Redwall
Jacket cover of USA edition:
It is the Summer of the Late Rose. But a sinister shadow has fallen across the ancient stone abbey of Redwall, even as the gentle mice of Mossflower Wood gather there to celebrate a year of peace and abundance. For it is rumored that Cluny is coming--Cluny, the terrible one-eyed rat and his battle-seasoned horde--Cluny, whose vow is to conquer Redwall Abbey! The woodland creatures rush to a desperate defense. But what can an abbey of peaceloving mice do against Cluny the Scourge and his army of rats? If only they had the sword of Martin the Warrior, they might have a chance of saving their beloved Abbey. But the hiding place of the legendary sword has long been forgotten, even by the wise old mouse Methuselah. It is his bumbling young apprentice Matthias who sets out to find the sword and who becomes a most unlikely hero. Teeming with riddles and mysteries, humor and pathos, Redwall is woven by a cast of rich and spirited characters into an unforgettable tapestry of high drama, a novel to be savored by readers of all ages.
My rating: *****/10 stars
Main hero: Matthias the mouse
Excerpt from Redwall Friend and Foe:
A clumsy young mouse in the beginning of Redwall, Matthias is a courageous and accomplished warrior by its end. His experiences teach him to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Martin, whom he is said to resemble closely. Matthias uses a combination of intelligence and strength to track down the sword of Martin the Warrior, retrieve it from the terrible snake, Asmodeus, and restore it to its rightful owners. At the same time, he also manages to defeat Cluny the Scourge andensure that the Abbey remains a peaceful sactuary for future generations.
Main villain: Cluny the Scourge the rat
Excerpt from Redwall Friend and Foe:
The name Cluny the Scourge is known and feared throughout Mossflower. And when the evil rat appears in the peaceful area, it looks as though those fears are justified. Cluny covets Redwall Abbey and plans to have it for himself, renaming it Cluny Castle and taking the Redwallers and woodlanders as his slaves. Despite his grand intentions, Cluny is nagged by persistent nightmares in which he is killed by a warrior mouse. When Matthias appears, looking identical to the image of Martin the Warrior in the famous tapestry, Cluny's nightmares become all too real.
Badger Hero/Heroine: Constance
Excerpt from The Tribes of Redwall--Badgers:
Although Constance is somewhat old and slow-thinking, her wisdom is renowned throughout Redwall Abbey and Mossflower Woods. When Cluny the Scourge attacks the Abbey, it is Constance, along with young Matthias, who defends Redwall against the mighty horde, driving the rats and other evil beasts back with her immense strength. After the Late Rose Wars, she assists the Abbeybeasts in fending off General Ironbeak, the raven leader who tries to take over the Abbey while Matthias and most of the other warriors are away. Constance passes her role as Mother of Redwall to Auma, who she trains when the badger maid returns from Malkariss's kingdom.
Otter Hero/Heroine: Winifred
Even though she is not mentioned in Tribes, Winifred is an important otter heroine. Along with her otter tribe, which bears no title, Winifred helps Badgermum Constance in the defense of Redwall. The sling is her tribe's weapon of choice, and every otter in it can fling a stone with deadly accuracy. Because of Winifred's help and devotion, Cluny's horde is often driven back by a stinging hail of slingstones.
Pages: 351
Covers:
Chapter by Chapter:
Chapter 1: Young Matthias the mouse dreams of being Martin the Warrior, the famous warrior of Redwall Abbey, and talks with the Father Abbot, Mortimer. After a lengthy conversation, the Abbot sends Matthias off to prepare for the feast.
Chapter 2: Cluny the Scourge, an evil, mangled rat, gallops in a hay cart towards Redwall with his horde of rats.
Chapter 3: Matthias and Brother Alf catch a grayling for Friar Hugo, the mouse cook of Redwall. The Abbot is amazed at all of the guests who are arriving at Redwall for his Jubilee Feast, and asks Friar Hugo if enough supplies are in the Abbey, to which the fat friar answers yes. Entertainment is held for the younger (and some of the older) creatures. The grace is said and the feast begins.
Chapter 4: The horse pulling Cluny’s hay cart stops. Cluny sends Skullface the rat out to bite the horse, who throws him before he can sink his teeth into the frightened animal. Skullface is killed by the cart while Cluny laughs in his face.
Chapter 5: The feast begins to slacken off. Matthias and Cornflower, a pretty young fieldmouse, are becoming friends. The Abbot orders Matthias to take some of the mouse families home because they live so far away. Taking a staff with him, Matthias, joined by Constance the badger, assist the families to their homes. Before they arrive, they hear hoofbeats and Cluny’s cart roars past them. Swiftly, the party races back to Redwall to tell what they have seen.