Mouse Guard Volume 3: The Black Axe

This is the third book in the Mouse Guard series, it was wonderfully done and answers a lot of questions about the legend of the Black Axe. This is full of beautiful illustrations and wonderful details. I would recommend for middle grade and older, my seven year old son had a bit of trouble with some of the words and some of the more complicated story threads.This was an excellent story in the Mouse Guard series. It is a prequel to the Mouse Guard series and is set in the year 1115. Celanawe finally tells the tale of how he came to obtain the Black Axe, which is both a mysterious weapon and a legendary figure that has featured throughout this series. During Celanawe’s adventure he slowly unravels the legend of Farrer, the blacksmith who forged the Black Axe.If was fun to finally get the whole story behind this legendary figure/weapon. Celanawe is just a normal mouse in the Mouse Guard when an old relative arrives at his door requesting that he accompany her on a quest to find out what happened to the Black Axe. She has a note from Celanawe’s Matriarch Bronwyn confirming her tale and Bronwyn’s wish for Celanawe to help her.What follows is a wonderful adventure over land and sea where the mice confront traditional enemies and find a far off kingdom with an enemy who needs their help. Celanawe’s involvement with the Black Axe is revealed and the legend behind this mythical weapon slowly comes to light. The story comes full circle back to Lieam and his decision to take up the Black Axe.The drawings are stunning and the story is detailed and engrossing. I have been reading all the Mouse Guard books with my 7 year old son and we really enjoy them. Sometimes the story does get a bit complex for him and we spend a lot of time talking about new words that he doesn’t know yet.There is an epilogue involving Lieam as well. As with the previous books there is an extras section that shows you towns in more detail and delves further into the history of Mousekind and the legend of Farrer.My only complaint is that the font that most of the story is told in is very loopy and artistic, and when reading this out loud to my son I had a bit of trouble reading the font. It is however very beautiful looking, it just takes a bit of concentration to figure out what some of the words say.Overall this was a wonderful addition to the Mouse Guard series. There are wonderful full color drawings throughout and the story is epic. I love this series! Highly recommended to fans of fantasy graphic novels, or just fans of fantasy in general. Great for all ages.

The Mouse Guard has faced one of it's greatest challenges, treason from within, and managed to survive thanks to the actions of other brave mice of the guard...and the Black Axe a lost hero. In this prequel Celanawe, the Black Axe, tells the story he promised to tell Lieam...the story of how he came by the Black Axe. Celanawe is a one of the guard, one of the bravest there is, and is happy to serve for as long as he is able. Until a relative, Em, comes to take him on a journey away from all he knows into new dangers across the sea to find the lost Black Axe. An ancient weapon of the mouse guard and one that is needed once again to help defend the kingdom. Only Celanawe can wield the axe, but can he find it in time?The artwork is probably my favorite part of this story. Don't get me wrong the story is great as well, but the artwork is still stunning. Beautiful watercolor drawings that just capture enough detail in the characters and their surrounding to make them seem real, especially the depiction of the fur of all of the various creatures that appear. In this book David brings his skill to depicting some of the larger four legged hunters for the first time. I love the depiction of their armor and how its made up of skulls of dead animals, crab shells, and even fish and the little details that David adds to the depictions to make it come to life. I especially like the level of detail in the duck that shows up to help them escape, it's absolutely beautifully done. I don't think I've discussed it before, but David captures the movement of the characters well...those little details that help the characters feel real and alive that help us connect with them better. The little movements as they try to make their way silently away from the weasels are done fantastically. This is still the type of book that I can just sit down with for hours on end and look at all of the details in the illustrations.This again is a gripping tale and has just the right mix of drama to keep readers interested without being overwhelming with so much going on. David creates a pace to the tale that is pitch perfect, always making you want more. And that subtle tension that we see in the previous two volumes remains and is there at the very beginning of the story and continues to build throughout the book.This tale is a bit darker and younger readers might be a bit upset about what happens to a couple of the characters, but they should still enjoy it and finding out about the Black Axe.This is just a fantastic story and I would recommend it for all ages, because it has a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy. I can't wait to read the next volume in the series.

Well. This is it. The final read book of the year for me. This three volume adventure series was a good run, complete with compelling mouse characters, secret carrying mice, and the coming and fall of certainly brave heroes. The black axe, respectively a prequel to Fall and Winter 1152, was nothing short of amazing. It’s as if David Petersen kicked it up a notch with story development and panel design. The story journeys you back to the time of 1108 (I think) when Celenawe goes on a daring adventure to reclaim the fabled Black Axe, forged by the the family Farrer. He journeys to an island ruled by ferrets and manages to survive the fair and just king. The story in the beginning starts with a recap from Gwendolyn, the matriarch of Lockhaven, and then recounting the lives of the guard mice. The boom serves as a memoir of Celenawe travels and exploits, read by Lieam, who now bears the burden of the black axe present day. Lessons are taught, lessons are learned, and the lives of Mouse Guard live on in prosperity.I do hope Mr. Petersens resumes writing more Mouse Guard series. I would read them in a heart beat, and add them to my collection. For what is life without books and fantasy? A dull one I believe.Happy new year to all, 2022 bring us into a new light.5 out of 5 starsF. D. Gross

Love the story and the artwork

Another book down, another great story done. This one felt different than the others. This one dealt with more pain than I realized while reading it. Give it a read!

Happy with my purchase. The Mouse Guard series is excellent.

Grandioso comoralo es de buena calidad todo

Love this series. The art is amazing, intricate, and inaginative.

Das Buch ist großartig

Hervorragende Zeichnungen, eine spannende Geschichte die von Anfang bis Ende fesselt. Wenn man die anderen Mouse Guard Bücher mag, dann kommt man um dieses hier ebenfalls nicht herum!