Martin the Warrior
Jacket cover of USA edition:
Marshank! A fortress of timer and stone built by the sweat of a hundred slaves and ruled over by the ruthless stoat Badrang the Tyrant. It is here that Martin—a young mouse with a warrior’s spirit—is brought as a child, held captive and forced to labor within its walls. But he vows to free himself one day, and to win back his father’s honored sword, which the tyrant now possesses. Aided by Laterose and Grumm of Noonvale, sent to save Rose’s brother Brome, Martin escapes. He then journeys with them across a danger-filled land toward their home in the hopes of raising an army and returning to Marshank to destroy the fortress. Meanwhile, the vindictive Captain Tramun Clogg, Badrang’s onetime partner in crime, stumbles upon Marshank with visions of owning it for himself. And a band of wily players stalk the fortress, intent on setting the slaves free. But in the end, it is Martin—brave Martin the Warrior—who faces Badrang in a final challenge. In this sixth book of the Redwall series, Brian Jacques once again proves himself a master of character and adventure, as he relates the long-awaited tale of how the mouse warrior of Redwall gained his title and his fame.
My rating: *****/10 stars
Main hero: Martin the Warrior the mouse
Excerpt from Redwall Friend and Foe:
Martin is the embodiment of Redwall's spirit. Throughout his lifetime he fights for good against evil. Even after his death, he remains with the creatures of the Abbey, guarding their present and looking out for their future. Martin is a born warrior and the son of Luke, from whom he inherited his famous sword. Even those adversaries who cross his path are grudgingly forced to acknowledge the noble qualities that radiate from him. In Martin the Warrior, Martin fights the evil stoat Badrang the Tyrant, rallying an army against him and liberating the slaves of Marshank. It is not long before he is called again to battle on behalf of the innocent, as he takes on Tsarmina the Wildcat, oppressor of kind, honest creatures, in Mossflower. Once again, Martin triumphs and goes on to found Redwall Abbey.
Main villain: Badrang the Tyrant the stoat
Excerpt from Redwall Friend and Foe:
The battle-hardened stoat, Badrang the Tyrant, is vicious and ruthless, letting nothing get in the way of his ambition to become Lord of all the Eastern Coast. He presides over his fortress, Marshank, in a reign of terror. But his false power, created by bullying and torture, utterly deserts him when he comes face to face with young Martin the Warrior in the final battle.
Badger hero/heroine: Rowanoak
Sadly enough, The Tribes of Redwall: Badgers doesn't recognize this badger heroine. But Rowanoak played a huge part in Martin the Warrior, from freeing slaves to entertaining pirates. After meeting Felldoh and Brome, Rowanoak and the Rambling Rosehip Players decided to free the slaves from Marshank. They freed a good number of the poor creatures by putting on a show for Captain Tramun Clogg and Badrang. After Brome finished the job by liberating the other thirty, Rowanoak led the entertainers against Marshank in what she thought was their last battle--until Martin the Warrior came to the rescue with his marshaled army.
Otter hero/heroine: Keyla
Excerpt from The Tribes of Redwall: Otters
Deep within Fortress Marshank, Martin the Warrior lies imprisoned by the stoat Badrang the Tyrant, while Keyla the otter, another slave, plans his escape. Once Martin is away, Keyla masterminds the remaining slaves' preperations for the rescue they know will come. At the first attempt, half the slaves get ut before the treacherous bankvole Druwp summons the vermin horde; Keyla stays behind to support the older ones and the babes. And just as well: he is the only one strong enough to dig them out of a trap and lead the last slaves to freedom.
Pages: 376
Covers:
