Right from the start of this rousingly old-fashioned prequel to Redwall , readers will submerge themselves in the culture of the woodlanders and their council, the Corim, against the wicked Kotir. Kotir is the name of the group holed up at the castle, led by Tsarmina, a wildcat who poisons her father and imprisons her good brother Gingivere so that she may rule in her own way. Into the woodlanders' midst comes Martin the Warrior, who becomes fast friends with Gonff the mousethief and others; they soon set off to find the only warrior who can lead them to victory. More important than the outcome of the story, where good triumphs over evil, are the characters: baby hedgehogs Ferdy and Coggs, doing their valiant best to become warriors; the kindly Gingivere, who finds his heart's joy as a farmer; Lady Amber, the squirrel Chief and her band of archers; Chibb, the robin who will spy for anyone as long as he is paid in candied chestnuts. Martin's heroics pale in comparison to the acts of his fellow-fighters, so colorful are their escapades. While Redwall fans will enjoy this, no prior knowledge of that book is necessary. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 10-up. (Nov.)

Gr 6 Up-In this prequel to Redwall (Philomel, 1987), Jacques describes the epic adventures leading up to the foundation of Redwall Abbey. A band of weasels, stoats, and other unpleasant creatures from Kotir Castle, led by the evil wildcat Tsarmina, is making life unbearable for the animals of Mossflower Woods. Then Martin, a young warrior mouse with a rusty sword, appears and inspires them to resistance. Leaving the others to harass Tsarmina, Martin sets out with two companions on a quest to find the great badger, Boar, the true ruler of Mossflower. All of the characters, good and evil alike, come fully alive. Jacques has the true fantasy-writer's ability to create a wholly new and believable world, down to the last details of food, drink, and local dialect. He is not so skilled with his plot. Suspense does not arise from the situation itself, for the end is never really in doubt. Instead it is produced by rapid and often confusing cuts back and forth between groups of characters. The writing is smooth and swift-paced; scenes of violent battle take place so quickly that readers may have to go back to what has happened. Lacking the unifying device which the seige provides in Redwall, the narrative seems overly long and crowded with events. This will be enjoyed mainly by those whose reading of Redwall has already aroused their interest in Mossflower and its inhabitants. Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library