Rating: 
Summary: I hope he doesn't screw this one up.
Review: When Brian Jacques announced that his next book would be 'Castaways of the Flying Dutchman', and that the book would have nothing to do with Redwall. I was a bit apprehensive at first. Numerous authors in the past have "branched" out from their genre and most have failed miserably. It's quite simple really, When I say Frank L. Baum most people will say OZ, when I say Edgar Allan Poe most people will say he wrote The Raven. So in respect if I say Brian Jacques most people will say Redwall. Can anyone name any of their other works? Not quite so many people can. So is Brian Jacques attempt to write a non-Redwall book a success?In my eyes, it most certainly is. The book has a great start with the young mute boy who runs from his abusive father and brothers only to find himself on the cursed ship the "Flying Dutchman" and soon after, receives the name Nebuchadnezzer (Neb for short) and later a black lab' dog, the crew and boy calls Denmark (Den for short). The abuse he received from his old family pales in comparison to the abuse he receives from the Dutchman crew. An enraged captain and a cutthroat crew sail the ship and young Neb does everything he can to stay alive. The Flying Dutchman legend is real, I have read and known the numerous legends regarding the forsaken ship and crew. So it comes as no surprise that Brian Jacques would draw his latest story from a legend like this. Did you know that before Brian Jacques wrote the Redwall books, he wrote a book called "Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales"? (I kind of prefer Scary Stories to tell in the Dark, but whatever.) So, naturally, Brian Jacques would be keenly aware of such a legend. Another intriguing aspect of his latest book is that it is very open ended. The story ends in such a fashion that it is guaranteed that Brian Jacques WILL write a second, third, maybe a fourth even. I just hope that the series doesn't steal away from his Redwall books. Which is the one gripe that I have. The book has such a Redwall feel that it would be a simple thing to replace the characters in this book with the mice, rats, ferrets, hares and numerous other creatures from Redwall. Thankfully, Brian has attempted to steer away from the Redwall formula but the book still has that feel with a secret, puzzle and riddle that the character must solve and Brian Jacques has finally decided to leave the numerous songs and poems out of the book. His traditional style of including songs and poems in the book often feels too much like empty 'filler' material. Not that the songs are bad, just that the overuse of them is. Overall, the book is really quite good and worth the price tag that Amazon.com is asking. I just hope that Brian Jacques doesn't stretch himself thin trying to write both of his popular book series. -TigerPomme
Rating: 
Summary: A Breathtaking Book
Review: This wonderful story of a boy and his dog is an upbeat, swift novel, that will leave you hungry for more. This book is so upbeat that ANYONE could be lifted away with it. If you hate to read, if you love to read, if you've never read Brian Jacques or if you love him to death, this is definatly a keeper. This book will entertain young and old as never entertained before, and only the magic of Brian Jacques could acomplish this!
Rating:
Summary: Very Good Book to Read for All Ages (at least i think so)
Review: This was an excellent book.The characters were funny. The whole book was funny, scary, exciting, and had suspense. My sister, teacher, dad, and a couple of my friends were intrested in it. I am only going to lend it to reliable people because i don't want it ruined, lost, or not returned. My favorite characters are Neb the boy(also known as: Nebu, Ben, and another name which I'm not even going tto try to spell!) Den the dog (also known as: Denmark and Ned!)my final and third favorite is Horatio the cat who is owned by Mrs. Winn. Neb and Den are castaway from the phantom ship *The Flying Dutchmen* since they were the good aboard the evil they were forever destined to do good deeds. This book is a HUGE MUST!!!!! You HAVE to read it if you want to read a good book. PLEASE ENJOY YOURSELF AND READ IT FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!!!
Rating:
Summary: Wow!!!!!!
Review: This book was awesome! When I first got it, I was excited because it was a new Brian Jacques book, but I really didn't expect it to be as good as Redwall, but it was!! I really enjoyed the beginning, which included parts from the myth, The Flying Dutchman. This is a must read! The next time you go to the bookstore, make sure you get a copy of this book! I loved it!!!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Beloved Author Publishes Disappointing New Novel
Review: Popular author Brian Jacques is well known for his Redwall series-fourteen novels that tell the adventures of a medieval community of woodland creatures. This latest novel is the first book outside of the Redwall series. In Denmark, in 1620, a boy is mistreated by his family and left for dead. To escape, he crawls aboard the legendary Flying Dutchman. The ship's cook discovers him and puts him in shackles. The boy Neb is miserable and heading for the southern tip of South America. But before sailing from Denmark, he coaxes a stray dog aboard and hides him under the galley table. He calls his new friend Den, short for Denmark. Jacques retells the frightening legend of the Flying Dutchman with Neb and Den at the very center of the tale. Then the novel takes a sudden turn. Castaways is a disappointment. It starts out a salty sea tale, but turns into a plain old on-land mystery. The book has a lot of big words, but the mystery itself is not challenging. The many characters are not well developed. Even Neb and his dog seem unrealistic. They are almost uninteresting.
Rating:
Summary: An extraordinarily breathtaking novel.
Review: The legendary ship Flying Dutchman -- a ghost ship cursed by an angel to always sail the seas, forever bound on an eternal voyage. Only two people -- Neb, a mute from birth, and his dog, Denmark -- are saved of innocence of their hearts, and because they were not full of greed like their shipmates. Cast away upon the deeps, Neb and Denmark are blessed by the angel with the gift of speech and to understand, and to travel on a never ending journey to help those in need, bring down evil where it lies, and restore good. Their fantastic journeys eventually lead them to a village that will be destroyed by evil -- Neb and Denmark, whose names have been changed to Ben and Ned, must help their friends, brave their foes, and fulfill their goal in helping those in need. An absolutely gripping, breathtaking novel, Castaways Of The Flying Dutchman is an extraordinary new novel by award winning author Brian Jacques, and will leave the reader longing for a sequel. Undoubtedly, this is an unforgettable novel.
Rating:
Summary: Worthy "Dutchman"
Review: Everyone knows how great Brian Jacques is, from the 12-plus Redwall series. Though he specializes in medieval rodent battles, Jacques's talent shines in a new and unique offering. Though the cover, with a handsome lad in a storm-tossed ship, seems to indicate a very different kind of book from the kind it is. Ben, the mute hero of the story, survives the destruction of the Flying Dutchman, a sailing ship. Now he wanders the Earth with his talking dog (interesting switch), living forever thanks to an angel. Apparently they're supposed to "bring confidence and sympathy, help others to change their fate." Though this sounds like the beginning of a "Once in a Lifetime"/"Touched by an Angel" drama, it's anything but. Centuries pass, and the two come to the peculiar town of Chapelvale. The citizens allow them to stay, but the villain is plotting the industrial destruction of their town. A scramble ensues to save the town, full of riddles and hidden clues. Ben and Ned (the dog) are a delightful duo, well-balanced and sympathetic. Jacques' writing style is smooth and polished, his well-loved formula of good vs. evil as present as ever, even if Ben isn't a walking mouse with a sword. With delightful dry wit and a supernatural thread running through the prose, Jacques steps outside his series. As well-beloved (and still fresh) as the Redwall books are, hopefully he will write more books in this vein.
Rating:
Summary: Proof that Brian Jacques talents reach further than Redwalll
Review: Being a Brian Jacques fan for the past five years, I was surprised when he decided to come out with something new. I mean I couldn't picture him telling any other kind of story than Redwall (I mean let's face it his seven short stories aren't his usual masterpieces). So when I picked up this book I was a little skeptical. But when I finished it I was plesently surprised. Castaways... tells the story of Neb and his talking dog Den who are the only survivors of the famous Flying Dutchman. After the shipwreck through an Angel's gift the two are left alive, and with the ablilty to never age or die. In the 19th century he is pulled into a mystery which could save a sleeply little town from being destroyed. But he's on a time limit. Becasue he has to ring with the sound of a church bell, and the villains who are going to steal the town aren't gonna wait for them to solve the mystery. If you're a fan of Brian Jacgues or just a really good mystery novel read this book. I'm hopeing for a sequel or a prequel to fill in some of the missing years.
Rating: 
Summary: I had much higher expectations...
Review: It's not that "Castaways of the Flying Dutchman" was bad, it just wasn't my taste. I enjoyed the beginning of the book because there was some action aboard the ship, but after that the novel started to slow down a bit. Although it's good that Jacques took a break from "Redwall," "Castaways" was lacking on a lot of fantasy elements. While Jacques had some good ideas, I think he could've done much better. The one thing that earned this book three stars is Jacques' writing talent. The characters are pretty good and thought out though. So, read this if you like a novel with light fantasy and not very fast pacing. It's not that the bok was a screwup, I think it was just my personal tastes that through me off. So, if you end up not liking this, "Redwall" is great. Good Luck
Rating:
Summary: Will there be a sequel to fill in the missed years?
Review: This is one of those interesting tales that leads the reader to question what happened "in between". Enjoyable because it deals with the mystery of the imfamous Flying Dutchman and what could have happened to sailors aboard the ship. A boy and a dog? Well, stranger tales have been told. Try following the book "Holes" and you will know what I mean. The main characters get their names changed. OK, but why? Is the poem the answer? The plot definitely deals with the problems in the village and the plan for industrialization. The setting is really not described in as much detail as the Redwall series. The style is almost like the Redwall series because I can hear the author "writing" the words. The theme of good versus evil is prevalent and I liked the fact that the main character never wants to "fight". Pressure points on their bodies or moving so quickly leads the bad guys/girls into sad situations. A fast read and almost predictable outcome for the well read. If I were to guess...perhaps Brian Jacques has plans to "fill in the blanks". I say go for it. PS Does this remind you of an Indianna Jones type of book?
| 
