Rakkety Tam

Rakkety Tam redirects here. You may be looking for Rakkety Tam MacBurl.

Rakkety Tam is the seventeenth published book in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.

Book Divisions (English)

• Book 1: The Warrior Who Sold His Sword
• Book 2: The Warrior Who Gained a Sword
• Book 3: The Walking Stone

Summary

From a region known only as the Land of Ice and Snow from across the Western Sea emerges Gulo the Savage, a vicious wolverine and his horde of a hundred white vermin who consume the flesh of their enemies. After murdering his father, Dramz, Gulo assumed control of his territory. However, only those who possess the Walking Stone may rule, and after his father's death, Gulo's brother, Askor, steals the stone and sails to the land of Mossflower Woods. Gulo pursues his brother with approximately 100 flesh-eating white foxes and ermine under his command.

Meanwhile, the mercenary squirrel Rakkety Tam MacBurl, along with his companion Wild Doogy Plumm, find themselves at odds with their current rulers, Squirrelking Araltum and Idga Drayqueen, both arrogant, foolish creatures who spend more time on ceremonies in their honor than ruling the kingdom.

When the forces of the Squirrelking are ambushed by Gulo and dozens of squirrels get massacred, Tam and Doogy are given the chance to escape the trivialities of the kingdom and track the invaders. Gulo had stolen the king's new Royal Banner, so Tam and Doogy are sent off to find it. The king promises to release them of their bonds (they had sworn allegiance to him some seasons before) if they succeed in finding the banner. They eventually meet up with the Long Patrol, and continue their hunt.

The Long Patrol has its own problems. Some hares were ambushed and they lost a precious drum which is supposed to be going to Redwall as a present. It turns out that Gulo has possession of a drum as well as the banner.

At Redwall, Sister Armel is told by the spirit of Martin the Warrior to give his sword to the "borderer." She leaves the Abbey and travels south to find him with Brookflow, taking The Sword of Martin with her. The pair are ambushed by some of Gulo's forces.

Tam, Doogy, and Tergen are sent to locate Gulo's army. The trio finds Sister Armel and Brooky held captive; they rescue them and Armel gives Tam the Sword of Martin. The freed captives and the rescuers journey to Redwall.

When the army of hares reaches Redwall, Rakkety Tam takes command of the force and splits them into two groups: One to constantly harass the flesh-eating enemy, and the other to defend Redwall. Tam and Doogy lead the harassment force in pursuit of Gulo's army. Tam's force finds the Guosim and Log-a-Log Togey. The shrews, hares, squirrels, and a water vole, Yoofus Lightpaw, who had the banner and the Walking Stone, led a split force of Gulo's army through the blackbird pines. After both sides experience losses in the pine forest, the force led by Tam heads to Redwall for a final battle.

During the journey back, Tam and the Guosim encounter an oak tree on a river. Whilst trying to remove the tree, Gulo's force catches up, and after a short skirmish, Tam's force escapes. Tam's logboats, under the command of Log-a-Log Togey, successfully turn a sharp curve on the fast stream, while Gulo's boat goes over a waterfall. Gulo miraculously survives, with eight other vermin.

At Redwall, the other part of Gulo's army attacks the Abbey. There are almost no tactics, only full-out charges, none of which do anything significant except get some ermine and foxes killed.

When the harassment force returns, the squirrels, with the aid of the hares, Guosim shrews, Redwallers, and Yoofus attack the flesh-eating army. After a great victory, Tam is challenged by Gulo to a one-on-one battle, which comes to a climactic duel with the wolverine himself.

Eventually, the warrior squirrel throws Gulo on his recently sharpened shield and decapitates him. Tam marries Sister Armel, a healer from Redwall, and they have a daughter, Melanda, who becomes the Redwall Recorder. Along with his family and friends, Tam and Doogy finally decide to return to Squirrelking Araltum and Idga Drayqueen's domain and return the banner. They do so, reclaiming their bonds back, and winning freedom for all the other squirrels who were forced to serve the king.

Characters

Please see Characters in Rakkety Tam.

Audiobook

Rakkety Tam was released in audiobook format.

Trivia

• Rakkety Tam is the only Redwall novel to be named for a squirrel character.

Release details

• 2004, US, Philomel Books, ISBN 9780399237256, Pub. Date: September 2004, Hardcover
• 2004, UK, Puffin Books, ISBN 0670910694, Pub. Date: October 2004, Hardcover
• 2004, UK, Puffin Books, ISBN 0141381590, Pub. Date: October 2004, Paperback
• 2005, UK, Puffin Books, ISBN 0141312831, Pub. Date: March 2005, Paperback
• 2005, US, Ace, ISBN 9780441013180, Pub. Date: August 2005, Paperback
• 2006, US, Firebird, ISBN 9780142406830, Pub. Date: September 2006, Paperback
• 2021, UK, Puffin Books, ISBN 9780241525531, Pub. Date: September 2021, Paperback