Before: I didn't have any before thoughts. I know I read Marlfox when I was young but apparently it left very little impression.

During: It is impossible to read a Redwall book without craving the food. It all sounds delicious; fresh baked scones, turn overs, puddings. I love the feast descriptions.
I definitely felt like I had read this story before. When Martin's tapestry was stolen I thought about how well travelled it is.
While reading I was struck by Jacques's approach to mental health. At one point, post battle, Cregga points out the importance of healing the mental and emotional wounds left in the wake of the war. I was really happy with that exchange because I wasn't expecting it in an older work. But then a few pages later the protagonists start discussing the complete annihilation of the antagonists (the Marlfoxes) and the switch from promoting good mental health to genocide both surprised me and made me bark in surprise.

After: There was nothing new to this story and I think that is why my interest started to wane in reading Redwall books. The abbey is invaded, the tapestry is stolen, families are separated by slavery at the hands of a tyrant, a young warrior needs to prove themself, etc. It's a story that I have read several times by Jacques.

Overall: Its a fine novel but there is nothing fresh in it. Its not where I would suggest any new Jacques readers to start.

After 10 books of repelling the hordes of unwashed, undocumented foreign invaders, the denizens of the "peaceful abbey" of Redwall go up against a yet more perilous foe: sneaky, scheming foreigners!

In which book do they repel the stoats or possums or whatever who are very frugal or wear a certain kind of hat?

I think I liked the heroes in this book almost as much as the original heroes. Great story!

Honestly, going into this book I had no idea what was I was expecting. I had never read a Redwall book before. But as I read through the first chapter, I decided that I liked the book. The storytelling and the imagery that the author writes is amazing. I could see everything that I was intended to see. The pace of the novel was relatively moderate in my opinion, and I could keep up with the book without trying too hard. The descriptions and emotions of the characters seemed like they could actually happen in real life. The dialogue doesn't feel like a book, it feels like friends and family really talking to each other.
I didn't really like how the author made the characters talk though. It was hard to read the areas where the characters had heavy accents. Even though I didn't like the accents, everything else in the book made up for it. Honestly, a perfect ten for a book. I would really recommend "Marlfox" if you like the this type of genre.

D’you think it’s likely to rain soon?” Butty nodded toward the hot blue cloudless sky. “I’ve had one paw twinge today, but that could mean nothing. Look up and tell me what you think.” Nutwing flapped his wings resignedly. “Hmm. Sky’s too far up for me to see. I don’t bother with it.”

The molebabe, Wugger, tugged Friar Butty’s habit cord and whispered, “Yurr, zurr Butty, doan’t ee tell Badgermum oi bin pinchin’ st’awbees an’ oi woan’t tell on ee!”

“An’ if on an empty tummy I’m slain, Then I’ll jolly well never get killed again, So pass the pudden an’ fetch the pies, An’ I’ll give the foebeast a rotten surprise!”

Our young ’uns are the hope o’ the future. They need t’be ’elped, not ’umiliated. It took no bravery to call Dann a coward—he loves you too much to answer back. So all you did was to bring shame on yoreself by the way you talked to Dann. No, don’t answer or argue, jus’ think about it, matey. An’ that’s the advice of a friend.”

“Well, that’s enough o’ that, my liddle dearies. There’s plenty o’ creatures in this land to upset me, without my upsettin’ meself. Life is given t’be lived happily, that’s true enough!”

Wugger the molebabe piped up helpfully. “Us’n’s do ee mendin’, marm, me’n’D’opple get big ’ammer an’ ee nailers, fix h’Abbey all gudd. Bangitty bang bang!”

“That’s very kind of you, sir, but there are lots of different kinds of mending, broken hearts, bad memories, hasty tempers and departed friends. All of these need seeing to before the peace and the seasons grow upon us like soft moss and smooth all the edges of war away, so that you may sleep safe and calm in your beds at night.”

I first read the Redwall books years ago and I still enjoy them when I recently re-read them. I love the world building and the creativity with which these animals were anthropomorphized. The level of description is really well done and very detailed. So adventurous and so very entertaining.

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This was an interesting one for me - I didn't particularly like that Cregga Badgermum, is so dramatically different than how she was like in The Long Patrol.....but at the same time, she was essentially overtaken by the bloodfever the entire time in Long Patrol so I guess it makes sense for her to be different now that the bloodfever was gone....

Other than that, this was an enjoyable listen/read. Song and Dann are great characters and hearing about their adventures to get to the island of Marlfoxes was great. I just also love that Urthstrip and Urthwhite are legands to harken back upon on this book. It just adds a sense of time and depth to the series I really enjoy.

Reading this was an accident, but I loved it! I was trying to find out what book had Cregga Roseyes in it but I found another with her as a blind old lady. Still amazing!

When ever I need to go back to a familiar book, but don't want to re-read a book I go to The Redwall books Bc there are about a million of them. :)
Just a fun and beautiful as the other ones.

Marlfox was my first Redwall novel in the series, even though it does come into the series relatively late. It was also what hooked me into it. I loved the light fantasy storytelling it had with the characters being mice, squirrels, otters, and other woodland creatures. But it wasn't all light-hearted fun. The Redwall stories offer more villainous creatures such as rats, shrews, and stoats. In this case, the Marlfoxes are foxes that are larger and smarter than your usual fox. What's great about this whole series is the plethora of characters as everyone gathers together to defend their home (Redwall Abbey) from the evil characters. Although technically a children's tale, Jacques doesn't hold back with the war, death, and sickness that can plague the characters. It's a realistic, yet still positive story that is one of the reasons why Jacques became my biggest influence for writing as a child. Marlfox, in particular, is great because of this band of heroes that goes off on a journey, and the Marlfoxes themselves are deliciously sinister. If I took anything from it, it's that you can weave together humor, light-hearted fun, and more serious themes without having to overdo any of them.

Love this one.