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[Staccat0]

So, I'll be visiting my wife's family this summer and we have been amassing a colection of gifts to give everyone. I hope they appeciate it.

Anyway, I bought my nephew Mouse Guard: Fall because I had heard good things and thought he was the right age to dig it. I read it out of curiousity and I have to say I was impressed.

Basically, its a classic fantasy series, but set from the point of view of mice. Specifically, Guard Mice who are an armed force of travelling warriors who journey from city to city blazing trails, fighting beasts and gathering supplies.
In the world of Mouse Guard crabs, wolves, snakes and I'm assuming cats serve as the dragons and giants while weasels seem to play the role of Orcs.
People don't seem to exist in this world.

Pros:
+Great art
+Consistent voice (hard to do in serialized stories)
+Great pace
+Great art
+No Hand holding
+really nice
+hardcover product
+Great art

Cons:
-Short for the price
-Maybe a little too reliant on fantasy archetypes
-Broad character (see above)
-Mice look the same
-No rats I love rats.

I ts art and writing are done by one dude.
The story is told almost entirely through images. Really pretty images. Dialogue is brief and to the point. everything is written as though you already know the world and its locations which is nice when compared to the handholding you get with a lot of fantasy.
Action is well laid out and easy to follow, but exiting.

All and all its good stuff, but I'm not sure its apporopriate for a 9 year old... He is a good reader for his age, but its pretty dark for kids. Then again, so is Star Wars...
If nothing else he will treasure the pics.
main site: http://www.mouseguard.net/fall1152/index.htm
read first part here: http://www.npr.org/books/summer/2007/graphic_novels/mouse1.html

Also, there is an P&P RPG that beat out D&D 4e for a major award this year. Very scandalous. Haven't played it yet.

 

[iamblades]

Redwall ripoff?

I remember those books when i was in like 4th-5th grades, I loved them back then.

 

[Staccat0]

Redwall ripoff?

I remember those books when i was in like 4th-5th grades, I loved them back then.

He says he never pursued the idea back in the day because the redwall stuff beat him to the punch. I'm not sure the idea was even original when redwall was released. Either way, I remember those stories being very different from these aside from the swords and rodents. However, I'm not sure it matters.
This, taken by itself, is pretty good.

Edit: Okay, thinking again, maybe not VERY different, but certainly different enough.