When I opened the front cover of this book on the first page there was a snippet from the book and here it is:

For a moment Martin's eyes meet those of Tsarmina's. His voice was clear and unafraid. "You should have killed me when you had the chance, because I vow that I will slay you one day."
The spell was broken. The guards hauled on the ropes, dragging Martin off to the cells. In the silence that followed, Tsarmina slumped in her chair and sniggered "A mouse kill me, indeed! He's hardly worth worrying about."

But boy was she wrong! In the rest of the book you are just enticed in the adventures from dancing crabs to stolen children, it is in the last and final chapters that Tsarmina is slain by a true warrior, it is also in these final chapters the most tense chapters that we find out weather our strong and heroic warrior's life is so close to being snuffed that you need a box of tissues. This is a book with such a long but exciting and action packed plot that it would take twenty pages to explain, it is hear dear friends that I take my leave...and leave you to this fantastic book of all emotions.

A masterful story of cunning, treachery, determination, and bravery. Brian Jacques' tale of how the Redwall Abbey came to be is truly a must-read for any fan of the Redwall series, and for anyone who has not read one of the Redwall books, Mossflower is a great place to start!

The story is full of riddles, songs, memorable characters, and one cannot forget the battles of the peace loving woodland creatures versus the evil troops under the command of the the merciless wildcat Tsarmina. The brave Martin, clever Gonff, the strong Skipper of the Otters and a plethora of other colorful characters make this book one not to miss. There's something for everyone in this book, action, humor, love, mystery, and riddles that make the mind boggle!

Truly one of Brian Jacques' best and most beautifully done works, also a fantastic tale for all ages! This was the first of Jacques' books that I ever read, and I've looked forward to any of his new books ever since

This is about a girl named Alanna and she is twins with her brother Thom. Alanna doesn't want to be taught how to be a lady but to become the famous maiden-warrior and do great deeds for people,and Thom doesn't want to be a knight and get hurt but instead he wants to be a sorcerer and walk with the gods. So they decided to switch places. She dresses as a boy and goes to the palace.

At the beginning, she is bullied by a boy named Ralon and he is from Malven. But she showed him at the end. Later, she learns and becomes the best of the other pages in archery, swordfighting, fencing, horseback, and not to mention she is also a good student. She also saved her good friend Jonathon, the heir to the throne, a couple of times in what looked like certain death from demons and from his evil cousin, Duke Roger who wants to take over the throne.

This is so far the best book I have read in a very long time. I have read almost ALL the fanasty novels by famous writers and Tamora Pierce is one of the BEST writers of all and Alanna: the First Adventure, is a great book!

I read Alanna for the first time when I was in middle school and still find this entire series (excluding the last, because I am sad to have it end!) an enormous comfort.

Many books start with characters already doing what they want to do. Few show the struggle to become what they want to be. As such, Alanna is pretty unique. She decides she wants to become a knight, yet in her world only boys become knights and she is doomed to being a "lady." So one day she hatches a plan to switch places with her twin brother and thus her story begins.

The series follows her as she fights her way up the ranks, befriends not only the prince of the country, but also a king of thieves. She makes enemies. And has to learn the hard way how to survive. All the while pretending to be someone she isn't, yet trying her darndest to be remain true to herself.

For all her trials and tribulations, you know Alanna works and pays for her triumphs. You can't help but fall in love with her and root her on through the end!

The "twist" is that Ella is "cursed" with the spell of always having to obey direct commands. It's quite delightful to see the clever ways she gets around this curse, and sometimes when she cannot get around it the results are hilarious.

The book gets a little cumbersome about halfway through, voyaging through a forest of fantasy creatures and removing its attention just a little bit from the character development of Ella. While it helps advance the story, I found myself losing interest at that part, and my 10-year-old son (who broke down and read this "girl's" book at my insistance) decided not to finish the book when he got to the same spot. But I trudged through and then found myself enjoying the book at the end. It's not that long.

I'd recommend this book for girls in 4th grade and up, and it's not below the interest level of an imaginative adult. If you liked the movie "Ever After" then you'll probably like this book.

Although this is the sixth book in the series, it can be read first because the books were written out of sequence and this is the prequal to the other stories. Mossflower is the next book in the sequence.

I would recommend this book to anybody who enjoys fantasy or children's literature. The only reason this gets four stars is because Jacques spends an inordinate amount of time writing about food or supper-time.

In this book, Martin is a younger mouse, and was captured as a slave while he was guarding his family while his father was away (read "Legend of Luke" if you want to hear his father's adventre). He was taken to Marshank, where he was somewhat of a rebel. He was particularly mad because Badrang, the Tyrant of this (Marshank was his fortress)area, had stolen his father's sword from him. Along with mousemaid Rose and mole Grumm (looking for their captured friend, Brome) and the rest of the slaves try to escape Marshank and kill Badrang.

This is a Redwall thriller, and is must for any Redwall or fantasy fan!

Martin the Warrior was a young mouse taken captive when he was just a child. His father's sword was taken from him from the evil stoat named Badrang the Tyrant. He was made a slave with many other peaceful creatures who were captured, in a dreadful castle named Marshank. When he is tied to a post on the top of Marshank to be killed, he sees that 2 creatures were living outside Marshank, a mousemaid called Rose and a mole named Grumm. They were searching for a young mouse named Brome who is Rose's younger brother and Grumm's friend. They discovered that Brome was a slave in Marshank and was trying to figure out how to rescue him. They save Martin from being killed, but Martin was partly saved by the appearance of a sea-faring stoat named Captain Clogg. Badrang and Clogg were enemies. So, Badrang had let Martin down from getting killed and concentrated on the task ahead. Martin, Brome, and another brave and rebelling squirrel name Felldoh(He is my favorite character in this book) escapes with the help of Grumm and Rose.

Meanwhile, the pitiful band of slaves in Marshank had formed a plan. They knew that Martin would be back with an army and would save them. They knew that Martin would be back to retrieve his father's sword. So, they decide to be prepared. Stealing food and stealing weapons, they get ready for a rescue.

Martin, Brome, Felldoh, Rose, and Grumm are separated at the sea. Martin, Rose, and Grumm, seeing that there was no point in waiting for the others since they didn't know where they were, set out to Noonvale where Rose's home was. There, Martin plans to raise an army and attack Marshank. They are captured by pigmy shrews but are freed when Martin saves the queen of the Squidjees's son.(Squidjees is the name they call themselves) The band of friends don't know where Noonvale is, but gets "help" from an old molemaid named Polleekin. Polleekin give them a rather hard riddle and they gradually solves it and reaches Noonvale safely.

Meanwhile, Felldoh and Brome meets a band of travelers: a hare named Ballaw, a squirrel named Celadine, a badger named Rowanoek, and a few otters and moles. They were preformers. Felldoh boldly proposes to secretly free the slaves only with the band of travelers, Brome, and himself. The Rambling Rosehip Players(the name of the band of traveling creatures) preform a decoy play for the evil animals of Marshank while Felldoh and Brome freed the slaves. Only half of the slaves got out, the other half were recaptured.

Martin the Warrior and his friends had not been able to raise an army in the peaceful Noonvale. Boldred, an owl they had made friends with, began to search the land to raise a horde.

Brome had planned to free the other half by himself. He dressed himself up like a rat and entered the slave place. Telling the other evil creatures of Marshank that he was bringing them to Badrang, he led them to the secret tunnel he and his friends had used to escape. The slaves were freed, but the Rambling Rosehip Players, Felldoh, Brome, and the freed slaves were now in great trouble. Now the vermin were mad. They charged them and began to attack.

What will happen to the Rambling Rosehip Players and the others? When will Martin and his friends arrive with his army?

This book was just so great! Though I have to warn you that the ending is very...different from what you think it will end like. It has sort of like a sad ending. But this book is still best book I've ever read in the Redwall Series!

This book portrays a stunning sketch of Canadian History and Culture in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The character personalities are so real and so amazingly "human" that one cannot help but fall in love with them. You really get a taste of PEI in its glory.

This story is set in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island (Canada), a fictional settlement which is really Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, the place where Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author grew up.

The main character is Anne Shirley...and eleven year old, enigmatic, imaginative, sparkling, highly intelligent orphan who is sent to Green Gables, a farmhouse in Avonlea, under the impression that she was to be adopted by a pair of elderly siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthburt. But, apon arrival to Green Gables, Anne discovers that there had been a horrible mistake...the Cuthburts never wanted a girl...they wanted a boy who could do the chores and help Matthew with the farm. Anne was was in the "depths of dispair". Matthew, on the drive home from the train station had taken a great shine to Anne and had his heart set on keeping her, regardless of any mistake. Marilla, however, was not so easily enchanted. She agreed to let Anne stay at Green Gables on trial, to see if she would behave herself and lend a helpful hand to Marilla. After the trial, Anne is welcomed to Green Gables and flourishes under the love of the Cuthburts and all Avonlea folk. Anne, however, has one big problem. Her Hair. It is a hopeless shade of carrotty red and Anne felt that it was the ugliest hair anyone could imagine. She was extremely sensitive about it and she was horribly embarrassed about it. On her first day of school, Anne's hair was made fun of by Gilbert Blythe, the smartest and handsomest boy in school. "Carrots! Carrots!" he said. Anne's temper got the better of her and she was so angry she broke a slate over his head. After that, for many years, she snubbed Gilbert every time he spoke to her and he developed a boyhood crush on her.

Ah, but to keep this review interesting and the book mysterious, I will stop telling you the story and begin reviewing. The characters in the book are so well-defined that it seems to you that you know every character personally, like an old friend or neighbour.

And by all means, don't let the age recommendation fool you either...this book can be read by all ages alike...and I have no doubt that this book will still be my avid favorite at the age of 85.

The book is not boring, contrary to many opinions of those who read the first chapter of small print and historical settings. The discriptions will place you right into the heart of the story and you find you will laugh and cry while reading this story. Every time I read it I cry at a certain part which I'm not sure if I should reveal to you for fear of spoiling the good parts in the story, but it is dreadfully sad. If you read the book, then you will know what part I am talking about. The one saddest part in the whole story.

Although this book has some old ideas and ways of expressing them, you will learn a great deal of Canadian history through them and there's no doubt in my mind that this book will still be popular decades and most likely even centuries to come.

The chief character, Milo, has a serious case of ennui at a young age. He sees little point in doing or experiencing anything. One day, a mysterious tollbooth materializes before him, and through it Milo is transported into Dictionopolis, a world so weird that it makes Oz seem truly as normal as Kansas. There are characters such as the bickering Humbug, the aptly-named Spelling Bee (who reflexively spells out commonly-used words), and the marvelously tongue-twisting Weatherman, whose splendid spoonerisms would put Gilbert and Sullivan to shame. Things in Dictionopolis happen for no particular reason, its denizens act with no point in mind, and in general things make absolutely no sense. Even the poor king is constantly embroiled in conflicts with himself, over, of course, nothing at all. All this has come to pass because the princesses, Rhyme and Reason, have gone missing. It is thus that Milo sets off on his search-and-rescue mission. To say much more would be to spoil the book's ineffable magic, so whether you're getting this book for your ten-year-old or for yourself (and there is no shame in the latter!), it's a must-have for your bookshelf.

The wordplay in this book approaches Carollian proportions in parts. The descriptions of the demons near the end (including such monstrosities as the Horrible Hopping Hindsight, a "most unpleasant fellow whose eyes were in the rear and whose rear was out in front... he invariably leapt before he looked and never cared where he was going as long as he knew why he shouldn't have gone to where he'd been") are wonderfully clever and illustrate the worse sides of human nature very well. Other characters - Alec Bings (he sees through things); the fat/thin/tiny/giant man, Dr. Dischord and the Awful DYNNE; Chroma the color conductor; the Spelling Bee; and the .58 of a boy (he's one of the 2.58 children the average family has) are all so well done that one finds oneself reading their parts over and over again with a grin on one's face.

Though the allegory becomes too simple as one grows older, it should be returned to over and over again just to see if you missed anything the last time around. It was only recently that I noticed the wonderful line "Is everybody who lives in Ignorance as bad as you?"

I enjoyed this book very much because of the sense of adventure and the spirit of the writing. I think that the characters were life like and humorous at times. The best part of the book I thought was the meetings and how the author tried to show all sides of the actions that happened. I would recommend this book, for it was, in my view, very good.