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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"The day of the warrior is gone, my son", 18 April 2005
I am a big fantasy fan; and every time I found myself at the bookstore I would see the vast amount of books by Brian Jacques on the shelves and wonder if it was a series I would like. I had heard that the books were written for young adults, so I was not sure if they were my cup of tea. Luckily I decided to give "Redwall" a try, since the result was very satisfying. The author uses a wide variety of animals in order to create this fantasy setting, and portrays the typical battle of good versus evil in a crisp and simple way. The main character in this first book of the series is a small mouse, Matthias, who is a novice and who dreams with becoming a warrior someday. His idol is Martin the Warrior, who according to many was the bravest mouse to ever set foot on earth. Matthias lives in Redwall and is part of the Order of Abbot Mortimer, and Order that professes peace and that has vowed never to harm another living creature. But all this peace and happiness is now in jeopardy, since Cluny the Scourge, a ruthless rat with an evil army, is heading towards Redwall, leaving mayhem through his path. Cluny is the subject of a legend used by parents to scare their kids and to get them to do what they request, but now the threat is real and has to be faced. The terrifying rat is relentless, but hides a secret of his own, since in his nightmares, he receives the visit of a brave mouse that puts him to shame. The mouse is no other than Martin, who also talks to Matthias in his dreams. When the attack finally comes, we get to see a David versus Goliath type of fight that keeps up the excitement and that looks as if it will only end with the total destruction of one of the contestants. Jacques proves that he has a lively imagination, and presents a world with many different creatures, who behave by the rules of what people usually associate them with. For example, the rats are evil, the foxes are sly, etc. The narration has a good pace and the book never gets boring, so overall it is a recommended experience. People that like straightforward plots will probably enjoy this novel. However, those looking for complex fantasy, in the style of George R. R. Martin, will be disappointed.
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by Brian Jacques
by Brian Jacques
by Brian Jacques
by Brian Jacques
by Brian Jacques
