The Angel's Command

December 16, 2002
In this sequel to Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, young Ben and his faithful black Labrador, Ned, having escaped the ghostly ship's hellish curse but bound to wander the world for eternity lending a helping hand wherever needed, return for another spate of adventures. Once again, Jacques spins a rousing yarn that fairly bursts at the seams with exciting escapades, exotic locations, poems, shanties, treachery and derring-do as the heroes travel from the pirate-infested Caribbean to a cave awash with evil magic high in the Pyrénées. If Jacques piles it on a bit thick in what actually becomes two separate tales—one a sea voyage and the other an overland trek—the sheer storytelling vigor is hard to resist. The second half of the book proves especially enticing, when Ben and his dog, who communicate telepathically and whose affectionate sparring provides much of the book's spark, team up with a feisty gypsy girl and a young artist to save the long-lost son of a nobleman. As in all of Jacques's books, he conjures a colorful, fully realized world (particularly the gastronomic delights) and injects the pages with plenty of snappy repartee ("Cease cackling like a market goose, you old relic," the nobleman calls affectionately to his cook). Readers can once again take satisfaction in the fact that virtue is rewarded, evil-doers get their comeuppance and good triumphs over evil in Jacques's universe. All ages.

February 15, 2004
Gr 5 Up-This is the second installment (Philomel, 2003) of Brian Jacques' series, The Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, about Ben and his faithful black Labrador companion, Ned, who have been saved by an angel from evil pirates and given the ability to communicate telepathically. The story works both as a sequel to first tale and a stand alone story. Ben helps a French buccaneer captain, Raphael Thuron, expose a cheating Spanish pirate, fleeing when the pirate realizes he has lost his gold. The first book ends with the Frenchman and crew dead, and Ben and Ned alone. In this sequel, it is 1628 and the pair rescues a gypsy girl and helps a young artist. The group meets a nobleman, and volunteers to travel to the mountains to rescue his long-lost nephew from an evil group practicing the black arts. A goatherd woman living in the mountains is drawn into the rescue. Jacques narrates with help from a full cast. There are songs scattered throughout, and chapter breaks are accompanied by music. Both parts blend when the pair meet Thuron's priest brother and find the sunken pirate gold. There is just enough description given to let imagination take over. Careful listening is required at times to understand both words and accents. Jacques emphasizes relationships between characters. The wordless communication between Ben and his irreverent companion is a highlight. With the popularity of pirate movies during this past summer, this audiobook will interest middle and high school students and would be a good choice for school and public libraries.-Susan Rice, Evergreen Local Schools, Metamora, OH

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2004
Gr 5 Up-This is the second installment (Philomel, 2003) of Brian Jacques' series, The Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, about Ben and his faithful black Labrador companion, Ned, who have been saved by an angel from evil pirates and given the ability to communicate telepathically. The story works both as a sequel to first tale and a stand alone story. Ben helps a French buccaneer captain, Raphael Thuron, expose a cheating Spanish pirate, fleeing when the pirate realizes he has lost his gold. The first book ends with the Frenchman and crew dead, and Ben and Ned alone. In this sequel, it is 1628 and the pair rescues a gypsy girl and helps a young artist. The group meets a nobleman, and volunteers to travel to the mountains to rescue his long-lost nephew from an evil group practicing the black arts. A goatherd woman living in the mountains is drawn into the rescue. Jacques narrates with help from a full cast. There are songs scattered throughout, and chapter breaks are accompanied by music. Both parts blend when the pair meet Thuron's priest brother and find the sunken pirate gold. There is just enough description given to let imagination take over. Careful listening is required at times to understand both words and accents. Jacques emphasizes relationships between characters. The wordless communication between Ben and his irreverent companion is a highlight. With the popularity of pirate movies during this past summer, this audiobook will interest middle and high school students and would be a good choice for school and public libraries.-Susan Rice, Evergreen Local Schools, Metamora, OH

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.