Jacques, Brian

Average customer rating:

good but...
Really Good Book!!
Universal & Classic Storytelling At Its Finest
Redwall
A Great Adventure Book

Redwall (Redwall, Book 1)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441005489

Amazon.com

As the inhabitants of Redwall Abbey bask in the glorious Summer of the Late Rose, all is quiet and peaceful. But things are not as they seem. Cluny the Scourge, the evil one-eyed rat warlord, is hell-bent on destroying the tranquility as he prepares to fight a bloody battle for the ownership of Redwall. This dazzling story in the Redwall series is packed with all the wit, wisdom, humor, and blood-curdling adventure of the other books in the collection, but has the added bonus of taking the reader right back to the heart and soul of Redwall Abbey and the characters who live there.

Magical, mystical, and the stuff of legends, this stunning tale of good battling with--and ultimately triumphing over--evil takes the reader on a roller-coaster adventure that barely draws breath from the first page to the very last. Brian Jacques is a true master of his craft. --Susan Harrison

Book Description

A special release of one of the most beloved fantasy adventures of our time!

Customer Reviews:

good but..........2007-06-01

The story was fun and just what we needed as we drove around on our vacation. The major complaint I had with the recording was the vocal and sound quality. The characters' voices were often times very inconsistent with regard to the sound levels. Some character's had very grating voices, and when they would yell, it was literally painful. The narrator's voice was lilting and pleasant, and when it would switch to a another character, often times is was jarring and loud.

Really Good Book!!.......2007-05-31

Listen up yall this is 1 of the best books i ever read and the only good book in the redwall series!

Universal & Classic Storytelling At Its Finest.......2007-05-12

I started reading the Redwall series just a short time ago and I must admit that I am completely hooked. For anyone who enjoys classic storytelling in a fantasy theme, this series is a gem.

Yes, it is violent...there are battles, characters die, villains are truly villainous...both to the good and to their own followers. The violence might disturb some (particularly younger children who have not been exposed to the realities of war, death, and evil), but on the whole I found it to be very realistic, which is probably why it is not especially suitable for younger children. Good and evil are mostly treated in a black and white manner, but there is just enough gray to make it believable. And, of course, Good always wins out in the end...but at a realistic cost. Characters you love die horrible deaths at the hands of the villains, or in sacrificing for others.

There is absolutely no inclusion of any sort of sexual content whatsoever, beyond the fact that there are families, babies, and so forth...it is completely innocent in that way. Otherwise, there is no candy coating to how depraved the truly evil can be, nor to how difficult true courage and bravery are.

I feel the primary "moral" of the Redwall series is this: Peace and Happiness for individuals or a community requires vigilant protection and Good people must oftentimes act to preserve their bounty from those who would destroy it by force.

Beyond the philosophical aspects of the writing, the detail and consistency of behavior, mannerisms, and speech in each of the characters is delightful. As one progresses through the series, it becomes apparent that there are no humans involved...the buildings, ships, crafts...everything is done by the animals themselves, to their scale. Whether or not there are humans elsewhere, that is unclear, but is rather beside the point of the stories. No, these animals don't look like people...a badger is a badger, a mouse is a mouse, a sparrow is a sparrow...but they think like we do, they scheme, they go on adventures, and they live fascinating or mundane lives...all in a world where things are just a little bit magical.

Various species have dialects and some are so entertaining that it is hard to not attempt to read passages out loud just for the sheer joy of how the words sound to the ear. Knowledge of the many accents of Britain will help in this and oftentimes the accents imply a type of social stereotype to a character. Coupled with the natural behaviors and temperaments of the real world animals, this is quite a fascinating set of characters Jacques has created and it is full of humor.

This truly is classic storytelling at its universal best.

Redwall.......2007-05-03

Redwall is a really good book. It's about a mouse named Matthias that has to find the sword of Martin the Warrior and fight off the army of Cluny the Scourge. Matthias gets help from Methuselah, Constance, and Basil Stag Hare. I would recommend this book to people ages 10 to 12 because it has action, adventure, and lots of descriptive words and writing.

A Great Adventure Book.......2007-04-18

The book Redwall by Brian Jacques is a very exciting story. It is a story about a young mouse named Matthias that lives in a castle called Redwall Abbey. One day, rats came to try and take over the abbey. He knows the only way the mice can win is to find the sword of the great mouse Martin the Warrior. Matthias goes on a perilous journey for the sword; facing owls, snakes, and many other dangers on his quest to save the abbey! The main character of the story is Matthias and it takes place in a forest in the past.
Redwall is a fantasy book. The moral of the story is good triumphs evil. I would recommend this book because it is very exciting, adventurous, and mysterious. If you pick this book up, you won't be able to put it down!

Average customer rating:

High Rhulain
High Rhulain, The Quest for Freedom
High Rhulain
I feel cheated . . .
High Rhulain

High Rhulain (Redwall)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441014364

Book Description

The otters of Green Isle have long been enslaved to the Wildcat Riggu Felis and his catguards, who torture the otters at every opportunity. The otters trudge on, waiting for the day their savior will arrive—the prophesized High Rhulain, who will lead them in battle and a return to glory. Meanwhile, young Tiria Wildlough, an ottermaid at Redwall Abbey, pines for her chance to learn the ways of the warrior,much against the wishes of her father. But when an injured osprey arrives at the Abbey, seeking help for its wounds and carrying tales of an embattled clan of otters, young Tiria knows what she must do. . . .

The latest tale of Redwall from New York Times bestselling writer Brian Jacques is an empowering story of adventure and heroism sure to keep readers riveted through the final page.

Customer Reviews:

High Rhulain.......2007-05-26

This was a terrific book that couldn't leave my hands. It had many surprises, like when the outlaw otter leader got captured when he was leaving the cats' fortress. I read this book, because I have read many other Redwall books by Brian Jacques which I found excellent. Many chapters had fantastic cliffhanger endings. One example of these is that three Redwall inhabitants are going up into unknown attics when the stairs collapse and the creatures below hear screams. This was a terrific book and I would recommend it to all fantasy readers.

High Rhulain, The Quest for Freedom.......2007-05-08

High Rhulain is a novel of Redwall Abbey by Brain Jacques, and features a cast of anthropomorphized animals in various heroic or villainous roles. The Redwall Abbey stories are popular with children and young adults. The basic story is a "Quest" to have the hereditary descendant of the otter queen High Rhulain return to Green Isle and liberate the otters who face oppression and slavery at the hands, or rather the paws, of the cruel Riggu Felis and his band of wildcats.

The heroine is Tiria Wildlough, otter daughter of Skipper Banjon, Master-at-Arms of Redwall Abbey. Through deciphering the riddles of an ancient tome, and the tale of a rescued osprey, Tiria comes to the realization of the plight of the otters of Green Isle and an awareness of her destiny to return as their new High Queen Rhulain. She enlists the aid of the osprey, a migratory barnacle goose, two dozen hares of the Long Patrol from Salamandastron, and the colorful fighting rabbit and adventurer, Captain Cuthbert Frunk W. Bloodpaw, master of the Petunia, whose persona changes to match his costumes, (or vice-versa).

Several other characters contend with each other before the final struggle to free the otters of Green Isle from the scourge of wildcats; from the outlaw otter Leatho Shellhound, admired by the enslaved otters and feared by the wildcats for his exploits, to the two sons of Riggu Felis who contend with each other for their disdainful father's scant approval. There is also a pathetic band of water rats that infest the woodlands near Redwall Abbey and make a nuisance of themselves until they and their leader, Groffgut, are finally dealt with.

The quest ends following some sacrifices, but with peace and prosperity restored to Green Isle, as well as a new leader, the High Rhulain.

High Rhulain.......2007-03-30

The Queen High Rhulain of Green Isle has returned. A young ottermaid, Tiria Wildlough of Redwall, has a mysterious dream that will take her on an epic adventure. On her quest to become queen, Tiria meets many strange people such as Captain Cuthbert Frunk W. Bloodpaw, a strange Long Patrol Hare that undergoes many personality changes. I recommend this book to people that like to read fantasy novels and that don't mind reading a long book.
There are multiple fight scenes in this book. The most important one is the final battle between Tiria's forces and the Wildcats. Several good warriors, such as Pandion Pickleton( a hawk) are lost in this battle but not in vain. Tiria and her forces one the battle so now Tiria is the Queen High Rhulain.
This book is extremely engrossing. The first time I picked it up I read at least fifty pages. All the chapters leave you with several questions in your mind so you have to keep reading. For example, the final battle lasts a couple of chapters so I did not want to stop reading because a soldier would not stop in the middle of a battle, right?
This is a great book to read because you can actually see everything that is going on because it is so well written. You can picture all the great foods around you, you can vividly see what all of the characters look like, and you can see the outcome of war after a battle.
Finally, I like fighting, and this book has a lot of it. So there, this book has a lot of fighting, it is well written, and you can't put it down once you start reading it. I recommend this book to fantasy lovers, and if that is you, than go pick up a copy and start reading. Hey, everything is better than just sitting on the couch doing nothing, right?

I feel cheated . . ........2007-02-03

The story is alright, however I have collected all the Redwall books since day one and have noticed something that appears to be a trend in the book publishing industry.
I thought this series was great. So good, in fact, that I faithfully collected it in hardcover until this last book. Has anyone else noticed that Philomel along with other publishers have switched to low quality materials for their hardcover books? Take a look at the paper for instance. We all paid a lot of money for a seriously inferior product. Just compare the other volumes in this set and then this last book. You won't like it when the first 16 look okay in about 5 years, but the new ones are already yellowed with age. I have already seen the yellowing at my local library and am so annoyed for spending money on junk. Wait for the paperback, this is the same just about 4 times as expensive.
Shame on Philomel!

High Rhulain.......2007-02-02

High Rhulain

This book is called High Rhulain written by Brian Jacques. It is published by Philomel Books in 2005. It has 336 pages and its genre is sci-fi fantasy. This book is part of the Redwall series. High Rhulain is just like all the other Redwall series where it follows all the characters through the book.
This book is about animals with human like characteristics. For example there are mice, otters, moles, badgers, voles, and rabbits, which are considered the good animals. Then there are the evil animals which consist of rats, foxes, weasels, and wildcats. This book focuses on otters and wildcats. Tiria, a Redwall resident, goes out from Redwall to the mysterious Green Isle. There she must fulfill and ancient prophecy and gain her inheritance. Green Isle is the home of otterclans and wildcats led by the evil Riggu Felis and his catguards. They took the otters fortress and enslaved them all. Tiria is joined by two birds and a squad of long patrol rabbits to take out Riggu Felis.
I liked the book. The more I read the better it got. The farther you get the more intense everything becomes and more suspense and interest is built up. The strong parts of the books are the fights and battles. Brian Jacques explains them very clearly so you can picture in your mind what all the characters are doing. The weak parts are when the book is at Redwall abbey. It is very boring there and there is just a bunch of talking and explaining.
Overall High Rhulain was a good book. I would recommend it to any age. If you like the Redwall series you will like this a lot. It is one of the best of the series and it's hard to put down.

Average customer rating:

The Quest for Mattimeo
Excellent Book for everyone young and old
Great novel
Great series
Mattimeo! The new champion of Redwall!

Mattimeo (Redwall, Book 3)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441006108

Amazon.com

Preparations for the feast for the Summer of the Golden Rain are underway at Redwall Abbey, and young Mattimeo's mother sets him to work with the other inhabitants. His father, Matthius, is the guardian of Redwall Abbey and it is this fact that puts the young Mattimeo in danger, as the evil Slagar the Fox plots to kidnap him in a bid to shake the very foundations of the Abbey and its inhabitants.

Rip-roaring adventure at its very best, Mattimeo is one of the exquisitely executed and totally bewitching tales in the best-selling Redwall series. Brian Jacques, with his masterly use of language and enviable talent for descriptive prose that transports the reader to the very heart of Redwall, magically weaves an epic tale breathtaking in proportion and design. Utterly addictive, Mattimeo is packed with so much color, passion, fury, and love that it will leave readers desperate for more. --Susan Harrison

Book Description

In the magnificent tradition of Waershop Down, an extraordinary tale of corageous adventure -- from the author of Redwall and Mossflower.

In the summer of the Golden Plain, the cunning fox, Slagar the cruel, and his evil henchmen sneak into Redwall Abbey to kidnap the woodland children -- including Mattimeo, son of the great warrior mouse Matthias. Now Matthias and a handful of brave followers must abandon their home to the mercy of General Ironbeak's invading ravens in order to rescue their stolen little ones. But on the road to a dread kingdom and certain slavery, an unexpected hero will be born -- and the captive mouse-child Mattimeo will prove himself worthy at last to wield the sword of his illustrious father.</p>

Customer Reviews:

The Quest for Mattimeo.......2007-05-20

I would recommend this book because it is full of action and intensity. When I started reading this book, I never wanted to put it down. After every page, it just got better and better. There were many surprises in this book, like if there is a battle or new enemy; it was just full of surprises. I would and have read a book by Brian Jacques, which was Redwall, the first book in the series. Now I am reading the prequel to Redwall, Mossflower. Overall, Mattimeo was a terrific book.

Excellent Book for everyone young and old.......2007-04-16

Tis book tells the story of Mattiemo, a young mouse who is captured by Slagar the fox in a break in at Redwall. He and all of his friends are taken to an evil land but Mattiemo's father Matthias is hot on this trail!!!!!

This is a good book for those that have read the series before (Expecially Redwall). It brings back our favorite characters, including Basil Stag Hare, Jess Squirrel, Matthias, Cornflower, Tim and Tess, plus many more.
It has a good plot, plus many emotions including sadness, romance, courage and a huge fighting spirit.

Great novel.......2006-11-21

"Mattimeo" tells the story of the son of Matthias the Warrior, who happens to be named Mattimeo. The plot is compelling and whimsical, great especially for younger readers, and I enjoyed it even more than "Redwall". There were only a couple of minor things that kept me from giving it the full five stars.

First of all, there are the numerous (that may well be an understatement) descriptions of Slagar's mask. Believe me, if you don't know what material that mask is made of by the end of the book then you have some serious attention problems. Quotes such as "Slagar grinned from behind the silken mask" and "The silk mask sucked into a hideous grin" are okay when used in moderation, but when we are bombarded endlessly with these nearly identical descriptions, it detracts from rather than adds to the story. I'm sorry, *what* was the mask made from again?

The other thing that bothered me was the apparent lack of attention to proportion. For example, at one point, Slagar gets angry at an impudent Mattimeo and starts beating the young mouse with a cane. And yet, according to Brian Jacques, Mattimeo does not feel the blows at all. Am I the only one who thinks this is simply absurd? A fox beating a mouse with a cane would be like King Kong beating a human with an uprooted tree - that's how big foxes are compared to mice. Forget feeling the blows, Mattimeo should be crushed by them!

But despite these things, I really enjoyed the story of Mattimeo, and I would recommend it to anyone who has read other books in the series or who just loves animal fantasy. I also recommend the fantastic "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" series by Kathryn Lasky and the "Warriors" books by Erin Hunter.

Great series.......2006-10-18

Great series for young and old looking for a mental shut-down for bed book.

Mattimeo! The new champion of Redwall!.......2006-10-17

Mattimeo is kidnapped by Slagar and his gang along with many other young ones. He is forced to travel to an evil kingdom where he will become a tortured slave forever. But, Mattimeo's father and many other parents are hot on Slagar's trail ready to fight him and any other obstacles that they may encounter.

I really liked this book because of the suspense and creepy parts of the book. The characters in this story were believable even though they are talking animals. There were gory parts though but if you are 11 or older it is pretty cool.

Average customer rating:

A True Gem of Fantasy
Mossflower
The Kids Will Roar With Laughter!
proto-Redwall - but everyone acts the same
Mice, Badgers, Otters and more

Mossflower (Redwall, Book 2)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441005764

Amazon.com

Brian Jacques's superb Redwall series truly captures the finest in storytelling tradition and combines it with the ultimate in upbeat, catch-your-breath adventure. Mossflower tells the story of Martin the Warrior, who finds himself trespassing on the land of Verdagua, King of a Thousand Eyes, as he lies sick and near dying. With his last strength, Verdagua is struggling to make a decision on who should replace him as ruler of Mossflower Country. As Martin and his newfound friend and fellow prisoner Gonff become embroiled in the battle against Verdagua's ruthless daughter, Tsarmina, a bloody fight between good and evil ensues.

Stunning landscapes, brilliant characterization, masterly plots, and a wicked sense of humor unite in this epic tale of derring-do and the triumph of good over evil, making it one of the most addictive and memorable books that anyone is ever likely to read. --Susan Harrison

Book Description

Mossflower, prequel to Redwall, is widely acknowledged by fans as one of the most memorable volumes of the bestselling Redwall series. It is now available in a special format, with six all-new, full-page illustrations and a brand-new map by David Elliot (illustrator of Triss and The Angel's Command, and winner of the 2003 New Zealand Post Children's Book Award). Fans will be eager to add it to their collections, and those new to the Redwall series will want to pick it up to find out how the grand epic got its start.

Customer Reviews:

A True Gem of Fantasy.......2007-05-20

The Redwall series was recommended to me by my own readers, who recognized a similarity between the writing style, animorphism, and medieval setting of my own debut novel "The Other Side of Yore" and of Brian Jaques' famous books. As I learned more about the books, I was amazed that the books had escaped my attention for so long. Sure I had heard the name in passing, but I really didn't know what the books were about, and had probably passed them over as too child-oriented when I was a young blossoming fan of fantasy. Boy, had I been missing out!
Mossflower may be the best YA fantasy book I've read since "The Hobbit," maybe even surpassing "The Chronicles of Narnia" for imagination, superb writing skill, literary worth, and sheer reading enjoyment!
Far from being just a book for young adults, I am well over thirty and highly critical of most fiction books, and was unable to put the book down. Not only does Jaques write in an incredibly skillful and beautiful style, but his plots and subplots are nothing short of genious. The character developement of the animorphed creatures is far superior to even the average bestselling book of fiction starring realistic human characters. Jaques is a master of dialogue and dialect, and I especially enjoyed the strange coloquial mole-speech;
"Hurr, Oi be liken it moiself better'n any deeper-n'-ever pie oive et, stan' on moi hole!"
The triumphs, determinations, and gallant speeches of Martin the Warrior actually brought tears to my eyes a few times during the tale, and the antics and humorous songs and poems of Gonff made me laugh out loud more than once.
What's more, Jaques created a complex villian to be copied by fantasy authors for centuries to come in the characterization of the wicked cat Tsarmina, and painted a thoroughly believable array of personalities and attitudes in the various soldiers of her army.
Like Tolkien's work, Jaques has also done his homework thoroughly, and has created a vast history to support his tales, which I think is a trait missing from many of the more fly-by-night and commercial fantasies of today.
By the end of this novel, you will have forgotten that mice can't talk and that badgers don't wield swords, having become intimately familiar with some of the most realistic personalities ever to grace the pages of literature. I cannot recommend this book enough, and am sure that the others in the series will be equally delightful!
J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

Mossflower.......2007-04-09

"Mossflower" is the epic prequel to "Redwall". Written by Brian Jacques, it is a book full of adventure and surprise.
The peaceful woodland creatures of Mossflower are forced to live under the tyrannical rule of the evil wildcat queen, Tsarmina. That is until the coming of Martin the Warrior. Martin brings hope and promise to the animals of Mossflower. With the help of a mighty weapon, the habitants of Mossflower will ban together to take back what is rightfully theirs and put an end to the evil reign of Tsarmina.
I highly recommend this book. It is full of action that draws the reader in and keeps him/her reading.

The Kids Will Roar With Laughter!.......2007-03-26

This is the second Redwall-series book, but is actually a prequel to "Redwall". The storyline is very thin, but it is certainly exciting for the kids with lots of action. My kids produced plenty of laughter due to the antics of Martin, Gonff, and Young Dinny. Jacques writes well, and this is to the benefit of my children who want to plow through the umpteen books in this series. One is enough, though, for me to read aloud. (For now, until they beg for more!)

proto-Redwall - but everyone acts the same.......2007-02-11

"Mossflower" is the third audiobook I've listened to in the Redwall series, the other two being "Redwall" and "Taggerung." The best thing about the series is the sense of being drawn into a charming world through Brian Jacques' vivid descriptions, rich vocabulary, and use of epithets and reoccurring scenes and character traits that create a sense of familiarity and connection to the Redwall world for the reader. Identifying the parts of the typical Redwall framework adds a layer of interest to listening to the story. The down side is (for the adult reader at any rate) the stories can become too predictable and the characters less archetype and more stereotype. There is no question as to which characters are Good and which are Evil, it's embedded in their species, and that sort of simplification tends to make the story slightly less compelling (for me, at least).

Regarding "Mossflower" in particular, the storyline was consistantly entertaining, but there were some weaknesses with characters - I didn't find Martin to be that compelling as a hero, given his legendary status in the other books. The scenes with the Bad Guys were repetitive and Tsarmina was not a very nuanced antagonist, not a good leader, or much of a threat to the Good Guys - in contrast to Cluny in "Redwall" who was a fun character to watch and a viable threat. But even in "Redwall" the scenes with the villains were fairly one-note. Possibly it's the author's intent to make the evil side seem boring and futile and predictable, and the villains as dumb, easily led, and self-defeating. But for me the lack of subtlety takes away from the story.

"Mossflower" didn't live up to "Redwall" in my estimation, but the Redwall world is fun to be drawn into all the same.

Mice, Badgers, Otters and more.......2007-01-27

"The arrow flew through the air and pieced Martin in the shoulder, he didn't flinch." This is a snippet of Brian Jacques' book Mossflower. Mossflower is Brian Jacques' second book in the Redwall series, a series that talks of the adventures of many animals connected in some way to the abbey called Redwall.
In Mossflower, Tsmaria, a vicious wildcat, has taken over the village in Mossflower woods and all its creatures, including hedgehogs, moles, squirrels, otters, mice, etc. These creatures are called Woodlanders. The Woodlanders used to live in the village and farm the nearby land, but Tsmaria changed that. She taxed the creatures so heavily that they were forced to retreat deeper into Mossflower woods. One day Martin the Warrior, a mouse, stumbled upon Mossflower and joined the Woodlanders. Bella, a badger and one of the leaders of the Woodlanders, saw great courage in Martin so she sent him on a quest. The quest: to bring her father, Boar the Fighter, back to Mossflower to free them from Tsmaria. Gonff, prince of mouse thieves, and Dinny, a mole, went with Martin to Salamandastorn, a badger mountain, where Boar the Fighter was living.
Mossflower is a good book in many ways, it combines adventure, battles, strategy and trickery into an outstanding story. I like how the battle scenes are described and how he gives some foreshadowing in the beginning. I also like how the ending does not end abruptly and quickly, there's some suspense. Brian Jacques did a stellar job in creating this book; he is one of my favorite authors. Other Redwall books Brian has written are Martin the Warrior, The Long Patrol, The Legend of Luke, Redwall, Pearls of Lutra and many more. I have liked all of his books but Mossflower was my favorite and I encourage you to read it.

Average customer rating:

A Beautiful Tale
Flippin' great, wot!
great series
A great book, one of the the best!
Feels like a failed experiment: not bad, but not worth reading or memorable. Not recommended.

Triss (Redwall, Book 15)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441010954
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Amazon.com

Wot, Wot?! Could it be another epic Redwall tale (tail?) thick with high adventure, heavy accents, and leek-and-turnip pasty from the beloved beast master himself, Brian Jacques? It is indeed, happy readers. Triss, the 15th book in the distinguished and wildly popular animal fantasy series, chronicles the exploits of a brave squirrel maid who travels from the bonds of slavery to the meeting of her destiny as a warrior at Redwall Abbey. Triss the squirrel, Shogg the otter, and Welfo the hedgehog, all slaves to the bloodthirsty royal ferret family of Riftgard, filch a ferret boat and sail away from the murderous clutches of Princess Kurda and her malevolent father, King Agarnu. Swearing revenge, Kurda sets out to recapture her slaves, her evil Ratguard troops reinforced by the pirate fox Plugg Firetail and his band of criminal Freebooters. At the same time, the badger Sagaxus and his bosom friend Bescarum the hare also set sail from Salamanstrom, to seek adventure on the high seas. Meanwhile, back at the abbey, the Redwall inhabitants are being plagued by a mystery that involves a hidden door, a secret code, and three stinking, sinister snake siblings that are picking off the gentle forest folk one by one. Any ardent fan of Redwall knows that what comes next will include sword fights, feasting, raucous good humor, and a thrilling climax. Jacques's fervent followers are rewarded with the author's usual swashbuckling good storytelling, while the newly initiated will read with wide eyes, and quickly go back to hungrily devour the rest of the series. (Ages 10 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

In this 15th Redwall adventure, the brave squirrelmaid Triss plans a daring escape from the enslavement of the evil ferret King Agarnu and his daughter Princess Kurda.

Download Description

In this 15th Redwall adventure, the brave squirrelmaid Triss plans a daring escape from the enslavement of the evil ferret King Agarnu and his daughter Princess Kurda.

Customer Reviews:

A Beautiful Tale.......2007-03-29

I gave Triss five stars because I really enjoyed it. I loved the poems and songs, especially how they help the charactors of the story. I also enjoyed the fact that all of the charactors in the story were animals. I like how the dialogue really went along with characters,and every animal has its own accent and uses different choices of words. I really found the story very intersting. It had some adventure (which I liked) but mainly dialogue and description. One thing I found most amazing was that at the beginning of every chapter the author makes a beautiful description of the setting. I really enjoyed the story and I hope many people do too.

Flippin' great, wot!.......2007-03-29

Great stuff, wot! I really enjoy the way that Jacques uses dialogue and poetry in his stories. I can almost hear the medieval music playing in the background. Triss is an excellent protagonist. It's great to see a female hero for a change, especially one with such a driving desire to do justice and set wrongs to right. Sagyx, Scarum, the dibbuns, and even the "baddies" in this tale send me far away from the drudgery of everyday life. Keep up the great stuff Mr. Jacques, I'll gladly return to Mossflower Woods for as long as you can take me there! Redwall!!! Eulalia!! Logalog!!!

great series.......2006-10-18

Great series for young and old looking for a mental shut-down for bed book.

A great book, one of the the best!.......2006-10-12

This book started out a little slow but, the more you read the better it gets. It was a great book Wot Wot! It starts out in Riftgaurd, an evil fortress ruled by Ferrets. Triss (Trisscar), the squirrel, and two of her friends, are escape slaves. Princess Kurda
and Prince Bladd are determined to capture them.
In Redwall the dibbons (toddlers) are out of control when two escape into the woods! Find out what surprise is in store in Mossflower.
This book was exciting and fun, another great book by Brian Jacques. I recommend this book to you. (I suggest you read the first one before you read this) Don't forget the other Redwall books these are good books also!

Feels like a failed experiment: not bad, but not worth reading or memorable. Not recommended........2006-08-01

The fifteenth Redwall novel, Triss is the story of slaves, pirates, treasure, and riddles. Triss is an escaped slave from the north, hotly pursued by her captors and a Freebooter crew. Meanwhile, a young badger and a hare leave Salamadastron to begin an adventure on their own, and Redwallers discover clues leading them towards Brockhall, the badger home and safehouse from the days before Redwall. The three stories come together when Triss meets up with Sagax the badger and they are chased deep into Mossflower Wood. All of the usual aspects of the Redwall books are here--riddles, adventures, travel, battles, lots of food, as well as a variety of cultures and accents, yet in Triss they seem different: over-exaggerated in many places and unusual in others. Accents are almost comical, the emphasis on food is heavy-handed, and the riddles come in the form of a coded language. Furthermore, the diverse storylines in Triss remain independent almost all of the way through, and the text only feels united and complete in the last through chapters. Despite my love for the Redwall series, I wasn't impressed with this book. I found some characters annoying (a first for this series) and didn't find the plot very exciting. This was just a bad book for Jacques, and it's the first Redwall book I wouldn't recommend.

No doubt that the books in the Redwall series all operate in the same way: they all contain adventures, battles, cultures, accents, food, and riddles. Jacques makes each story unique, but those underlying aspects are almost always there. They are also present in Triss, but it feels like Jacques uses them in a different way in this text. Many of the aspects, food, accents, and riddles in particular, are exaggerated even to the point of being foolish or annoying. Others, the adventures in particular, are isolated from one another, split into too many concurrent plots that don't come together until the end. It seems to me that Jacques was trying to do soemthing new with this book: mix up old aspects, make something funny/more extreme, and approach the plot in a new way. I consider it a failed attempt. Triss doesn't read as smoothly as most Redwall books, and the food and accents actually make some of the characters annoying--something I've never seen before in the series.

That said, Triss isn't a bad book. Jacques is still a solid writer, and even while experimenting with new interpretations of his themes, he manages to write a good, exciting plot with a number of interesting and admirable characters (the warriors, and the protagonist specifically). The book still reads quickly, the sea travel in particular is well described, and journey towards Brockhall should excite longtime readers of the series who will remember it from Mossflower. I do wish that there had been more about Brockhall, however, beyond the final battle there, but I was happy to see it regardless.

Nonetheless, this is the first Redwall book that I wouldn't recommend. It's not a bad read, doesn't take much time, and is probably interesting to longtime Redwall readers. However, it's a poor example of a Redwall book and it feels like a failed experiment on Jacques' part. It's a book you can skip--nothing too important to the larger Redwall chronology occurs, the characters don't stand out, and you'll save yourself some aggravation by avoiding the annoying character that crop up. Unfortunate, but true. I don't recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

Redwall books
Suprising redwallian misadventure
I WISH I COULD GIVE A BILLION STARS!
Warriors and Peacemakers
A Redwall Review

Mariel of Redwall (Redwall, Book 4)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Mattimeo (Redwall, Book 3)
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Mossflower
Martin the Warrior (Redwall, Book 6)
The Bellmaker (Redwall, Book 7)

ASIN: 0142302392

Amazon.com

Heaved off her ship in a pirate raid, Mousemaid Mariel is washed up on the shores of Mossflower. With no idea where she is, or indeed who she is, the young warrior mouse embarks on an unforeseen adventure that will take her to the very heart of Redwall and into the arms of the people who live there.

Mariel of Redwall is a captivating and magical adventure story in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. At times gentle, but mostly packed with adventure and heroism on the grandest of scales, this tale is at once delightful and devastating in its proportions.

Jacques weaves his customary magic, taking the reader to the heart and soul of the mythical Redwall--welcoming, terrifying, magical, and at times all too real. The place, the characters, and the adventure spring to life in a bout of indefinable magic, mystery, and mayhem. An excellent book that will leave readers begging for more. (Fortunately, there's plenty more where this came from!) --Susan Harrison

Book Description

When the rat pirate Gabool the Wild attacks the mouse-ship carrying Joseph the Bellmaker, he plunders its magnificent bell in a fit of greed, and then pitilessly casts Joseph and his daughter Mariel into the raging sea. After she is rescued and brought to Redwall Abbey, Mariel sets out with three fearless Mossflower companions (and her trusty rope-weapon, the Gullwhacker) to track down Gabool and avenge her father-and thus begins an unforgettable battle!

Customer Reviews:

Redwall books.......2007-01-12

My son and I love spending time reading these books together! It keeps his attention and I also enjoy them.

Suprising redwallian misadventure.......2006-11-06

I love the redwall series. Every book is a joyous romp. Stories and characters are interesting and thoroughly enjoyable. This book, however, marked something of a departure. I was on a big redwall high when I first read the book, and read books 1-4 in order. When I got to this one (4), I was dissapointed. All of the redwall books have some familiarity as to the type of story, but this one came off as downright formulaic. The characters aren't very interesting or unusual, and the plot moves ahead at more of a plod than the usual redwall trot. The supposedly terrifying villian shows himself to be paranoid and incompetent and little else, a contrast to his supposed tyrannical and iron-clawed ways. His name is an eyesore to the sight and a complete departure from the usual creative, well-named villians of the other books. Mariel herself is somewhat amusing, but decidely one-dimensional and other than joseph, the other main characters are hardly drawn at all. This is easily the worst book in the redwall series, and when I've been surprised to see its one he's decided to build off of, considering how poorly done it is by comparison to other works in the series.

Read it only for the sake of reading the whole series, and possibly because of the re-use of characters in other books. It's a page-turner, but only because you can't wait for it to end.

I WISH I COULD GIVE A BILLION STARS!.......2006-07-21

I absolutely LOVE this book! It is sooo suspenseful, and a genuine page turner! Every one of Jacques' books I've read so far are truly amazing, and I praise him for his hard work!

Warriors and Peacemakers.......2006-03-14

One of my favorite Redwall books, with a strong and resourceful heroine. (Of course, she couldn't do it without her friends!) Mariel is tough and plucky, but a sweet soul deep down, and her battle to save her father and defeat the cruel and crazy Gabool the Wild is pure, thrilling Redwall adventure.
Notable also is Saxtus, whose clear-headed strategies help protect his home, despite his anti-war sentiments.

A Redwall Review.......2006-01-26

Mariel of Redwall
By: Brian Jacques
Mariel, daughter of the legendary Joseph the Bell maker, was on the shrew ship Periwinkle when barbaric sea rats under Gabool the king of all sea rats raided it.

When Gabool throws mariel off his island into the stormy ocean her mind becomes is plunged into an epic adventure when she pledges to kill Gabool and all his sea rats. She will have to battle giant lobsters, fight along side mouse eating battle owls, and attack furious sea rats. And while all this is happening A the parallel story of Gabool the Wild and how his mind is slowly tainted. And then yet another story unfolds as Graypatch traitor to Gabool attacks and tries to take Redwall the ancient and legendary abbey that represents peace and happiness.

Brian Jacques writing is funny, suspenseful, exciting, and is appealing to younger readers and the younger readers in older readers. Brian Jacques has written many books all equal if not better than Mariel of Redwall.

Average customer rating:

nicolas's review
One of the Greatest Books Ever Written
Great series
An exciting look into Martin's past and a wonderful read that takes a look at big issues. Highly recommended
The best one!

Martin the Warrior (Redwall, Book 6)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441001866

Amazon.com

Bedrang the Stoat has his evil eyes set on ruling over his own empire, and will do anything to make sure that his ultimate fantasy is fulfilled. But little does he realize that the quiet, nameless mouse he is holding captive will one day turn out to be the heroic and fearless Martin the Warrior.

Brian Jacques uses the full force of his stunning storytelling talent to unravel the mystery and adventure that unfolds in this tale of Redwall as a quiet little mouse refuses to bow down to a tyrant and bids to fight for freedom at any cost. Brimming with cutthroat skullduggery and intellectual intrigue, Martin the Warrior is a mountainous tale that introduces the ethos and passions of Redwall with a host of well-drawn characters, each with their own Achilles' heel, making them feel as real as they are magical. --Susan Harrison

Book Description

On the shore of the Eastern Sea, in a cold stone fortress, a stoat named Badrang holds dozens of innocent creatures as slaves, part of his scheme to build an empire where he will rule as unquestioned tyrant. Among those slaves is a mouse named Martin who has a warrior's heart and a burning desire for freedom—freedom not only for himself, but for all of Badrang's victims. There is no risk he will not take, no battle he will not fight, to end the stoat's evil reign and in the process regain the sword of his father, Luke the Warrior—the sword that Badrang stole from him when he was but a lad!

Customer Reviews:

nicolas's review.......2007-05-07

A fantastic story from the Redwall series, Martin the Warrior, is a mix of friendship and battles against a ruthless rat clan. This "National best seller" from Brian Jacques is about a mouse named Martin, who gets captured in the rat's prison. This story is full of foxes, lizards, moles, rats, and of course, mice. Most fantasy lovers and animal lovers will keep rereading this fantastic book about how friendship can help others in times of conflict. As most good stories are, all Brian Jacques books are well more than worth reading. And all animals have human characteristics.

One of the Greatest Books Ever Written.......2007-03-19

I have to admit that when I first heard of the Redwall series, I had my doubts. I mean, a book about animals? However, I decided to give them a chance and now they are my favorite books of all time.
Martin the Warrior is my favorite out of the series. I love how the characters interact with each other in a way that makes you want to be more like them. They stuck together through everything, and in the end the slaves were freed and the sword that once belonged to Luke was returned to it's rightful owner, Martin the Warrior.
I recommend this book, as well as the whole series to kids of all ages. If you like the Redwall books, you will probably also like Brian jacques' other series, the Castaway series.

Great series.......2006-10-18

Great series for young and old looking for a mental shut-down for bed book.

An exciting look into Martin's past and a wonderful read that takes a look at big issues. Highly recommended.......2006-09-25

The sixth Redwall novel, Martin the Warrior is the story of young Martin's imprisonment by, escape from, and war against the Badrang the Tyrant, ruler of Marshank. Martin is a young mouse, the son of Luke the Warrior. He is captured and enslaved by Badrang, and one night, after violent insurrection, tied up to suffer through a raging storm. It is then he meets Rose, a maiden mouse from the peaceful sanctuary of Noonvale whose brother Brome has also been captured by Badrang. Martin, Rose, and Brome arrange from an escape from Marshank, promising the other slaves that they will one day come back to free them all and to destroy Badrang and his fortress forever. With the help of a roving band of circus performers and a mass of willful slaves, and across a journey through the coastal lands, Brome and Martin each struggle to stay alive, build an army, and return to destroy Badrang. This is a throughly enjoyable installment of the Redwall series, Martin the Warrior provides anxiously-awaited background to Martin's character as he discovers and refines his fighting spirit, experiences peace in Noonvale, and forms a deep friendship with Rose. The book is exciting, the characters (particularly those of Martin, the warrior Felldoh, and the peaceful Brome) are realistic and inspiring, and the book tackles some of the ethical and personal problems of war and the warrior's life that the other Redwall books overlook. It is a great read, a logical lead up to later Redwall books and to the building of Redwall itself, and one of the better books in this series.

Fans of Redwall will of course recognize Martin as the mouse that freed the woodlanders in Mossflower and passed on his sword in Redwall. The chance to read about Martin's life before coming to Mossflower should interest all fans of the series. The center of this book is Martin's coming of age as he changes from youth to an experienced warrior. He also sees his first glimpse of peace when he visits Noonvale with Rose, and it is that journey that will later inspire him to hang up his sword for good in Redwall. This prequel gives insight into Martin's character, his history, and what events created the freedom-loving, peace-desiring Warrior that plays such an important part in other books and remains at the heart of the entire Redwall series.

Martin the Warrior does a spectacular job dealing with war, peace, and factors that drive an individual towards one or the other. Character like Martin, Brome, and Felldoh run a full gamit from peaceful healer to righteous fighter to vengeful warrior, and the book forthrightly deals with issues such as war, death, and peace. Many of the other Redwall books take issues such as these for granted, and no where else in the series are they explored in such depth. These topics give the book great meaning, encourage thought about morals and justice, and create complex and meaningful characters and storylines, especially in the case of Martin.

Beyond these new aspects, the usual parts of a Redwall book are all present: unique and amusing character, good food, exciting journeys, evil enemies, large battles, cleverness, and a mixture of humor and fierce determination. Between two and three storylines run concurrently throughout the text, keeping the action moving along; Badrang and the secondary bad guy Clogg make for a challenging, ruthless enemy that the reader will love to hate. Above all, Martin is realistic, powerful character that is easy to love and to root for. Martin the Warrior is an enjoyable text to read and to reread, and one of the best of the Redwall novels. I highly recommend it.

The best one!.......2006-08-16

I love the Redwall books because the charictors are great and there is a ton of action. This one is the best book because of how much is happening. Friends turn to enemys and enemys turn to friends. This book is also a tear jerker because if all the deaths but I love it anyway!

Average customer rating:

The Book of Salamandstron
Amazing Adventures
Salamandastron
Great series
Not the best Rewall novel, but still a solid read with compelling characters and exciting climax. Recomended

Salamandastron (Redwall, Book 5)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Mariel of Redwall (Redwall, Book 4)
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Outcast of Redwall (Redwall, Book 8)

ASIN: 0142501522

Amazon.com

As the inhabitants of Redwall relax in the haze of the long, hot summer, they are unaware that the neighboring stronghold of Salamandastron lies besieged by the evil weasel army of Ferhago the Assassin. Nor do they realize that Mara, beloved daughter of Urthsipe, Badger Lord of the Fire Mountain, is in terrible danger. But when a lightening bolt uncovers the sword of Martin the Warrior, young Samkin embarks on adventure that leads him to Mara, and their lives become inextricably entwined.

Brian Jacques once again strikes to the heart in this stunningly executed adventure, another in the best-selling Redwall series, proving, if indeed proof was needed, that he ranks high among the best children's authors in the world. His genius lies in his ability to capture character and atmosphere with a stroke of a pen, drawing the reader in until the only way to start breathing again is to finish the book. --Susan Harrison

Book Description

The inhabitants of Redwall relax in the haze of summer-but as they do, the neighboring stronghold of Salamandastron lies besieged by the evil weasel army of Ferhago the Assassin. Worse still, Mara, beloved daughter of Urthstripe, Badger Lord of the Fire Mountain, is in terrible danger. Then a lightning bolt uncovers the sword of Martin the Warrior, and young Samkin embarks on an adventure that leads him to Mara. Can the good creatures triumph over the villainous Assassin?

Illustrated by Gary Chalk

Customer Reviews:

The Book of Salamandstron.......2007-06-16

The Book of Salamandstron

Salamandstron, written by Brian Jacques in 1992 and published in 1993, is the fifth book in the Redwall Series. Like all Redwall books, Salamandstron is an animal adventure saga, which picturesquely describes a stunning tale set in medieval times. Intently, because of the strength of the story line, the reader will continue on through the book, like a bookworm, to find out what happens in the end When finished the person who examines this book, will have perused 391 obsessive pages, which, as interpreted, would have taken the reader through the world of Redwall.

Since the book, at times, tells five different stories, there are several different main characters and several antagonists. The first main character to be introduced is Lord Uthstripe the Strong, the Badger lord of Salamandstron, a mountain fortress. The Badgers lords of this massive mountain are mysterious characters. They are fierce fighters and reckless worries, who at times can be possessed by the terrible blood wrath and kill all in sight. Uthstrip's adopted daughter Mara, at the beginning of the book, was not content with her life at Salamandstron. The military fortress was strict and forcible, and Mara did not like her restrictions. Samkin, a young squirrel, contentedly lived at Redwall Abbey. In the beginning he was very mischievous and many times because of his carelessness, almost caused serous injuries. Ferahgo was an evil, cruel, pain-causing tyrant, who was the assassin weasel and chieftain of the horde of corps makers. Cruelly he Murdered Urthstripes parents and caused Urthstripe and his albino brother to be separated. Ferahgo's son Klitch was just as evil and crafty as his father. Fighting against each other, both wanted control of Salamandstron. Another enemy (although not a living creature) gets introduced about half way through the book. A terrible sickness called Dryditch Fever takes hold of the Abbey. It almost wipes out all. Although the characters all have different story lines within the book, each one is tied together in the end.

Opening at Salamandstron, the story begins with gloom. From the first, as Urthstripe reveals his anxiety for Mara with the words "Any sign of Mara yet?" it tells of Mara's discontentedness with the strictly ruled life she is living. It opens with her gone on one of her frequent run-a-ways. When she returns after two days absence from the mountain she brings two vermin, one of them Klitch, who falsely befriended her. Urthstripe throws the weasel and his companion out of the mountain, and Mara becomes so angry that she runs away for good. Accidentally (at Redwall) Samkin finds the skillfully crafted sword of the Legendary Hero, Martin the Warrior, but two stoats evilly steal the magnificent sword. The vermin were part of Ferahgo's horde but deserted. Samkin and Arula (Samkin's mole friend) chase after the stoats because the sword, which they took, represents the spirit of Redwall and could not be lost. They met some peculiar friends. Back at the Abbey Dry Ditch Fever broke out. Everywhere, from Salamandstron to Redwall Abbey trouble seemed to be taking hold of the good guys.

As the book continues the troubles grow worse. Mara, after being chased by Ferahgo's horde, escapes, but was betrayed into the hands of King Glagweb, the head of a cannibal toad tribe. Unfortunately she and several shrews, which were also caught, were going to be served up at a special occasion. Back at Redwall Thrugg, a brave otter set out on a journey to the mountains of the north to try to find the Icetor Flowers, which will cure any sickness. Sadly, however he gets trapped. Attacking him, a horde of crows in a pine forest almost overwhelmed Thrugg and his little friend baby Dumble. Samkin and his mole friend Arula were still persistently chasing after the vermin who stole the sword, when, one died of Dryditch fever and the other was killed by Ferahgo's tracker rats. The head of the trackers took the sword and headed back to Ferahgo's horde, but Samking and Arula still followed. They followed to get back the sword, they followed for their friends at the abbey, and they followed to slay the takers of Martins legendary blade. At Redwall Abbey, as dry ditch fever took victim after victim, all but two or three animals were stricken. At Salamandstron there was great famine because Ferahgo who besieged the mountain somehow destroyed or poisoned all the mountains food. Will Redwall Abbey be wiped out, or will Thrugg get back in time with the Icetor flowers? Will Mara and her friends be eaten or will they find a way to escape? Will Samkin retrieve the great sword? Will Salamandstron hold out? To discover what happens, READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If The book Salamandstron is amazing it is because it seizes and holds the readers attention. Having a good story line, this book is extremely well written. Undoutedly, another reason this book is so good is because Brian Jacques uses very descriptive adjectives and excellent verbs as illustrations for every scene. The story builds up suspense. Throughout, it never contradicts itself. The story is very vivid. Salamandstron is not just a book, which might be ok to glance over; it is a must-read saga.

Amazing Adventures.......2007-02-09

What would you do if you were being attacked by an army of vermin, or your abbeys most prized possession, or if your abbey was being threatened by a deadly disease? Would you defend yourselves, find an antidote, or would you go after the possession? Well that is exactly what the charaters in this story did. This little world is filled with badgers, hares, vermin, mice, moles, shrews and squirrels. Also thisworld is also filled with a volcanoe, woods, seas, dunes, lakes, rivvers and enormous mountians.

In this fantasy a bagder named Mara left her home because her strict father was always punishing her. When she left, her friend ccame along with her. His name was Pikkle. On their journey they met two vermin who became frineds with them so they woild lead them to Salamandastron )(Mara's fathers fortress). There had been many rumors that there is a great fortune somewhere inside the volcanoe. So now the vermin were going to attack the fortress. Another two vermin acted as if they were lonely travelers (but they really weren't) and went to Redwall and the Red wallers accepted them. They tricked the Redwallers and stole the sword of Martin the Warrior also killing one of the Redwallers. When the vermin escaped one of them died of a deadly disease. He got the disease while at Redwall and now the Redwallers are at great risk.

What will happen to everyone? Will Salamandastron survive? Will the Redwallers perish? Will they get the sword back? This book was relly good and every time it would sound good, it would change to someone else. I would really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, action, and adventure. This is the fifth book of the 17 book series.

-Peyton

Salamandastron.......2006-12-09

I like salamandastron for many reasons.0ne is the book has lots of action .the bookis writen by Brian Jacques.This book is fantasy because animals have human abiltys.brian writes many more books.

Great series.......2006-10-18

Great series for young and old looking for a mental shut-down for bed book.

Not the best Rewall novel, but still a solid read with compelling characters and exciting climax. Recomended.......2006-08-08

The fifth Redwall novel, Salamandastron is the story of a badger maid, a blue-eyed ferret, and a plague at Redwall. Mara is a young badger maid who escapes her home, Salamandastron, and her overbearing adoptive father. As Mara begins her quest throughout Mossflower country, meeting up with Guosssom shrews and members from Redwall, Salamandastron falls under attack by a disarming, ruthless blue-eyed ferret. Meanwhile, a young squirrel named Samkim leaves Redwall in pursuit of the sword of Martin the Warrior. Giving us our first clear look at Salamandastron and the Long Patrol, Salamandastron expands the world of the Redwall novels yet again. The adventures and battles manage to be both realistic and exciting, and the strong-willed characters are compelling and show a lot of growth within the course of the book. While not particularly outstanding, this is one of the better and perhaps more famous Redwall novels and I recommend it and enjoy rereading it.

Salamandastron features some of my favorite characters and one of my favorite battle sequences. Mara and Samkim are both young and immature when the story begins. When they leave their homes on quests, both mature, learn, and eventually prove themselves to themselves, others, and even to Martin the Warrior, who's guiding influence is still felt in Mossflower. As a result, this book makes for a unique yet realistic coming of age story, with interest characters that the reader can identify with and aspire toward. The battle at the end of the book is one of Jacques' best: both terrifying and exciting, both horrible and exultant, he captures the dual nature of war, battle, death, and what it is that drives creatures to fight. Jacques also refuses to shy away from character death, a decision that I applaud. It makes for a darker, more difficult and mature novel, but it also makes the story more meaningful and realistic.

The actual events of Mara and Samkim's journeys don't stand out to me, and as a whole this isn't the most memorable Redwall novel. Unlike Mossflower, compelling secondary characters are lacking (although the hares of the Long Patrol are wonderful); the journeys aren't particularly vast or exciting. The majority of the exciting chases and perilous climbs are delegated to the Redwall side story and are thus less interesting or heart-stopping than they could be. The Guosssom shrews made good companions, but beyond that the bulk of this book doesn't stand out as either amusing, exciting, or compelling. Only near the end, when the pieces come together and Mara and Samkim meet, does the book really start to get good.

It is, however, by no means bad. Jacques is still a solid writer, and while some of his constant themes (adventurers, food, riddles, new peoples) are a bit toned down here, his characters are interesting and he writes a strong plot and brings it to a well-rounded, attention-grabbing conclusion. The book also serves to peek our interest in Salamandastron itself, providing enough insight to interest the reader and enough story to make him want to know more. I do recommend this boo, although there are other Redwall novels that I enjoy more, and I like coming back to and rereading this one.

Voyage of Slaves: A Tale From Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

Average customer rating:

Boy and Dog battle pirates
Best book of the three so far

Voyage of Slaves: A Tale From Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Philomel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Angel's Command
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman (Firebird)
The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5)
High Rhulain (Redwall)
The Eternal Flame (The Great Tree of Avalon, Book 3)

ASIN: 0399245499
Release Date: 2006-09-14

Book Description

Adrift in the Mediterranean Sea, Ben falls captive to a band of slave traders and their leader Al Misurata. With his faithful dog Ned at his side, Ben must plot escape as the ship of scoundrels sails up the Libyan coastline toward Italy, where a trap awaits. Ruthless enemies and hard times appear around every bend, but Ben and Ned have quick wits to rely on and, just as important, one another.

Fans of the New York Times bestselling Castaways of the Flying Dutchman series will only want more after this latest installment - a rousing yarn that's full of high-seas adventure!

Customer Reviews:

Boy and Dog battle pirates.......2007-02-20

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (1/07)

Ben and his dog, Ned, survived the destruction of the Flying Dutchman years ago. Spared the doom of the ill-fated crew, these castaways were still affected by the avenging angel's curse--they live forever without growing a day older. Constantly on the move so no one detects their ageless nature, they roam the earth together. Due to the angel's benevolence, Ben and Ned can communicate with each other through thoughts.

In "Voyage of Slaves"--the third book of the series--Ben and Ned are adrift in the Mediterranean Sea when they are accosted by pirates. The cruel men toss the black Labrador into the ocean and take Ben to Al Misurata, a slave trader feared along the Barbary Coast. He keeps Ben for his knowledge of languages.

Meanwhile a traveling troupe of performers finds Ned and nurses him back to health. They make him a part of their traveling show. When Al Misurata drafts them to entertain, Ben and Ned are reunited. But their happiness is short-lived. Al Misurata takes them all to sea, and they soon realize that the Rizzoli troupe have been tricked and will be sold as slaves.

Ben wants to save his new friends, especially the beautiful girl, Serafina. But Al Misurata and his ruffians remain determined to succeed. The rest of the story ranges from seafaring adventures to perils on land where Ben and Ned encounter benefactors and villains. They must use their wits to survive and pray for good fortune as they try to outsmart their adversary and free the entertainers from a horrible fate.

"Voyage of Slaves" provides rough and tumble adventure for young adult males, though girls will enjoy the story, too. Set in the early 1700s, Jacques brings the nautical past to life with its harshness, dangers and glories. The bond between Ben and Ned resounds with poignancy and humor and will be appreciated by anyone who ever wished they could communicate with their four-legged childhood friend.

In "Voyage of Slaves," Jacques's cast of characters who befriend Ben and Ned is well-developed and diverse. The antagonists are intriguing and evil, yet believable. The author provides a compelling yarn where good triumphs over evil. Young adult "Redwall" fans will want to read this series, too.

Best book of the three so far.......2006-11-01

At last, a pretty good book by Brian Jacques on his series, Castaways of the Flying Dutchman. I found this book to be pretty entertaining and fun to read although there's a pattern developing here that began to look pretty redundent. In this book, our eternal young Ben and his dog, Ned got themselves captured by Barbary pirates and spent most of the book trying to get away from them and at the same time, trying to save his new found friends who he would have to abandoned anyway. The book have Ben and Ned virtually being passed on from one benefactor after another as they are led to safety and toward danger at the same time. Ben also learned a new aspect of this angelic curse when he realized that a love of a girl will be one thing he would never have for long since he have to keep on moving by angel's command. Since the story take place a lot on the sea, the curse of the Flying Dutchman and her crew remains always in the distance as they continued to haunt Ben and Ned.

As always, the ceaseless banters between Ben and Ned keep the story flowing and the book is well written enough that almost anyone of any age could enjoy it with ease.

One question I have is, if Ben looked like a 14 years old blond boy but have a life span of hundred generations, will he still act like a boy with such experiences and wisdom built into him?? You might think that by his 200th or 250th year of life, Ben might behaved more like an aged, overmatured wise man who look like a 14 years old blond boy!!

Anyway, any fan of this series should enjoy this book and considering the improvement over the previous two books, fans of the series won't be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

pretty good
gripping, funny, but flat.
exciting
One of my favorite Redwall books
The Bellmaker, Another Great Redwall Book

The Bellmaker (Redwall, Book 7)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 044100315X

Amazon.com

Vicious Foxwolf, Urgan Nagru--a fox who long ago discovered the body of a wolf and skinned it to wear as his own--is holding the young Mariel and Dandin captive. The pair are at the mercy of the evil despot and have only one hope of survival. But can they really count on the legendary freedom fighter, Martin the Warrior, to come to their rescue?

The Bellmaker fairly boils over with passion, intrigue, and adventure. A true page-turner, the heat is immediately turned to high, and never cools until the close of the very last chapter. Brian Jacques's skill lies in creating fantastical yet believable characters, placing them in an extraordinary yet convincing setting and then letting loose with a flood of imagination that takes the breath away. One of the best writers of our time, Jacques comes through once again for his readers in this remarkable tale of good triumphing over evil. --Susan Harrison

Book Description

It has been four seasons since Mariel, the warrior-mouse daughter of Joseph the Bellmaker, and her companion, Dandin, set off from Redwall to fight evil in Mossflower. Nothing has been heard of them since. Then one night, in a dream, the legendary Martin the Warrior comes to the Bellmaker with a mysterious message. Clearly, Mariel and Dandin are in grave danger. Joseph and four Redwallers set off at once to aid them. As they push over land and sea, they cannot know the terrible threats they face. Will the Bellmaker and his companions arrive in time to help Mariel and Dandin?

Customer Reviews:

pretty good.......2007-04-03

Do you like adventure mystery and battles between good and evil ? If you do than you will love The Bellmaker by british author Brian Jacques. In the book the evil foxwolf Urgan Nagru, is sick of the cold northern air. He and his mate, Silvamord, decide to travel south. They set off with their faithful followers, a horde of gray rats. Once the evil fox is satisfied with the warm air, he sets his eyes on the mighty castle floret. This book will captivate children from years ten to !

gripping, funny, but flat........2006-12-20

I do not normally read this sort of book- I am normally sickened by talking animals. However, although this book had some good ingredients- it was gripping and made me want to read on, while some parts made me laugh, I found there were too many characters, and many were rather undeveloped and indistinguishable from one another (sorry about the long words). For example, Foremole and Furrp might as well have been the same mole, while some of the horderats only appear for two sentences before being killed. Sometimes I felt that the story could have functioned without the bonus characters, and there was quite a lot of stereotyping: foxes, rats- nasty evil scum. Mice, hares, etc. : good as gold. It was a little predictable in places and similar to many other of his books- evil fox/rat/wolf catches someone, everyone else tries to save them, someone dies, everyone is sad, baddie dies, the end. I did enjoy Blaggut because he was an exception to the tiresome 'good and evil full stop' rule and he made me laugh, along with Egbert the scholar because he was so quirkily different. I also loved the shrike ( can't pronounce his name!) Overall, I liked this book, but these flaws did annoy me. Read it if you enjoy Brian Jacques' stori