Product 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1106393 in Books
• Published on: 2004-02-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Right from the start of this rousingly old-fashioned prequel to Redwall , readers will submerge themselves in the culture of the woodlanders and their council, the Corim, against the wicked Kotir. Kotir is the name of the group holed up at the castle, led by Tsarmina, a wildcat who poisons her father and imprisons her good brother Gingivere so that she may rule in her own way. Into the woodlanders' midst comes Martin the Warrior, who becomes fast friends with Gonff the mousethief and others; they soon set off to find the only warrior who can lead them to victory. More important than the outcome of the story, where good triumphs over evil, are the characters: baby hedgehogs Ferdy and Coggs, doing their valiant best to become warriors; the kindly Gingivere, who finds his heart's joy as a farmer; Lady Amber, the squirrel Chief and her band of archers; Chibb, the robin who will spy for anyone as long as he is paid in candied chestnuts. Martin's heroics pale in comparison to the acts of his fellow-fighters, so colorful are their escapades. While Redwall fans will enjoy this, no prior knowledge of that book is necessary. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up In this prequel to Redwall (Philomel, 1987), Jacques describes the epic adventures leading up to the foundation of Redwall Abbey. A band of weasels, stoats, and other unpleasant creatures from Kotir Castle, led by the evil wildcat Tsarmina, is making life unbearable for the animals of Mossflower Woods. Then Martin, a young warrior mouse with a rusty sword, appears and inspires them to resistance. Leaving the others to harass Tsarmina, Martin sets out with two companions on a quest to find the great badger, Boar, the true ruler of Mossflower. All of the characters, good and evil alike, come fully alive. Jacques has the true fantasy-writer's ability to create a wholly new and believable world, down to the last details of food, drink, and local dialect. He is not so skilled with his plot. Suspense does not arise from the situation itself, for the end is never really in doubt. Instead it is produced by rapid and often confusing cuts back and forth between groups of characters. The writing is smooth and swift-paced; scenes of violent battle take place so quickly that readers may have to go back to what has happened. Lacking the unifying device which the seige provides in Redwall, the narrative seems overly long and crowded with events. This will be enjoyed mainly by those whose reading of Redwall has already aroused their interest in Mossflower and its inhabitants. Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Brian Jacques was born and bred in Liverpool, where he lives today. At the age of fifteen he went to sea and travelled the world. He has worked as a stand-up comedian and playwright and now hosts his own programme, Jakestown, on Radio Merseyside. His bestselling Redwall books have captured readers all over the world and won universal praise.

Customer Reviews

I remember my 5th grade teacher reading this; and I'm 19!
Mossflower is one of the most dynamic books I've read. I'm 19 years old and I remember my 5th grade teacher reading me this book when I was 10! From that point on I have collected all the books in the series. I remember being able to identify with Martin and his followers from day one. Everyone in my class (even the class clown, David!) loved the time when our teacher would whip out her paperback and pick up where she had left off the previous day. Everyone groaned when the rats and ferrets chased after the otters, everyone held their breath when the Gloomer was sent in the water. Everyone laughed when Gonff danced with the crab. Everyone was spellbound with delight when Martin and Gonff met the hares, and everyone cheered when . . well I'm not going to say! The tone and style of the story weaves itself around you until you are spellbound by its magic. Even though the reality of animals talking isn't possible, in Mossflower you accepted that they did and moved on to the adventure. The characters were all well developed and there was just enough flat characters to contrast with the dynamic ones. The result is that you get a sense of realistic stability not often found in a talking animal book. The obvious character foils made you sense the good and evil and you take a side; the side you stick with until the end. All in all, this book is a classic. The poetry, the words, the characters, and best of all the magic, make it come alive into your heart, imagination and soul. This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend to anyone.

The fantastic story of a legendary hero
One series to rule them all...

A dark army that has overrun the land. An unlikely hero on sent on an epic quest. A sword that is broken and forged anew. A search for the lost king. I could easily be describing Lord of the Rings! I have read several books in this amazing series (and shall not stop till I have read them all), but so far this one is undoubtedly my favorite. When you read Redwall and Mattimeo (and some of the other books in the series), you feel as if it's set in the present. But when you read the books about Martin the Warrior, the legendary hero of Redwall Abbey...

The time of great heroes

What can I say, reading Mossflower is like reading a book about the legend of King Arthur or Robin Hood. You're stepping back in time to an era when villains were more wicked, heroes were more brave, and the country was more wild. The story begins with Martin entering the country of Mossflower and then swiftly being imprisoned because he is carrying a sword. The ultimate climax of the book is set up swiftly when Martin swears vengeance upon the evil Queen of the land (who in an awesome scene breaks Martin's sword and tells the guards to have him wear it around his neck). But even for the Hero Martin, vengeance doesn't come easy.

Have you ever been on a quest?

Like Redwall, there is a major sidequest for our hero to embark upon (you can't kill the main villain with a broken sword now can you?), involving a search for the old Badger Lord king of Mossflower. Also like Redwall, there will be clues to unravel, friends to make, and alliances to forge. And like the great Lord of the Rings, there will also be beautiful songs to sing and poems to read.

Hungry yet?

And let's not forget about the fantastic way the author has of drawing up beautiful descriptions without overloading the reader. The Redwall foods in particular are famous, and for good reason. When reading this book you'll not only feel every mile of the journey, you'll also mouth-water every time the food is described. Good stuff.

A battle between good and evil

Ultimately, what holds this book together is wonderful characters and the way that they interact together. Even the villain is not simply an evil tyrant bent on evil purposes. There is a depth of character here that few books can touch in my opinion. And the icing on the cake is the irony and action that's to be found. The battle sequences in this book will enthrall you, and way things work out is really pulls at you emotionally. There is strong narrative here. And I cannot and will not ever forget the ending of this book. It stands as one of the greatest endings I've ever read in any book. Every story of a legendary hero needs a showdown, and the one in this book is incredible.

In the End...

Mossflower is more than just a good book. It is a GREAT book. It is the story of the origins of a legendary Abbey, a Legendary Country, and a Legendary Hero. To readers of the Redwall books it is an essential buy. To all others it is without a doubt an essential read. If you only read one book in the series, let it be this one.

ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ
I think that Mossflower is simply the most fantastic book in the whole Redwall series, and close to perfection. This is the story of how Martin the Warrior, a legendary hero, came to Mossflower country. It is a time of desparation, when no one is safe from the evil Tsarmina and her army. Unlike the other Redwall books, this story has an uncanny sense of adventure, soul, suspense, and humor. The characters are larger than life. Mossflower chronciles how all the great legends of Redwall came to be, and you see how the characters became part of ancient legend. It is a wonderful book, and unparalled in its grand storytelling.