Redwall

Welcome, everyone, to my humble review blog. It's my goal to read, watch, and play an assortment of media and let you know if it's worth investing your time and hard earned cash to get. Now let's kick things off.

I'll say this: it's hard to find something worthy of a first entry. After a few hours I settled on a classic children's series which I was engrossed with for years. Redwall. It's a long series, most of the stories are fluff and unnecessarily written, but those came with the later years. Redwall the novel, though, is a glorious tale of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and sticking to one's beliefs when everything appears to be crashing down.
Matthias, the hero, is an ambitious youth stuck in an abbey of woodland creatures whose only goals are to make sure the harvest is abundant, and to promote peace and neutrality to all neighboring nations. The abbot is kind and fair, the people slow to anger and patient as rocks. Matthias on the other hand is energetic, worshiping the founder of Redwall (the abbey's official name), a mouse by the name of Martin. Martin is renowned for his skill in battle as well as a prodigious tactical mind in all aspects of life; a great mouse whose feats are still praised and respected by all creatures throughout this land. Matthias dreams of living up to and surpassing Martin...obviously he'll get his chance.
While Matthias is busy doing chores and daydreaming, a menace is headed his way. One that will threaten the very way of life that the citizens of Redwall worship: Cluney the Scourge. He's a rat feared "worldwide." Soon enough he and his horde of cutthroat and treacherous rats, ferrets, and weasels begin their siege and ruination of the abbey.

Redwall was unique when I became a fan; it was -and is- still quite an amazing novel. You have these furry little beasts teaching morals and values worth spreading during times of crises. Throughout Cluney's war, Matthias strives to find the fabled blade of Martin, hidden deep within the abbey, and with it he finds friendship in unlikely people. From the violent, nigh-barbaric sparrows to the jovial elite warriors of the hares, Matthias learns that being a hero is not only in fighting and winning despite insurmountable odds, but also in using your head and following your heart and trusting those around you. A hero, we learn, does not seek danger, but defends the things we love, be it ideals or people. Matthias grows, and with him I did, too.

Brian Jacques, the author of this fantastic book, created a tale I still treasure. The characters were given a level of depth seemingly unseen in its genre, so much so that with every loss of a likable mouse or mole, you feel it almost as strongly as the characters' peers. The plot is typical: boy rises to the occasion to save the day, yet it really feels different. It's like watching your favorite mystery/thriller film and getting caught up all over again-- You've seen it, you know how it will end, yet it's delivered so masterfully that you find yourself thinking it will be different. Most of all, this book is easy for anyone above the age of 9 to pick up and become a part of.

I can't guarantee that everything I review will find their way to my good list, but I'll give any suggestions a try. Let's see what you throw my way...just leave a comment with your choice!