| Title | : | Martin the Warrior (Redwall, #6) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0441001866 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780441001866 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 376 |
| Publication | : | First published October 1, 1993 |
As a child, Martin was brought to the stronghold of Badrang the Tyrant, forced into enslavement behind its massive walls. But he was strong. He was brave. And mere escape was not his plan as long as his father’s sword rested in Badrang’s ruthless fist…
Martin the Warrior (Redwall, #6) Reviews
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I love The Redwall books and have all of them on my shelves. I am once more reading through them all out of respect for author Brian Jacques who sadly has passed away. There will be no more delightful books full od the adventures of the animals of Redwall. Yes, these books are written primarily for children, but here is one child at heart who been gripped by every one of them. They can teach youngsters and older people too, lots about life. There is a lovely innocence in the books coupled with the harder facts of life. Readers learn of family, loyalty, sacrifice, treachery cruelty, love and fun and laughter too. Can I just mention the food! If you read a Redwall book you will soon know what I mean. A younger and simpler version of the 'Duncton Wood' books but if you like animal stories and you too are a child at heart do read them!
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One of the things I came across when I was young and completely obsessed with Redwall was a quote from Brian Jacques, in the introduction to 'Redwall Friend and Foe' where he stated, emphatically, "Goodies are good!" I can't help thinking about that when I think about this book, because here's the thing: while on its surface Redwall can look like a series with black and white morality, where certain people are good and others are bad, the stories themselves often overturn those expectations, and none do it quite as powerfully as Martin the Warrior, story of the Abbey's legendary champion before he arrived in Mossflower Wood.
Martin isn't a bad person, but what he is isn't precisely 'good' either. His story is fundamentally about being consumed by revenge to the point that he loses sight of the people around him, and it causes horrible destruction and suffering. What he fights for, nominally, is freedom; but it is clear as the book nears its climax that he is also motivated by pride and pain, and both of those cloud his vision. He does not make it out unscathed.
The end of this book was pretty much the saddest thing I remember reading as a child - the song that played over the TV show's final scenes still makes me tear up. There is a brutality to it which is uncommon for the series (though not unique) and it is that coupled with the long-term effects on Martin - which most readers probably already know - that make this so painful. And yet it's... also a big part of what makes this book powerful, because it is a book about pain and responding to it, and Martin's choices at the beginning and at the end are completely opposed, as are the choices he makes in much of the rest of his life. -
I think I will just find a blankie, and a corner to cry my heart out in.
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5+ stars (6/10 hearts). I loved
Redwall—I loved
Mossflower—I loved
Lord Brocktree. But I really loved Martin.
I can’t really lay my finger on the reason. Perhaps it’s the writing. The descriptions were unusually beautiful in this book—there are several I wish to add to my commonplace book. Perhaps it's the aesthetic—a mixture of slave fort and sea, forest and sand. Perhaps it’s because of the TV show, which brings it so accurately to life and which I love so much.
Perhaps it's the characters—pirates, a slaver and his army, a mostly crew of actors, crazy pigmy shrews and wild squirrels and various other colourful personages… There’s Tramun Clogg, a host to himself—braided, dirty, loud Cap’n Clogg, a queer mixture of humour and cruelty that somehow is almost likeable… or pitiful. There’s Badrang the Tyrant, the cruel, wicked overlord but none too clever for all that. There’s soup-making, ladle-totting Grumm and sweet, headstrong Brome the runaway and the blooming healer. There’s the Rambling Rosehip Players—witty, reckless Ballaw; strong-minded, strong-voiced Rowanoak; flirty Celandine; and the others. There’s unloving Pallum and noble old Barkjon; Druwp the traitor and Keyla the brave. There’s the wicked soldiers and corsairs; the stern Warden; Boldred and her sweet family. There’s Rose—sweet, spirited, resourceful Rose. There’s Felldoh—fierce, loving, determined Felldoh the avenger. And then there’s Martin. I can’t say why I love Martin so much. He’s stern and tender, wise and impulsive, dutiful and brave and strong—not a very outstanding warrior mouse. But somehow he became one of my very favourite fictional characters ever.
Perhaps it’s the dramatic plot—the terrible slavery in the fort rampant with torture and ill-use; the plotting and counterplotting between Clogg and Badrang; Rose, Grumm, and Martin’s adventures with the shrews and moles and lizards; Felldoh and Brome’s escapades with the actors; the half-freedom and full freedom; the half at Noonvale; the final battle… it’s a real voyage, full of happiness and excitement and dismay. Perhaps it’s the beautiful ending, that brought tears to my eyes.
Perhaps, quite simply, it’s all of these things…
*quotes & content list to follow upon reread* -
Martin the Warrior is probably one of the best Redwall books. While the writing is decidedly clunky at best, you never notice once you get into the book. Martin the Warrior has everything; it has the drama, the sadness, the love and hate of
The Lord of the Rings.
It also has the revenge and hate of Felldoh, and off course the sadness of the death's of some central characters.
I felt the difference between Martin and Felldoh strongly; Felldoh was imprisoned all his life, and was forever changed by it. He nourished a great hate, which he could only satisfy with revenge. Martin, on the other hand, fought for the freedom of those living within the area of Marshank. I was first introduced to the animated series, and impressed by the line they added, which, surprisingly, was not in the book;
We fight for freedom, not revenge. We fight in the name of Felldoh!
A line they left out of the cartoon, was Brome, speaking of Felldoh. In the cartoon, he still says "That was an oath of vengeance, not a goodbye," and "Felldoh used to be my hero, but I don't know him anymore," but the left out the powerful part of the conversation that followed:
"Felldoh is a warrior. This Martin your always talking about is a Warrior like him."
And Brome responded by saying "If Martin is a warrior like Felldoh, then Seasons help my sister Rose if she is still with him!"
Then later, Brome is to say "Give me a javelin, I want to be a warrior like Felldoh!" and yet lets one of the enemy go free. A powerful and emotional book. -
This was the book that got me into fantasy, and fill in love with reading. My teacher in grade school loved the story, and all my friends read the series. So I gave it a try on audio, and felt in love with audio and this series. This is my favorite book of the Redwall series. I just love the character of Martin the Warrior. This origin story really shows how he came from nothing into the one of the greatest leaders and warrior in the land. The ending of the book is the cause and origins of Redwall. Without it, Redwall would have never existed. So this is the foundation book in the series.
P.S. I have read this book more times than I can count. -
I want to begin this by saying that I was unfortunately spoiled of some of the events by siblings who had already seen the animation.
That said, I could predict many of these spoilers anyway, but that by no means prepared me for the way this book ended. This was also the fastest I've read a Redwall book, taking two days for the first third, and the binging the rest of it in a few hours. The story felt much simpler in tone, but nonetheless deep in development and characters. I cannot say much for fear of spoiling...but Brian Jacques once again went directions I did not think he would stoop to, and essentially stabbed me in the heart twice. It's going to take me awhile to recover and get back to this beloved series.
This is currently tied with Mattimeo for favorite in the Redwall series. I would give it 10 stars if I could. The feels...oh the feels... -
I hadn’t thought of rereading these seriously until I realised that reading a childhood book was on the list for a reading challenge, and then my sister returned all my copies to make room on her shelves for her own books. Then I thought, well, why not? I remember that I found the books getting a bit repetitive as the series went on (and on, and on) but Martin the Warrior was the first I read, and it’s obvious why it hooked me as a kid. It’s a little bit deterministic — rats are evil, mice are good, shrews are quarrelsome, etc — but I know that’s tackled a little in later books with characters like Veil. I’m not sure it’s ever really dealt with, though.
One of the awesome things is the way it talks about food; all kinds of food that animals would actually eat, yet cooked in human ways. It’s a weird combination, or sounds it, until you read the book and then it just sounds tasty. I’m sure I’d like Grumm or Polleekin’s cooking…
Martin the Warrior ends on a sour, sad note. I think ultimately the sympathies lie with the peace of Noonvale, even while there’s understanding of the need for revenge that drives Felldoh and, to a lesser extent, Martin. It doesn’t bring any good to the characters, even though they’ve removed a threat from the world.
Definitely a good nostalgia read, despite the sadness, and perhaps a bit more nuanced than I remembered.
Originally posted here. -
The second book on my chronological rereading journey. Now, we learn of the early origins of Redwall's warrior, Martin.
After escaping from slavery, Martin journeys back to the fortress of Marshank to free his fellow slaves and take back his father's sword. -
This was a great read in the series. I loved the chapters focusing on different characters and I love reading about all the different food they ate.
I hated Badrang, and even though he was also a bad character, I kind of liked Captain Tramun (I kept misreading it as Truman 😂) Clogg. I thought he was quite humourous at times.
The final battle was descriptive and I felt fully immersed with what was going on. I really wanted to see Badrang slain, which I'm glad he was, but I also felt sadness at Rose being slain too. I really enjoyed the fact that Martin got his Father's sword back by slaying Badrang.
I really enjoyed this installment, and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series -
"It's a long hard road ahead for you, little warrior. Enjoy a happy day while you can."
—Boldred, Martin the Warrior, P. 267
"Don't think about what you could have done, concentrate on what you plan to do; it is more useful."
—Boldred, P. 335
The ability of Brian Jacques to create an entirely new world that is bursting at the seams with deep, suspensefully plotted adventures, characters overflowing with originality and life, and epic, imaginative quests that could appeal to even the most hard-nosed literary cynic has almost no equal.
For nearly four hundred pages in Martin the Warrior we the readers follow on an action-packed, tightly written adventure novel, leading onward through surprising twists and turns that left me, personally, breathless and with a pounding heart. The world of Redwall is as perfect as the creation of a literary world can get, and when one thinks that the author could not possibly jam in any more exciting adventure, one will look at the page and see that he is less than halfway through reading the book!
The feeling and perspective of Martin the Warrior will resound loudly with the reader long after the final page has been completed. It is a unique literary experience that simply should not be missed, and I heartily recommend it for anyone who would ask me.
A magnificent achievement.
"Throughout his life the memory of that happy day stayed locked secretly in (his) heart."
—Martin the Warrior, P. 296 -
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202... -
Jacques delivers again!
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This was one of my least favorite Redwall books, if I recall correctly, mostly because it's such a tragedy. Coming back to it, well, it's still not my favorite. But I did enjoy it much more than I used to — now I appreciate the message and impact of the tragedy far more than I used to.
All the Redwall books fairly well exemplify the "I do not love the spear for its sharpness" quote. When they glorify the heroes and the warriors, they do it because of how those heroes defend others. And this book, in particular, shows an astonishingly mature look at how that defense, how that life of a warrior, how a desire to fight, can break someone. Those who are able not to fight and who can choose not to fight are envied, not mocked — without losing respect for those who choose to fight in defense of others. And that tragedy of war and battle is shown, unflinchingly but sorrowfully, in a way that's mature yet appropriate even for the middle-grade audience.
This is not an amazing book in and of itself. But, like most of the Redwall books, it's still well worth reading. -
I want to re-visit the Redwall universe in chronological order and this was the first chronological book available on Libro.fm.
I was really looking forward to the peaceful wholesomeness of the original Redwall book, but Martin the Warrior is pretty focused on the numerous and violent obstacles Martin encounters instead. I still enjoyed the enthusiastic descriptions of food and the friendships the develop in the story. I'm looking forward to reading Redwall at some point. -
This was extremely well written and entertaining. I enjoyed it vastly.
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These books are Chicken Soup For The Anthropomorphic-Animal-Loving Soul and I could not get enough of them. Still comfortable nostalgia reads! This made better use of the Redwall formula than most, partly because the semi-sympathetic treatment of a couple of the vermin characters gave that side a bit more nuance, partly because there's a real melancholy running through Martin's story. Knowing his legacy ups the poignancy factor of seeing him here, at the beginning of his journey.
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I'm not crying! You're crying!
Wow, this book is so amazing. The adventure, action, and all the feels. -
I'm finding that I love these Redwall books. The story of Martin was heartbreaking, engrossing and wonderful.
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A classic, definitely one of the best Redwall stories out there. Even if you've never read a Redwall book, this one gets you started on one of the oldest and most important of the stories, centering on the great warrior mouse, Martin. It may not be the first in the series, though these books do have a wonderful way of functioning perfectly fine no matter which one you start with (I've found). Adventure, love, courage, tears, humor, the Brain Jacques-experience.
The story itself, without spoiling too much, focuses on Martin son of Luke the Warrior, and his struggle against the tyrant Badrang and sea captain, Clogg. Together with the fierce Rose of Noonvale among other companions, Martin must go on a daring adventure to take back his father's sword, and the freedom of Badrang's slaves.
Like all of the other Redwall books, the entire cast is made up of animals who can speak and cook and fight from fortresses and ships. It is another fine addition to the many adventures of Redwall, even if the story takes place before the actual Redwall abbey was even built. Like it's fellow books in the series, this book is filled with adventure and laughs and even some love. Still, I would certainly credit this book with having some of the sadder moments than others did. Sure, every Redwall book tends to have a somber moment here and there, and death is not uncommon in these books, though this book does have what I would consider one of the more famous tragedies within the adventure. However, I would quickly assure any potential reader that the majority of the book is, in fact, full of high adventure and laughs and love, and leaves you with a warm satisfaction, even amidst heartache. Highly recommend to fantasy readers. -
This was an excellent book to read over the Thanksgiving weekend. There is plenty of feasting, song, and gratitude shown. The first two are elements in all of the Redwall series. For those unfamiliar with Brian Jacques, he writes an of an animal based world that brings memories of Narnia or Watership Down. Martin the Warrior is the sixth book written but I believe the second one if you are to read them chronologically. This one, like all of his books, is what a children's story should be. The good guys are truly good guys, the bad guys are bad and it is easy to tell the difference. My only complaint is that it is sometimes difficult to decipher the accent he writes in the dialogs.
For those who have kids that enjoy children's series like Narnia, Harry Potter, or Percy Jackson then I would strongly recommend Redwall. -
This wasn't bad, but like much of the historical Redwall books I felt like this was just a bit of filler, retreading many of the same beats from previous books.
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"Significantly better than the last book, Salamandastron, but I think the ending was forced and it never really felt like there were any significant stakes. It was still enjoyable and I liked the pirates."
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It gets off to a bit of a slow start, I thought, but it all pays off pretty well, especially in the character of Brome. Also has plenty of anything characters, such as The Warden.
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Like many, I grew up adoring the Redwall series, so it pains me to give this two stars now.
This past summer I found my collection of Redwall books — I have the first dozen — and chose to reread this one because it was, in my opinion at the time, the best of them.
And frankly, it isn't all that great.
The writing itself is depressingly mediocre, the plot (like all of them) meandering and predictable. The colloquial quirks of the different animal species (molespeech, the shrews, etc.) and the painstakingly detailed descriptions of Redwall feasts, which seemed so fun and colorful to my 11-year-old self, are now irritating and slow to muddle through. But the worst of it is the contrast between villains and good guys.
The heroes and their friends throughout the whole series are fond of making jokes, hurling insults, and pulling pranks at the expense of the current Big Bad and his or her minions. As a kid, this made the good guys seem clever and fun-loving, but as an adult all I can think is that the villains are so incredibly dim-witted (to the point of possibly diagnosable cognitive impairment) that the insults and pranks come off as cruel and bullying, an interminable barrage of low-risk cheap shots. Yes, this is even in light of the villains' participation in slavery/siege/acts of war.
Frankly, Martin is a temperamental little turd. I simply could not bring myself to root for him and his crew.
I'd still recommend these books to kids, if for no other reason than the positive, lasting impact it seems to have had on myself and others who were fortunate enough to read these at a young age. But if you're an adult who grew up traveling to Salamandastron and Mossflower and hold those memories dear, I'd suggest you do what I did not: let the memories sit unspoiled, and do not reread the books. -
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. -
Martin the Warrior is by Brian Jacques. It is fantasy because animals are talking.The main characters are Redwall, Martin, Grumm, Captin Tramun, and Rose. Redwall started out as a small mouse but now he is a hero and is adventurious. Martin is grey mouse with heroic skills. Grumm is a wise mouse and can try to act funny and heroic.Rose is Martin's sister and she is heroic too. Captin Tramun is the bad guy they run into him and he has a bunch of scars. They go to a bunch of places during the story like Marshank, Northwest coast, Inlet, Noonvale, Boldred's Tunnel. They travle any time of the day. On their way to Boldred's Tunnel they got attack with Abbot, someone does die but I am not going to say. I liked that Jess and Grumm were making werid food combinations. I didn't like that someone got killed on Redwall's side. I liked that the author made me shocked at sometimes and made me really sad. At sometimes it made me cry of laughter or sadness. He didn't do anything that bad. I recommend this book because it is about adventure and you can fell what the characters are felling.
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How does one even begin to relate this epic tail without making this sound like every other Redwall tale? You'll just have to take my word when I say everyone should pick this book up and give it the read it deserves.
Martin the Warrior is the sixth installment in the Redwall series and mainly focuses on Martin and his story of becoming the renown warrior we have all heard epic tails about.
There is a little adventuring in the story but the main focus of this tale is the battle of Marshank. Martin and his ragtag band of friends meets a few fellow beasts along the way, while your introduced to the Tyrant of Marshank and his evil minions and ex-comrades. Not all is black & white in this adventure as it has a really nice mix of good vs bad in this story. Mixed with a bittersweet ending it's hard to compare this one to the other Redwall novels.
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Excellent stuff! We will be reading more of the Redwall books. The cast for the audio version was excellent with the bulk of it being read by the author himself (always a treat), plus a whole crew of talented actors.
Martin is brave, strong and everything a hero should be. The bad guys are really bad. The clash between them is almost on par with "The Lord of the Rings," except the story has forest animals as the main characters.
How I love summer road trips. We accomplish so much "reading" this way!
P.S. One comment from one of the kids, "Listening to this book always makes me hungry!"
Note: Listened to this one again in 2012. Brian Jacques reads this and the cast is amazing. Wish all of them had been read this way!
