Epic Win: Redwall
Submitted by cutekitten
Brian Jacques’s epic fantasy series Redwall was a cross between Watership Down and Lord of the Rings. I remember getting into a big fight in fourth grade over which of the books was best (it’s Martin the Warrior, obviously). Anyway, Jacques is still writing Redwall books and is now working his 21st addition to the series.
Update: Featured Comment
redreh sez:
GOD, these are the books that really, really got me into reading. I was lucky enough to get to meet Brain Jacques when he came to read in my town–he signed my 10th anniversary copy with hearts over his ‘i’s; I think I’m still just a little bit in love with him.
As for the best book in the series, I know that Martin the Warrior, Mossflower, Mariel, and Pearls of Lutra are some of the best, but Redwall, with Matthias, and all his adventures in that first book (not to mention Basil Stag) still have a special place in my heart. (It’s like A New Hope to Empire Strikes Back–it may not be the best movie, but I love it so!)
Anyway–EXCELLENT choice for nostalgia. It’s not just childhood for me–its true love.
first
WOOT!
Just reread the first one a little bit ago, and I have to disagree with the blurb writer — I have to go with Mariel of Redwall FTW on the series’ best. There’s not that much fantasy that features a strong female character, and Mariel kicks serious butt.
Mariel of Redwall is my favorite too! It was the first one I ever read, and I’ve been through three copies since (reading them until they fall apart). I love this series.
Havent read Mariel yet but Mossflower was pretty good
Chronologicaly or the first written?
Salamandastron is pretty good too. I like the Badger Lords. And the one female Badger Lord. Or Badger Lady, though that doesn’t scan as well. I still want to get the whole series someday.
Addendum: It was a lot more like a cross between Wind in the Willows and Middle Earth, really. Watership Down only had rabbits.
Eulalia!
Lady Cregga Rose-Eyes. Rose-colored with bloodlust for her evil enemies, she was great. I totally want to be a dibbun at Redwall after she became Badgermum.
Obviously it was Martin the Warrior that was the best. Followed closely by Mossflower!
Mossflower and Martin the Warrior were excellent, but Mariel kicked both their asses. She had the best Long Patrol hare companion. Also, did anyone else watch that goofy cartoon they made of it? It’s how I learned to pronounce Brian Jacques name!
I have to disagree with the blurb writer. I gotta go with Mossflower FTW as the greatest of the series. Martin the Warrior was good, but I prefer Martin as he is coming into his own as the warrior which would become the legend in the series, versus a young kid still green around the ears, though still tough. It was nice to have the back-story on him, however. I have original-run print copies of Redwall, Mossflower, and Mattimeo, with the old covers (with the gothic-style lettering, and the 14th-century-monk-esque illustrations on the covers) and while they are only paperback, I have the whole series, to date. …*dons Nerd Hat in shame*…
There is no shame involved. These books are pure awesome, and I still find myself picking them up to read again even though I’m in college
I cannot get over seeing them here. Epic Win indeed 
And I agree, Mossflower was my favorite, although Redwall itself holds a very special place in my heart, so the two may be equal 
I remember actually crying at the end of Redwall when the abbot died ^^; Which was bad since I was riding the bus home from school at the time. Had to choke back some tears 
And then it brought us furries.
Lol, and while Disney did that first, it certainly helped, eh?
My favorite was the one with the badger that was an archer… I can’t remember what it is though…
Redwaaaaaaaaaall! I love this series! I just wish I could more of the volumes. Only place I can really find them is in Half Price Books.
My kids STILL read these. Great stuff.
I picked up Redwall and sat down to read it one Saturday around noon. I swear to everything, when I looked up, I had finished the book and it was six o’clock. I could not remember the time passing, only the story. Constance the badger, Jess Squirrel and Cornflower may not have top billing, but you cannot deny that they are exceptional female characters in their own right, doing what women have always done in times of war.
I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Jacques and hearing him read when I lived in Atlanta, about 10-12 years ago. He wrote Redwall at the time he was working at a school for blind children, so distinctive voices and character descriptions were crucial. The mole-talk is actually a rendering of Yorkshire-accented English (which he read aloud for us — it sounds a bit like you’re talking with your mouth full).
Ha i love the mole-talk. And my favorite Constance scenes are when she picks up the table and makes the giant spear launcher.
You know, I always loved the different accents of the characters and such. That’s so interesting that he put that in for blind children
Now I have another reason to love the series ^_^
Hell yeah, Redwall FTW. :3 I actually introduced myself to the book when I found it on one of our bookshelves. I’ve wanted to get other Redwall books but I’m kinda stingy when it comes to $$$.
Check used bookstores
or your local library.
I love the Redwall Series! I started reading them when I was in middle school and I’ve read just about every one of them. My favourite is still The Outcast of Redwall. Strangely enough, aside from the very latest ones, I’ve never read Mossflower.
I only ever saw the cartoon for this one (never saw it as a child), but I enjoyed it very much, so much so that I bought one of the books for my nephew, unfortunately, he never got into it …
i am that is
oh my gosh, i read this w/audiobook and LOVED it!
I used to read those all the time! I should start again and catch up.
Oh yes, love all of the books!
But they’re ALL THE SAME STORY! Like Scooby Doo, change a few names & species, and the formula follows through………
The later books I agree with you, but the first six or seven are very different and distinctive.
Yeah, I agree. I wanted to keep up with his books, but I think these later ones lack the charm and intense story-telling of the first ten or so. They’re just not as good, IMO.
But obviously those first ten make up for it
I beg to differ, it’s all about Pearls of Lutra.
HELLS yes.
GOD, these are the books that really, really got me into reading. I was lucky enough to get to meet Brain Jacques when he came to read in my town–he signed my 10th anniversary copy with hearts over his ‘i’s; I think I’m still just a little bit in love with him.
As for the best book in the series, I know that Martin the Warrior, Mossflower, Mariel, and Pearls of Lutra are some of the best, but Redwall, with Matthias, and all his adventures in that first book (not to mention Basil Stag) still have a special place in my heart. (It’s like A New Hope to Empire Strikes Back–it may not be the best movie, but I love it so!)
Anyway–EXCELLENT choice for nostalgia. It’s not just childhood for me–its true love.
I remember reading these books all the time when I was in elementary school. I first saw the cartoon series on PBS and since my sister and I liked it so much, our mom wound up getting a whole bunch of the books……now I want to read them again….
Ahaha. I remember these. My mom used to read them to me every night when I was little and the first one was one of the first real chapter books I read for myself. I don’t know if I understood it as much as I could’ve–along with Shogun and Lord of the Rings–but it was awesome.
We even had the poem about the feast and the cassette tape that went with it. I recited it for a talent show one year.
Also, the otters and the moles were the best, especially listening to my mom try and speak in their accents. xD Far too amusing.
awesome series I have read as many asi could find
I remember watching the TV show on Milkshake, weekday mornings! ^_^
the show is out on DVD.
I always tried to read those books, but I never got too interested in them. But everyone else liked those, and for some reason, everybody liked these serendipity books….
Definatly Martin the Warrior! I met him when I was in 5th/6th Grade. The only thing I can remember about it was he laughed at american accents saying ‘author’, and that he had a really bendy nose xD
YES! EPIC WIN! I have all twenty books that are out and read them regularly.
It was def. “Marlfox” that took my heart. Hmm…Mossflower not far behind though.
marlfox was one of my tops, along with pearls of lutra. i spent days in my middle schools library just reading/looking for new copies of the series i hadn’t read yet.
for me it was taggerung or rackety tam. i started reading them in the 3rd grade. and when i read one now and again, the still rock.
Long patrol was a pretty good one too. Following the rabbits from a camp to Salamandastron to become a member of the long patrol. Also dont forget the Otters who completly rocked.
Definatly an epic win, but must say I think Lord Brocktree was the best.
Has anyone seen the children’s picture books that have been done from the Redwall series? There’s the one about the great feast, and a couple of others. The illustrations are as intricate and gorgeous as Mr. J’s prose — your local bookstore should have them, check them out when you get a chance!
Many years ago our local PBS station ran this animated series (which I enjoyed a lot) for a while. Sad to say I’ve never read any of the books, but with such glowing reviews I may have to hunt them up now…
I checked out this book from the public library in 6th grade, it’s still on the shelf in my room and I’m going off to college this fall. I’ve read it multiple times since.
It’s funny, how much I really love the books and continually read them despite the inaccuracy of the animals… I mean, you know what badgers eat? And why do the rats have to be bad, when mice are worse in reality? I suppose I always hated the stereotyping. But they’re still amazing books and I have to say Redwall is my favorite.
The author has talked about that, actually. The Evil speces are evil because those were the kinds of creatures that were evil in the farm town where he grew up. Mice, rabbits, squirrels etc. were relatively harmless, but rats, weasels, stoats, etc. would kill your chickens and rabbits, damaging your livelyhood.
OMG yes. I started reading these around the 3rd grade, and they were my first real introduction to fantasy. Before that I read a lot of Nancy Drew and other mystery novels. This marked the end of an era, though, because before Redwall my grandma would read to me every day, and when I brought her one of these (Redwall first, of course, and I even tried with Mossflower), she decided that she was done and that I could read to myself. I think it was the names that got her.
)
ZOMG, Redwall Is My Favorite Book Series, EVER!!! I Love The Way All The Animals Talked, And That The Otters Had The Most Slurred Speech Of All! It Just Sucks Though, That At My School The Book Borrowing Policy Was Only Two Weeks, and We Had a Ton Of HomeWork To Do, So The Only Redwall Book I’ve Read All The Way Through Is Salamandastron :\
I Just LOVE These Books SO MUCH!!! I Want To Buy Copies Of Em’ All!
Oh man, I LOVE the Redwall series. My favorite characters to date are Timbalsto and Basil Stag Hare. I love the way Brian Jacques writes so vividly and the way he names his characters. The only problem I have with the series is that I can’t read it without gaining weight, his descriptions of feasts always leave me hungry!
By far the best series of my young life…. and martin the warrior was one of my favorites. Also up there was Marlfox and Rakkety Tam
Love the different accents for the different species. I first picked the series up in 6th grade, and now I recommend them to kids who come into my store. I always suggest that if they can’t figure out what the character is saying (particularly moles and hedgehogs) that they try sounding out the text, as it is written phonetically. Three cheers for Redwall. Also, I agree that the later books (Loamhedge and later) are not quite as good as the first ones.
Bizarrely enough, I just ‘pre-read’ this for my 8 yr old daughter. I had never seen it before the lady at the library suggested it for her, and finished right before I logged on.
they are amazinggggg. this will get your daughter into reading in no time.
Awesome. She’s at a high school reading level, but of course has problems understanding the books she likes, which are more challenging than the ‘Dick and Jane’ stuff, mostly because of phrases and subjects that she has never heard or doesn’t understand the meaning of. I never realized how silly some of the things we commonly say are until I try to explain them to her, haha!
Wow, I’ll shut up now.
I have a 5yr. old daughter, who’s reading at a 1st-grade level on her own, and is starting to enjoy chapter books (when read by Mommy). Yes, I know exactly what you’re talking about
“Mommy, what does ‘I darn you to heck’ mean?”
Redwall….. What wonderful memories I have of reading these with my youngest brother and drooling over the delicious sounding feast foods!! Stews and berry desserts, candied nuts and sweet roasted yams, all described in lucious detail…. He took all the tasty description to heart (or stomach?), tweaked some of the recipe and now makes a very special (and potent!) Hot Root Soup.
Good Lord I have a ton of these stupid things in my closet. They’re too long and boring. When I was a kid I couldn’t get into them. Avi was my favorite author back then. Don’t get me wrong, I love books, just not these. I’m finally reading Brisingr at the moment.
I loved these books SO much that I did my senior english paper on Brain Jaques and the Redwall series!! I even went out and found the Redwall cookbook and made scones and the Strawberry Cordial for my class ( we had to do a presentation with visual aids- so i made edible aids instead!!) My favorites would have to be Taggerung,Long Patrol, and Triss. I also at one point had several pet rats (they were good guys i promise!) who all had names from the Redwall books. I cant wait for my daughter to be old enough to read these herself!!
Dude, everyone knows Mattimeo was the best book. The movie versions of this series were full of fail, sadly.
Your observation is full of win, but sadly that doesn’t fix the fail of the movies.
Eulalia lolz.
i just finished the whole series. cant wait for the next one
YES! I LOVED the Redwall series when I discovered it in 8th grade.
I collected the whole series recently, and I’m hoping to land a British 1st Edition of the Sable Quean when it comes out.
Eulalia was my “famous last words” in my 8th grade yearbook. I still have it, too.
Any Redwall fan should check out http://www.redwallwiki.com
I love Redwall! We read it for English Class in 6th grade. I took it home and finished it the night it was assigned. I went on to read the rest of the series that was out. I liked Martin the Warrior and The Bellmaker. Anyone else remember The Bellmaker?
Was there a tv show based on that because I remember watching a tv with mouses and rats when I was a kid and that book made me thought about that…
Redwall is just amazing love all the books and can’t wait for more
looooogaglogalogalog!!!!
Wow, these are definitely the most nostalgic of things I’ve seen on this site so far.
I started reading these back in grade school and I STILL read them. They to me are the perfect adventure series, combining a little bit of violence, suspense, good characters and lots of variety.
I love Brian Jacques!
I have every single Brian Jacques book in hardback with a dust cover on it. I started reading these books when I was in 3rd or 4th grade and they too are the books that got me hooked on reading. My Mom every year purchases me his latest book as a Christmas present and its the one gift that I really look forward too. You are never too old to read these books. I am 27 this year and still draw inspiration from his works. It’ll be a sad day when he stops writing these books. Log-a-log-a-log!
Read all of them printed thru 2002, then quit. They were awesome books.
Amazing books!
I liked Pearls of Lutra, Salamandastron (sp), and The Long Patrol. verry good books, amazing characters.
OMG MY CHILDHOOD!!!
aww… this was the first book i ever got really into!! i had myself convinced that i was a legit warrior for quite a while (i was like 8, okay? dont judge me!! lol)
but seriously, if we’re in a debate over what book is the best, it’s pretty obvious!! MARIEL/THE BELLMAKER!!!
who’s with me? i loved mariel, the badass, spunky femme fatale warrior chick who epically PWNED the universe…. WITH A FREAKING ROPE! ( i actually got banned from owning a skipping rope after fashioning five of them into my own personal Gullwhackers!!) but yeah./.. mariel was like my first inspirational hero/ feminist activist!!
screw the spice girls, it was a sassy little mousemaid that taught me the meaning of true GIRL POWER!!
question: did she and dandin ever actually hook up or were the just BFFs? i forget.
oh, and the badgers were pretty hardcore too.
Mariel an Dandin were pretty platonic as far as I can tell. I think it works for them, though.
Fans should check out http://www.redwallwiki.com
Redwall for me is and always will be my favourite, however I’ve just recently re-read Martin The Warrior and damnit, when Rose passes, always end up crying….
Not a good look for a 27 y/o soldier in the army
Brian Jacques is my hero! I’m pursuing an English major so I can be a writer, and I hope to be just like him. The writing is fantastic, even if the story gets a little stale. Anyone else remember the pages upon pages of him just describing the food at the feasts? I even gave the songs a little tune in my head, sometimes…Redwall FTW!
My cat’s name is Taggerung, and I have a dog named Mhera :3
May I? May I? I think I may.
EULALIAAAAAA!
These were my favorite books when I was in elementary school. My favorite one was The Outcast of Redwall, closely followed by Mossflower, and then Marlfox. I remember waiting anxiously for his new books to come out, and pitching a fit when my mom wouldn’t take me to the store on the relese day so I could buy it.
Ah, memories. I still have all my old ones. Now I’ll just have to re-read them.
I have about half of the books and I’m steadily collecting them. My favorite will always be The Legend of Luke. It makes me cry every time I read it. Taggerung and The Outcast of Redwall are wonderful, too. I didn’t get to start reading these until I hit high school because my parents would have never allowed me to read a book about talking animals killing each other. >_<