Customer Reviews

The Mistmantle Chronicles, Book Five: Urchin and the Rage Tide

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For those of you who are already familiar with the Mistmantle Chronicles, you will already be familiar with many of the characters and the basic story line. This is a continuation of the adventures of Urchin,who is now a squirrel of the circle, and a veritable figure of respect, with a page of his own, Corr. The island is under the peaceful and benign reign of King Crispin, the squirrel who found Urchin on the shore and accepted him as his page when he (Crispin) was a Captain. But all is about to change. The otters feel upheavals in the water; a rage tide is coming, a sort of hurricane accompanied by waves of tremendous size. The King and his friends must get all the creatures of Mistmantle to safety, and soon, before it is too late. But that is not all. A slightly insane squirrel with "a touch of Husk about him" believes that the Heart has chosen him as the priest, the captain, and the king of Mistmantle. He gathers a few followers about him, and attempts to leave the island, just as the rage tide is coming on. Urchin, along with the King, Fingal, Captain Padra and his dear friend, Sepia, attempt to reason with him and save the children who are being brought along by their well-meaning parents. The first wave hits, and something terrible happens; Sepia is lost. Urchin's last view of her is a small figure, clinging to a boat as it is washed out to sea. And, as everyone knows, any creature of Mistmantle who leaves by water,cannot return by water, and no creature has ever returned three times, not by any way. But that is not all. Two young hedgehogs, Firtle and Ouch, go missing. And with the rains and winds and the instability of the earth, who knows if they will ever be seen alive again? Brother Juniper receives a prophecy; one must come, one must go. Sorrow must come before joy. Corr, a voyager, only the fourth one in all the history of the island, sets out in a small boat to search for Sepia. Only he can leave and return through the mists with impunity. Will he find Sepia? Will she be safe? Is she even still alive? Meanwhile, Crispin feels his old wound troubling him again, and knows that it will never be completely healed. But can even he do what will be required of him? Little Myrtle draws snowdrops, for hope. But can there really be hope in these dark and sorrowful times? Will there ever really be joy, after all this? I can guarantee that you will be moved by this book, and leave thirsting for the next one. I have to confess though, I'm still not quite sure whom these series are about; Crispin? Urchin? Fingal? Padra? Juniper? Cedar? I can only conclude that it is about every character you meet, a sign of a truly great book.

I haven't found a series quite like this before. It's fun, touching, and has always had good characters and storyline in my opinion. It's my favorite series. Also, I'm relieved I finally could find this book at a reasonable price, because when it first came out, Rage Tide must have had limited copies released because at one point the book was 300$ on Amazon at one point. I love books but that was a bit much for me.
Anyway, it got here in good time and in good shape. Thank you very much. I loved this book!

Urchin and the Rage Tide is the fifth installment written continuing the story of Urchin and the island surrounded by mist in the Mistmantle Chronicles series by M.I. McCallister. The author creates a wonderful fantasy world I'd love to step into often, though I do have a soft spot for talking animals in fiction.
The islands's otters notified the island of Mistmantle and their King that it is facing the coming of a rage tide and everyone must get to higher ground. However not only do the otters know ahead of time about the tides coming in but so does Mossberry a squirrel who believes he is one with the heart and that everyone should follow him over King Crispin, who has been a good king to those of the island, though Mossbery feels different. Mossberry will do anything to get his way as he gains support. The Mistmantlers are busy getting ready for the tide but will they all be ready for all that comes including Mossberrys plotting ways and what is the island willing to risk for any who could possibly be swept away by the raging waters surrounding their beloved island home and possibly swept through the mists trying to do what is right .
I look forward to reading more about these wonderful characters. Though the characters are talking animals they seem so believable and are able to resonate with the reader on a personal level and even tug on your heartstrings a bit as the plot thickens and you get to learn more about each character. The characters seem so cute its hard not to love 'em. As you read too you get to discover more of their island world and come to wonder what will happen next for this big group of friends. If you enjoy books with talking animals, fantasy, and possibly the Redwall series this may be another series you would love.

Been waiting for another of the Mistmantle books and when I saw this one, I had to get it and just started reading today. I like it and will keep it for my grandchildren to read.

Great series for any age. Most refreshing to read books that hold the reader spellbound, eagerly seeking the next page. The common thread of Good over Evil is what every book should be about. Especially for the age this series is targeted to. Then again all ages need reminding to always seek the good and always to help those in need.

I hope there will be more in this Chronicle/series to come. Extremely well written.

McAllister has concluded her charming series with another delightful,
eventful tale that confirms
the sense of purpose we discovered in the characters of Urchin
and his friends. This
reader felt as though the friends would continue their
good works on the island of Mistmantle even though I will be
moving on -- albeit reluctantly -- to other stories.

My son loves this series. He has really enjoyed reading this book. It was a bit of a wait for it, but he said that it was worth the wait.