Redwall
Encyclopedia
Redwall, by Brian Jacques
Brian Jacques
James Brian Jacques was an English author best known for his Redwall series of novels and Castaways of the Flying Dutchman series. He also completed two collections of short stories entitled The Ribbajack & Other Curious Yarns and Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales.-Biography:Brian Jacques was born...

, is a series of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 novels. It is the title of the first book of the series, published in 1986, the name of the Abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...

 featured in the book, and the name of an animated TV series
Redwall (TV series)
Redwall is a television series made by Canada-based Nelvana and France-based Alphanim and is based on the Redwall novels by Brian Jacques. The series currently spans three seasons, the first based on the first book Redwall, the second on Mattimeo and the third on Martin the Warrior...

 based on three of the novels (Redwall, Mattimeo
Mattimeo
Mattimeo is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1989. It is the third book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:All his life, the worst thing young Mattimeo had to fear was a stern lecture from his father Matthias, but all that changes when Slagar the Cruel visits Mossflower Woods...

, and Martin the Warrior
Martin the Warrior
Martin the Warrior is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1993. It is the sixth book in the Redwall series.- Plot :The self-proclaimed stoat tyrant Badrang drives his slaves hard in order to complete his castle before fall. However, he did not expect to be stopped by the rebellious slave...

), which first aired in 1999. The books are primarily aimed at older children, but have fans of all ages. There have been twenty-two novels and two picture books published. The twenty-second and final novel, The Rogue Crew
The Rogue Crew
The Rogue Crew is the twenty-second book of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, released on May 3, 2011. It is the final novel of the Redwall series, due to Jacques' death on February 5, 2011. A contest was run for US fans to name a character to feature in the book...

, was released on May 3, 2011.

Overview

The book series does not chronicle any one particular timeframe. Rather, it is set in many different periods in the history of the world of Redwall, which entails Mossflower woods, surrounding islands, and a land called Southsward. Some of the books focus on characters who, in other volumes, are historical figures (e.g., Martin the Warrior's father, Luke, in The Legend of Luke
The Legend of Luke
The Legend of Luke is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1999. It is the twelfth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:The Legend of Luke is about Martin the Warrior's search for what happened to his father, Luke...

). Typically, those books are set before the founding of Redwall Abbey. There is a timeline in the Redwall series, but it generally places the books in a completely different order than the order in which they were written. However, there were two phases when the novels were published in chronological order.

There have been many adaptations including the animated TV series and an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

.

The characters in the books are all anthropomorphic animals of some sort, almost all of whom are capable of speech (with a few exceptions like the horse in Redwall), which Jacques renders as various dialects of English. With a few rare exceptions, such as the monitor lizard
Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...

s from The Pearls of Lutra
The Pearls of Lutra
The Pearls of Lutra is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1996. It is the ninth book in the Redwall series. The American edition of the novel was published simply as Pearls of Lutra.- Plot introduction :...

, other reptiles and the Jerbilrats of Loamhedge
Loamhedge
Loamhedge is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2003. It is the sixteenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:In the book, young haremaid Martha Braebuck has been chair-bound since Dibbun-hood and nobeast has any idea why...

, the flora and fauna in the Redwall books are all native to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

.

Despite the fact that Redwall is a fantasy series, it contains no elements of magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...

. Occasionally, elements of the supernatural or paranormal appear, mainly in two forms. First, the ghost of Martin the Warrior or another long-dead hero will often appear in hallucinations, dreams or visions to one of the woodland creatures (usually, but not always, an Abbey-dweller) and impart information. The information is always accurate (though often in the form of a riddle) and is of a nature such that it must have come from the ghost of Martin the Warrior and could not be the result of a creature "solving" a mystery in its sleep and dreaming about Martin the Warrior on its own. Also, some creatures in the books are called "seers" and claim to be able to see the future. While some of these "seers" turn out to be frauds, others such as the seers of Outcast of Redwall
Outcast of Redwall
Outcast of Redwall is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1995. It is the eighth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

, Loamhedge
Loamhedge
Loamhedge is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2003. It is the sixteenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:In the book, young haremaid Martha Braebuck has been chair-bound since Dibbun-hood and nobeast has any idea why...

, Taggerung and Lord Brocktree
Lord Brocktree
Lord Brocktree is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2000. It is the thirteenth book in the Redwall series to be published. It is also the earliest chronological installment in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

are quite real and play a key part in the turning of events in these books. Virtually all of the seers, both real and fraudulent, are vermin, who are generally considered more primitive and superstitious than woodlanders and other goodly creatures and are almost always the "bad guys." However, in the book Tribes of Redwall Mice
Tribes of Redwall Mice
Tribes of Redwall Mice was published in 2003 as an accessory to the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. It was illustrated by Jonathan Walker....

, both Martin the Warrior and Abbess Germaine can foresee the future. Also present is the sword of Martin the Warrior, which is believed by many creatures (especially vermin, who in some instances try to steal it) to be magical. This sword was forged from the fragment of a shooting star
Shooting Star
Shooting star is a common name for the visible path of a meteoroid as it enters the atmosphere to become a meteor.Shooting star may also refer to:* Shooting Star Children's Hospice, a UK children's charity* The Shooting Star, a 1942 Tintin adventure...

 (meteorite) at Salamandastron by Badger Lord Boar The Fighter in the book Mossflower
Mossflower
Mossflower is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1988. It is the second book published in the Redwall series, though the third chronologically.- Plot introduction :...

.

Though the primary location is an abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...

, and a church of St. Ninian's makes appearances, there has been only little mention of a creator or godlike deity. This occurs throughout the series such as in the book Redwall where Basil Stag Hare comments saying, "Good Lord," once throughout the story. There is occasional reference to a 'Spirit of the Seasons', but whether this is a personal being or an abstract poetic device is not elaborated. In The Legend of Luke, a song is sung about how "St. Ninian's" is a misnomer from a sign that originally read "This ain't Ninian's!," after a mouse named Ninian refused to help his wife build a house; some of the lettering later wore off, leaving ironically the words "s ain't Ninian's," although the church is mentioned as having a lady chapel
Lady chapel
A Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral, basilica, or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...

. However, there have been at least three mentions of the devil, Hell and other demons. After sending one of his minions to death, Cluny the Scourge roars "Tell the devil Cluny sent you!" On another occasion Constance the Badger makes a reference to "Hell's whiskers." According to the ferret Killconey, the snake Asmodeus is named for "the devil himself" (the name itself, Asmodeus, is a reference to Asmodai
Asmodai
Asmodeus or Asmodai is a king of demons mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit, in which he is the primary antagonist. The demon is also mentioned in some Talmudic legends, for instance, in the story of the construction of the Temple of Solomon. He was supposed by some Renaissance...

). There are also numerous references to "Hellsgate" throughout the series.
While these references from Redwall, the first book, were made before the series had truly realized itself, Taggerung makes references to an underworld again when a devilish character called "Vulpuz" is mentioned by one seer as the ruler of Hellgates and the ancestor of foxes. In several of the later novels, whenever a creature dies, characters make references to "The Dark Forest" or "Hellgates" as places where creatures go after death. The Dark Forest however, has not been explained further.

Books in the series often contain one or more "monsters," but these are not mythical creatures, rather being some type of ferocious predator. Monsters have included snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

s, and adders (from Redwall, Doomwyte
Doomwyte
Doomwyte is the twentieth novel in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. It was released on October 2, 2008, in the United Kingdom, and on October 16, 2008, in the United States.- Plot :...

, and Triss
Triss
Triss is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2002. It is the fifteenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:Three slaves, Triss, a squirrelmaid, Shogg, an otter, and Welfo, a hogmaid, escape from Riftgard, the stronghold of a white ferret brood...

), large carnivorous fish such as pikes, and shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....

s (from Marlfox
Marlfox
Marlfox is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1998. It is the eleventh book in the Redwall series. Marlfoxes are an unusual breed of anthropomorphic foxes, which serve as the main antagonists in the book.-Plot introduction:...

, The Bellmaker
The Bellmaker
The Bellmaker is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1994. It is the seventh book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:When the land is threatened by the evil Foxwolf Urgan Nagru, his mate Silvamord and their horde of savage grey rats, Mariel Gullwhacker, Joseph the Bellmaker, and...

, Triss
Triss
Triss is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2002. It is the fifteenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:Three slaves, Triss, a squirrelmaid, Shogg, an otter, and Welfo, a hogmaid, escape from Riftgard, the stronghold of a white ferret brood...

, Lord Brocktree
Lord Brocktree
Lord Brocktree is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2000. It is the thirteenth book in the Redwall series to be published. It is also the earliest chronological installment in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

, and Mossflower
Mossflower
Mossflower is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1988. It is the second book published in the Redwall series, though the third chronologically.- Plot introduction :...

), a plesiosaur
Plesiosaur
Plesiosauroidea is an extinct clade of carnivorous plesiosaur marine reptiles. Plesiosauroids, are known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods...

-type creature (from High Rhulain
High Rhulain
High Rhulain is a children's fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2005. It is the eighteenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

), a wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...

 (from Rakkety Tam
Rakkety Tam
Rakkety Tam is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2004. It is the seventeenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

), a scorpion (from Mariel of Redwall
Mariel of Redwall
Mariel of Redwall is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1991. It is the fourth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

) and a giant sea serpent
Sea serpent
A sea serpent or sea dragon is a type of sea monster either wholly or partly serpentine.Sightings of sea serpents have been reported for hundreds of years, and continue to be claimed today. Cryptozoologist Bruce Champagne identified more than 1,200 purported sea serpent sightings...

 (from Salamandastron
Salamandastron
Salamandastron is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1992. It is the fifth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:Ferahgo the Assassin, a terrible weasel warlord, and his son Klitch lead their army of Corpsemakers to Salamandastron, to take over from the Badger Lord, Urthstripe...

and High Rhulain
High Rhulain
High Rhulain is a children's fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2005. It is the eighteenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

though mentioned very very briefly in the latter), along with an eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...

 (from Mossflower
Mossflower
Mossflower is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1988. It is the second book published in the Redwall series, though the third chronologically.- Plot introduction :...

, Taggerung, The Long Patrol
The Long Patrol
The Long Patrol is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1997. It is the tenth book in the Redwall series.-Characters in The Long Patrol:*Tamello De Fformelo Tussock *Cornspurrey De Fformelo Tussock*Mem Divinia*Russa Nodrey...

, Outcast of Redwall
Outcast of Redwall
Outcast of Redwall is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1995. It is the eighth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

, and The Sable Quean
The Sable Quean
The Sable Quean is the twenty-first novel in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, and the last to be published before his death on February 5, 2011 . It is illustrated by Sean Rubin...

), a giant lobster (Mariel of Redwall
Mariel of Redwall
Mariel of Redwall is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1991. It is the fourth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

) and crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...

s (from Mossflower
Mossflower
Mossflower is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1988. It is the second book published in the Redwall series, though the third chronologically.- Plot introduction :...

and Lord Brocktree
Lord Brocktree
Lord Brocktree is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2000. It is the thirteenth book in the Redwall series to be published. It is also the earliest chronological installment in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

).

A typical book in the Redwall series details a particular period in the history of Redwall Abbey. In all but a few cases, the book is about the inhabitants of Redwall Abbey and the surrounding Mossflower Woods. Usually, there are at least two different stories going on. For example, a typical book may relate the story of a small expedition by a group of woodlanders, as well as the story of a large group of Redwallers at home fending off a vermin horde. Because of the widely spaced storylines (chronologically speaking), very few creatures are mentioned in more than one or two novels, except in a passing historical sense. One notable exception is Martin the Warrior, who appears in all books, even if, most of the time, only in spirit form or no more than as a passing historical mention. Additionally, Martin's sword is present in almost all of the novels. Though he is not mentioned by name in Lord Brocktree, Martin is referred to in Brocktree's dream as "a young mouse bearing a beautiful sword." A second exception is the badger Cregga Rose Eyes, who appears in three books: The Long Patrol, Marlfox, and Taggerung. One other exception is Bella of Brockhall, who features first in "Mossflower", second (chronologically speaking) in "Legend of Luke", and one final time in "The Outcast of Redwall".

Other recurring elements and characters in the Redwall series include Badger Lords and Badger Mothers, "Dibbuns" (the Redwall name for infant woodlanders), a Skipper of Otters, Foremoles, hares, helpful birds, one or more Log-a-logs (a shrew
Shrew
A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...

 tribe leader), and mouth-wateringly detailed descriptions of (almost entirely vegetarian) food, which are called "vittles."- a play on the word 'victuals'.

Books

At the time of Jacques' death, twenty-one novels had been released, with The Sable Quean having been released in February 2010. The twenty-second and, due to the passing of Brian Jacques, the final book, The Rogue Crew, was released on May 3, 2011.

The prequels to Redwall are not released in any chronological order; however, all of the sequels, including Mattimeo, were released in the order in which they occur. No prequels have been released since Lord Brocktree in 2000. The books are listed below in their chronological order within the fictional world of Redwall, with publication dates noted.
The first three chronologically ordered books (Lord Brocktree, Martin the Warrior, and Mossflower ) take place before the construction of Redwall Abbey, while the fourth, The Legend of Luke, takes place during the construction of the abbey. Many or most of the books that take place before Redwall was constructed are written in the format of a story told by a visitor
Framing device
The term framing device refers to the usage of the same single action, scene, event, setting, or any element of significance at both the beginning and end of an artistic, musical, or literary work. The repeated element thus creates a ‘frame’ within which the main body of work can develop.The...

--for example, Martin the Warrior
Martin the Warrior
Martin the Warrior is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1993. It is the sixth book in the Redwall series.- Plot :The self-proclaimed stoat tyrant Badrang drives his slaves hard in order to complete his castle before fall. However, he did not expect to be stopped by the rebellious slave...

is told as a story by a descendant of Brome, who was visiting Redwall. These books are organized by the main story, not by the "actual" time period, which is almost always after the construction of Redwall.

Most books that are adjacent to each other in chronological order take place within a generation or so of each other (as evidenced by mentions of past characters in the later books). It is notable that, by contrast, there is an indefinitely long chronological gap between Salamandastron and Redwall; Mariel of Redwall and The Bellmaker, inversely, both feature the same cast with a short span of time between them.

Characters

In the Redwall universe, species almost invariably (with very few exceptions, including change of character mid-story) determines a creature's nature, whether good or evil. Some common noble species in Redwall include mice
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...

, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....

s, mole
Mole (animal)
Moles are small cylindrical mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have velvety fur; tiny or invisible ears and eyes; and short, powerful limbs with large paws oriented for digging. The term is especially and most properly used for the true moles, those of the Talpidae family in the...

s, hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...

s, squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...

s, hedgehog
Hedgehog
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...

s, shrew
Shrew
A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...

s, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...

s, vole
Vole
A vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars . There are approximately 155 species of voles. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America...

s, and badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...

s, while common vermin include rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...

s, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...

es, weasel
Weasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....

s, ferret
Ferret
The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...

s, snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

s, stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...

s, ermine
Ermine
Ermine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials...

, sable
Sable
The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...

s, and wildcat
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...

s. However, many other varieties of species also make appearances throughout the novels as well. Dormice also appear sometimes but are rarely major characters. On numerous occasions it mentions seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...

s, whose language makes little sense to other creatures. Three times, in Mattimeo, Loamhedge, and the Rogue Crew, there is a creature, apparently half weasel and half ferret, called a Wearet. Pine martens have been featured in three books, once as the main villain and twice in the service of a wildcat. Several reptiles are also mentioned, such as adder
Adder
Adder may refer to:Snakes:* Any of several groups of venomous snakes of the Viperidae family including Vipera berus, the common European adder, found in Europe and northern Asia...

s and other snakes, and lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...

s. Amphibians like toad
Toad
A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...

s and frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...

s have been featured also, and are depicted as lower creatures that live in more basic trivial systems and usually serve not as the primary villains, but as secondary distractions to heroes. There are also some creatures that have only been mentioned once or twice (e.g., wolf, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...

, turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...

, whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...

, wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...

, sable
Sable
The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...

, tortoise, golden-furred hamster, flying mice (bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...

s), monitor lizard
Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...

s, and in the first book horses and cows). Crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...

s and other corvus birds also appear on numerous occasions, usually being vicious and territorial. Other birds such as owls, herons, red-tailed hawks, and eagles are mentioned, some having major parts in the book, including in "Mattimeo
Mattimeo
Mattimeo is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1989. It is the third book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:All his life, the worst thing young Mattimeo had to fear was a stern lecture from his father Matthias, but all that changes when Slagar the Cruel visits Mossflower Woods...

" when a raven named General Ironbeak did manage to invade and briefly conquer Redwall Abbey.

Locations

The Redwall universe is centered around Redwall Abbey, a red sandstone abbey. Built after the events of Mossflower
Mossflower
Mossflower is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1988. It is the second book published in the Redwall series, though the third chronologically.- Plot introduction :...

,
it is the home to many of the good animals of Mossflower Woods. Another important location is the mountain fortress of Salamandastron, home to the Badger Lords and the famed hares of the Long Patrol, the mountain's army. There are many other places, such as the fortress Riftgard, Loamhedge, and Green Isle. Also, a main waterway is the River Moss. In some stories, such as the Bellmaker
The Bellmaker
The Bellmaker is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1994. It is the seventh book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:When the land is threatened by the evil Foxwolf Urgan Nagru, his mate Silvamord and their horde of savage grey rats, Mariel Gullwhacker, Joseph the Bellmaker, and...

and The Legend of Luke
The Legend of Luke
The Legend of Luke is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1999. It is the twelfth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:The Legend of Luke is about Martin the Warrior's search for what happened to his father, Luke...

, most of the story takes place onboard sailing ships and many dangers are only those involving the weather and damage resulting from such.

Much of the wildlife in the books from the northern lands (such as the highlanders or borderers in Rakkety Tam
Rakkety Tam
Rakkety Tam is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2004. It is the seventeenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

) are primarily native to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 specifically, such as pine martens and golden eagles, whilst a lake monster, known as the Slothunog, is suggestive of Nessie
NESSIE
NESSIE was a European research project funded from 2000–2003 to identify secure cryptographic primitives. The project was comparable to the NIST AES process and the Japanese Government-sponsored CRYPTREC project, but with notable differences from both...

 and appears in High Rhulain
High Rhulain
High Rhulain is a children's fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 2005. It is the eighteenth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:...

and a similar creature in Salamandastron
Salamandastron
Salamandastron is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1992. It is the fifth book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:Ferahgo the Assassin, a terrible weasel warlord, and his son Klitch lead their army of Corpsemakers to Salamandastron, to take over from the Badger Lord, Urthstripe...

, known as the Deepcoiler, who does get defeated.

Literary significance and reception

From the beginning, Brian Jacques has been praised for his Redwall series, being described as one of “the best children's authors in the world.” The books of the Redwall series have drawn comparisons to everything from J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...

’s The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...

to Kenneth Grahame
Kenneth Grahame
Kenneth Grahame was a Scottish writer, most famous for The Wind in the Willows , one of the classics of children's literature. He also wrote The Reluctant Dragon; both books were later adapted into Disney films....

’s The Wind in the Willows
The Wind in the Willows
The Wind in the Willows is a classic of children's literature by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, it focuses on four anthropomorphised animal characters in a pastoral version of England...

and Richard Adams’s Watership Down
Watership Down
Watership Down is a classic heroic fantasy novel, written by English author Richard Adams, about a small group of rabbits. Although the animals in the story live in their natural environment, they are anthropomorphised, possessing their own culture, language , proverbs, poetry, and mythology...

. Jacques combines “action, poetry, songs, courage, and vivid descriptions” to create a unique style that spans the seemingly endless series.

The Redwall series has also received praise for its “equal-opportunity adventuring, in which female creatures can be just as courageous (or as diabolical) as their male counterparts.” Novels such as Mariel of Redwall, The Pearls of Lutra, and Triss all feature strong female leading characters. Jacques has also received acclaim for his development of unique language intrinsic to certain species, giving the novels an "endearing dialectal dialogue."

Some reviews have been critical of the Redwall novels for providing too simplistic a view of good and evil. The characteristics of the animals in the novels are fixed by their species, making them quite “predictable." Though there have been a few books, The Outcast of Redwall and Pearls of Lutra, in which vermin have acted selflessly, one taking a spear through the chest and back meant for his old nursemaid, the other saving the Abbot of Redwall from lizards. In both cases however, the vermin were ferrets and both died shortly after saving another, from their grievous wounds. Another exception is in The Bellmaker, where a searat strove to start being good instead of evil, abandoning his life of pirating to live by himself. A fourth example is in the end of the book Triss, where a deaf former searat takes refuge at Redwall and is described as a pleasure by the inhabitants. The wildcats in the book Mossflower each exhibit different characteristics; although Lady Tsarmina is cruel and vicious, her father Lord Verdauga is seen as hard but fair, and her brother Gingivere is kind and eventually joins the side of the woodlanders. Also, characters always seem to "epitomize their class origins," rarely rising above them.

Many reviewers have also criticized the Redwall series for repetition and predictability, citing "recycled" plot lines and Jacques’ tendency to follow a “pattern to the dot.” Of course, other reviewers note that such predictable “ingredients” may be what “makes the Redwall recipe so consistently popular.” Although the series does not continue to break new ground, it does provide satisfying adventures with “comforting, predictable conclusions for its fans.”

Illustrators

The current interior artist is Sean Rubin. Prior to Sean taking over in 2009, David Elliot illustrated six books in the Redwall series, including Eulalia!
Eulalia!
Eulalia! is the nineteenth book in the Redwall novel series by author Brian Jacques and illustrated by David Elliot. "Eulalia" is also the war cry used by the Salamandastron fighting Hares and Badgers. It comes from "Weialala leia", the lament of the Valkyries in Richard Wagner's opera...

, published in 2007. David also illustrated the anniversary edition of Mossflower, with full page illustrations. Other previous interior illustrators include Gary Chalk (Redwall, Mariel of Redwall, and Martin the Warrior), Allan Curless (The Bellmaker to The Long Patrol), Chris Baker (Marlfox to Lord Brocktree) and Peter Standley (The Taggerung). The cover artist of the US editions of the novels is Troy Howell. Pete Lyon and Douglas Hall provided cover art for different UK editions of the first four books. Later, Chris Baker became the UK cover artist up until the release of Triss, when David Wyatt took over.

International editions

The Redwall series has been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and recently Hebrew.

Television series

The first season of the Redwall
Redwall (TV series)
Redwall is a television series made by Canada-based Nelvana and France-based Alphanim and is based on the Redwall novels by Brian Jacques. The series currently spans three seasons, the first based on the first book Redwall, the second on Mattimeo and the third on Martin the Warrior...

television series, released in 1999, was based upon the novel Redwall. It was later followed by two more seasons, based on the books Mattimeo
Mattimeo
Mattimeo is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1989. It is the third book in the Redwall series.-Plot introduction:All his life, the worst thing young Mattimeo had to fear was a stern lecture from his father Matthias, but all that changes when Slagar the Cruel visits Mossflower Woods...

and Martin the Warrior
Martin the Warrior
Martin the Warrior is a fantasy novel by Brian Jacques, published in 1993. It is the sixth book in the Redwall series.- Plot :The self-proclaimed stoat tyrant Badrang drives his slaves hard in order to complete his castle before fall. However, he did not expect to be stopped by the rebellious slave...

. Production for the series is assumed to be finished. Each season contained 13 episodes. Each episode was opened with Brian Jacques himself giving a synopsis of the story so far. These scenes were later cut from subsequent reairings and DVD releases.

The websites www.redwall.tv and www.redwalltv.com are devoted to the TV series.

Audiobooks

There have been full-length audiobooks published of Redwall, Mossflower, Mattimeo, Mariel of Redwall, Salamandastron, Martin the Warrior, The Bellmaker, Outcast of Redwall, The Long Patrol, The Taggerung, Triss, Loamhedge, Rakkety Tam, High Rhulain, Eulalia! and recently Doomwyte. There is also a new book called The Sable Quean. Instead of being read by a single actor, the novels are narrated by a large cast. Brian Jacques serves as the narrator for almost all of the audiobooks (with Salamandastron being the sole exception), sometimes reading select parts, and his son Marc Jacques appears as the characters Matthias, Martin and others.

Some abridged audiobooks have also been released. They include Redwall, Mossflower, Pearls of Lutra, The Long Patrol, Marlfox, The Legend of Luke and Lord Brocktree. Each is three hours in length and read solely by Brian Jacques.

Music

An album titled Mossflower Country was released in April 2010 by Laura Olson on the Blue Steer Studios label. It is a full length CD (43:52) with 10 tracks in a blend of large scale orchestrations, choir, and ambient electronic music. Each track represents a place, character, or event that is in most of the typical Redwall books with the intention to be a sort of imaginary soundtrack complimenting the books. The music ranges from peaceful, happy, exciting and adventurous to sorrowful, dangerous, and downright evil.

Opera

In 1996, Evelyn Swenson composed an opera based on the first book in the Redwall series. It was produced by OperaDelaware in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...

 and later toured Europe.

Other Redwall-related books

  • The Great Redwall Feast
    The Great Redwall Feast
    The Great Redwall Feast was written by Brian Jacques and illustrated by the well-known Redwall artist Christopher Denise. It was published in 1996.-Plot introduction:...

    (1996) (picture book
    Picture book
    A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. The images in picture books use a range of media such as oil paints, acrylics, watercolor and pencil.Two of the earliest books with something like the format picture books still retain now...

    )
  • Redwall Map & Riddler
    Redwall Map & Riddler
    The Redwall Map & Riddler was published in 1997 as an accessory to the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.-Summary:This guide features a full length map covering the topography of the places discussed in the series up until its year of publication...

    (1998)
  • Redwall Friend & Foe
    Redwall Friend & Foe
    The Redwall Friend & Foe was published in 2000 as an accessory to the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.-Summary:This guide features art by Chris Baker and contains descriptions of Redwall Heroes and Villains...

    (2000)
  • A Redwall Winter's Tale
    A Redwall Winter's Tale
    A Redwall Winter's Tale was written by Brian Jacques and illustrated by the well-known Redwall artist, Christopher Denise.-Plot introduction:A Redwall Winter's Tale is the second Redwall picture book...

    (2001) (picture book)
  • Tribes of Redwall Badgers
    Tribes of Redwall Badgers
    Tribes of Redwall Badgers was published in 2001 as an accessory to the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.-Plot summary:This booklet about badgers features trivia questions, a giant poster, and profiles of many of the badger characters that are featured in the series. They include cartoons, fun facts,...

    (2001)
  • Tribes of Redwall Otters
    Tribes of Redwall Otters
    Tribes of Redwall Otters was published in 2002 as an accessory to the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.-Summary:This booklet about otters features trivia questions, a giant poster, profiles of many of the otter characters that are featured in the series, and the much anticipated recipe for Shrimp...

    (2002)

  • Tribes of Redwall Mice
    Tribes of Redwall Mice
    Tribes of Redwall Mice was published in 2003 as an accessory to the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. It was illustrated by Jonathan Walker....

    (2003)
  • Tribes of Redwall Squirrels (2003)
  • The Redwall Cookbook
    The Redwall Cookbook
    The Redwall Cookbook is a cookbook based on food from the Redwall series. It contains recipes mentioned in the books, from Deeper'n'Ever Pie and Summer Strawberry Fizz to Abbey Trifle and Great Hall Gooseberry Fool.-Summary:...

    (2005)
  • Tribes of Redwall Hares (2006)
  • The Redwall Graphic Novel (2007)


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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