Book Review: Castaways Trilogy

             There are always a few books that I feel everyone should read at some point in their lives. There are many things that can make a book fall so high in my recommendations. Sometimes it may be because of the morals taught therein, others because of the relatable characters and intricate plot, and every once and a while I love it just because it is an excellent read that will transport you to another world. Today’s series, the Castaways Trilogy, is no exception. Written by the same man responsible for the Redwall Series (a formulaic but exceedingly gripping saga that spans over twenty novels) these books take their inspiration from the legend of the Flying Dutchman.

            According to that legend, the Flying Dutchman was a ship caught in a tremendous storm off of the Cape of Good Hope. The captain, Van der Decken, cursed God and swore that he would sail around the cape even if it took him to the day of judgement. Immediately following that rash declaration, and angel appeared and cursed the ship to do just that: to sail the seas forever more, never for the sailors to set foot upon the shore until the sea gave up its dead and the seal is broken on the book of life. It is a dark, spooky tale that was only made stronger by superstitious sailors and natural phenomena (like sea mirages) that seemed to mirror the images of a ghostly vessel.

            Many different adaptations of this story have been made and there are several slightly different versions of the legend. There has been poetry, both strictly about the Dutchman and simply alluding to it; movies; songs; and even a Wagner opera. But I am here today to talk about the book trilogy by Brian Jacques, which takes a slightly different look at this dark tale.

               The first book in the story, Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, tells the events of the legend through the eyes of the young cabin boy, Ben. When the ship was cursed, the angel saw that Ben and his dog, Ned, were not truly evil at heart like the rest of the crew and so they were flung overboard and given the charge of wandering the earth forever young, using their immortal lives to spread purity and teach goodness wherever they went. To aid them in their task of helping the world, Ben and Ned were given the ability to communicate telepathically and this only caused the bond between boy and dog to grow ever stronger.

                 The following two books chronicle the continued adventures of Ben and Ned as they struggle to deal with the curse of immortality and to find their place in the world. This series is full of myth and adventure and there are many, many colourful characters throughout all of the stories. Our protagonists are extremely enjoyable to read and to connect with and, despite their being immortal beings, refreshingly real and funny. The supporting cast is great and the mystery of each book, while Jacques-typical, is still not predictable or boring. I would highly recommend these books as must-reads for anyone ages 8+. They are engaging for kids, fun for adults, and just great books all around.

Note: These books do contain a bit of mild swearing, some dark themes, and a fairly high death count that is not limited to red shirts. For those concerned, lying is also a large part of the stories as Ben and Ned try to navigate through the changing world.