Marlfox
UK first edition cover
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| Author | Brian Jacques |
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| Cover artist | Chris Baker |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Redwall |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Hutchinson (UK) & Philomel (US) |
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Publication date
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1998 |
| Media type | Print (hard & paperback) |
| Pages | 412 (UK hardback) & 386 (US hardback) |
| ISBN | (UK hardback) & ISBN (US hardback) |
| OCLC | 39381004 |
| Preceded by | The Long Patrol |
| Followed by | The Legend of Luke |
Marlfox is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1998. It is the 11th book and 13th chronologically in the Redwall series. Marlfoxes are an unusual breed of anthropomorphic foxes, which serve as the main antagonists in the book.
When the treasure hungry Marlfoxes steal the lavish tapestry of Martin the Warrior from Redwall Abbey, a group of young Redwallers must go after the Marlfoxes in pursuit, while the remaining Redwallers fight off a vermin invasion back at the Abbey.
The wandering Noonvale companions travel to Redwall, where they wish to mount a show. On the way, however, they learn that the Marlfoxes 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 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 rumor 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 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 hero, Martin the Warrior. The Marlfox Ziral, however, is slain, and the remaining Marlfoxes swear revenge on the citizens of Redwall.
Mokkan, one of the Marlfoxes, escapes with the tapestry, leaving his siblings behind. Three young Redwallers, Songbreeze Swifteye, Dannflor Reguba, and a Guosim shrew named Dippler set out after Mokkan, trying to retrieve the tapestry. They meet Burble, a water vole, and have many adventures and meet many friends who help them on their journey, such as the ginormous 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.
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Wikipedia