Mossflower A Tale from Redwall

Bella of Brockhall, a badger, tells the story of how Martin the Warrior, a mouse, saved the Woodlanders from the harsh rule of Verdauga Greeneyes and his daughter, Tsarmina, back in the time before Redwall Abbey was built.

Brian Jacques says: "Having been asked by my publishers to write another Redwall novel, I decided to work on a prequel, as opposed to a sequel. Even then, I had an idea that a series was in the offing. "Accordingly, I began to think. What was Mossflower country like before the Abbey was built? What manner of creatures lived there, and what motivated them to build Redwall Abbey? Thus began an imaginary journey into the realm I had come to love. "This led to the rounding out of our legendary warrior, Martin. He was not a bumbling novice, as was Matthias at the start of Redwall. Far from it. Martin was the mouse formed by adversity, sorrow, and hardship into a young, but already seasoned warrior. I still see him in my mind's eye, on that fateful winter day. Leaving paw tracks in the snow as he marched into Mossflower from the far north coasts. Draped in a ragged cloak, carrying across one shoulder his father's ancient sword. Treading fearlessly forward into a land ruled by a tyrant and beset by a vermin horde. Who would he meet, what adventures would he have? "I hoped my readers would identify with him, a young mouse alone in the world but gifted with determination and a warrior's will to succeed. Mossflower will always remain a particular favorite of mine." Brian Jacques is the author of the best-selling Redwall novels, as well as many related books. He was born and still lives in Liverpool, England.