Mariel of Redwall

I couldn't get through this book fast enough! It was painstakingly low, I Was relieved when it was finally over. Certain areas in the story picked up and were more bearable but I loved the Redwall series so much endured this one. It's got that lovable formula for another epic adventure for the creatures of redwall but unfortunately the story line was lackluster for me.

I absolutely LOVE this book! It is sooo suspenseful, and a genuine page turner! Every one of Jacques' books I've read so far are truly amazing, and I praise him for his hard work!

Mariel and her father, Joseph the Bellmaker, are on a ship headed towards Salamandastron to offer a magnificent bell to the Lord Badger of Salamandastron, Lord Rawnblade. But they are attacked by the pirates of Gabool the Wild, a searat who is a terror on the seas, leader of all the searats. Everyone on board are either killed or taken to Gabool's fortress Bladegirt on the isle of Terramort to be made as oarslaves. Joseph is kept alive to be made to tell what the symbols on the great bell mean, but he remains silent. Mariel though is thrown off the cliffs of Terramort for attacking Gabool and making a fool of him before his followers.She is carried by the tide towards the coast near the swamp lands. She remembers nothing so she calls herself Storm Gullwhacker, Storm because she remembers the terrible storm she was in and Gullwhacker, because of a rope she found which is knotted and used as a weapon. She meets three hares from the Long Patrol, Colonel Clary Meadowcleary, Brigadier Thyme, and Honorable Rosemary (called Hon Rosie). They take her to an odd old squirrel named Pakatugg who will lead her to safety, to Redwall. Instead, Storm (Mariel)gets so frustrated with him that she leaves him. Fortunately, he meets up with Tarquin L. Woodsorrel, a hare from the Long Patrol who was sent by Lord Rawnblade to stay at Redwall (he is also very much in love with Hon Rosie!) He takes her to Redwall Abbey.There Storm (Mariel) makes friends with two mice, Dandin and Saxtus. Mariel regains her memory though when Saxtus recites an old prophecy which includes her father and her. She is determined to go to Terramort to free her father and to kill Gabool. The only clues to the direction of Terramort is an old poem and she sets out with her friends Dandin, Tarquin, and Durry Quill, a friendly porcupine. But before they had left, in a dream, Dandin was visited by the legendary Martin the Warrior and when he woke up, Martin's sword was next to him. The group knows that the spirit of Martin is with them.But they are not the only ones who are heading towards danger. One of Gabool's captains has deserted with his crew. Their plans, to take over Redwall...This is a really fun book, exciting with plenty of action and suspense. My favorite characters in this book are probably all the hares, Dandin, and Durry Quill. I love the way the hares talk, in a very British way. For example, "Y'don't suppose they've bally well gone to bed, wot?" "Hardly, old chap." And so on. The next book to read after this is definitely "The Bellmaker", with almost all the same main characters as this book. But I strongly suggest you read as many Redwall books as you can because they're ALL great!!

The fourth book in the Redwall series delivers another powerful and moving tale from the master of animal fantasy, Brian Jacques. A sequel to Mossflower, Mariel takes place a few generations after the Outcast of Redwall. In this installment, The main character is Mariel. Mariel is a warrior maid. She can fight like a badger lord (Who appeares later in the book.) She lives to kill Gabool, lord of the searats. (Ublaz without the hypnotism.) There's just one problem, she can't remember who she is. With the help of the Long Patrol, Mariel finds her way to Redwall, where she quickly recovers her memory, and sets out to deal justice to the vile searat Gabool. Joining her on her quest is Dandin, a descendant of GONFF the mousethief, Tarquin L Woodsorrel a Salamandastron hare, and Durry Quill nephew of the Redwall Cellerkeeper. Together with a cast of hundreds, Mariel packs a lot of excitement into what otherwise would be a remake of Mossflower with different characters and destination. Mariel is also Jacques most well-written work, and the basis for Martin the Warrior, (a story told to Abbot Saxtus and several other mariel veterans) and the sequel, The Bellmaker. After reading it over twenty times, I must say that this book, and every other book in this series is a tribute to it's creator, Brian Jacques.

You wake up on a desolate shore with no memory and only a small length of rope to your name. There is also a swarm of seagulls circling above you to die. This is one of the first scenes in the book "Mariel of Redwall" the fourth chapter in Brian Jacques's epic Redwall series. In the book Mariel and her father, Joseph the Bellmaker, are sailing to deliver a bell to Lord Rawnblade, ruler of the great fortress Salamandastrom. On the way, their precious cargo is hijacked by the evil ruler of the searats, Gabool the wild. Gabool holds Mariel and Joseph as captives until he grows tired of them and throws them out to sea to die. With the fate of her father unknown, Mariel ends up in the hands of the peaceful Redwall Abbey where she joins up with Durry the hedgehog, Dandin the mouse, and Tarquin the hare as they set out to destroy the ruthless Gabool. The minute you open up a Redwall book you are thrust into an adventorus and sometimes dangerous animal civilization. The books all focus on the land of Mossflower, where animals live in harmony. As you travel to the center of Mossflower you come upon the glorious Redwall Abbey. This animal world is much like our midevil times. The entirely animal cast adds a hue like none other to the plot. My favorite charactor was Tarquin Woodsorrel, a hare that was once a member of the long patrol of Salamandastrom. He then was sent by Lord Rawnblade to protect the Abbey from attack. His only faults were that he had an odd sense of humor and dressed funny, but he was totally honest and a fearless fighter. When Mariel leaves to slay Gabool he goes along and gives the book great adventure scenes and some comic relief. I think every good book needs a lively charactor like Tarquin. Like all of Brian Jacques's books it is very deeply themed, but the main theme is that you must stand, and maybe even give your life for something that is right. Some examples of the theme at work include when Colonel Clary and Brigadier Thyme give their lives battling searats in order to free a group of slaves, and when a small group of ex-slaves and a handful of warriors stand up to Gabool's tremendous hoard without fear. I think the Redwall saga is the finest fantasy series ever written. It's only fault is the somewhat repetative plot in all the books. An example of this plot is: a great evil is done to the main charactor by a ruthless villian and somehow the creature ends up in the hands of Redwall Abbey where the hero gets help and travels a trecherous journey to end up in a spectacular fight to the finsh against the villian. Although it is always said you can't read a good plot too many times. I would recommend this book to anybody with a love for reading.

On a ship headed for Salamandastron, Mariel and her father, Joesph the bellmaker, were taken captive by the infamous searat, Gabool the Wild. He threw Mariel out the window and into the storm tossed waves. She washed up on shore with no memory and only a length of knotted rope. Mariel made her way inland and found herself at Redwall Abbey. There her memory returned and she and her two best friends, Dandin and Tarquin, made their way to Gabool's stronghold, following an old poem's direction. Meanwhile, while looking for their lost comrades, who were making war on Redwall, a shipful of Gabool's searats landed near Salamandastron. The Badger Lord, after vanquishing the vemin, drifted out to sea on their ship. He soon met up with Mariel, and together they set out for Gabool's castle to avenge the death of one of their own. They soon found that they were not the only ones on the island who wanted Gabool dead. A great battle followed and you must read the book to find out the ending.