Salamandastron [Mass Market Paperback]

Brian Jacques (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Random House Children's Books; reprint edition (1993)
• ISBN-10: 0099143615
• ISBN-13: 978-0099143611
• ASIN: B000N34XDO
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,374,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A well-known radio personality in his native Liverpool--as well as an actor, stand-up comic, and playwright--Brian Jacques (1939-2011) was the host of "Jakestown" on BBC Radio Merseyside. Ever the performer, Jacques was well-known for applying his acting and entertainment background to his lively presentations to legions of young fans at schools across the United States and England. Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England on June 15th, 1939. Along with forty percent of the population of Liverpool, his ancestral roots are in Ireland, County Cork to be exact. He grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks. His interest in adventure stories began at an early age with reading the books of: Daniel Defoe, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Thomas Malory, Robert Michael Ballantyne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Kenneth Grahame. He attended St. John's School, an inner city school that had its playground on the roof. On his first day at St. John's, at the age of ten, he had an experience that marked his potential as a writer. When given an assignment of writing a story about animals, he wrote about the bird that cleaned a crocodile's teeth. The teacher could not, and would not, believe that a ten year old could write that well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then, that he realized that he had a talent for writing. "My favourite teacher was Mr. Austin Thomas. He looked like Lee Marvin. Big Man. A Captain in World War II. He came to school on a big bush bike with the haversack on back. He was a man's man. Always fair. I was fourteen at the time when Mr. Thomas introduced the class to poetry and Greek literature. (Because of him, I saved seven shillings and sixpence to buy The Iliad and The Odyssey at this dusty used book shop.)" This interest in poetry extended to Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Goldsmith. It was also at St. John's that Brian met a teacher, Alan Durband (who also taught two Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison), who, more than thirty years later would bring about a major change in his life. After Brian finished school at fifteen, he set out to find adventure as a merchant seaman. He travelled to many far away ports, including New York, Valparaiso, San Francisco, and Yokohama. Tiring of the lonely life of a sailor, he returned to Liverpool where he worked as a railway fireman, a longshoreman, a long-distance truck driver, a bus driver, a boxer, a bobby (Police Constable 216D), a postmaster, and a stand-up comic. Jacques passed away in February of 2011 at the age of 71.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Great story, voice acting is lacking, April 17, 2011

By 

Emily A. Willoughby (Earth, temporarily) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Salamandastron: Redwall, Book 5 (Audible Audio Edition)

Salamandastron is easily one of my favorite books in the Redwall series. It has a great cast of characters and probably my favorite villain of any Jacques novel. The story, while not extraordinarily unique by Redwall standards, was robust and very enjoyable, not yet having fallen into the formulaic pattern noticeable in some of Jacques' later novels.

I was never much into audiobooks, but after being gifted the original Redwall audiobook and falling in love with the superb voice acting and narration, I wanted more. Salamandastron did not live up to the expectations that Redwall had given me. Redwall was narrated by Brian Jacques, and the main character was played by his son. Many of the other characters had well-known and very skilled actors. Salamandastron is not so much this way: many of the main characters, such as Ferahgo, Thrugg and Pikkle, have downright irritating voice actors (especially Pikkle). Many others, like Mara and Urthstripe, simply lacked the emotion and resolve in their voices that I'd expect from the characters. Some voices did stand out as being exceptional, such as Klitch, but the "exceptional" actors in this audiobook were few and far between. It's not bad overall, but if you're looking to buy this book after listening to Redwall, you are likely to be somewhat disappointed.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, January 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Salamandastron (Redwall, Book 5) (Hardcover)

Another huge hit in the Redwall series. I believe that Brian Jacques has really combined the two main parts of Redwall books in this one:Quests and Major Battles (or wars). I would recommend this book to any Redwall fan.

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book of ever, April 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Salamandastron (Redwall, Book 5) (Hardcover)

Salamandastron was the mos powerfull book ever written i recomend it to anyone please read salamanstron