Jacques, Brian

REDWALL
Brian Jacques
Philomel Books 1986
HB 351 pgs
ISBN# 0-399-21424-0
 
Okay, I'm on a soft-fantasy binge--it happens sometimes.  REDWALL is a good choice if you enjoy anthropomorphism (the attribution of human characteristics to animals), and if you like--or can at least occasionally tolerate--a story based on good versus evil.  Brian Jacques tells very good stories and his prose is delightful!  Though REDWALL is the fist book of this series published, each story stands alone, though MARTIN THE WARRIOR is REDWALL's prequel.
 
REDWALL is an Abbey that shelters little woodland creatures, mostly mice.  Our hero Matthias is a young mouse who dreams of the life of a warrior . . . and soon gets his wish.  Cluny the Scourge is coming!  Cluny is a mean sea rat with an army of evil rats, stoats, and weasels.  Matthias makes friends with a brave rabbit, a vicious sparrow, a cat, an owl, and many shrews in his pursuit of a legendary sword that will help in the defense of his abbey.  He's going to need that sword, too, because there's something even more dangerous out there than Cluny!
 
Oh, this is a cute story--rate it an eight in its category. 

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