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.

3.5 stars! I really do enjoy a good children's fantasy. Old fashioned good vs evil dynamics! Just can't beat it and this one was certainly original with its different dialects for certain creatures - like Moles and hedgehogs. As well as hilarious phrases like "you scaly villains!" I did chuckle when reading that one.
It was an enjoyable read, though understanding the dialects did involve a fair bit of concentration on my part.
The battle scenes were well written and I loved all the characters. There was just one sad part that I wasn't sure was necessary - but I'm probably just super sensitive as I know that things like this happen during war.
If you fancy a light fantasy with a variety of woodland creatures and villains then I definitely recommend.

Martin the Warrior is a book that does not know what it is. I think this would have been better had its title been changed to "Marshank," as the main focus of the story is about the fort and all the characters that revolve around it, not Martin. In fact, I'd have to argue that Martin's story is by far the least effective, and in many ways neglected.

The story wasn't bad at all, as long as you dealt with the pirates, the slaves, or the escapees/rescue forces. When we are allowed to follow Martin (which is, as best, 1/3 of the book, if not less) we're presented with a bungling tale of cobbled together cause and effect where X happens to gain Y or fall victim to Z, with little actual purpose.

For instance, Martin and friends run into a mole woman who could easily tell them the direction to go, but instead gives them a cryptic riddle that no one questions, which also intentionally places them in a situation where they could be killed by bees. It would have been completely avoided if the mole had said, "Just take the right path," or simply came along, as she was supposedly very lonely. And don't get me started on Martin being accosted and pressed into slavery by a bunch of babies.

Another strange moment - the heroes break into Marshank by using a cart that's been burned all night long until it is, as they describe it, just a few timbers. But its somehow worthy enough to load with fuel, roll down a hill, and crash into a huge, impenetrable door, which then burns in the matter of less than an hour and completely collapses. It really felt carelessly thought out.

Furthermore, Martin seems to be more of a vengeful, revenge-driven mouse, and at time shows otherworldly abilities (like picking up a full sized rat and throwing him against the wall), rather than the smart, think with your head, redwallers I'm used to. Several other warriors show far more skill and tact than he does, especially when he just runs screaming into battle, quite literally ignoring his allies and his own safety.

The battle at the end dealt far more with hand to hand combat than wits. I've come to assume that rats, weasels, and stouts are large, and will typically win in a strength scenario, but there are very few moments when they aren't getting their ass handed to themselves or killing their own. And yes, they do cause casualties, but I never felt they were a strong source of danger. If anything, the majority of casualties on the Redwallers side is caused by them refusing to leave the pirates alone.

Surprisingly, my favorite character is Clogg, who has a long story arc and really ends up in a delicate mental state at the end, where you feel sorry for him/want to hear more about his fate in the future.

Overall I have no idea how others say this is their favorite book in the series. This is the 6th Redwall book I've read so far and, while I see growth in some of his writing, is definitely my least favorite. I sincerely hope the Bellmaker is better.

Martin the Warrior continues so many trends, established earlier in the Redwall series. We have plucky side characters galore. We have undertones discussing the importance of honor, and doing the right thing, in the face of cruelty and evil. We've got cool Fantasy elements, boiled down to their cores for a YA audience to process.

But, for the first time really, in my mind, the Redwall series makes a point of subverting itself. We see so many places where Jacques lets "the coin" fall the opposite way that we're used to.

Whereas the other Redwall books have been full of hope and steadfast optimism, in Martin, we get exposed to loss. And not the "down in a blaze of glory" loss that we experienced with the Long Patrol in Mariel, but heavy, somber, good luck grieving through this, loss.

We see the flaws in our warriors. We see the problems associated with reckless breakout attempts and headstrong charges into battles.

We end with destruction. With evil, not winning, but not going out empty-handed for a change.

I think it's a good shift for the books. We needed something to get us back on our toes. To create some suspense again. But a good shift can still hurt.

Want more? Collin, Trevor, Tiff, a special guest, and I will elaborate on the Books & Badgers Podcast shortly. Then it's ONWARDS to The Bellmaker.