'Lookalooka! Down there! Eeeeeeeee!'

Tansy gazed into the rift. With a gasp of horror she found herself staring into the eyeless sockets of a skull... Thunder rumbled as a vivid flash of lightning lit up the stark scene. A scream of terror tore itself from the hedgehog maid's throat.

The gruesome discovery of a skeleton in Mossflower woods heralds the start of both a mystery and a quest.

Far away, on the tropical island of Sampetra, Emperor Ublaz, also known as Mad Eyes, sends his fearsome lizards and corsairs on a murderous mission to Redwall. Back at home, the Abbey dwellers race against time to unravel a fiendishly difficult series of riddles. At a northern shore, a young otter fashions a bow and arrows from a yew branch and vows to avenge the slaughter of her family.

Why does Martin, son of Mattimeo, undertake a perilous voyage with his brave companions? Who is Grath Longfletch and why do vermin fear her green-plumed arrows? And what are the fabulous Tears of all Oceans that inspire such passion and greed?

This thrilling adventure ranges from the secret places at Redwall Abbey, far across the ocean, through storm and iceberg, to the island beyond where the sun sets. Master storyteller, Brian Jacques, has created another unforgettable saga in the time-honoured tradition of Redwall.

UK edition cover art: