Review by Booklist Review
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 Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The Redwall series celebrates its 20th anniversary with new releases. Redwall: The Graphic Novel by Brian Jacques, illus. by Bret Blevins, retells the first story in comic form. Blevins delivers action-heavy b&w artwork, which does not shy away from the violence of battle, but captures the epic nature of the abbey's struggle against the rat, Cluny, and his minions. (Philomel, $12.99 paper 144p ages 8-up ISBN 9780-399-24481-0; Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
