Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Literature / TheMistmantleChronicles

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


''The Mistmantle Chronicles'' is a series in the same vein of animal fantasy as ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'', ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'', and the like. It focuses around Urchin, an oddly colored squirrel who is washed up on the beach of the titular Island inhabited by moles, otters, squirrels and hedgehogs on a night of falling ("Riding" in the book's universe) stars. Most of the books take place on the generally isolated island, since "those who truely belong on Mistmantle cannot leave by water and return by water" (except for Voyagers), and deal with a lot of internal strife, especially inside Mistmantle Tower. Keeps most of the animals [[AnimalStereotypes acting like they should]], meaning while hedgehogs may eat cakes and drink wine, they also enjoy bugs. Written by [[http://margaretmcallister.co.uk/about.htm M. I. McAllister.]]

to:

''The Mistmantle Chronicles'' is a series in the same vein of animal fantasy as ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'', ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'', and the like. It focuses around Urchin, an oddly colored squirrel who is washed up on the beach of the titular Island inhabited by moles, otters, squirrels and hedgehogs on a night of falling ("Riding" in the book's universe) stars. Most of the books take place on the generally isolated island, since "those who truely truly belong on Mistmantle cannot leave by water and return by water" (except for Voyagers), and deal with a lot of internal strife, especially inside Mistmantle Tower. Keeps most of the animals [[AnimalStereotypes acting like they should]], meaning while hedgehogs may eat cakes and drink wine, they also enjoy bugs. Written by [[http://margaretmcallister.co.uk/about.htm M. I. McAllister.]]



* BewareTheNiceOnes: Crispin has quite the long fuse, being able to take [[spoiler:murder accusations and serious critisims of his wife and kingship]]. Once you cross that line, however, Heart save you.

to:

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Crispin has quite the long fuse, being able to take [[spoiler:murder accusations and serious critisims criticisms of his wife and kingship]]. Once you cross that line, however, Heart save you.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Up To Eleven is a defunct trope


%% * LargeHam: Mossberry takes everything he can UpToEleven.

to:

%% * LargeHam: Mossberry takes everything he can UpToEleven.up to eleven.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* BewareTheNiceOnes: Crispin has quite the long fuse, being able to take [[spoiler:murder accusations and serious critisims of his wife and kingship]]. Once you [[MoralEventHorizon cross that line]], however, Heart save you.

to:

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Crispin has quite the long fuse, being able to take [[spoiler:murder accusations and serious critisims of his wife and kingship]]. Once you [[MoralEventHorizon cross that line]], line, however, Heart save you.

Added: 240

Changed: 203

Removed: 198

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


%%
%%
%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExamples are commented out.
%%
%% Please add context before uncommenting.
%%
%%



* ArmorIsUseless: Almost no one wears them, apart from the occasional helmet, even though all the Tower Animals use swords.
* BattleCouple: Crispin and Cedar, Arran and Padra.

to:

* ArmorIsUseless: Almost no one wears them, any, apart from the occasional helmet, even though all the Tower Animals use swords.
%% * BattleCouple: Crispin and Cedar, Arran and Padra.



* TheCaligula:
** King Silverbirch.
** Husk somewhat subverts his trope; while he is obviously psychotic, ''most'' of his evil deeds are done for pragmatic purposes.

to:

%% * TheCaligula:
%% ** King Silverbirch.
** Husk somewhat subverts his trope; while he is obviously psychotic, ''most'' of his evil deeds are done for %% pragmatic purposes.



* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Husk and Aspen seem to genuinely care for each other.
* FantasticRacism: Silverbirch's island hates squirrels that are colored like Urchin, mainly because of a prophecy that one would bring down a ruler.

to:

%% * EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Husk and Aspen seem to genuinely care for each other.
* FantasticRacism: FantasticRacism:
**
Silverbirch's island hates squirrels that are colored like Urchin, mainly because of a prophecy that one would bring down a ruler.



* TheGoodKing: Crispin. Also Brushen before his son was murdered.

to:

%% * TheGoodKing: Crispin. Also Brushen before his son was murdered.



* LargeHam: Mossberry takes everything he can UpToEleven.

to:

%% * LargeHam: Mossberry takes everything he can UpToEleven.



* HeroicSacrifice: In the later books, [[TearJerker darn near once a book]].
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Padra and Crispin. [[spoiler:Especially at the end of book five.]]
* HoldYourHippogriffs: "Plague/lice/fire/fleas on X"
* TheInsomniac: Husk again!

to:

%% * HeroicSacrifice: In the later books, [[TearJerker darn near once a book]].
book.
%%
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Padra and Crispin. [[spoiler:Especially at the end of book five.]]
%% * HoldYourHippogriffs: "Plague/lice/fire/fleas on X"
%% * TheInsomniac: Husk again!



* OldSoldier: Lugg
* OracularUrchin: Myrtle, though she's not creepy. Just a little hedgehog that makes predictions through pictures she didn't realize she was creating.

to:

%% * OldSoldier: Lugg
%% * OracularUrchin: Myrtle, though she's not creepy. Just a little hedgehog that makes predictions through pictures she didn't realize she was creating.



* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Averted. The books take place over several years. The first one begins with Urchin first becoming a page. The last one ends with him [[spoiler:and Sepia about to get married.]]



* PlatonicLifePartners: Urchin and Needle. Being separate species helps.

to:

%% * PlatonicLifePartners: Urchin and Needle. Being separate species helps.



* RegentForLife: Silverbirch
* RulingCouple: Crispin and Cedar.
* SilkHidingSteel: Sepia, Cedar, and probably also Larch.

to:

%% * RegentForLife: Silverbirch
%% * RulingCouple: Crispin and Cedar.
%% * SilkHidingSteel: Sepia, Cedar, and probably also Larch.

Removed: 386

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Most of the villains end up with this among the general population. On the other hand - or, most likely, exactly because of that - even the most insane ones generally avoid practicing the [[YouHaveFailedMe staple]] [[BadBoss villainous]] [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness human resource management]] tropes towards their inner circles of cronies and soldiers.

Added: 331

Removed: 72

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* PlaguedByNightmares: In the first book, Husk gets nightmares [[spoiler:after killing Prince Tumble, of the dead hedgehog sniffing him out]]. Could be seen as prophetic when [[spoiler:a short sighted baby hedgehog does the same thing innocently at the end.]]
* PlatonicLifePartners: Urchin and Needle. Being separate species helps.



* PlatonicLifePartners: Urchin and Needle. Being separate species helps.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
misuse of this trope, moving to a TRS draft of a more fitting trope


* BadDreams: In the first book, Husk gets these [[spoiler:after killing Prince Tumble, of the dead hedgehog sniffing him out]] Could be seen as prophetic when [[spoiler:a short sighted baby hedgehog does the same thing innocently at the end.]]
Tabs MOD

Changed: 1

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* {{Demythtification}}: The only "magic" comes from the Heart, and only manifests itself in prophecies or riding stars for the most part.

to:

* {{Demythtification}}: {{Demythification}}: The only "magic" comes from the Heart, and only manifests itself in prophecies or riding stars for the most part.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

[[quoteright:277:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mistmantle.jpg]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* KarmicDeath: Lady Aspen [[spoiler: poisons the queen (claiming it to be "medicine)]] so that she and Husk can conquer the kingdom. [[spoiler:After she falls out of a window, Gleamer gives her that "medicine", killing her.]]

to:

* KarmicDeath: Lady Aspen [[spoiler: poisons the queen (claiming it to be "medicine)]] so that she and Husk can conquer the kingdom. [[spoiler:After she falls out of a window, Gleamer Gleaner gives her that "medicine", killing her.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* KarmicDeath: Lady Aspen [[spoiler: poisons the queen (claiming it to be "medicine)]] so that she and Husk can conquer the kingdom. [[spoiler:After she falls out of a window, Gleamer gives her that "medicine", killing her.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


''The Mistmantle Chronicles'' is a series in the same vein of animal fantasy as ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'', ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'', and the like. It focuses around Urchin, an oddly colored squirrel who is washed up on the beach of the titular Island inhabited by moles, otters, squirrels and hedgehogs on a night of falling ("Riding" in the book's universe) stars. Most of the books take place on the generally isolated island, since "those who truely belong on Mistmantle cannot leave by water and return by water (except for Voyagers), and deal with a lot of internal strife, especially inside Mistmantle Tower. Keeps most of the animals [[AnimalStereotypes acting like they should]], meaning while hedgehogs may eat cakes and drink wine, they also enjoy bugs. Written by a minister's wife.

to:

''The Mistmantle Chronicles'' is a series in the same vein of animal fantasy as ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'', ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'', and the like. It focuses around Urchin, an oddly colored squirrel who is washed up on the beach of the titular Island inhabited by moles, otters, squirrels and hedgehogs on a night of falling ("Riding" in the book's universe) stars. Most of the books take place on the generally isolated island, since "those who truely belong on Mistmantle cannot leave by water and return by water water" (except for Voyagers), and deal with a lot of internal strife, especially inside Mistmantle Tower. Keeps most of the animals [[AnimalStereotypes acting like they should]], meaning while hedgehogs may eat cakes and drink wine, they also enjoy bugs. Written by a minister's wife.
[[http://margaretmcallister.co.uk/about.htm M. I. McAllister.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* DeathbedConfession: In ''Heir of Mistmantle'', [[spoiler: Damson ends up telling Juniper, who she believes to be Brother Fir, that his father was Captain Husk and that he both murdered his mother and attempted to drown him when he was a baby. This puts Juniper into a state of shock and self-doubt for a good part of the novel.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

** In ''Urchin and the Heartstone'', [[spoiler: this is the main reason why Gorsen and the Hedgehog Host was planning to overthrow King Crispin. He later says that only hedgehogs could be proper kings of Mistmantle because they were creatures of the earth, and that no one could respect a twitchy-tailed tree-climbing squirrel for a king.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
YMMV trope.


* {{Anvilicious}}: Again, written by a minister's wife. YMMV depending on your beliefs, of course.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Moving to proper namespace.

Added DiffLines:

''The Mistmantle Chronicles'' is a series in the same vein of animal fantasy as ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'', ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'', and the like. It focuses around Urchin, an oddly colored squirrel who is washed up on the beach of the titular Island inhabited by moles, otters, squirrels and hedgehogs on a night of falling ("Riding" in the book's universe) stars. Most of the books take place on the generally isolated island, since "those who truely belong on Mistmantle cannot leave by water and return by water (except for Voyagers), and deal with a lot of internal strife, especially inside Mistmantle Tower. Keeps most of the animals [[AnimalStereotypes acting like they should]], meaning while hedgehogs may eat cakes and drink wine, they also enjoy bugs. Written by a minister's wife.

----
!!Books in the series so far:

# Urchin of the Riding Stars
# Urchin and the Heartstone
# The Heir of Mistmantle
# Urchin and the Raven War
# Urchin and the Rage Tide

----
!!Tropes:

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Most of the villains end up with this among the general population. On the other hand - or, most likely, exactly because of that - even the most insane ones generally avoid practicing the [[YouHaveFailedMe staple]] [[BadBoss villainous]] [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness human resource management]] tropes towards their inner circles of cronies and soldiers.
* {{Anvilicious}}: Again, written by a minister's wife. YMMV depending on your beliefs, of course.
* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler:Almost all of the kings on all of the islands die by the end of the series. Even Crispin.]]
* ArmorIsUseless: Almost no one wears them, apart from the occasional helmet, even though all the Tower Animals use swords.
* BadDreams: In the first book, Husk gets these [[spoiler:after killing Prince Tumble, of the dead hedgehog sniffing him out]] Could be seen as prophetic when [[spoiler:a short sighted baby hedgehog does the same thing innocently at the end.]]
* BattleCouple: Crispin and Cedar, Arran and Padra.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Crispin has quite the long fuse, being able to take [[spoiler:murder accusations and serious critisims of his wife and kingship]]. Once you [[MoralEventHorizon cross that line]], however, Heart save you.
* TheBrute: Granite, who is content to be the sword hand of his employers, as long as they give him the license for bullying and terrorizing people.
* TheCaligula:
** King Silverbirch.
** Husk somewhat subverts his trope; while he is obviously psychotic, ''most'' of his evil deeds are done for pragmatic purposes.
* {{Demythtification}}: The only "magic" comes from the Heart, and only manifests itself in prophecies or riding stars for the most part.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Husk and Aspen seem to genuinely care for each other.
* FantasticRacism: Silverbirch's island hates squirrels that are colored like Urchin, mainly because of a prophecy that one would bring down a ruler.
* TheGoodKing: Crispin. Also Brushen before his son was murdered.
* LargeHam: Mossberry takes everything he can UpToEleven.
* LoveMakesYouCrazy: ''The Heir of Mistmantle'', with the squirrel that begins hallucinating and thinks that Crispin and Cedar's daughter is hers. She tries to leave the island with her because she thinks that Husk is still in power, and will kill her like they did her real children.
* HeroicSacrifice: In the later books, [[TearJerker darn near once a book]].
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Padra and Crispin. [[spoiler:Especially at the end of book five.]]
* HoldYourHippogriffs: "Plague/lice/fire/fleas on X"
* TheInsomniac: Husk again!
* KarmaHoudini: Tay the Historian. While not fully aware of Husk's schemes, she still helps him to plot against the king out of personal ambition, and [[spoiler:almost gets an entire nursery full of infants murdered]] and gets away with a little jail time.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: At the first glance, Lord Treeth seems like an inept buffoon. However, he is actually crafty enough [[spoiler: to foil the rescue mission to Whitewings, and to mastermind the plot that almost brought down King Crispin, by subverting the very chief of guards, assigned to guard his prison]].
* OldSoldier: Lugg
* OracularUrchin: Myrtle, though she's not creepy. Just a little hedgehog that makes predictions through pictures she didn't realize she was creating.
* MoreThanMindControl: While [[spoiler:Husk and, later, Smokewreath]] do commune with supernatural forces of evil, it is made abundantly clear that evil only managed to take hold on their souls because they were bad, bad people even before that.
* ANaziByAnyOtherName: Husk seemed intent on turning Mistmantle into a facist dictatorship with himself at the helm. He couldn't stand any deformed animals (he ''killed his own brother, wife, and attempted to kill his own illegitimate son, [[spoiler:Juniper]]'') and had any that were reported deformed killed, even when their deformities couldn't be a drain in any way and eventually animals that aren't deformed at all.
* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Averted. The books take place over several years. The first one begins with Urchin first becoming a page. The last one ends with him [[spoiler:and Sepia about to get married.]]
* PutOnABus: All of the soldiers on Team Husk at the end of ''Riding Stars'' were shipped away to random islands.
* PlatonicLifePartners: Urchin and Needle. Being separate species helps.
* RegentForLife: Silverbirch
* RulingCouple: Crispin and Cedar.
* SilkHidingSteel: Sepia, Cedar, and probably also Larch.

----

Top