imported>LordTBT: /* Mossflower Collector's Edition and Reprint */

2026-08-05T22:23:03Z

Mossflower Collector's Edition and Reprint

New page

''This article is about the book. You may be looking for [[Mossflower Woods]].''

{{Book2|usimage=
<gallery>
MFhardcover.jpg|U.S. HC
Mossflowercollectors.jpg| U.S. HC
AvonMossflower1990.jpg|U.S. PB
Mf-softcover-new.jpg|U.S. PB
Mossflower10.jpg|U.S. 2010
</gallery>
|usimagecap=''Mossflower'', [[Book_Cover_Gallery#Mossflower|U.S. covers]]|year=[[1988]]|ill=[[Gary Chalk]]|uscov=[[Troy Howell]]|ukcov=[[Pete Lyon]]|pg=431|isbn=0399215492|isbn13=9780399215490|chron=3|pub=2|ukimage=
<gallery>
Mossflowerukhc.jpg|UK HC
Mossflower-arrow.jpg|UK PB
Mossflowerredfoxpb1.jpg|UK PB
MossflowerUK.jpg|UK PB
Ukmosspb.jpg|UK PB
Newmoss.jpg|UK 06-07
</gallery>|ukimagecap=''Mossflower'', UK covers
|author=[[Brian Jacques]]
|publisher=*Philomel (U.S.)
*Hutchinson Children's Books (UK)
|prec=''[[Redwall]]''
|fol=''[[Mattimeo (book)|Mattimeo]]''
}}

'''''Mossflower''''' is the second published book in the ''Redwall'' saga by [[Brian Jacques]]. Created as a prequel to ''[[Redwall]]'', the novel clarifies the origins of [[Redwall Abbey]] and [[Martin the Warrior]]'s [[Sword of Martin|sword]]. The narrative also provides character background for the legendary mouse hero and introduces the mountain [[Salamandastron (place)|Salamandastron]] for the first time. It [[Redwall Timeline|takes place]] chronologically after the events of ''[[Martin the Warrior (book)|Martin the Warrior]]''.

The novel serves as a story told by [[Bella of Brockhall]] to the grandson of [[Gonff the Mousethief]] and [[Columbine]].

===Book Divisions (English)===
*'''Book 1:''' Kotir
*'''Book 2:''' Salamandastron
*'''Book 3:''' Of Water and Warriors

===Book 1: Kotir===
====Arrival at Kotir====
[[Martin the Warrior]] arrives in [[Mossflower Woods]], seasons after defeating an [[Badrang the Tyrant|evil dictator in the North]]. He discovers the region is ruled by an aging tyrant wildcat, Lord [[Verdauga Greeneyes]], who resides in the heavily defended [[Kotir|Castle Kotir]]. After getting into a fight with some of Verdauga's soldiers, Martin is imprisoned. Verdauga's mean-tempered daughter, [[Tsarmina Greeneyes|Tsarmina]], breaks Martin's rusty sword in half, and Martin swears to slay her.

Tsarmina poisons her father with the aid of [[Fortunata]], and frames her brother [[Gingivere Greeneyes|Gingivere]] for the murder. She subsequently usurps the throne and tosses Gingivere into the fortress dungeon. Meanwhile, Gonff is caught stealing from Kotir and thrown into a cell with Martin. The two get acquainted, and Gonff tells Martin of the [[Council of Resistance in Mossflower]] (CORIM) movement [[Great Mossflower War|actively rebelling]] against the wildcats.

Martin and Gonff stage a daring escape. Tsarmina, alerted to their presence, begins a harrowing chase. The pursuit leads to the mess hall, where Martin and Gonff defenestrate themselves.

During the commotion, the Corim task force located outside Kotir witnesses a band of mice clad in green robes naively walking straight for the dangerous castle. Squirrel Queen [[Lady Amber]] shuttles them safely off to [[Brockhall]].

Gonff and Martin safely land on the grass and are protected from projectiles by the dense tree branches. Lady Amber and her archers audaciously hold off the entire Kotir army. Their valiant efforts enable the [[Warthorn|Skipper of the otters]] and his crew to spirit Martin and Gonff away to [[Camp Willow]].

Tsarmina pursues them to the edge of the river, but loses the woodlanders. Furious over the well-coordinated escape, she orders [[Brogg]] and [[Scratt]] to return to Kotir and fetch [[The Gloomer]]. With the aid of a reluctant Fortunata, they bring Gloomer to the river to hunt down the fleeing otters. Skipper releases [[Stormfin]], an enormous pike, into the water, and a vicious battle ensues. The water rat is overmastered by Stormfin and drowns. Tsarmina and her army are left with the laughter of woodlanders as they vanish into the forest.

====Subterfuge and Negotiation====
At Brockhall, the Corim's headquarters, the woodlanders are properly introduced to the robed mice and their leader, [[Abbess Germaine]], an old friend of Bella. They are refugees from [[Loamhedge Abbey|Loamhedge]], an Abbey that was suddenly plagued by disease.

After dinner, Gonff proposes that the robin [[Chibb]] would be an ideal spy. Later that evening, woodlanders celebrate the successful rescue. [[Ferdy Stickle|Ferdy]] and [[Coggs Stickle|Coggs]], young sons of [[Ben Stickle]] and [[Goody Stickle]], leave Brockhall, wanting to overrun Kotir.

The next morning, Bella and Martin discuss the predicament of the woodlanders during a stroll in the woods. The seasoned badger tells him about the mountain of fire lizards, Salamandastron, and its current ruler, her father [[Boar the Fighter]]. Upon their return to Brockhall, Bella arranges a search-and-rescue effort to find the two errant hedgehogs.

Unfortunately, Ferdy and Coggs have already been captured by a third Kotir search party under Captain [[Cludd]]. They undergo a terrifying interrogation by Tsarmina herself, but refuse to divulge any information. The young brothers are then thrown into the cells on either side of Gingivere's cell, and the kindly wildcat befriends them.

====Journeying to Salamandastron====
Bella, Martin, Gonff, and [[Young Dinny|Dinny]] begin an exhausting hunt for a map of the route to Salamandastron. They search among Brockhall's vast piles of dusty scrolls and records, but meet with little success until Martin accidentally discovers their first set of clues in a secret compartment. These clues lead to a poem, written by [[Olav Skyfurrow]], which conveys directions to Salamandastron in verse.

Martin, Gonff, and Dinny begin the first part of the journey to Salamandastron with a Corim force headed to Kotir. They part ways, but Martin's trio is spotted by Cludd. Cludd sends Kotir soldiers [[Splitnose]], [[Scratch]], and [[Blacktooth]] to stealthily shadow the three adventurers. Just outside of Kotir, the woodlanders use Chibb to ferry bags of food to Ferdy and Coggs. They are soon spotted by Tsarmina and are ambushed. Lady Amber and Skipper's forces fire successive volleys of arrows and sling stones, delaying the slow, armored beasts of Kotir. All seems lost until Foremole provides an escape tunnel to [[Moledeep]].

===Book 2: Salamandastron===
====The Mask====
Back in Mossflower, Skipper enlists the help of his brother [[Mask]] to free Gingivere, Ferdy, and Coggs from Kotir. Outside Brockhall, Columbine spots Fortunata, who is sent by Tsarmina to spy in the guise of a wandering healer. The young mouse hurries to Brockhall and alerts the Corim of the fox's presence.

Martin's group finds a lake, and after realizing that it's the territory of a [[Swans|swan]], they quickly depart. The Kotir trackers find it as well, and Scratch tries to obtain eggs, but the male swan attacks and kills him. Wandering aimlessly after the death of Scratch, Splitnose and Blacktooth stumble upon Gonff, Martin, and Dinny, who are sleeping on a river bank. The two villains tie them up and hold them captive while they devour all of the woodlanders' supplies. However, Gonff plays on their greed and causes them to fight over the food. Blacktooth is killed by Splitnose's spear and Splitnose falls into a pit hole.

At Brockhall, Mask disguises himself as a fox named Patchcoat and makes contact with Fortunata. Accompanied by Mask, she visits Brockhall and takes [[Spike Stickle|Spike]] and [[Posy Stickle|Posy]] (disguised as Ferdy and Coggs) into the woods under the pretext of gathering herbs. Mask gets Fortunata lost and brings her to a fork in the woods. He suggests that Fortunata should try one path and he another. Fortunata acquiesces and follows her path until arrows from Lady Amber and her archers halt her progress.

Meanwhile, Martin, Gonff, and Dinny attempt to cross a ford, but are ordered to pay a toll by a newt named [[Whipscale]] and a grass snake named [[Deathcoil]]. The two bullies are driven off by [[Log-a-Log]] [[Big Club]] of the [[Northwest Shrew Tribe]].

They continue their quest with Log-a-Log on his ship the ''[[Waterwing]]'' until it wrecks by a waterfall. The unconscious Martin, Dinny, and Log-a-Log are rescued by [[Lord Cayvear]] and his tribe of bats and are taken to [[Bat Mountpit]]. It takes them only a few minutes to realize that Gonff is nowhere to be found. Their other problem is that the only exit to the cave is guarded by a hostile owl, which is more than a match for the whole bat tribe. Dinny utilizes his superior engineering skills to dislodge the owl's roost, effectively driving off the predatory bird.

====The Rescue====
Mask infiltrates Kotir and impresses Tsarmina, who demotes Captain Cludd. That night, the otter heads down to the cells and pretends to bring Gingivere to Tsarmina, while the hedgehogs are concealed under his voluminous cloak. Sore at his relegation, Cludd maliciously steps on Mask's fake tail to get back at him. The tail comes right off, and Cludd sounds the alarm.

The fugitives run across the parade ground, and Tsarmina fires an arrow directly at Gingivere. Gingivere bends over to pick up Coggs, and Mask takes the full force of Tsarmina's arrow. The waiting Corim warriors boldly make a stand on the parade ground and slow the advance of Tsarmina’s army while the escapers dash into the woodlands. They are forced to retreat and wedge the gates shut to buy time for Mask, who is staggering painfully through the forest. Mask falls heavily and dies.

Enraged at his brother’s death, Skipper challenges Cludd to one-on-one combat as both armies watch on. The vengeful otter gains the upper hand and throws Cludd to his death onto several rows of double-ended otter javelins. The woodlanders, including Skipper, quickly disperse into the shadows of Mossflower. While this action takes place, Abbess Germaine, Columbine, and [[Old Dinny]] wander through the deserted fortress of Kotir, assessing its strengths and weaknesses. Deep in the lowest levels, they find a tunnel that leads out of Kotir and into Mossflower. Upon their return to Brockhall, Old Dinny proposes the flooding of Kotir through this tunnel, and the plan is met with sound approval.

====Captured by Toads====
After taking leave of Lord Cayvear and the bats, Martin, Log-a-Log, and Dinny travel to the [[Toadlands]], a land wreathed in fog, and they are surprised and captured. They're dragged to the toad king [[Marshgreen]], who is flanked by none other than Whipscale and Deathcoil.

After an elaborate ceremony, the trio are released from the net and thrown into Screamhole, a large pit. They land with a splash into deep, muddy water and are rescued, to their astonishment, by Gonff. The mousethief hauls them up to a ledge in the pit with a vine; he explains that he was washed down the river, captured by Whipscale and Deathcoil, and thrown into the Screamhole. Gonff goes on to introduce them to [[Snakefish]], a giant eel that will eat them all if he is not given food soon.

Tsarmina experiences dreams about drowning and acts mentally unstable, prompting her advisor Ashleg to desert. She appoints [[Brogg]] as captain in Cludd's stead, and sets out alone to hunt Gingivere. As she wanders around Mossflower, she runs into [[Bane]], a mercenary fox commanding sixty [[Bane's Mercenaries|soldiers]]. Planning to take control of Kotir, Bane joins forces with Tsarmina and they attack the woodlanders digging the flood tunnels, inflicting heavy casualties. Lady Amber and Skipper launch a successful surprise attack on Kotir with fire arrows as retribution for their losses.

Huddled in the Screamhole with his three companions, Martin comes up with a plan. He has Dinny dig up to the surface and hang the net they were captured in over the side of the Screamhole. Snakefish hauls Martin, Gonff, and Log-a-Log up and dines on toads.

====Boar the Fighter====
Given directions by a cowed Marshgreen, the group crosses an interminable area of sandy beach. After fighting off sea gulls and a fierce crab, they finally reach Salamandastron and encounter [[Trubbs]], [[Wother]], and [[Ffring]], who lead Martin and his friends to Boar the Fighter. They familiarize themselves with the mighty badger, who re-forges Martin's broken sword with metal from a star. Unfortunately, [[Ripfang]] comes to capture Salamandastron with his innumerable horde of pirates. Martin, Dinny, Gonff, and Log-a-Log help Boar fight the bloodthirsty corsairs, but they are badly outnumbered.

At Boar's command, they break through the sea rat lines to capture the ''[[Bloodwake]]''. They find out that Boar had broken away from them to kill Ripfang; Boar urges Martin to escape and save Mossflower and dies from his grievous wounds. Sailing for Mossflower, Martin and his companions' numbers are bolstered by former slaves, including Martin's childhood friend [[Timballisto]] and Log-a-Log's lost tribe members.

In Kotir, the tensions between Tsarmina and Bane heighten after Lady Amber and Skipper's attack. Tsarmina pretends to apologize to Bane, gives him Ashleg's magnificent cloak, and asks him to inspect the gates. As soon as he goes outside, Tsarmina locks the gates and gleefully watches as he is pounced upon by Argulor. The eagle kills Bane, but dies from wounds inflicted by the fox’s curved sword.

===Book 3: Of Water and Warriors===
====The Last Battle====
The flooding of Kotir is going far too slowly, and the Corim believe that they must abandon that plan. However, Martin arrives with his force and sinks the ''Bloodwake'' in the middle of the river, diverting most of the water into the flood tunnels. Gonff is reunited with Columbine, and the newcomers to Mossflower get acquainted with the woodlanders.

The next day, Martin parleys with Tsarmina and delivers an ultimatum: if Tsarmina and her army are not out of Mossflower by noon, they will all be buried beneath the ruins of Kotir. Tsarmina treacherously attempts to slay the entire committee, but the woodlanders foil her efforts and bring down a number of her soldiers.

Tsarmina attempts a surprise attack on them, but Martin leads a force of hares, woodlanders, and freed slaves that overruns the wildcat’s troops. To show the woodlanders’ mercy, Martin allows the remainder of the force to slink back to Tsarmina. Later, the warrior mouse negotiates with Tsarmina again, asking her to leave Mossflower with her army. The Queen refuses and fires an arrow into Martin’s side, and the wounded mouse walks away, declaring that Kotir will be brought down stone by stone.

The next day, widespread consternation reigns in Kotir as the vermin discover that the lower levels are flooded. Most of Tsarmina’s soldiers desert and swim through the flooded valley to safety. Brogg and those that remain are crushed as Timballisto’s newly made [[ballista]] hurl huge boulders at the sunken fortress.

As Columbine and Abbess Germaine draw up plans for a new Abbey in Mossflower to be called Redwall, Martin watches the progress of Tsarmina, who is floating to shore on a table. The warrior limps to the place of Tsarmina’s landing and hurls a few stinging insults at the former queen. Tsarmina reacts by joining the mouse in battle.

====The Duel====
Tsarmina rakes Martin’s back with her claws as he slashes away with his newly forged sword. Martin falls heavily to the ground, but miraculously manages to pull himself up and redouble the assault. The wildcat queen shoves him into the shallows, but her redoubtable foe slowly wades out and faces her with sword at the ready. The two opponents circle each other, and Tsarmina backs off, unaware that the water is behind her. She falls into the water and drowns as Martin collapses from his wounds.

As the pitiful remnants of the Kotir army are fished out of the water by the woodlanders, Dinny, Bella, and Gonff search for Martin. Seeing the signs of a great struggle, they find Martin more dead than alive, and realize that he is beyond Bella's skill to treat.

Chibb is sent to tell Abbess Germaine to gather her medical supplies, and Bella races to Brockhall to pick her up, nearly killing herself with the exertion. With the frail Abbess on her back, she hurries back to Martin, who is speaking to Boar at the gates of the Dark Forest. The mouse falls into a coma, and finally wakes after 20 days of Columbine and Germaine’s care.

====Celebration====
Martin finds himself in the middle of a celebration, and is updated on all that has passed since his duel with Tsarmina. The ferrets, foxes, weasels, stoats, and rats have all been chased away from Mossflower, and Gonff and Columbine have wed.

In the epilogue, Bella finishes regaling Gonff's grandson as his father, [[Gonff II|Gonff]], arrives to take him home. She adds that Martin hung up his sword and forsook the way of the warrior.

===Characters===
Please see [[:Category:Mossflower Characters|Characters in ''Mossflower'']].

===Awards===
Winner:

*Lancashire Libraries Children's Book of the Year Award
*Western Australian Young Readers' Award

Nominated:

*Carnegie Medal (1988)

=== Mossflower Collector's Edition and Reprint===
The original publisher of the series, Hutchinson, issued a reprint of the original UK hardcover in 1994. This edition featured updated dust jacket copy that referred to the awards won by the novel, a £12.99 price, and a new [[Brian Jacques]] author biography and photo. It also listed the published Redwall books up to ''The Bellmaker'' internally. The ISBN stayed the same for both versions.

<gallery>
Mossflowercollectors.jpg|''Mossflower'' Collector's Edition (2004)|link=Mossflower Collector's Edition
</gallery>

===Audiobooks===
''Mossflower'' has been released on four different [[Redwall Audiobooks|audiobooks]].

<gallery widths="135" columns="4" captionalign="center" expand="true" navigation="true">
MossflowerTellastory.jpg|Mossflower ([[1996]])|link=Mossflower (1996 audiobook)
Mossfloweraudio2001.jpg|Mossflower ([[2001]])|link=Mossflower (2001 audiobook)
MossflowerAudio.jpg|Mossflower ([[2003]])|link=Mossflower (audiobook)
Mossfloweraudio23.jpg|Mossflower ([[2023]])|link=Mossflower (2023 audiobook)
</gallery>

===Trivia===
*According to Brian Jacques, ''Mossflower'' took [https://youtu.be/x7-t20gzD1U?si=4CtOR1iMlbI1FrBq&t=27 the longest for him to write] out of all the ''Redwall'' novels as he was ill.
*''Mossflower'' is the first ''Redwall'' novel to feature Martin the Warrior as a primary character.
*''Mossflower'' was intended to be adapted as the [[User_blog:LordTBT/Mossflower_Was_Planned_as_Season_Four_of_the_Redwall_TV_Series|fourth season]] of the Nelvana [[Redwall TV Series]], however this did not occur.
*The Dutch translation by [[Annemarie Hormann]] is different from the original English language version. Some sections have been moved, like Bella's recounting of Verdauga's coming to Mossflower woods. In the Dutch version, she relates this story to Gonff's grandson, while in the original version she tells it to Abbess Germaine. Descriptive passages have been shortened and the final chapter has been excised.

===Release details===

*1988, UK, Hutchinson Children's Books Ltd., {{ISBN|0091721601}}, Pub. Date: July 1988, Hardcover
*1988, US, Philomel Books, {{ISBN|9780399215490}}, Pub. Date: November 1988, Hardcover
*[[1989]], UK, Beaver Books, {{ISBN|0099554003}}, Pub. Date: July 1989, Paperback
*1989, UK, Red Fox, {{ISBN|ISBN 0099554004}}, Pub. Date: 1989, Paperback
*[[1990]], US, Avon Books, {{ISBN|0380708280}}, Pub. Date: September 1990, Paperback
*[[1991]], UK, Arrow/Red Fox, {{ISBN|0099554003}}, Pub. Date: November 1991, Paperback
*[[1994]], UK, Arrow, {{ISBN|0099319217}}, Pub. Date: November 1994, Paperback
*1994, UK, Hutchinson Children's Books Ltd., {{ISBN|0091721601}}, Pub. Date: 1994, Hardcover
*[[1996]], US, Avon Books, {{ISBN|0380708280}}, Pub. Date: August 1996, Paperback Re-Issue
*[[1998]], US, Ace, {{ISBN|9780441005765}}, Pub. Date: November 1998, Paperback
*[[2002]], US, Puffin, {{ISBN|9780142302385}}, Pub. Date: September 2002, Paperback
*2004, US, Philomel Books, {{ISBN|0399240314}}, Pub. Date: February 2004, Hardcover
*[[2006]], UK, Red Fox, {{ISBN|1862301395}}, Pub. Date: August 2006, Paperback
*2006, US, Red Fox, {{ISBN|1862301395}}, Pub. Date: September 2006, Paperback
*[[2010]], US, Firebird Books, {{ISBN|9780142302385}}, Pub. Date: January 2010, Paperback

[[de:Mossflower]]
[[fr:Martin le Guerrier (livre)]]
[[ru:Война с Котиром]]
{{books}}
[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Redwall Books]]

Mossflower - Revision history

imported>LordTBT: /* Mossflower Collector's Edition and Reprint */