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Badrang the Stoat has his evil eyes set on ruling over his own empire, and will do anything to make sure that his ultimate fantasy is fulfilled. But little does he realize that the quiet, nameless mouse he is holding captive will one day turn out to be the heroic and fearless Martin the Warrior.

“Martin the Warrior” is the sixth book of Brian Jacques’ Redwall series. The opening sequence takes place shortly after “Mariel of Redwall” but the actual story of Martin is the earliest so far in the series, placing it sequentially before “Mossflower.” The book also takes place in the far north lands, a new area of Jacques’ world.

Badrang the Tyrant, the ruler of Fort Marshank on the shores of the Eastern Sea, has captured a young mouse named Martin. Martin eventually escapes with Brome (another mouse) and Felldoh (a squirrel) from the fort and meets up with Brome’s sister Rose and her companion Grumm (a mole) who have come from Noonvale.

Separated during their escape, the remainder of the book follows the two parties in their respective quests: Martin, Rose, and Grumm attempt to return to Noonvale and raise an army to attack Marshank; Brome and Felldoh meet up with a travelling troupe of entertainers known as the Rosehip Players (which include a Badger named Rowanoak and a hare called Ballaw) and plan a series of missions to free the remaining Marshank slaves. Meanwhile, Badrang has to deal with both the outside attacks and inside subterfuge caused by an old “friend” (Tramun Clogg, a sea-faring stoat pirate) paying an unexpected visit.

As usual, the characters are varied, colorful, and entertaining and the story is easy to read. This volume, however, has the most sad and tragic turn of events in any of the books so far in the series. Suffice it to say that the ending plays an important role for the Martin we see at the beginning of “Mossflower” and explains his actions that carry on in the later Redwall novels.