregga Rose Eyes *List of Redwall characters#Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop, Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop *Mighty Megraw *Gawjo Swifteye *List of Redwall characters#Nutwing, Nutwing *Friar Butty (the same Friar Butty from ''The Long Patrol'') *Gurrbowl (the same Gurrbowl from ''The Long Patrol'') *Brother Melilot *Roop *Runktipp *Croikle, Sollertree's pet common frog, frog *Deesum *Dwopple, Deesum's mischievous nephew *Ellayo Swifteye, Janglur's mother and Songbreeze's grandmother *Sister Sloey (the same Sister Sloey from ''The Long Patrol'') *Sollertree *Tragglo Spearback (the same Tragglo Spearback from ''The Long Patrol'') *Gubbio *Nettlebud

Marlfoxes

The "Marl" sub-species of foxes portrayed in ''Marlfox'' Silver fox (animal), actually do exist. Silver coloured foxes are a rare colour mutation of the common red fox. In the novel, the Marlfox characters are: *List of Redwall characters#Silth, Silth *List of Redwall characters#The King, The King *List of Redwall characters#Ascrod, Ascrod *List of Redwall characters#Gelltor, Gelltor *List of Redwall characters#Lantur, Lantur *List of Redwall characters#Mokkan, Mokkan *List of Redwall characters#Predak, Predak *List of Redwall characters#Vannan, Vannan *List of Redwall characters#Ziral, Ziral

Other villains

*Fenno, a rare villainess shrew *Beelu *Athrak, a magpie *Raventail *Gray One, a vole *Durrlow, a water rat who later defected *Ullig *Wilce

Book divisions (English)

*Act 1: Enter the Players *Act 2: Four Chieftains Going Forth *Act 3: The Queen's Island (These divisions are called "acts," instead of "books," as in the other instalments of the series. This is explained by a note at the end stating that it had been edited by Florian, the hare leader of the Wandering Noonvale Companions.)

Translations

*(French) ''Rougemuraille : Les Ombrenards'' *(Italian) ''La Regina di Castel Vulpombra'' *(Russian) ''Белые лисы''

References

External links

Plot summary
{{Redwall 1998 British novels 1998 children's books 1998 fantasy novels British children's novels British fantasy novels Children's fantasy novels Redwall books Children's books about foxes Literature featuring anthropomorphic foxes Hutchinson (publisher) books Novels about foxes