It was meant to be: The classic fantasy adventure that began the Redwall phenomenon is finally available in a cool graphic format. Illustrated by renowned comics artist Bret Blevins, Redwall: The Graphic Novel brings to life all the battles, all the heroes, and all the villains in a fun new format perfect for reluctant readers, those just entering the Redwall world, or the countless existing fans of the series.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 4 Up—When Redwall Abbey is attacked by Cluny the rat's army, Matthias the mouse follows the example of Martin the Warrior and becomes a hero. Fans of the novel will want to see if villains like Cluny the Scourge and Asmodeus Poisonteeth live up to their imaginations, while new readers will enjoy visiting Redwall for the first time. The adaptation of the novel is excellent; even this condensed form captures the spirit and the language of the original. The graphic-novel format makes the action accessible to younger readers, who will be able to join the ranks of fans who love Matthias the mouse, Constance the badger, and the rest of the Redwall supporters. The story is a page-turner, and the detailed black-and-white drawings capture both the passion and the pathos. Characters on both sides are injured and killed; the violence is realistic but not graphic. By the end of the book, readers will be cheering for Matthias as he uses both his brawn and his brains to defeat his enemies and become the champion of Redwall.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
The much-loved, fantasy series has morphed into a graphic novel with mixed results. Adapting a favorite is always tricky: creators want to acknowledge the fans but also draw in new readers. In this case, the story has holes that only Redwall devotees can fill, but readers unacquainted with the series will still find themselves caught up in the action. Blevins' art effectively conveys the emotional edge of the animal characters while it maintains a Saturday-morning-cartoon feel. Fun for some, although Redwall fanatics will think part of the magic is missing. King, Kevin
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
And about time too! When the Warriors novels started coming out in graphic novel forms, I didn't think much of it. Author Erin Hunter has always written books that seem similar to the "Redwall" titles, but with a narrower focus. Then Mouse Guard was published earlier in 2007 and I thought it a lovely work, if less complex and multi-faceted than "Redwall" too. About the time Mice Templar hit the shelves, though, I started to get angry. What. The. Heck? First of all, I'm sure there are some nice sociological theories you could put into play regarding the state of the United States today and our odd fixation on mice going to war, but above and beyond all that, where in the world was the Redwall graphic novel? I mean, Brian Jacques essentially took that old The Wind in the Willows animals-wearing-clothes idea, gave it some armor, and defined the very idea of contemporary children's books where animals war against one another. I'm sure that you could find others, but Jacques was the fellow that made animals in armies profitable. Finally, at long last, we've a graphic novelization of the very first "Redwall" book. Adapted by Stuart Moore and illustrated by Bret Blevins, the book is a faithful retelling of the original text, offering some advantages and disadvantages in its new format.
Once there may have been a need for warrior mice to guard Redwall Abbey, but those days have long since passed. Now the most that young Matthias can hope for is to someday become an abbot himself. As they say, the days of the warrior are past. Or rather, they would be if Cluny the Scourge and his crew of blood-thirsty rats weren't travelling straight for the Abbey with murder on their minds. Now the good animals must band together to fight this terrible invader. For Matthias, that means going on a quest of his own to recover and use the word of the legendary Martin the Warrior. In his own small way, Matthias is the only hope for a land now torn asunder by war.
I had forgotten the sheer amount of story Jacques worked into the first book in the "Redwall" series, something this book was quick to remind me of. I'll admit right now that I haven't reread it since I picked up this new version, but as far as my foggy memory serves this seems to be the whole kit and caboodle (at least in terms of big scenes). Readers unfamiliar with the original book but who love graphic novels may even find themselves surprised at the sheer number of women warriors that crop up. One of the things I've always loved about Jacques and his characters is that he isn't afraid to create strong women. Over and over again the important people in this book surprise the reader by turning out to be female. Illustratior Blevins, to his credit, doesn't go the standard animation route of just slapping eyelashes on anything faintly feminine either, and the result is a more interesting narrative in terms of character and expectations.
In the essence of space, much has been lost in terms of descriptions and smells. Jacques ranks right up there with Laura Ingalls Wilder and Grace Lin when it comes to writing about the true glories of delicious abundant food. Tasty morsels get short shrift in Moore's version though, and that's a true pity. I'm sure that with the right text, illustrator Bret Blevins could whip up delicious baked goods and succulent soups if the need arose. At 148 pages this work is faithful, but I can't help but imagine what would have happened if Philomel had gone all the way and produced a 200+ lush full-color edition with time spent on character and scope. Nothing against the black and white pages, mind you. In this age of flashy computer-drawn hues and tones it was kind of a relief to see the events of this story playing out in good old-fashioned gritty grays and blacks. Still, you get the sense that the 148-page limit should have been pushed a little farther. As I am given to understand it, this adaptation was originally published overseas, so there was little the American publisher Philomel could do once they brought it over. Perhaps if it is successful they'll consider future installments at a more extensive length.
Illustrator Bret Blevins is primarily known for his work with big comic book powerhouses like Marvel and DC Comics, but his style takes many of its cues from real life. For this particular book he would have had to create a rat worthy of Cluny's grotesque evil. Certainly Blevins' work with musculature and action serves him particularly well in the massive battle and action sequences. At the same time, the good guys in this book had to look at least a little tough. It's all well and good to read a story about adorable woodland creatures going to war, but if your characters are too adorable then there isn't any life in them. Blevins does a good job at balancing this all out. So much so, in fact, that I was a little surprised that characters like Silent Sam, the silent baby squirrel, weren't even more adorable. I appreciated the grittiness of the book as well. There really isn't a lot of blood (the death of Asmodeus being an unavoidable exception) but there is a plenty of grit, claws, teeth, and spittle. Blevins never forgets that these are animals, not little people in animal clothing, and the result is a visually stimulating series of panels and full-page spreads.
Plus there's size and proportion to take into account as well. When you have badgers interacting with mice, or foxes alongside shrews then you need to remember how large one animal would be in comparison to another. In Jacques' world, animals wear clothes and walk on their hind legs. That's all well and good, but that would mean that characters like the foxes Sela and Chickenhound would be significantly taller than the rats and mice around them. Blevins then has to fudge the proportions a bit here and there, but the effect is never too distracting.
I noticed that an Amazon reviewer figured that for people unfamiliar with the original book, this graphic novel would be impossible to figure out on one's own. They thought the images here to be difficult to follow. I admit to not having that problem, but I have read the book before so maybe that helped me. Looking at it, the black and white images on the slick shiny paper could be confusing to kids that haven't read graphic novels before. I definitely wouldn't consider this to be a starter GN. Still, for those kids who know their comics and are well-acquainted with following detailed panels and a myriad of different forms and angles, this shouldn't prove to be a difficult read. Blevins does a fine job of distinguishing between one mouse and another, even with this massive cast of characters. In the end, this new "Redwall" is a fun graphic novel and well worth a look to anyone unfamiliar with the very first story. Read the comic, then read the book. There is much to be gained from both.
Once there may have been a need for warrior mice to guard Redwall Abbey, but those days have long since passed. Now the most that young Matthias can hope for is to someday become an abbot himself. As they say, the days of the warrior are past. Or rather, they would be if Cluny the Scourge and his crew of blood-thirsty rats weren't travelling straight for the Abbey with murder on their minds. Now the good animals must band together to fight this terrible invader. For Matthias, that means going on a quest of his own to recover and use the word of the legendary Martin the Warrior. In his own small way, Matthias is the only hope for a land now torn asunder by war.
I had forgotten the sheer amount of story Jacques worked into the first book in the "Redwall" series, something this book was quick to remind me of. I'll admit right now that I haven't reread it since I picked up this new version, but as far as my foggy memory serves this seems to be the whole kit and caboodle (at least in terms of big scenes). Readers unfamiliar with the original book but who love graphic novels may even find themselves surprised at the sheer number of women warriors that crop up. One of the things I've always loved about Jacques and his characters is that he isn't afraid to create strong women. Over and over again the important people in this book surprise the reader by turning out to be female. Illustratior Blevins, to his credit, doesn't go the standard animation route of just slapping eyelashes on anything faintly feminine either, and the result is a more interesting narrative in terms of character and expectations.
In the essence of space, much has been lost in terms of descriptions and smells. Jacques ranks right up there with Laura Ingalls Wilder and Grace Lin when it comes to writing about the true glories of delicious abundant food. Tasty morsels get short shrift in Moore's version though, and that's a true pity. I'm sure that with the right text, illustrator Bret Blevins could whip up delicious baked goods and succulent soups if the need arose. At 148 pages this work is faithful, but I can't help but imagine what would have happened if Philomel had gone all the way and produced a 200+ lush full-color edition with time spent on character and scope. Nothing against the black and white pages, mind you. In this age of flashy computer-drawn hues and tones it was kind of a relief to see the events of this story playing out in good old-fashioned gritty grays and blacks. Still, you get the sense that the 148-page limit should have been pushed a little farther. As I am given to understand it, this adaptation was originally published overseas, so there was little the American publisher Philomel could do once they brought it over. Perhaps if it is successful they'll consider future installments at a more extensive length.
Illustrator Bret Blevins is primarily known for his work with big comic book powerhouses like Marvel and DC Comics, but his style takes many of its cues from real life. For this particular book he would have had to create a rat worthy of Cluny's grotesque evil. Certainly Blevins' work with musculature and action serves him particularly well in the massive battle and action sequences. At the same time, the good guys in this book had to look at least a little tough. It's all well and good to read a story about adorable woodland creatures going to war, but if your characters are too adorable then there isn't any life in them. Blevins does a good job at balancing this all out. So much so, in fact, that I was a little surprised that characters like Silent Sam, the silent baby squirrel, weren't even more adorable. I appreciated the grittiness of the book as well. There really isn't a lot of blood (the death of Asmodeus being an unavoidable exception) but there is a plenty of grit, claws, teeth, and spittle. Blevins never forgets that these are animals, not little people in animal clothing, and the result is a visually stimulating series of panels and full-page spreads.
Plus there's size and proportion to take into account as well. When you have badgers interacting with mice, or foxes alongside shrews then you need to remember how large one animal would be in comparison to another. In Jacques' world, animals wear clothes and walk on their hind legs. That's all well and good, but that would mean that characters like the foxes Sela and Chickenhound would be significantly taller than the rats and mice around them. Blevins then has to fudge the proportions a bit here and there, but the effect is never too distracting.
I noticed that an Amazon reviewer figured that for people unfamiliar with the original book, this graphic novel would be impossible to figure out on one's own. They thought the images here to be difficult to follow. I admit to not having that problem, but I have read the book before so maybe that helped me. Looking at it, the black and white images on the slick shiny paper could be confusing to kids that haven't read graphic novels before. I definitely wouldn't consider this to be a starter GN. Still, for those kids who know their comics and are well-acquainted with following detailed panels and a myriad of different forms and angles, this shouldn't prove to be a difficult read. Blevins does a fine job of distinguishing between one mouse and another, even with this massive cast of characters. In the end, this new "Redwall" is a fun graphic novel and well worth a look to anyone unfamiliar with the very first story. Read the comic, then read the book. There is much to be gained from both.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Scott Morris
Format:Paperback
As a fan of the Redwall series for ten years, I must say I enjoyed this adaptation of the book that started them all. The quality of the work was excellent, and you can really see the characters coming to life from the pencil sketches of Bret Blevins.
That being said, this book is not without its flaws. As the Book Review had mentioned, I fear some of the magic of reading the novel is lost in this translation. Many scenes are omitted from the book, such as the feast for example. It is mentioned briefly in the cart ride back to St. Ninian's. As some may know, it is a point of pride that Brian Jacques includes depictions of food in each of his novels. The story seems to advance a little quicker than it did in the book as well, which was a point of minor annoyance. Still, it is the first attempt at translating these stories into a graphic novel format, and I very much look forward to more in the future, if there are any planned. I have favorite stories I'd like to see translated myself.
So, overall..art style is great, which was a surprise, considering the artist's background work in Marvel comics. Instead of buffed-up super heroes, we have plain, simple mice. Who'da thunk it?
Story adaptation is pretty well conceived, though some beloved scenes may have been sacrificed.
I still recommend it, though. To both fans of the book and to those new to the series.
I hope this review is helpful.
That being said, this book is not without its flaws. As the Book Review had mentioned, I fear some of the magic of reading the novel is lost in this translation. Many scenes are omitted from the book, such as the feast for example. It is mentioned briefly in the cart ride back to St. Ninian's. As some may know, it is a point of pride that Brian Jacques includes depictions of food in each of his novels. The story seems to advance a little quicker than it did in the book as well, which was a point of minor annoyance. Still, it is the first attempt at translating these stories into a graphic novel format, and I very much look forward to more in the future, if there are any planned. I have favorite stories I'd like to see translated myself.
So, overall..art style is great, which was a surprise, considering the artist's background work in Marvel comics. Instead of buffed-up super heroes, we have plain, simple mice. Who'da thunk it?
Story adaptation is pretty well conceived, though some beloved scenes may have been sacrificed.
I still recommend it, though. To both fans of the book and to those new to the series.
I hope this review is helpful.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well, I expected this book with mixed expectations. How can you get the feeling of such a great book into comic form? I still have mixed feelings about it. The drawing are EXTREMELY chaotic and hard to follow, even for one who has read the book a million times, like I have. And I hated how they passed over certain characters and scenes that I love, such as: Basil Stag Hare, who's part is reduced to about two lines when you meet him, and another two in the tapestry-rescuing scene with Jess; Cornflower, who appears perhaps twice in the course of the book, and never speaks.(Interesting, how this is the opposite mistake to the one made in the animated series, where Cornflower is always shoved in where she isn't needed) Also, they left out the part with Jess handing over the dish-cloth to Cluny, which is the funniest part of the book. And Methuselah and Matthias's riddle-solving is passed over quickly. But enough nit-picks ;D The story was stuck to surprisingly well, despite the condensation needed to put it into comic-book form. Asmodeus's death was a great scene, and I LOVE the way Squire Julian and Captain Snow are depicted.
So, all-in-all, a good first attempt, but one more word: do not attempt to look at this graphic novel until you are a least familiar with the original. You will not be able to tell what is going on, for as I said before, the pictures are pretty difficult to follow.
So, all-in-all, a good first attempt, but one more word: do not attempt to look at this graphic novel until you are a least familiar with the original. You will not be able to tell what is going on, for as I said before, the pictures are pretty difficult to follow.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Help get your kids reading
Excellent for kids to read on their own or to be read to kids by their parents. Intro to a great set of adventure books.
Published 24 days ago by Harvey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Redwall, The Graphic Novel
This is a great book for boys who won't sit and read a chapter book. It introduces the reader to the characters in the Redwall series. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Hadassah Carolyn Dextradeur
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just Good
My son loves graphic novels and adventures. Having read Redwall myself, I was excited to find this version of the novel. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Lynnamint
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great story and great art!
NOTE: I did not read the original book, this is purely based of my reading as an enthusiast of graphic novels and a comic book illustrator myself. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Thomas J. Kiser
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not good enough
It's just not good enough. But I do like the action in it. It's like getting a book waiting the greatest book in your life and then opening it and "black and white. Read more
Published 12 months ago
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Great artwork. Decent story. I don't have a lot to add to the other four star reviews out there. I haven't read anything by this author before, and I actually quite liked this.
Published 15 months ago by Popeater111
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not much depth but it is Redwall after all
Warriors readers would probably like this, and it is meant for a similar audience. It's part of the story but only part. The art is the best of it.
Published on October 7, 2010 by P-M
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun and entertaining
A fun and entertaining graphic novel! The book has all of the characters, setting and plot of a great action adventure. Read more
Published on May 25, 2010 by Christopher P. Obert
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great story then, a great comic now
I never read the novel version, but I read this and loved the story. I got this as a present to my sister who read and loved the Redwall series. Read more
Published on March 18, 2010 by S. White
5.0 out of 5 stars
Redwall Graphic
A charming addition to the Redwall series. The artwork is excellent and the story is topnotch. This takes me back to the Golden Classic comic books of my childhood.
Published on November 19, 2009 by I. Herald
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
