Description:

The golden fox Vizka Longtooth and his scurrilous crew of Sea Raiders are bound for plunder and conquest; in their ship?s hold, a young badger lies captive. At the same time, the aged badger lord of Salamandastron has sent forth a haremaid, questing for his successor. A brownrat chieftain, with his savage horde, ravages Mossflower Country. The fate of all these creatures, good and evil, is caught up in this saga of war and destiny. The war cry thunders out across the land?Eulalia!

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–8—Pitchforks, daggers, mace, and chain—these are the weapons of choice in a warring animal realm. Lord Asheye of the fortress mountain Salamandastron seeks a new Badger Lord, one who has been prophesized to shun armor and a sword. This young badger is possessed by the deadly Bloodwrath, a ferocious rage that turns him into an unstoppable killing force. Mad Maudie, a haremaiden of the Long Patrol, is ordered to find him and bring him back to Salamandastron. She sets out to secure her charge but realizes that destiny has carved a different path. A group of vicious Brownrats, dressed like cannibals, plot to storm Redwall Abbey. Instead, they encounter the seafaring vermin crew of the Bludgullet led by the infamous fox, Vizka Longtooth, intent on the same mission. In the midst of the turmoil, the young badger warrior emerges and changes the course of events. Dialogue written as accented speech is challenging to decipher but ultimately adds to the character development. Fans of the series will not be disappointed as the historical events of Mossflower Wood, Salamandastron, and Redwall Abbey continue to evolve. Story lines from previous books are mentioned briefly, leaving readers with a few unanswered questions, but not at the expense of their appreciation of this heroic tale.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL
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From Booklist

Lord Asheye, the Badger Lord of Salamandastron envisions his own demise, prompting him to send a clever haremaid from the Long Patrol on a quest to find his successor. Meanwhile, Gorath, an orphaned warrior badger, has a vision of his own: a sword-wielding mouse tells him to follow a thief to Redwall. Complicating matters are Vizka Longtooth and his scurrilous Sea Raiders who want to capture Redwall for themselves. Readers won't want to miss this installment in the Redwall Chronicles, which, as usual, is filled with colorful characters and high adventure. Weisman, Kay