Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
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| Author | Brian Jacques |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Ian Schoenherr |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Castaways series |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Puffin Books |
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Publication date
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2001 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 45058678 |
| [Fic] 21 | |
| LC Class | PZ7.J15317 Cas 2001 |
| Followed by | The Angel's Command |
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman is the first novel in the Castaways series by Brian Jacques, published in 2001. It is based on the legend of the cursed ship the Flying Dutchman. A young boy, Nebuchadnezzar (later Neb (shortened) and Ben (reversed)), and his dog, Denmark (named after the country in which he was found and later Den (shortened) and Ned (reversed)), are the lone survivors of the Flying Dutchman, fated to wander the earth forever immortal and youthful, helping those who need aid.
The second and third books in the series, The Angel's Command and Voyage of Slaves, were published in 2003 and 2006, respectively.
The story starts by vaguely introducing a fourteen-year-old nameless boy, who at the beginning has no parents and is a mute. He is apparently running away from his life as an abused orphan, and accidentally slips on the Flying Dutchman as a stowaway. He is found, and made to work with the cook, Petros, an antagonistic character who abuses him. Petros names the boy Neb, which is short for Nebuchadnezzar. One day, while the crew is off drinking in the port town of Esbjerg, a dog wanders onto the ship and is befriended by Neb. He names the dog Denmark, after the country he found the dog in. They strike up an immediate friendship. Den hides under sacks until it is safe to come out. The cruel, wild, and fearsome Captain Vanderdecken steers his ship on a long voyage to get emeralds from a dealer across the ocean, supposedly in Asia. The ship sails to the tip of South America, the treacherous Cape Horn, and unsuccessfully attempts to pass three times. After the third attempt, Captain Vanderdecken curses the Lord for smiting him, and an angel descends from heaven and curses the ship to sail the seas for eternity.
The angel, however, realizes Nebuchadnezzar and Denmark are pure of heart and not part of the motley, now undead, crew, and has them swept overboard by a great wave. S/he blesses them, telling them to walk the earth forever, wise and forever young, to give kindness and guidance wherever they go. They later wash up on shore and find that they are able to communicate by thought. They are found and taken in by a kind-hearted shepherd named Luis who grows fond of them, but does not ask about their past. After spending three years with him, Luis dies in a storm trying to save an ewe. The angel appears in a dream telling them that they must move on at the sound of a bell, which they hear jingling on the neck of a sheep walking by. Neb and Den, young but ageless, must leave.
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