KC Podcast - Episode 117: Passing the Baton

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Martin the Warrior

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Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques

I had been pretty burnt out on the Redwall books after Mossflower, Mattimeo, and Salamandastron. Redwall was a creative and fun book, but it seemed that all its successors were progressively formulaic and uncreative. Martin the Warrior, however, is a return to the same creative spirit of the original book, and, in my opinion, improves upon it.

The book explores the early life of Martin the Warrior after he has been made a slave by Badrang, the cruel tyrant of Marshank. Escaping with a small group of captives, and washing up on an unknown shore, Martin attempts to return a mousemaid named Rose to her family at Noonvale and build an army to return and challenge Badrang.

Jacques still uses his familiar formula from the previous books, but by not feeling the need to set the book near Redwall Abbey it becomes more of a novel adventure and a great fantasy yarn. If someone wanted to read just one of the Redwall books, I think that I would recommend Martin the Warrior above the original.

5/5 stars.

Comments

Rose said…
When I was around 11 or so my friends and I literally read piles of the Redwall books. I read about ten of them , and they read even more...and suffice it to say I got burnt out. :P I remember really liking Mossflower and Redwall and just reading the other ones because I was/am a compulsive reader and those books were on shelves I could reach. But I haven't read this one. I might have to give it a go for old times' sake.
19 February, 2012 15:56
Rick Davis said…
That's funny. I had never actually read any of the books until last year (or even heard of them until the last five years or so). Whether I read another one at this point depends on whether my son decides to read more. (I'm trying to keep up with him.) This one had a much darker ending than the others I've read.
20 February, 2012 07:20
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