Marlfox (Redwall, Book 11) 
asked by skywalker on November 17, 2006 8:50 PM
For this enchanting novel Brian Jacques has brought to bear the experience of his eventful and adventuresome life, a life which has taken him all over the world and seen him variously described as folk singer, playwright, and broadcaster. No doubt his usual writing environment--garden in summer, conservatory in winter--provides him with the ideal theater for observing the wildlife on which the book's unusual central characters are based.
It is, perhaps, appropriate that the story line revolves around the theft of the famous Redwall Tapestry, for Marlfox is a richly woven tapestry, skillfully running together threads of the magical and mythical with the "natural world," to give its audience a heady blend of fairy tale and medieval adventure. The result is a tale of grand themes and conflicting human passions played out against a backdrop of humor and uncertainty; yet the author manages never to lose sight of the reality of life as experienced by the human and animal kingdoms alike.
Young readers will gorge themselves on this literary feast, a spread worthy of comparison to other classics in this vein such as The Hobbit, Duncton Wood, The Mythical Knights of the Round Table, and the stories of C.S. Lewis.
Reviews
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Marlfox is all about conflict; conflict between good guys, bad guys, and conflict between characters on the same side. This book is a typical good vs. bad novel with a little twist. The Plot is one of the most important aspects of this story. Like most novels, the conflict is between the good guys and the bad guys. But unlike most good guy bad guy novels, there is another conflict other than good guy bad guy. There is a conflict between the characters on the "bad" side. The Marlfox are evil. They are cunning, sinister, and addicted to power. This hunger for power overcomes their consciences and soon they are fighting among themselves. This type of betrayal has been witnessed throughout literature and history. Julius Cesar was murdered by his own cabinet, even by his best friend, Bruno. Just like Cesar, the Marlfoxes killed themselves off. How evil do you have to be to kill your own kin? In fact, their lust for bloodshed led them to murdering their mother Queen Silth. Who wins this conflict, brain or brawn? This time brains win. The marlfox who outsmarts the others will become supreme ruler. You'll just have to read to find out who wins.
The Characters in Marlfox are animals but they act in such a human-like way. This is personification. Cregga the badger acts very much like a mother. She is blind but very powerful. She is very protective of the young ones in Redwall Abbey. This is very appropriate and believable. Mothers are usually more protective than fathers, and usually mother animals are the most protective of their young. The author, Brian Jacques first introduces his characters with a vivid physical description like this one of Jangular Swifteye "...he was an unusual squirrel, half as tall as most of his species, with dark terra-cotta fur..." he then describes the character's nature, temperament "...he was renowned as a quick and dangerous warrior, immensely strong and wise in the ways of battle..." Brian Jacques' technique in narrating is very unusual.....
Brian Jacques narrates Marlfox in an omniscient point of view, but also in a first person point of view. Right now I know this doesn't make sense but let me explain. Brian Jacques is a character in the story which makes it first person, but he is an elderly character who is telling a story to the children that was passed down from generation to generation. He knows everything about every character, their personalities, their physical characteristics, what they're thinking which shows this is written in an omniscient point of view. However, because the author acts as a character telling a story, he is also telling the story in a first person point of view. Another example of Brian Jacques' unique writing style is that he switches setting chapter to chapter. He tells the reader what is happening on both sides of the conflict. He switches every chapter, from one side of the fight to another. That makes putting the book down very difficult. He'll end the chapter in the scene of the redwallers defending the abbey with "...come on up on the wall, mate, there's something here I think you should see..." and switches setting to where the Marlfoxes are attacking the abbey. That is the same scene and it is happening at the same time, but the narrator switches sides from what the Redwallers are witnessing to what the Marlfoxes are witnessing.
All in all in all, the story is very solid and makes the reader ask many questions. I recommend this book to any person who likes blood, gore, trickery, betrayal etc.
-Mark Pangilinan
The Characters in Marlfox are animals but they act in such a human-like way. This is personification. Cregga the badger acts very much like a mother. She is blind but very powerful. She is very protective of the young ones in Redwall Abbey. This is very appropriate and believable. Mothers are usually more protective than fathers, and usually mother animals are the most protective of their young. The author, Brian Jacques first introduces his characters with a vivid physical description like this one of Jangular Swifteye "...he was an unusual squirrel, half as tall as most of his species, with dark terra-cotta fur..." he then describes the character's nature, temperament "...he was renowned as a quick and dangerous warrior, immensely strong and wise in the ways of battle..." Brian Jacques' technique in narrating is very unusual.....
Brian Jacques narrates Marlfox in an omniscient point of view, but also in a first person point of view. Right now I know this doesn't make sense but let me explain. Brian Jacques is a character in the story which makes it first person, but he is an elderly character who is telling a story to the children that was passed down from generation to generation. He knows everything about every character, their personalities, their physical characteristics, what they're thinking which shows this is written in an omniscient point of view. However, because the author acts as a character telling a story, he is also telling the story in a first person point of view. Another example of Brian Jacques' unique writing style is that he switches setting chapter to chapter. He tells the reader what is happening on both sides of the conflict. He switches every chapter, from one side of the fight to another. That makes putting the book down very difficult. He'll end the chapter in the scene of the redwallers defending the abbey with "...come on up on the wall, mate, there's something here I think you should see..." and switches setting to where the Marlfoxes are attacking the abbey. That is the same scene and it is happening at the same time, but the narrator switches sides from what the Redwallers are witnessing to what the Marlfoxes are witnessing.
All in all in all, the story is very solid and makes the reader ask many questions. I recommend this book to any person who likes blood, gore, trickery, betrayal etc.
-Mark Pangilinan
reviewed by tacos on November 29, 2006 7:00 PM
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In His novel of Redwall, Marlfox, Marlfoxes, the treacherous brood of Queen Silth, are lurking in Mossflower Woods. I like this novel because Brain Jacques combines adventure and humor. In this book the marlfoxes steal the great tapestry of Redwall Abbey. Songbreeze, Danflor, Barble and Dippler, young woodland creatures, set out to retrieve it. Along the way they face many dangers while back at the abbey there is trouble. Janglur, Songbreeze's father, slays the Marlfox Ziral. The Marlfox code states blood for blood, which means Janglur must be slain. As the creatures of Redwall fight for freedom at home and abroad friends are slain. By the time the tapestry arrives in Castle Marl, the slaves in Castle Marl are just waiting for freedom.
I like this book because of the action, thrilling adventure and how it ends a chapter with our heroes in danger or an exciting part. As in his other Redwall books Brian Jacques takes animals such as mice, hairs and badgers and gives human personalities. He use his imagination to create a world far away where you can only enter with your imagination. He makes you wish you could leave this world and never come back and plunge in to Mossflower Woods and live at Redwall Abbey! If you like fantasy you'll love this book and the rest of the series. Here is a quote from Marlfox,
"If you are traveling cross the flatlands, through the woods, or along the path, you may hear our twin bells. They will be calling you to come and join us, and we would be pleases to see you. Do call in someday, you will be made welcome by all who dwell within our walls.
Rimrose Swifteye,
Apprentice Recorder to Friar Butty
at Redwall Abbey in Mossflower country."
I like this book because of the action, thrilling adventure and how it ends a chapter with our heroes in danger or an exciting part. As in his other Redwall books Brian Jacques takes animals such as mice, hairs and badgers and gives human personalities. He use his imagination to create a world far away where you can only enter with your imagination. He makes you wish you could leave this world and never come back and plunge in to Mossflower Woods and live at Redwall Abbey! If you like fantasy you'll love this book and the rest of the series. Here is a quote from Marlfox,
"If you are traveling cross the flatlands, through the woods, or along the path, you may hear our twin bells. They will be calling you to come and join us, and we would be pleases to see you. Do call in someday, you will be made welcome by all who dwell within our walls.
Rimrose Swifteye,
Apprentice Recorder to Friar Butty
at Redwall Abbey in Mossflower country."
reviewed by titanium7 on November 29, 2006 7:04 PM