It is the Summer of the Late Rose, and the gentle mice of Mossflower Wood gather to celebrate a year of peace and abundance at Redwall. But a sinister shadow has fallen across the ancient stone Abbey. For it is rumored that Cluny is coming—Cluny, the menacing one-eyed rat and his battle-seasoned horde—Cluny, who has vowed to conquer Redwall Abbey!

The woodland creatures rush to a desperate defense. But what can an Abbey of peace-loving mice to against Cluny the Scourge and his evil band of rats? If only they had the sword of Martin the Warrior, they might stand a chance of saving their beloved Abbey. But the hiding place of the legendary sword has been long forgotten. It is the bumbling young Matthias who sets out to find the sword, fights for his abbey, and becomes a most unlikely hero.

Teeming with riddles and mysteries, humor and pathos, this now-classic first book in the Redwall epic is woven by a cast of rich and spirited characters into an unforgettable tapestry of high drama, a novel to be savored by readers of any age.

From the 1986 Philomel Books edition