okay to be honest- I cried in this book. I read it in my younger teen days and still return to it every few years.

5+ stars (8/10 hearts). I loved n  Redwall—nI loved n  Mossflower—nI loved n  Lord Brocktree.n 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…

A Favourite Quote: “Don't think about what you could have done, concentrate on what you plan to do; it is more useful.”

Content List: mild violence; mild euphemisms.

*Review to be updated upon reread.*

I've forgotten how amazing this book is.

Also a great read! Really Good Book!

I think I will just find a blankie, and a corner to cry my heart out in.

It was beautifully written! It wasn't until I had finished the book that I understood Rose had died! It seemed so unexpected.

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.

3 1/2 stars, someone give that mouse his sword

Not quite as good as 'Redwall', it still contains plenty of fun characters and swashbuckling adventure. The pacing is a little off and Martin could have been better developed as a character, but it was an entertaining read nonetheless.

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BEST.

All that need be said, but I'll say more.

First novel I ever finished, first book report I cared about, and oddly enough the first depiction of slavery I was exposed to (on a related note, also my first exposure to stereotyping, albeit based on species). Started me on the long road to majoring in English and pursuing a career in Youth Librarianship.

So yeah, pretty great book.

The story is pretty thin and the there are a lot of boring parts. I hate that every meal needed to be described in excruciating detail - although it did add to the immersion of the world. Martin the Warrior was cooler when he was just a legend shrouded in mystery.