Well, this is the counterpart of Gonff's topic, Least Memorable Book. (Found here (http://www.loamhedgeabbey.com/index.php/topic,236.new.html#new))
My first book is Mossflower. Partly because it was the first Redwall book I read (Yeah, I know, I went against the grain and didn't read Redwall first and I didn't read the books in any particular order either), and also because I love this book. For one thing, those two ferrets (?) Blacktooth and I-forgot-the-ther-one's-name are hilarious. And the funny hench-vermin sadly seem to decline in later books as I remember it. (The only other two that come to mind are Sneezewort and Lousewort, The Long Patrol.) And the adventures of Martin & Co, along with the adventures of CORIM! The only thing I don't really like about this book, the one that's my Redwall series baby, is that the summer season appears to only last a few days because of the way it's written. and admittedly, please tell me with a straight face that the first Redwall book doesn't mean something, anything, to you. If it didn't you wouldn't be here. (Unless you're a weird Guest.)
Triss. This one mostly sticks out to me because I didn't like it the first time I tried to read it. It went back to the library with very little read, and it wasn't checked out again by me for at least two months. Probably more. (It's been years, don't judge) Even though I've read this book at least five times (Like every other Redwall book) to this day I can still pick up Triss and not finish. (Shame. I remember being so excited about reading the book that was published the year I was born.)
Rakkety Tam. In a word: SQUIRRELS! This sticks out to me because. . . . . . Squirrels. Also, romance isn't a big thing in the Redwall stories themselves (Epilogues? Yes. Anything more than hinted in the story? No.) So yes, memorable enough without the Northern vermin (Which we don't see often) and the appearance of cannibalism and let's not forget Gulo. And the Walking Stone! (If you can't tell, this is my other top-favorite book.)
And last but not least: Eulaliaaa! This is for much of the same reasons as Triss. It just didn't appeal to me as much as, say, Marlfox. But I can at least read this one through. :P
Well! What books stuck out to you and why?
EDIT: Oops, did I make this too daunting? Sorry.
I haven't read 'em all yet...
Lord Brocktree always has, and always will be, my favorite Redwall book and the one I remember.
Mossflower was pretty awesome as well, because to me it's like a "Reverse-Redwall" story. And lastly, contrary to popular belief, I really enjoyed
Loamhedge, although part of the reason it's memorable is that Martin is a total jerk and gets
Spoiler
Bragoon and Saro
killed for NO REASON, because
Spoiler
MARTHA CAN SOMEHOW WALK ANYWAY?!?!
Ripped off.
The Long Patrol
Memorable because the protagonist is NORMAL. As in he doesn't get any supernatural assistance and his goals are humble. Tammo's just a hare who wants to join the Long Patrol when he gets caught up in a bunch of shenanigans. A great story.
EDIT 9/13/16: I've done some more thinking, and I don't think this is the particular reason why The Long Patrol sticks out so much. I think the reason for that is because the book simply isn't about Tammo. It's about the Long Patrol as a whole. You see new recruits at Salamandastron starting out on their first assignments, see how hares get their weapons, learn about the entity that is the long patrol a little bit as they're on the move, then you also get to see what life is like for a regular unit like the one Tammo joins. Tammo takes on a more defining role in the story, as much of it is told from his point of view, but I don't think I can say the story is necessarily about Tammo. And I think that's something really unique about this book in particular.
High Rhulain
Memorable because it was the first Redwall book I read all the way through, and I felt that it had a very beautiful story-line to it. Tiria's journey, Colonel Frunk's personalities, Leatho Shellhound's Robin Hood-like adventures... all fantastic pieces to the story.
Taggerung was the first Redwall book I owned, so I've read it more than any of the other books. I love the story, and I love my beaten and worn copy.
Other ones I remember well include Redwall, because it was the first book I read in the series; Martin the Warrior, because it was the first book from the series I called my 'favourite;' The High Rhulain, which I simply love and have to finish in one shot once I've opened it; and Legend of Luke, which is my favourite and when I first read it, both scared me and kept me from putting it down. It was also the first book from the series I read that took place on a ship, so that made it memorable alone. I also remember Triss incredibly well because I think I've read that second-most, next to Taggerung.
Alright so while The Long Patrol is my favorite Redwall book and always will be the one that sticks out to me the most is Mattimeo. And the reason behind this is because of how the story is structured, and how memorable characters from the original beloved novel are slowly knocked off one by one.
I can remember the first time I read the story I was wondering if Brian would go and kill Basil or Jess towards the end. Not only that but the conflict is so different then the other Redwall stories, making it one of the most original.
Pearls of Lutra for me. I remember a lot from that book.
Well, my favorite book is Mossflower, because of how much of an olden times feel it had for me, but that may be different from the most memorable, as in, the one I draw the most memory from. That, I think, would go to Redwall, the one I started out with, as well as the one that I have always thought as the original, down to earth heart of the Redwall universe.
Quote from: Skarzs on February 23, 2016, 03:02:13 AM
Well, my favorite book is Mossflower, because of how much of an olden times feel it had for me, but that may be different from the most memorable, as in, the one I draw the most memory from. That, I think, would go to Redwall, the one I started out with, as well as the one that I have always thought as the original, down to earth heart of the Redwall universe.
I gotta agree. The original Redwall definitely will stick with me forever.
Agreed. ;D
The first Redwall was the first Redwall book I read, and it is still the one I remember the most.
I should reread it soon.
Taggerung. I don't know why I took to this book so much, but it was basically my life for the two days it took to read it, as well as the week afterwards when I kept going through it again and again until it had to be returned to the library (though I've checked it out many, many times since then). There were several years where I could quote almost all of the dialogue and much of the narration verbatim, and I can still recall it better than almost anything else I've read.
Quote from: Mhera on February 23, 2016, 06:57:45 PM
Taggerung. I don't know why I took to this book so much, but it was basically my life for the two days it took to read it, as well as the week afterwards when I kept going through it again and again until it had to be returned to the library (though I've checked it out many, many times since then). There were several years where I could quote almost all of the dialogue and much of the narration verbatim, and I can still recall it better than almost anything else I've read.
Sounds cool! Can't wait to get to it.
a toss up between Redwall, Rouge Crew and Lord Brocktree
Quote from: Mhera on February 23, 2016, 06:57:45 PM
Taggerung. I don't know why I took to this book so much, but it was basically my life for the two days it took to read it, as well as the week afterwards when I kept going through it again and again until it had to be returned to the library (though I've checked it out many, many times since then). There were several years where I could quote almost all of the dialogue and much of the narration verbatim, and I can still recall it better than almost anything else I've read.
@Mhera ? sigh ? taggerung was the second Redwall book I'd read and ny favorite of the first two I'd read. My first was Lord Brocktree which didn't even have the Abbey in it. Taggerung made Redwall sound like such a lovely place to live.
This is very difficult for me- each one of the Redwall books has something different to offer! The scene and style is the same, but different throughout each one... It's quite magical, really. It's the main reason I consider Brian Jacques the greatest
storyteller that ever lived, right behind J. R. R. Tolkien. Not the greatest author (although that spot is claimed by Tolkien also), for there are authors better than him, but the greatest storyteller- an ancient and fading art. I can't delineate the difference specifically, but I feel it is an important distinction to make.
Rakkety Tam remains one of my favorite all time, and it is the one that I probably read the most. There was a time when I carried it around in my backpack religiously throughout school, reading it over and over again. It is archetypal to me, a perfect example of what a Redwall book should be. Tam and Doogy were a great pair of main chars, they had the sort of rough camaraderie that I like so much in protagonist/deuteragonist sets (see Zootopia),the book had a lot of action and character interaction, there was both tragedy and celebration. The Long Patrol featured a large part (always a plus), and the final battle was uneven and uncertain to the last moment (at least, if you willingly suspended disbelief. Nobody ever believes that a book's main character is going to die and the bad guys win). In addition, although it pains me some to say this, I take great appreciation in the old-fashioned courtly romance occasionally present in the Redwall series. Actually, looking at it now, it is a common factor in all of my favorite Redwall books, as you will see.
Redwall, as the original book in the series, maintains a lot of "first book" charm. Matthias is a great example of a character that is better because they are
not a sue. It is really a "coming of age" story as much as an epic, and it is all the better for it. Matthias is one of the most dynamic characters in the series, and seeing him grow from a bumbler into a hero is highly gratifying. Additionally, it embodies everything I love about the Redwall series: mysterious riddles, destiny, heroic battles- the stuff that defines the rest of the series. It has some of the best minor characters, in Basil Stag Hare, Jess Squirrel, Cornflower and Methuselah. And, of course, there is the touching scene where Cornflower ties her scarf around Matthias' arm- one of my favorite symbolic actions throughout the series.
Actually, I have this picture hanging just above my bed, and it always reminds me of the scene:
Spoiler
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Leighton-God_Speed!.jpg)
is another of the books that really stands out to me.This is the book where we really get to know the character of Martin. Again, it has some of the better minor characters: Rose of Noonvale, Grumm, Felldoh, Keyla, and, of course Cap'n Clogg, one of my all-time favorite villains. One of the particular features of this book is it's ability to engender a variety of emotions, from bleak courage to joy to peace to fury and desolate despair. The death of Rose of Noonvale and Martin's subsequent journey are some of the most poignant moments in all the books collectively.
And, of course, no list of favorites would be complete without
The Long Patrol. Another real "coming of age" story, Tammo is one of the better main characters, with real dynamic change that is pleasurable to the reader. Supplemented with a superb cast of supporting characters and the atmosphere of the Long Patrol itself, it has a feel very different from the other books in the series. It is almost exclusively about growing up in the Patrol, and the camaraderie which prevails in such situations. Again, I feel that probably its most important asset other than the Patrol itself was the minor characters, specifically Rockjaw Grang, Miggo, Russa, Major Perigord, and Pasque Valerian (Brian can write
such good supporting characters- often we care as much or more about them than the protagonist!)
*whistles* There's my exhaustive list. Maybe I'd better recycle these to the book commentary threads.
Redwall was very memorable, I feel kind of like the time of Redwall as Year 0. Like when Jesus was born. If I am thinking of an event in the redwall series, example; That cool rat Bludrigg who became good, he was my favorite character, hmm.. I think he was before Redwall.
Maybe I'm just wierd in the way I think of things. Martin was actually more of the Jesus of the story, but everything mostly happens after so it isn't a good way to remember orders of events. It might be better if someone wrote a fanfic about before Martin... This post might not make any sense to anyone... I'm sorry about that.
Makes sense to me. You're not alone in that. I've unconsciously divided the universe into four parts in my mind. There are the ancient, pre-Redwall Abbey times, including the events of Lord Brocktree, Martin the Warrior, the middle third of Legend of Luke, and the untold stories of Spearlady Gorse, Ceteruler, and others mentioned in a couple of the Salamandastron-centered stories. The consecutive books in the series are divided into pre-Redwall and post-Redwall, probably because that's where the series began. The fourth part of the timeline are the books following Triss that aren't connected to each other through anything but familiar tribes (like the Guosim) and landmarks (like Redwall and Salamandastron). I too think of events or things that happened as being "after Redwall but before Triss," for example.
Quote from: Banya on September 21, 2016, 09:23:50 PM
Makes sense to me. You're not alone in that. I've unconsciously divided the universe into four parts in my mind. There are the ancient, pre-Redwall Abbey times, including the events of Lord Brocktree, Martin the Warrior, the middle third of Legend of Luke, and the untold stories of Spearlady Gorse, Ceteruler, and others mentioned in a couple of the Salamandastron-centered stories. The consecutive books in the series are divided into pre-Redwall and post-Redwall, probably because that's where the series began. The fourth part of the timeline are the books following Triss that aren't connected to each other through anything but familiar tribes (like the Guosim) and landmarks (like Redwall and Salamandastron). I too think of events or things that happened as being "after Redwall but before Triss," for example.
Glad someone gets my thinking :)
The most memorable books to me are Rakkety Tam and Mattimeo. ;D
Quote from: Banya on September 21, 2016, 09:23:50 PM
Makes sense to me. You're not alone in that. I've unconsciously divided the universe into four parts in my mind. There are the ancient, pre-Redwall Abbey times, including the events of Lord Brocktree, Martin the Warrior, the middle third of Legend of Luke, and the untold stories of Spearlady Gorse, Ceteruler, and others mentioned in a couple of the Salamandastron-centered stories. The consecutive books in the series are divided into pre-Redwall and post-Redwall, probably because that's where the series began. The fourth part of the timeline are the books following Triss that aren't connected to each other through anything but familiar tribes (like the Guosim) and landmarks (like Redwall and Salamandastron). I too think of events or things that happened as being "after Redwall but before Triss," for example.
Banya, why is your font so small? Also, I was thinking of writing a fanfic about an "untold story" Lady Sable Brock perhaps?