The first noticeable shift in tone

Salamandastron is the first major shift in tone across the series thus far. The books to this point are wholesome and pulpy Adventures that do not need to keep you guessing to be entertaining. However this novel starts to deviate from predictable. While it is still a simple adventure and straightforward fun it very clearly begins to shift in a way that is not afraid to engage in mortality, morality, and prophecy subversion. That last point only the tiniest bit. While I feel the series continues to evolve and grow in strength, this one exemplifies both the classic feel of straightforward adventure while showing off where we are going next. The weakness, however, may be that that overall arc of the novel feels oddly short when it ends. When you reflect on where you start and then where you end it does feel strangely short compared to the other adventures and their fateful events. That said, it is still more than worth one’s time.

I love how Salamandastron abandons the pattern the first four books choose to follow. I think that's why it became one of my favorites right away. The way the story is told as a bedtime story to one of the dibbuns, it's rather clever. The pacing was also a lot more solid and I was always wondering how the good creatures of Salamandastron would protect their precious mountain from Ferahgo and his seemingly endless band of Corpsemakers. Definitely one of the best Redwall books so far, but I'm still looking forward to rereading my absolute favorite, Marlfox. Salamandastron also gives much love to the badger loving people, proving that badgers do not give up the ghost until they kill their target.

Side note: This is probably one of the fastest books I read, even with my cousins staying the weekend.

This is another very "whatever" story from Redwall. It's not bad, just meh.

The reason this is two stars instead of one is simply because there some minor difference separating this from the Redwall-Mattimeo-Mariel formula, namely that Redwall is besieged by a plague and not a horde; that honor goes to Salamandastron. But again, everything is intertwined beyond the suspension bridge of disbelief. [SPOILERS] Mara is thrown into a pit by toads which just happens to have the Log-a-Log who happens to need a black pendant to be the rightful Log-a-Log, which just happens to have been taken by a badger, who just happens to be the long-lost brother of Urthstripe, who just happens to have adopted Mara as his ward. [END SPOILERS]

This again reinforces that these books can't be read without believing there is a guiding-hand in the fate of Mossflower. Is it the spirit of Martin the Warrior from beyond the grave orchestrating everything to perfection (see above scenarios for just how many pieces had had to perfectly move)? Is it the essence of Mossflower moving everything toward stability and peace? Who knows?! But if you believe everything that happens in these books are mere coincidence, they quickly become unreadable, so believe which one you want.

‘Redwall’ is often viewed as children books, and it truly is, but it will always be one of my favourite series. Its appeal is undying, because it touches on timeless topics: the importance of family (complex relationship between Mara and Urthstripe), young ones growing up and learning responsibility (Samkim and Arula leaving their home to return to it different beasts), protecting the weak from the evil (Urthstripe and the Long Patrol defending the shores and all of Mossflower), giving your best to save your friends (Thrugg’s race against time to find cure for Dryditch Fever for the Abbey dwellers).

The heroes of the book were remarkable, but it was the villains who truly mesmerized me. Ferahgo the Assassin and his son Klitch stand high on my list of the best villains, those two ruthless lying blue-eyed sons of a weasel. And the reason Ferahgo and Klitch are so good is not because they are strong or cunning or have the superior numbers, but because they can lie so well that they fake kindness. Ferahgo always smiles but never jokes – and he would smile as he kills you. He is just the type of a person to arrange 'peaceful negotiations' and slay those who attend them, or to lie to his own officers, promising them piles of gold and giving them nothing. Klitch, too, is worth his father, for he has no trouble playing on Mara’s naivety and loneliness and pulling wool over her eyes, calling himself her best friend just as he leads her into a trap. Moreover, Ferahgo and Klitch have an interesting relationship with each other. Normally, members of the villain’s family just hate and backstab each other, but while there are tensions between father and son and they are deadly rivals, they don't just up and kill each other. Ferahgo outright says he wouldn't touch Klitch because he is his son, and Klitch does everything to undermine Ferahgo's rule and prove he is a better leader - but he doesn't plots against him. Aside from a couple of other instances, that’s the closest to familial love we get with the villains in ‘Redwall’.

Among the other great things, ‘Salamandastron’ also has a quartet of fierce falcons, ancient deep-water reptile, white ghost of a badger – or may be it’s the other way around, - the crew of fighting hares and a courageous babe dormouse.

Nothing can beat a good Redwall story, and Salamandastron may be one of the very best in the whole series. It's full of action, adventure, heartache, and warmth.

What makes this particular entry into the series so special, though, is its central theme about relationships between generations. Two parallel journeys are reflected through the book, centered on Urthstripe, Badger Lord of Salamandastron, and Mara, his ward, as well as the villainous Ferahgo the Assassin and his son, Klitch. The loving father-daughter dynamic of Urthstripe and Mara is juxtaposed beautifully with the hateful father-son dynamic of Ferahgo and Klitch. All the action of the book thus revolves around these characters, which turns into a fascinating tale of power and evil, with incredible action, adventure, and lovable characters to round out secondary themes and adventures all in their own right.

In all, Salamandastron feels like a proper epic all its own, a worthy successor to books as dynamic and enthralling as Mossflower and Mattimeo. It is very much its own story, while still neatly fitting into the existing lore and setting of the series, a near-perfect encapsulation of what Redwall is and what Redwall can be.

Of the first 5 novels of Redwall, this may even be the best one, depending on your personal taste for adventure. Although bloody and violent, the book has a rock-solid emotional core, with powerful storytelling capable of joy and sorrow. It's simply delectable.

4 Stars

The books in this series continue to be wonderful, even if they are very formulaic. I think spacing out reading the next book in the series has been helping keep the books feeling magical and not being burnt out on the similar patterns between them.

As always, I loved the story and the characters. The only thing keeping this from being 5 stars is the lack of the emotional connection to characters. With some of the earlier books, we got several good chapters on each character's normal life before the major events of the book began. This book sort of skipped over that, so we went right into the action. While I love the action, I missed getting to see the characters just be themselves and living their lives a little bit before they were sent on life changing quests.

I decided to read this book because I wanted to understand the whole series of Redwall. This book was about a moutain called Salamandastron being attacked by a never-ending band of Ferahgo the Assassin's Corpsemakers. This really shows the writing skills of Brain Jacques. When reading this book, I thought of me being in Japan. I went to a mountain full of cave system, rooms, kitchens , staircase and I just thought that Salamandastron mountain in the book was just the same. I felt that I was Lord Urthstripe the Strong, wearing my heavy bag (which I thought it was the heavy amour he wore) and water bottle (which I thought it was the weapon he held). This book is a little different from the other books because the intro was the start of a dibbuns bed time story and there was no attacks on Redwall (I guess because this book was called Salamandastron). I feel proud for Brain Jacques because he was the author of the book I read which got me into reading. Before, I can only read about 10 min but now I read for more than 2 hours if I had the time and I get engaged easily.

So much fun! The ending just left me so happy and satisfied. I liked getting to know Salamandastrom more and spending more time there and with the hares. It was fun to explore some new areas like the lake, and spending time with the shrews. I think I've said this before, but I think where the real magic comes from with these book is just that you really feel a part of the community. You feel like you're there with the shrews pulling the oars and you want to join in singing their rowing songs. You want to go help in kitchen prepare for the name day feast, or go play out in the orchards with the young ones. You feel like you're there sitting at the table eating and enjoying the feast with them. The Redwallers just have big hearts and are so willing to help any creature and you feel like they've taken you in and adopted you too. You get to walk through their adventures with them, celebrate with them, and weep with them, laugh with them. Brian Jacques didn't narrate this one, but it was still very well done. The full cast audiobook is still delightful. I love all the details they add with the songs and things like that. Well done!

nostalgia

Not to date myself but this was my favorite series as a child and I remember reading this book when it first came out. Thanks public library!

I tried to get my kids to read Redwall when they started to read but they haven’t gotten into it yet… maybe one day! One can keep trying.

This was and is (I reread them) one of my favorite books of the series. I had no idea there wet so many books in the series now! I guess I should have known since they are so epic. Each book has such great characters with depth.

I really liked this one because of the badgers relationships as well as and Dumble and Thrugg. Okay, I like all of the characters. I was thinking maybe they weren’t as interesting as when I was kids and that’s why my kids didn’t get into them but they are just as captivating and draw you in.

I still love these books and need to catch up on the newer ones since there are more than when I was young and get my kids into them!

Give them a try! They stand the test of time!

I love the Redwall series and the adorable creatures in the books. I've read most of the series, I think all but the last couple books, although it's been a long time since I read the books. Salamandastron was one of my favorites of the series, and after reading it again I'd say I do really like it but I'd have to read the rest to say if it's still a favorite.

What I like about the book is the different settings. It takes place at Redwall some but mostly at Salamandastron, the home of the badgers. I always liked the badgers so getting to see their home is cool. I also like seeing all the different parts and groups come together and save the day. It's a fun adventure book and it reminded me why I loved the series.

5 stars. I might start sounding like a broken record by now—but yes, this was awesome and yes, it adds delightfully to the series. (Like, it’s awesome how in one or the other of the books they mention why the hares are so off-hand and still great warriors…)

Anyways, with a title like Salamandastron, you’d expect this to be about the badgers and hares, right? Well, it is—but not the usual way, aka not like n  Lord Brocktreen or n  Mossflowern or the other books. Instead, we open up with our badger friends in Mossflower murdered by a blue-eyed, soft-spoken ferret captain that I absolutely loathed because of how sweetly murderous he was. Skipping to Salamandastron, we get Urthstripe the Strong struggling with the care of his adopted daughter Mara and her friend Pickle. And then we wander all over the face of the Redwall world by foot and by ship and by wing… oh, and yes, Redwall Abbey is the second main setting, of course.

Urthstripe! I couldn’t help loving the poor old chap in spite of how annoyed I got with him for letting Mara drag him around by the nose. I also started out by hating Mara. But she straightened out in the end (reminded me of Mariel) and so did Pickle (delightful sidekick, he was). Ferahgo the Assassin, as aforementioned, was terrible and so was his son. (I enjoyed the unusual dynamics of that relationship though). Loambudd and particularly Urthwyte were unexpected but super cool additions. Dingeye and Thura, on the other hand, were horrid additions to Redwall. Tubgutt & Logalog reminded me of the n  Mattimeon angle on the Guossim but it ended up quite different and I liked it. The hares were all fun and varied and I loved Oxeye and Sapwood was so fun. Farran was worse than Shadow from n  Redwall,n by the way. Everyone at Redwall was really nice, of course, and I loved meeting all the new folk and the hermit. Also Thrugg was amazingggg. And Samkin was a delightful hero and so was Arula. And I was so, so excited with the addition of the northland (aka Highland) birds!!!! I wish they were present in other books because they were THE BOMB.

*coughs* oh yeah, plot. The whole Mara-Klitch thing was veryyy interesting, even if it didn’t last super long. Mara & Pickle’s journey started out similar to other books (I’m getting really tired of the frogs, y’all) but soon became unique with the Log-a-Log addition + journey. Sam & Arula’s journey started a whole new storyline and I looooved seeing them chase Martin’s sword! I just wish it had been a little longer and honestly it would have been fun if Martin’s sword had made it back to Ferahgo or something—it would have been so cool. Anyways, the 3 plot lines here were pretty much all journeys because then Thrugg and Dumble (the cutest thing) start off on their own journey to find the flowers because Redwall is afflicted with a deadly plague (super cool plot twist there!). Thrugg + Dumble were the most adorable pair and I absolutely loved their chapters. Especially when Rocangus shows up. Everything is wrapped up satisfactorily at Salamandastron—if it is very sad… and except the fact that I would have really loved to see where Mara was from—and eventually at Redwall too. <3 (T & T were a super cute brother-sister relationship, by the way).

In short, this is another great addition to the series—bear with me, guys, I’m trying to find another way to say that—and I loved it. The end.

*quotes & content list to come upon reread*

Although this is part of the Redwall series, this story focuses mainly on, as the title tells, the mountain of Salamandastron. There is a little going on at the Abbey, the inhabitants are dealing with their own situation. I always enjoy the mix of cozy vibes and adventure that Brian Jacques weaves into his stories. My favorite characters in this particular book were the birds with the Scottish accents. I hope they make more appearances. Also, I wouldn’t mind being invited to a Redwall picnic….

*What I have expressed are entirely my own thoughts. I was not compensated in any monetary way.*

Parental Guidance for- Mention of Badger parents being killed, An ear gets cut off, A tail gets pulled off, Murders, Battle Scenes