This is a prequel to Redwall (which I reviewed a while back) and is the second book in the Redwall series. I loved the first one, as well as this one, but this one was less awesome than the first. Not to say it wasn't brilliant, but it just wasn't quite as brilliant.
The hero is a mouse called Martin the Warrior - a legend by the time the first book takes place - and when he travels to Mossflower country, he finds it ruled by the wildcat Tsarmina, Queen of the Thousand Eyes. Martin believes that to slay Tsarmina, he must find the mythical mountain of Salamandastron and meet the badger Boar the Fighter. It's got great description of landscapes and great-sounding food, as well as delightful characters such as the hares of Salamandastron and the mousethief Gonff.
But certain parts, such as Martin's and Bella of Brockhall's characters (Matthias and Constance), and the riddle-solving, seemed a little too close to Book One. I like it when series can produce something entirely new with each installment. Overall I liked it, however.
Final Grade: B
