Book Log 2020 #29: Redwall by Brian Jacques

This is the first in a series of books about the animals of Mossflower Wood, and specifically in this case the mice of Redwall Abbey. One of their novices, Matthias, dreams of adventure and matching the exploits of the legendary Martin the Warrior. And as luck would have it, he gets a chance to live out his dreams when a pack of rats, led by the one-eyed Cluny the Scourge, arrive to attack the abbey.

There is a distinct Lord of the Rings meets Watership Down meets The Wind in the Willows vibe, but the book doesn't suffer by any comparisons. It's an enjoyable tale set in a fully developed world. I was drawn in almost immediately, and fantasy is not a genre I tend towards. The series is aimed at young adults, but is compelling enough to keep adults interested.

One decision you should make before starting this is whether or not you want to read the series in publication order or timeline order. Redwall is actually the ninth(!) book in timeline order. As someone who likes to read series from start to finish, I'm having a hard time deciding how to attack the rest of the books (as evidenced by not having read another book in the series as of the time of this writing).