Redwall by Brian Jacques

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 ell-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.

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Redwall

Welcome to Redwall Abbey, home of mice, badgers, and all manner of woodland creatures who live together in peace. That is until Cluny the Scourge sets his eyes on the abbey. Cluny is a vile rat who will not hesitate to kill to get what he wants. And he wants to claim the abbey as his own. Matthias, with the heart of a warrior, urges his fellows to rise up and defend the abbey. But can the untrained, and unprepared abbey creatures defeat a roaming band of villains?

Brian Jaques has a beautiful way with words. As he builds the foundation of the Redwall world, you can't help but feel comforted and at peace. Like you're walking into a warm home full of old friends and happy memories. Each character he spends just enough time with and the history of Redwall comes together in a heartfelt tale. You can't help but cheer the abbey creatures on as they defend their home.

As a teen, I loved the mystery element Brian Jacques included in Redwall. To defeat Cluny, Matthias must find the sword of Martin the Warrior. And reaching the sword involves solving a rhyme left by past abbey mice. When I first read this book, I wracked my brain trying to solve the puzzle. And it was satisfying to follow Matthias on his journey to retrieve the sword. But of course, nothing can be easy, and Matthias's quest to reclaim the sword is an exciting journey to undertake.

Redwall was one of the introductory fantasy worlds I fell into as a teen. As an adult, I enjoyed it just as much as when I first read it. If you have a teenager interested in the fantasy genre, give the Redwall series a try. It is age-appropriate, and while there are battles, Brian Jacques never goes too far with detail. Readers will find themselves immersed in a thrilling tale they will not want to put down.

Fun book from my childhood!

I don't think it's the best in the series, but lots of fun with plenty of wonderful characters. It gets surprisingly intense at some points, but also a little easy for the protagonists sometimes.

Pretty writing as always and lovely descriptions.

Somehow this book is about, like...working environments? The villains get into trouble because they create environments in which their employees are fighting for dominance and trying to get the promotion from each other. The protagonists do well because they work together and let people collaborate and cooperate. Definitely not what this book is about, but also it definitely is.