Reviews

Once upon a time I read the first - oh, probably 9 or 10 - books in the Redwall series. Several of them I read over and over again. This was one of them and I picked it up again to see if it still held my interest so many years later. I had forgotten the epic sweep of this series, the lengthy songs and descriptions of food (by the way, there is a Redwall Cookbook), the high flying ideals, and the complex characters.

In this installment, Redwall isn't built yet, and there is a vile slaver on the shores of the country. He builds his empire, but eventually meets with resistance led by the bold and brave Martin. For kids who enjoy adventure and battle, but who would benefit from a realistic look at the toll aggression takes on individuals and groups. What I always liked about the Redwall series is the balance that is struck between the violence and the joys of daily life. For every battle, there's a theater performance; every defiant struggle is matched with a really good meal; for every dictator or traitor or whiner there is a hopeful dreamer, a hard worker, a kind hand.

superdreuzel's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

nimeneth's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

jennajean's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved Brian Jacques - his stories were some of the first "chapter books" I read in 1st/2nd grade - I simply devoured his books and read them over and over.

svdp's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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