Castaways of the 'flying Dutchman' [Hardcover]

Brian Jacques (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2001

A young boy and his dog stow away on board the Flying Dutchman, a ship bound for South America, in 1620. The pair are thrown overboard as the ship rounds Cape Horn, but are saved by an angel. From then on the two are fated to travel the world, through time to help people in trouble.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Jacques is a powerful storyteller, known best as the creator of the top-selling Redwall series. He was brought up near the Liverpool docks. His life to date has been adventure-packed - he's been a sailor, truck driver, longshoreman, comedian, folk singer and radio host. He continues to travel widely bit still has his home in Liverpool. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Viking (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670899259
• ISBN-13: 978-0670899258
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,335,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A well-known radio personality in his native Liverpool--as well as an actor, stand-up comic, and playwright--Brian Jacques (1939-2011) was the host of "Jakestown" on BBC Radio Merseyside. Ever the performer, Jacques was well-known for applying his acting and entertainment background to his lively presentations to legions of young fans at schools across the United States and England. Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England on June 15th, 1939. Along with forty percent of the population of Liverpool, his ancestral roots are in Ireland, County Cork to be exact. He grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks. His interest in adventure stories began at an early age with reading the books of: Daniel Defoe, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Thomas Malory, Robert Michael Ballantyne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Kenneth Grahame. He attended St. John's School, an inner city school that had its playground on the roof. On his first day at St. John's, at the age of ten, he had an experience that marked his potential as a writer. When given an assignment of writing a story about animals, he wrote about the bird that cleaned a crocodile's teeth. The teacher could not, and would not, believe that a ten year old could write that well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then, that he realized that he had a talent for writing. "My favourite teacher was Mr. Austin Thomas. He looked like Lee Marvin. Big Man. A Captain in World War II. He came to school on a big bush bike with the haversack on back. He was a man's man. Always fair. I was fourteen at the time when Mr. Thomas introduced the class to poetry and Greek literature. (Because of him, I saved seven shillings and sixpence to buy The Iliad and The Odyssey at this dusty used book shop.)" This interest in poetry extended to Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Goldsmith. It was also at St. John's that Brian met a teacher, Alan Durband (who also taught two Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison), who, more than thirty years later would bring about a major change in his life. After Brian finished school at fifteen, he set out to find adventure as a merchant seaman. He travelled to many far away ports, including New York, Valparaiso, San Francisco, and Yokohama. Tiring of the lonely life of a sailor, he returned to Liverpool where he worked as a railway fireman, a longshoreman, a long-distance truck driver, a bus driver, a boxer, a bobby (Police Constable 216D), a postmaster, and a stand-up comic. Jacques passed away in February of 2011 at the age of 71.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific fantasy book!!!, March 18, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Castaways of the 'flying Dutchman' (Hardcover)

This is a great book! It has similar and different characteristics to the Redwall series. For instance, the animals can't talk, but are able to telepathically communicate. This book is mostly mystery. It is also sci-fi, and adventure.
The book begins in the year 1620. A young, mute boy, about the age of 13, is running away from his stepbrothers. They corner him on the wharf. After being bitten by the mute, the bully punches him. The scrawny boy falls into the sea. After a while, he surfaces and finds a rope. Slowly he climbs it, and sees the words Flying Dutchman.
After the ship sets sail, one of the crew looks over into the sea. He sees a small boy, stiff from frost and salt. The captain, Vanderdecken, says to leave him there, or toss him overboard. The ships cook takes the boy in. He mercilessly beats him, and makes him work. The ship docks at a country to get supplies. The boy, Neb, spots a black labrador, and calls to him. The dog comes and they become friends.
The men sent out to get supplies return late. This angers Vanderdecken. He beats them, badly. The ship's crew attempts mutiny, but fails thanks to Neb and his dog, Den. Vanderdecken keeps trying to sail through a dangerous part of the Atlantic Ocean. However, he keeps failing, and the fierce waves push the vessel backwards. They run out of food. The captain goes mad! He starts cursing at everything. An angel descends, and condemns the whole crew to sailing the seas for eternity. However, the angel spares Neb and Den. They fall off the ship, and wash ashore. They are now immortal.
This is just the beginning, the first adventure. I think that everyone would like this book. With adventure, mystery, and fantasy, it is a great story. The genre is fantasy-fiction. Are they really immortal? If so, why? Read "Castaways of the Flying Dutchman" to find out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT, March 7, 2004

By 

Krys (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Castaways of the Flying Dutchman (Paperback)

I read this book, unable to put it down for a split-second. I was one of the best books I have ever read and is one of my top favorites, along with Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle In Time."

I was thoroughly impressed and hope to read the sequel that came out not too long ago. Cheers to Brian Jacques!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Castaways of the Flying Dutchman All the WAY!!, May 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Castaways of the Flying Dutchman (Paperback)

It was merely impossible for me to put the book down. This is a book that you're going to want to reread several times because it's so good. Enter Neb and Den's world of eternal journies.
I have read all of the Redwall series written by Brian Jacques and all of them put together couldn't beat this book if the Redwall series popularity depended on it!!!!