Art by Troy Howell
Penguin USA has released their Fall 2008 catalog and, with it, the cover to Doomwyte and a new plot summary!
A hunt for long-lost treasure in the latest Redwall adventure
On a moonless night, two rats follow hypnotic lights into the forest, never to be seen again. Such is the power of the Doomwytes, sinister ravens led by the deadly Korvus Skurr. And when the young mouse Bisky persuades the creatures of Redwall Abbey to go in search of a fabled treasure, hidden long ago by one of the abbey’s most notorious thieves, they do not suspect Skurr and his ravens will be vying for that very treasure.
Bisky and his fellow Redwallers must summon all their courage to face the evil horde of slithering snakes and vicious ravens. From underground tunnels to the tops of trees, the fearless Redwallers, with the help of their woodland friends, battle some of their most vicious enemies yet in an exhilarating, terrifying treasure hunt.
The prominence of ravens should come as no surprise, following David Elliot’s hint to the Newsline back in October. What is a surprise is the presence of a mouse hero– unseen since 1999′s The Legend of Luke.
Troy Howell’s cover (above left, click for a larger view) presumably depicts Bisky and Korvus Skurr, as well as an unnamed snake around Korvus’ head.
Also, as stated last month, the cover settles the issue of ‘The Doomwytes’ vs. ‘Doomwyte’ once and for all. The former are characters, the latter is the title.
The listing goes on to put the page count at 400, which is roughly in keeping with the 384 listed on Amazon. It also runs down the marketing the book will receive– floor displays (see below), trading cards, an author tour, advertising, posters… pretty standard. Whether any of this will actually materialize in your store is less certain, as the same was offered for the 20th Anniversary last year but was rarely seen.
Doomwyte hits shelves October 16th, 2008. Stay tuned to the Newsline for more details.
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