ALA Booklist

Jacques burst on the children's-book scene in 1987 with Redwall which quickly garnered a large following eager to grab each new book in the series. The first prequel to Redwall was Mossflower (1988), in which Martin defends the abbey; Martin the Warrior (1994) precedes Mossflower in time, telling how Martin brought peace to Mossflower Woods. This book, the twelfth in the series but the third in the saga's time line, offers a pair of intertwined stories, focusing first on the building of the abbey and Martin's search for his father, Luke, and then on Luke's life and heroic death. The book concludes with the triumphant return of Martin and his friends to Redwall Abbey, where Martin hides the sword that is found in Redwall by clumsy young Matthias, who becomes the mouse warrior defending the abbey. The expected villain and his cruel minions are here, as are great danger, furious fighting, rollicking humor, crackling animal dialects, and sumptuous banquets, all consistent with the tone of the saga. Another winner for the series' many fans. (Reviewed December 15, 1999)

Horn Book

In this installment in the popular Redwall series, Martin the Warrior sets out to seek his birthplace, hoping to learn about his father. After a long trek, he and his companions meet some elderly creatures who tell him the legend of his father, who left young Martin in order to avenge his wife's death at the hands of Vilu Daskar, the evil pirate stoat. As usual, the fantasy is filled with feasting, fighting, and great camaraderie.

Kirkus Reviews

The 12th book in the animated epic about the inhabitants and friends and enemies of Redwall Abbey, this is a grand, seafaring odyssey about Martin the mouse warrior and his treacherous return to the place of his youth. After the evil Vilu Daskar mercilessly massacred Luke's wife and most of his tribe, Luke left his son Martin behind in order to avenge his wife's death, never to return. With only the words of an old ballad to go on, an older and determined Martin, Trimp the hedgehog, and the mousethief, Gonff, set forth to battle weasels, water rats, aggressive crows, and tree vermin. Tricking the fox, Sholabar, into giving up his sea vessel, they locate half of the wreckage of Luke's ship wedged between two monolithic boulders. Martin is reunited with four remaining shipmates who give him Luke's journal; it outlines his capture by Vilu Daskar and plan to ram Vilu's boat into the mammoth stones, thereby avenging his wife's death and ridding the seas of Vilu's treachery forever. Martin's inner search and struggles with beasts of both land and sea will remind older readers of Homer, while also satisfying voracious fans of Jacques's series. The formulas are gratifyingly intact as Martin discovers, as all fatherless children hope to, that his parent had not abandoned him, but heroically sacrificed his life for the welfare of others. (Fiction. 11-14)

School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up-The saga continues as Martin, the warrior mouse, leaves Redwall Abbey on a quest to find out what happened to his parents, whom he can barely remember. He adds to his original party of Gonff, the mouse; Dinny, the mole; and Trimp, the hedgehog as he travels along. Among the most memorable characters on the journey are an outspoken baby squirrel and a half-crazed renegade otter who is redeemed by the young squirrel's innocent friendship. Eventually, Martin finds two elderly friends, the mouse, Vurg, and the rabbit, Beau, who sailed with his father on his final journey. These old shipmates share the story of how Luke the Warrior and the brave squirrel Ranguvar Foeseeker gave their lives to avenge the death of Martin's mother and rid the seas of the wicked pirate stoat, Vilu Daskar. Readers who have enjoyed the series on land will find this seafaring addition equally fast paced. The action is interspersed with the broad humor, rustic speech, and delicious vegetarian meals shared by the good-natured animal friends. Be aware, however, that the story of Luke the Warrior, told as a tale within a tale, is one of cruelty, revenge, and the ultimate self-sacrifice. Phonetic spelling of the various animals' dialects, used both in conversation and in the many songs, may act as a barrier to some readers. This 12th title in the series will have the most appeal where the previous books have a following.-Valerie Diamond, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.