The lake was so huge that nobeast standing on any part of the shoreline could tell that its sweeping vastness held an island at its centre.

Queen Silth rules Castle Marl from behind the curtains of her palanquin. Nobeast may look upon the queen and live! Greedy and vain, she has sent her six children and an army of water rats out into the world to plunder treasure to adorn her palace.

Stealth and cunning are the traits of the Marlfox. Known only in Redwall country by legend, they are said to be able to appear and disappear by magic. When the strange creatures, with their pale eyes and silver-white mottled coats, begin to appear in Mossflower Woods, it is clear that evil is abroad. A kidnapping and a cunning raid to steal the beautiful Redwall tapestry confirm the worst: Redwall is under threat - and from an enemy whose mark is yet to be known.

Three young ones, squirrels Songbreeze and Dannflor, and Dippler the shrew, are fated to come together and fated, by the prophecy of Martin the Warrior, to pursue the villains in a quest of daring and courage to return the beloved tapestry to its home.

Sweeping narrative, glorious action and irrepressible humour sing from the pages in true Redwall Tradition. Brian Jacques' astonishing powers of invention and his vigorous, thrilling storytelling never falter.