It's a great story with adventure, laughs, food, villains, and heroes. You just can't beat the wonderful world of Mossflower! Triss is the main heroine, but it's not just her adventure. Other fabulous characters are off sailing and fighting as well as their journey brings them to the famous abbey and then out again as enemies are confronted.

"Be thankful for the season,
And happy for the day,
Be grateful for the bounty,
Which comes to us this way.
Good food from the earth is grown,
And brought unto our table,
By honest toil and labour,
Let's eat, whilst we are able!"

―Abbot Apodemus, Triss, P. 17

Fifteen books into the Redwall series, the great Brian Jacques has not in any wise lost his spectacular feel for the flow of the English language. Utilizing every inch of the canvas that is the English lexicon, he paints gorgeous, sweeping pictures of eternal love and the courage which springs from its seed; fierce, epic battles that unfold on a colossal scale as thousands of fighting bodies swarm the land in mortal combat, dealing fatal blows to each other as freedom for the oppressed teeters in the balance; dramatic, important quests across mountains, valleys, swamps, rivers and seas, those undertaking the quest knowing all the while that their journey must not be allowed to fail or evil will win. Brian Jacques has a flair for pitting true evil against true good and letting the resulting clash play out as it will, and this never fails to engage us on a deep emotional level and remind us of what's at stake whenever those two forces meet in battle, be it in real life or a fantasy world.

Broken essentially into three plots that eventually intersect as the story progresses, Triss starts us off in the dark dungeons of an evil kingdom far away from Redwall Abbey, ruled by a dynasty of albino ferrets whose cruelty and thirst for conquest is limitless. Triss, a squirrelmaid, and her friends Shogg (an otter) and Welfo (hedgehog), are imprisoned as slaves at the castle, and Triss senses that their days of being kept alive have just about expired unless she can figure out a plan of escape. The dungeon's defenses appear impenetrable, but Triss knows that escape is their only chance to get out alive before the sadistic Princess Kurda eventually turns her sword-fighting expertise on the three prisoners. Even after it seems as if their escape attempt has been successful, though, the enraged Princess Kurda and her kingdom's finest trackers and soldiers pour out after the frantic escapees. If any of the slaves escape then it will give hope to the rest that they, too, might someday manage to break away, and such a state of affairs is unacceptable to Kurda. She's willing to stake everything, including her own life, on her ability to bring back Triss and her friends so that she can torture them as a graphic example to the other slaves. For Triss, a single slip-up on the escape route will mean speedy recapture, a fate sure to be worse than death.

“Tis a far cry from home for a poor lonely thing,
O'er the deeps and wild waters of seas,
Where you can't hear your dear mother's voice softly sing
Like a breeze gently stirring the trees.

Come home, little one, wander back here someday,
I'll watch for you, each evening and morn,
Through all the long season 'til I'm old and grey
As the frost on the hedges at dawn.

There's a lantern that shines in my window at night,
I have long kept it burning for you,
It glows through the dark, like a clear guiding light,
And I know someday you'll see it, too.

So hasten back, little one, or I will soon be gone,
No more to see your dear face,
But I know that I'll feel your tears fall one by one,
On the flowers o'er my resting place.”

―Raura, Triss, P. 126

On Salamandastron mountain the past is apparently repeating itself, as Sagax the young Badger Lord has decided that he just can't live on the same mountain as his father anymore. To satisfy his need for freedom and to exercise his exceptional physical powers as all Badger Lords before him have done, Sagax heads for the sea with Scarum, a young hare from Salamandastron, and Kroova, a sea otter who knows his way around the briny blue. Sagax is aware that there is much he needs to learn before someday becoming Badger Lord of Salamandastron―if that is, in fact, his ultimate destiny― but the world at large and the creatures he meets in it will have to be his teachers while he's away from home. The three companions from Salamandastron have no concrete idea of the adventures that might await them as they set sail for parts unknown, but their enthusiasm for the unexpected is at an all-time high.

At Redwall Abbey, the everyday bustle of peacetime suddenly develops its own intriguing storyline as a couple of wayward dibbuns happen upon what may be a secret entrance to the fabled Brockhall, home of the badgers before the existence of Salamandastron. A few careful forays into Mossflower Wood to test this theory seem to support the idea that it is, in fact, Brockhall that the dibbuns found, but a curious message in an unknown code that looks as if it could provide definitive answers baffles the residents of Redwall. It will take the arrival of an unexpected party to help decipher the code and figure out the lingering mystery to Brockhall, but even after they've secured entrance to the legendary hideaway, they may find that the ancient place holds an insidious secret or two of its own.

Readers familiar with the first fourteen Redwall stories will find references in Triss to much that they recognize from previous volumes in the series, but I'm not sure that those picking up this book as their first Redwall adventure will have an easy time getting into the story. There's a lot of setup in the first two hundred pages or so, and those who haven't invested a great deal of time in the Redwall series already may not want to read that much setup text before the adventure really gets going. Nonetheless, there's a lot to like about Triss. I love the scene in which Triss has made it through numerous dangers to find temporary safety among the shrews. While with them, she observes how happy the shrews appear to be all of the time. She asks the shrew leader, Mimsy, if her creatures are always this happy. "Only when we've got nothin' t'be sad about―we've got our ups an' downs, y'know", Mimsy replies. "I can sense that you've not led a carefree an' happy life, Triss, but try an' be like us. When ye get the good times, don't stop to mope about the bad 'uns. Enjoy yoreself while ye can." Mimsy doesn't know Triss's whole story, but she does know that no matter the horrors in the squirrelmaid's past, the moments of worry-free rest for her in the happiness and contentment of the present time are dwindling. Triss's days in safety and harmony among the shrews won't last forever; it's an interlude of gentle peace, laughter, and quiet, easy conversation, when the terrors of her past and the uncertainty of the future with Princess Kurda's hunters on her trail can be set aside for a few days, and Triss can form a few new friendships in an arena of kindness and hope. The dark days when she'll have to pick up her sword again and kill are sure to return, but for right now she doesn't even have to think about that.

"They are gone from the land,
We will see them no longer,
To a place where the fearless ones go.
In the valley of noonshades
They will meet there to wander,
Where the tranquil green waters do flow.
But oh, their brave memory will rest with us all,
Through the flowers of summer so dear,
Through the winter's cold winds, after autumn leaves fall,
Lives a home in our heart for them here.
Their brave lives were lost in the service of others,
They died so that we might live free,
O ye sad grieving friends, O ye fathers and mothers,
Spare a tear as the sun meets the sea!"

―Abbot Apodemus, P. 252

While the final battle for the freedom of Redwall, Mossflower Wood and the slaves back at Princess Kurda's kingdom isn't as intense or all-encompassing as in many of the other Redwall novels, the effect is still quite enlivening, providing more than a few tense climactic moments. Triss and the other warriors on her side are fighting for more than just the safety and security of Mossflower Wood and its inhabitants; Triss fights as one who will always bear the emotional scars of being a slave, if not the physical ones, tirelessly battling the enemy because she knows what it means to be chained in slavery to a cruel master. Triss fights because she will not, under any circumstances, allow herself to ever again be put back into chains, and she fights, as well, for all those back in Kurda's kingdom who she knows are helplessly shackled at that very moment, powerless to free themselves but still possessed of that one flicker of hope that the three slaves who somehow managed to escape will elude Kurda's merciless trackers and truly win their freedom. Even if the remaining slaves are never freed themselves, that flame of hope still flickers within them at the thought that someone could escape, so their situation may not be truly impossible after all. If Triss can win the day in her final stand against Kurda and her ruthless soldiers, she may be able to give the slaves of the princess's kingdom even more than just hope.

Though Brian Jacques never seems to have any shortage of catchy, humorous and thoughtful poems and songs included in the Redwall stories, it occurs to me that Triss just may be one of his very best efforts in that regard. I love the song of the sea otterwife Raura on page one hundred twenty-six, when she sings of a parent's broken heart for a child gone away. Abbot Apodemus has a few memorable recitations in the book, including his eulogy on page two hundred fifty-two for a couple of heroes slain in defense of creatures weaker than themselves. Then there's the poem on pages three hundred twenty-seven and three hundred twenty-eight that the stoat, Scummy, comes up with in honor of two of his slain comrades, despicable though they may have been. Scummy's poem is darkly funny, charming in its awkwardness and might have even been a little bit emotional, if it weren't being spoken in memory of two odious creatures without whom the world of Redwall is definitely a safer place. This is Brian Jacques at his best in terms of poetic creativity, and it ended up being one of the most enjoyable parts of the book for me.

I would give Triss two and a half stars, and my rounding of that rating really could have gone either way. I might not rank this book up there with the very best Redwall adventures, but it is a good story, and I hope that we cross paths again with the warrior Triss at some point in a future Redwall novel. I'll never underestimate what Brian Jacques is capable of doing as a writer, and I'm already looking forward to what he has planned for the sixteenth book, Loamhedge.

DNF

Not that I wasn't enjoying it, but in the stress of moving I seem to have lost this book. Once I figure out where I put it, I'll come back to it.

The hares in this series can get pretty annoying. None more so than Scarem. Should have chucked him off the boat.

I absolutely adore this book, it’s my first Brian Jacques book, and I love his world building and characters. He has a talent for quickly making distinctions to make memorable places and people.

Of course all the people are animals, which is a fun change up over general fantasy. This story ranges across an ocean, to Redwall Abby, and in plenty of surrounding places, and even without looking at the map it was very easy to build a sense of scale and location.

My favorite part was the exploits of the Dibbuns, who are the young animals who live at Redwall Abby and are absolutely hilarious and of a lot to lighten up the atmosphere.

I’m looking forward to reading more of his work!

3.5 stars. It took me over 4 months to finish this, but I don't blame the book. This was another fun read in the series, but not necessarily a standout. I couldn't really get behind Scarum, which I found frustrating since he was such a prominent character. The other characters were great-villains included. I think if there was a clear, featured hero/ine (which based on the title you'd think would be Triss), but the narrative was so split and even when Triss's portion of the story was featured, she never really dominated the spotlight. I did enjoy the various layers of the story, and, of course, the food!

I recommend to fans of Redwall & fantasy in general - this is a great adventure read!

This was the first Redwall book I ever read--and it was, at that point in sixth grade, the best book I'd ever read. Triss holds a special place in my heart. It's the sort of adventure story that leaves you feeling a better person at the end. Like, you had a lesson in morals without the preaching. I loved the characters, I loved hating the villains with Triss...it was just a great book. Adults and kids can both enjoy Redwall. I maintain that Triss is the best Redwall book, along with Martin the Warrior and Mossflower. Mossflower might be my favorite of the three though... But not by a landslide.

I was very close to giving *Triss* five stars, but a few hiccups along the way kept it from that perfect score.

First, and this is really a matter of personal preference, were the accents. Inasmuch as I appreciate that each species has a consistent and unique mannerism to differentiate them from their peers, I often found myself struggling to get through dialog-heavy sections of the book. The moles in particular have an aggressive accent that I found difficult to decipher, and the dibbuns (who, if I'm being honest, I never grew to like) had a tendency to forgo proper grammar altogether. For me, this served as a barrier to my enjoyment of the story.

I will say that this is entirely subjective. From a literary standpoint (and perhaps a less geocentric one, as I'm sure these mannerisms mirrored or paid homage to some real-world regional dialects with which I am unfamiliar), Jacques did an incredible job of infusing life into his characters. Redwall is alive with a host of vibrant critters, and despite there being so many to keep track of, every one of them was memorable in their own way.

That said, my second and final negative critique comes in the form of just how short-lived some of those characters are (both literally and figuratively). For much of the book we find ourselves following four (three? five?) separate journeys, and each is jam-packed with encounters as they traverse the well-populated and fully-realised expanse between their origin and their ultimate destination: Redwall Abbey. As such, we are granted precious little time for each, and we are given just enough to get attached before we never see them again. Whether they were as long as a chapter or as short as a few pages, many of these little excursions left me wanting more. As this is my first excursion into the literary world of Redwall (a few episodes of the TV show adaptation when I was young notwithstanding), I will acknowledge that I may be missing some context. Are these recurring characters? Are the allusions presented nods to other stories from other offerings? Perhaps, but in the isolated context that I must judge the novel for this review, it felt almost as if some of those characters were just filler within the larger narrative; a way to justify how our heroes had sufficient supplies to make the rest of their journey or how they managed to escape their better-equipped pursuers. Some, it seemed, were only introduced to highlight just how dangerous a particular situation was.

Still, the overwhelming feeling as I turned that final page was one of satisfaction. While I may wonder what became of the coneslingers or the matronly, seafaring nomad and her seal companion, they are but footnotes in a sweeping story -- a grand, interweaving thing that had me hooked from the start. It was particularly satisfying to see the storylines intersect so gracefully in the book's final act. While there were many threads presented along the way, there weren't any loose ones. With them, Jacques weaved a glorious tapestry that, when finished, displays a staisfying catharsis. Everything is in its rightful place, the evil is vanquished, and life is good.

What's more, the journey toward that catharsis is beautifully written. The world of Redwall is rich and vibrant, and Jacques does an excellent job of leaving no stone unturned. He has a Tolkien-esque tendency to remind the reader that everything thing is important, mo matter how small, and thus worthy of our attention and respect. This is especially true for the food. For much of the book, vittles make an appearance on every other page in some form or another, and even the simplest of meals is given incredible reverence. I hadn't made if halfway through before looking up whether or not there was a Redwall cookbook so that I may experience some of the offerings myself (there is, and you best believe I will be getting it). From brekkers to rations to frand feasts, these descriptions managed to make me ravenous for things I'd never even heard of.

When all is said and done, *Triss* has more than enough on display for any type of reader to close the book with a smile on their face. Whether you seek action, adventure, character development, intrigue, comradery, or even meal inspirations, the book is sure to please.

3.5 - 4 Stars

Triss is the fifteenth book in the epic Redwall Series by Brian Jacques. This series is aimed at Middle-grade aged/YA readers, but I am waaaay older than that and still enjoyed the adventure.
-with an all-ANIMAL cast (woodland animals)
-Fantasy
-Action
-Adventure
-Warriors
-Drama
-Danger
-Quest
-Journey of discovery/Courage/Strength
-Emotion
-Enchanting

(mild spoilers)

My favorite part of the book was anything with the Freebooters, probably the most likeable group of villains in Redwall. Not only are they the only vermin group to actually mourn their captain’s loss, and seem genuinely devastated by his death, but they also write a poem about him. Captain Plugg is also great, in that he is very self-conscious about the loss of his tail and sticks it on with resin, but then in the heat of the moment, when he gets overexcited, he pulls it off and waves it around his head. Do we have fan art of that moment? We need fan art of that moment. Finally, Grubbage takes a place next to Blaggut in the friendly vermin category, as it is stated that he stays on with the Redwallers after the rest of the Freebooters are defeated.

Really, the Freebooters were the best part of the book. I also quite liked the fact that the rescue of the slaves was written in journal entry form, which was a nice departure from the usual.

Log a Log’s comment to Triss about justice versus revenge was really good, too, emphasizing the fact that Jacques has his good characters fight and kill honorably and justly.

So, Triss is the first female carrier-of-the-Sword-of-Martin, and Kurda is the second female main villain. That’s pretty cool.

Scarum is by far the most annoying, unlikeable hare in the Redwall series. Jacques took the gag of the “bottomless stomach” that he uses with his hares and amped it up to eleven. Not only that, but Scarum and Sagax (and Kroova to an extent) are completely unnecessary characters. In fact, once they join up with Triss and Shogg, they’re barely mentioned at all (that is, Kroova and Sagax are. Scarum is the annoying comic relief mentioned far too often).

What is it with Jacques and anticlimactic endings? The adders spend three quarters of the book terrorizing the forest and die in three sentences, one for each adder. They were also far more dangerous and killed more creatures than did Kurda and Co., and yet Kurda got a more extensive death scene.

While the addition of the adders and Brockhall was interesting, it seemed a bit strange to have that the focus of the book, while the rescue of the slaves from Riftgard only takes up one chapter at the end. It’s more original than the usual Redwall fare, but it just seemed out of place.

Wow, it seems like each time I finish a Redwall book, it becomes my new favorite. The squirrelmaid, Triss is endearing and brave. And I love the introduction of a new species in the story, a golden hamster!

Treetops and timber! Another fun and epic tale of Redwall.

Long after the events in Redwall, Triss tells the tale of the heroine Trisscar, and escaped squirrelmaid slave who will soon become the only Redwall Abbey heroine called up to wield the sword of the legendary co-founder of Redwall and the protector of Mossflower Woods, Martin the Warrior.

Triss makes a wonderful collection to the Redwall Book Series and it introduces a brand new set of lovable heroes, villains, and abbey-folk. Despite it being in the Late Years of Redwall Abbey, the plot shedslight to the history of the Redwall world as it explores the nearly lost Brockhall, an ancient home and seat of badger lords in Mossflower Woods.

Triss, as do many of the Brian Jacques's Redwall books, brings the readers in an action-packed and legend-filled adventure around the Redwall world through exciting narratives, funny dialogue, great characters, and creative poems/songs.

If you're a Redwall Book Series buff, Triss would be a wonderful and historical addition to your personal library. If you're new to the world of Redwall, Triss would serve to be a nice starting point - though, as it is quite late in the plot's timeline, you may want to consider starting from the usual point-of-origin: Redwall.

The narrative for Triss, like all Redwall books is catered to the pre-teen fantasy reader. Nevertheless, like most Redwall books, the timeless plot and ingenious writing style of Jacques presented in Triss can be enjoyed by readers of even the older ages.

For Redwall!