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A review by futurama1979
Lord Brocktree by Brian Jacques
5.0
It's always a joy when a childhood favourite can be reread and still hold up without the help of nostalgia. This book is a tried and true hero's journey that just left me feeling warm and happy upon finishing it, just like it did when I was young.
There's not a single part of this book that I didn't like, but the best part was the characters. Brock, a stoic, gallant warrior on a quest to reclaim his home from an oppressive tyrant who also happens to have a soft spot for kids and makes the best babysitter ever. Dotti, an unflappable young wanderer whose quick wit and good manners (and great wrestling skill) have gotten her out of a few scrapes- oh, and she also has the worst voice but a love for musical performance. Bucko, an exalted king of wayfarers from the highlands, chasing down the person who killed his family and scarred his back to exact revenge, and did I mention he also loves playing in the ocean and hopping waves? These characters are so great, so lovable, so well-rounded, that they make the book an absolute joy to read.
Let it be said, though - would this be a middle grade/children's book if the characters were people instead of animals? Debatable! Jacques pulls no punches describing the horrors of war and the cruelty of the tyrant, Trunn. It's definitely violent, which, in moderation(as used here) can be a good thing: it raises the stakes and makes the adventure more gripping!
There's not a single part of this book that I didn't like, but the best part was the characters. Brock, a stoic, gallant warrior on a quest to reclaim his home from an oppressive tyrant who also happens to have a soft spot for kids and makes the best babysitter ever. Dotti, an unflappable young wanderer whose quick wit and good manners (and great wrestling skill) have gotten her out of a few scrapes- oh, and she also has the worst voice but a love for musical performance. Bucko, an exalted king of wayfarers from the highlands, chasing down the person who killed his family and scarred his back to exact revenge, and did I mention he also loves playing in the ocean and hopping waves? These characters are so great, so lovable, so well-rounded, that they make the book an absolute joy to read.
Let it be said, though - would this be a middle grade/children's book if the characters were people instead of animals? Debatable! Jacques pulls no punches describing the horrors of war and the cruelty of the tyrant, Trunn. It's definitely violent, which, in moderation(as used here) can be a good thing: it raises the stakes and makes the adventure more gripping!