Customer Reviews

The Angel's Command (Castaways of the Flying Dutchman)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the second in the series "Castaways of the Flying Dutchman." Like the first book, Castaways, this book is really two books, two completely separate stories involving the same characters (although there is a return to the first story at the end of the book). As with Castaways, Angel's Command begins with a naval adventure. But instead of traveling with the demonic Captain Vanderdecken, Ben and Ned find themselves onboard a pirate ship with a kindly French captain who has tricked a ruthless Spaniard out of his treasure. The French buccaneers must also outrun an English privateer, hot on their tail. What follows is an exciting chase from the Caribbean across the Atlantic to France. In typical fashion for Jacques, the wicked come to justice, sowing the seeds of their own destruction. But Jacques is also able to show how even wickedness can be turned for good. In the second story, Ben and Ned meet up with some new friends to try to help a aging Comte find his dead brother's lost son. Ben and Ned rescue Karey, a young con artist with a beautiful voice, and join up with Dominic a "face maker," who can draw portraits so lifelike that they reveal a person's true character. They must search for him among the ruthless and evil Razan, a band of marauders hidden in the Pyrenees. Ben and Ned find help from a tough goatherd, a woman who lives by herself in the mountains. Ultimately, the power of the angel comes to their rescue in a surprising fashion. In the Castaways series Jacques deals with a more explicitly religious world than he does in Redwall, where there is morality and a force for good, but not angels from God. Jacques is a master of storytelling, but in the Castaway series, he also shows his ability to explore different characters. This book will both "teach and delight."

Better than the first Flying Dutchman book, Ben and Ned meet more charecter's you'll love (and some you'll hate) as they are forced to go back to the sea in the first part of the book. After their adventures on the wide ocean, they go inland so face their hardest challeneges yet.
Whether you are a younger Redall fan looking for more Brian Jacques or on older person (or Redwall fan) looking for a good story told by a master storyteller, "The Angel's Command" fits the bill. It is necessary, though, to read the first in the series ("Castaways of the Flying Dutchman") first.

As a long time Redwall fan I remember, a few years ago, when I went to a Brain Jacques book signing when he announced that he was going to write Castaways of the Flying Dutchmen, the book to which An Angel's Command is a sequel to. The reaction from the crowd was not one he expected. It was one of horror. Millions of children thought that it meant he was going to stop writing Redwall, or at least postpone it for a little while, and it terrified us all. Luckily, we were wrong. With Castaways of the Flying Dutchmen and now, with The Angel's Command, Brain Jacques proves he can create not just one but TWO series.

The book, like Castaways, is divided into two stories that take place back to back in the early 17th century. The first story tells of Ben and Ned, the Castaways, first trip back to the sea. Almost by accident, Ben and Ned find themselves traveling from the Caribbean to France on the Buccaneer ship, Le Petit Marine. They are trailed by two ships, a vengeful Spanish pirate ship and a corrupted English privateer boat. Both of them are interested in one thing, Le Petit Marie's gold. Ben and Ned know they must help their new friend, the captain Thuron, in any way possible. But the crew of the ship is not as noble as the captain. They don't want to go back to France, and they'll do anything to stop the captain from getting them their. At the same time Ben and Ned are haunted by images of the Flying Dutchman. Has Captain Vanderdecken come back to haunt them?

The second story happens almost directly after the first one. Ben and Ned run into a gypsy girl named Lalay and a facemaker named Dominic that can see into the hearts of his models for his drawings. They travel to a city called Vernon as friends and find themselves caught up in a strange adventure. A boy named Adamo, was kidnapped by the Razan, strange witch-like people, years ago and has not been seen by his family since. Ben and Ned immediately volunteer to help find Adamo but this journey may prove to be the most treacherous one yet. As they travel through the Pyrenees they face many challenges, but no challenge is more daunting then what they find when they reach the Razan.

I loved these two stories. They are filled with high adventure, suspense, and a little bit of mystery here and there. I like how Brain Jacques gives us not one, but two stories. It makes the book twice as enjoyable. He somehow manages to do this without making the story seem choppy and divided, which I find admirable. Once again the characters of Ben and Ned are great. The clever and goodhearted Ben and his witty and intelligent dog Ned are extremely enjoyable to watch. I also really liked the new characters Mr. Jacques's created for the story. Whether it's the plucky Lalay, the brave Thuron or the brave Dominic, they always are interesting. Magdula Razan is one of the creepiest villain's I've seen in one of Mr. Jacques's books to date! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have!

Overall, I enjoyed this book whole lot better then I enjoyed the first book of this series. At least this time, the story take place within the framework from the time when the Flying Dutchman got cursed. The story maintained it pacing better and it was more consistence. The characters proves to be somewhat interesting and relatively well thoughtout within the frame work of the book. While Brian Jacques' writing in this series appears to be less impressive then his Redwall series, I thought it was an interesting and somewhat entertaining reading material for the young and the old. Ben and Ned's interpersonal communication keep the story going and I am still not sure if their eternal youth is a curse or a blessing. What would it be like to be young, blond and good looking with a loyal and intelligent dog at your bare feet forever?? It may be the combination of both as they aged in years but not in body.

I did spot several of obvious mistakes in Angel's Command commited by Mr. Jacques. First, when Capt Teal was being threatened toward the end, he was threatened with a "guillotine", a name not used until the French Revolution and not a form of execution in France during the reign of Louis XIII. Second, Teal identified himself as being in "His Britannic Majesty" service, such terms were not used by Englishmen in service of Charles I. I should also mentioned that term "centimes" which was being haggled over at the gates wasn't used until Napoleonic period and five francs is more money then most French would see in a month back in 1620s. Proper term would be "sou" back then which was wortha bout 5 centimes.

Still, the book was entertaining to a point and I enjoyed it. Since this book proves to be a considerable improvement over the first one, I may hope that the third book in this series will also show improvement over the second one.

I'm 40 years old, and I couldn't put this book down. I tend to skim books with huge elaborations, but you won't want to miss a single word in this story.
And if I could have superpowers, Ben has them. Speak any language spoken and talk to your dog, awesome!
I bought two copies for our school library

I am a great fan of all of Brian Jacques' works, and this book lived up to his legacy.

You could pick up this novel and understand the story line without reading the first Dutchman book, which is always a sign of a good story. The plot flowed very fluently, and the rhythm kept me on my toes throughout the book.

The characters were strong and well-formed, in fact, they were beautifully realistic. The flaws and gifts counterbalanced each other wonderfully, making me laugh and cry at the antics and heartbreak.

Overall, I'd say that this is a book for anyone who loves books, regardless of age. Ignore the recommended reading levels, and just enjoy a great read.

I had bought Castaways of a Flying Dutchman to see if it would satisfy my cravings for more redwall, and boy did it ever. After reading the first book I was hooked to buy the second when I heard it was coming out. As I read through the book my heart saddened with each time they had to leave their newfound friends, but also gladdened with each thrilling adventure, this book left me only wanting more. Ben and Ned really get into some adventures with this book and there is only room for another as they leave off. I really enjoyed it and I cant wait for the next book to come out.

This book basically fills some of the gaps between what happened in South America to so on and it leaves off with more "filling" I guess u can call it that. They end to book sailing away on a boat and headed for more adventures, where those may start we can only wonder...

I really liked this book and the way Brian Jacques makes it seem so real and exciting. He also puts in lots of unexpected turns. There's not one boring part in the whole book.

Ben and his dog Ned, castaways of the ghost ship, Flying Dutchman said they'd never go to sea again, but when a disaster in South America lands them aboard a French pirate ship, they end up with two evil sea captains chasing them. Then the adventure ends and a new one begins.

The type o reader that would like this book would be a person who likes to read for a long time. This is one of those books that you never want to put it down. It is a fantasy book.

Hi! im a person that kind of likes to read but not much. I think that when I read this it had so much excitement in it that I literally could not put this book down. Well any way the book is sure to thrill you with all the pirates, action packed ship chases, fighting, and just simply great adventure all around.

My personal favorite part in ther story is when all the action is pumped up and Captain Thuron is heded for his home land to live the life of an honest man but right before entering the coast of France, Thuron spots french war ships coming full sial and cannon ports open. Will they survive? find out by reading the breth taking adventure "TRUST ME YOU WONT BE ABLE TO PUT THE TALE DOWN!"

I liked every book that I have read by Brian Jacques and I have read 5, But I especialy liked this one because it is very unpredictable and has a lot of action including sea wars and fights with gypsie thieves.