Redwall Abbey

Mine was to burst out crying :'(

I found out about his death on February 7th, while looking through my Facebook news feed at work. I was stunned and a bit melancholy as it started to sink in that my favorite author had passed away. What made it really made it tough for me though, was that he had passed away two days after my birthday. However, my coworkers, family, and friends were all very supportive in helping me in coping with it.

In the future, I hope to celebrate his memory every February 5th by doing something Redwall related. Whether it's reading on of his books, listening to one of his books on CD, or watching the TV show, I plan on keeping his memory alive for years to come.

Lovely idea

i found out about his death on the 9th  or so, i was looking at this sight and i saw the post. i was very sad when i saw that,  i had been looking forward to more books from him, he was a masterful writer, i will miss his work so much, but at least he will not be forgotten by his fans.


I think that is a great idea Mathias720 :          "In the future, I hope to celebrate his memory every February 5th by doing something Redwall related. Whether it's reading on of his books, listening to one of his books on CD, or watching the TV show, I plan on keeping his memory alive for years to come"      i plan to do the same

R.I.P   Brian Jacques

Felt sad because, I know there's not gonna be any more books! :(

My mom told me on the 5th and I had a hard time keeping my self calm but I had to because I had to go babysit but when I got back I went out in the field behind our house and cried, it was the hardest I had cried for a long time.

My friend told me about a week after he died.  I was really upset, but I don't think I ever cried--I was just shocked.  He always seemed like one of those writers who you would just happen to run into in the grocery store and have a really long conversation with.  I still can't believe he died.

I know this has nothing to do with BJ dying
but I recently got my friend reading the first Redwall book Redwall
And I was telling him about BJ and when I said Jakes
He said I was pronouncing it wrong
He was pronouncing it Jacques(the French way) ::)

My friends are constantly correcting me and I always say "The pronunciation is in the back flap of the book on the 'about the author' bit" and even then they don't believe me!

Isn't it so annoying ::)

I found out about his death from local news reports the day after he passed away (I'm also from Liverpool, UK) and was deeply saddened by it as he's one of my favourite authors and I've always looked forward to his books being released.

I'll always continue to recommend his stories to other people as I think that he deserves to be remembered and recognised by future generations as the likes of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien have been over the years, as one of the classic authors who's books can be enjoyed by everybody, young and old alike. I think that's the kind of legacy Brian would have liked.  :)

The Tales Of Redwall series always have an upbeat ending with good having triumphed over evil and hope and building towards the future so I think that we should happy for all the great memories he's given us (which we can revisit at any time), for those which future readers have yet to experience, and communities like this where we can come and discuss our favourite Redwall bits rather than be upset because the series has come to an end (it had to happen eventually  :( )

I found out on the 8th. My brother said he'd been flicking through the "recent deaths" on Wikipedia - yeaaaah, he's pretty strange - and called me to let me know. I was pretty upset when I found out to be honest! I was homeschooled for 3 years from when I was 10 and I was sent Mossflower by my correspondense teacher and from that moment on i was hooked and I saved up all my allowence/chore money to collect all his books - Generally I had no friends and his books were my greatest comfort when it came to making use of my active imagination.
I'm 19 now and about a week before he died I finally took the time and wrote him a fan letter  which I had ment to do for years - but since I sent it from New Zealand I highly doubt it would have been recieved on time.
ant.
I'm going on my OE next year to the UK and if anyone knows where he was laid to rest I'd love it if you could let me know. I was hoping that I could have met him in person and got him to sign my copy of Mossflower and just thank him but i guess paying my respects will just  have to do.

I found out on the 5th

Quote from: Lolilolita on June 13, 2011, 03:09:51 AM
I found out on the 8th. My brother said he'd been flicking through the "recent deaths" on Wikipedia - yeaaaah, he's pretty strange - and called me to let me know. I was pretty upset when I found out to be honest! I was homeschooled for 3 years from when I was 10 and I was sent Mossflower by my correspondense teacher and from that moment on i was hooked and I saved up all my allowence/chore money to collect all his books - Generally I had no friends and his books were my greatest comfort when it came to making use of my active imagination.
I'm 19 now and about a week before he died I finally took the time and wrote him a fan letter  which I had ment to do for years - but since I sent it from New Zealand I highly doubt it would have been recieved on time.
ant.
I'm going on my OE next year to the UK and if anyone knows where he was laid to rest I'd love it if you could let me know. I was hoping that I could have met him in person and got him to sign my copy of Mossflower and just thank him but i guess paying my respects will just  have to do.

I know how you feel...I'm so mad that I never made the effort to meet him, even if only for a brief handshake.

I've seen billions of interviews of  him And I watched his funeral online
But I never got to meet him I'm so annoyed

Yeah i know how you three feel, he was even in my state at one point but i didn't get to meet him, i have a friend that did and they have a signed book too*sigh* so unfair  :'( i was going to send a letter but i never got to it. now i wish i had  :-[

I found out months and months afterwards. It was weird to think... to know about it.

I was really saddened of learning of his death. I read and reread the four books that were published here in the Netherlands over and over again, and found out about all of the English books much later on. When I got my first job last summer, I used my salary to buy every last one of the redwall books. Jacques got me reading and thanks to him, I discovered I had a talent in writing.

I know you cannot read this, but thanks. Thanks for the wonderful stories you provided us with!

I found out a couple days later. My friend told me. At first I was okay. Then I realized what happened and was sad that night going to bed. 

i found out tht day from my bro. he told my mom and my mom told me. i was so sad cause i though "what of all the other great books he could still hav ein his head. they will never get out!" so i was sorta depressed. but thts life and u have to deal with it!

I'd been skiing in Nagano over the weekend, so I found out on the 7th. Like most people, I was just shocked at first. I grew up reading his books, the Redwall series had a huge part in awakening my love for reading. Then I was devastated for his family and all those who his stories touched over the years.

I still haven't been able to bring myself to read The Rogue Crew yet. It's been sitting on my Kindle since it came out, but I just can't do it. I don't want it to be over!

Well, it was in the morning a couple of days after the 5th, so like, the whole morning I tried to cry quiet, but I just couldn't hold it back because I was super duper sad.

GUESS!!!!!!!! >:( >:( >:(

Crying for the whole day.  :'(

My dad told me when he was reading the paper. I didn't believe him at first. Then I went to my room and cried for a while. When I was done, I tore the notice of his death out of the paper. It's taped next to my mirror so I can look at it every day. To those that are don't want to read the rouge crew, you should. I just didn't read the last chapter. When I'm upset or mad I read a redwall book. It's one way that will always get me to calm down. To BJ, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You wrote my favorite books.

My Mother called and told me a while back... I was heartbroken:(

Being from Australia I didn't find out until about a month after it happened, and was very saddened by it, although perhaps not entirely surprised, since he'd had heart problems before as I recall.

I haven't read either the Sable Quean or the Rogue Crew yet, and I'll admit I wasn't planning to. I hadn't enjoyed the last few quite as much as I had the others (Not that I didn't like them still, but I hadn't REALLY enjoyed one since High Rulain), but when I heard the news I decided that I would, since it would be a shame not to have the whole collection, especially now he's no longer with us. Actually, I think the Sable Quean sounds excellent. I heard the Rogue Crew was supposed to be the last Redwall book regardless (I read it on here before the website got updated). So while its good to know the series was wrapped up beforehand, its sad to think about what could've come next, but won't.

I don't like to use the word "dying" because it makes it appear that mr. Jacques is gone forever, which to me is far from true. Heroes live on forever.
Thank you mr. Jacques!
-Luke

I saw his death on a facebook ad, not believing it, I rushed to this website and saw the news. My first thoughts were obviously very sad, I mean I read this guy's books since elementary school, middle school, and highschool, and have not stopped reading them since! I then watched some videos of him speaking at bookstores and on his tours. He was a very witty man and loved kids. I regretted never getting to send him a fan letter or getting to meet him, though I did join the Redwall Reader Club before his death ,luckily. No one in my family had really read Redwall, but they knew how important it was to me and they were very kind to me and were truly sad that my favorite author had died.

I was pretty bummed. I love his stories (Redwall and Flying Dutchman) and had a chance to meet him about 4-5 years ago at a book signing - a great guy and very entertaining. I need to pick up his last Redwall novel; but, thankfully, he left us a great series of books that can be visited time and again too.

Believe it or not, it was only about last month I discovered that he had died. I was pretty shocked, at first I didn't believe it. But when I found out it was true I started reading all my redwall books. In them I discovered that there was a statement he used a lot when a character was mourning   another character's death. A wise creature would tell the the mourning character, "I'll bet he's mad that your just sitting here and not enjoying life on his account.". Or something along those lines. I suggest we read and enjoy his books and remember him that way not because of his death. Thank you.  

I'd thought I'd already replied to this thread. :O

My initial reaction was disbelief, followed by sadness. What's even worse is that I'd hoped to meet him in Dallas for the first time - very disappointed I never got the chance to talk to him, truly.

Others have said it better than me, so I'll leave it at that.

I check this official website everyday. Two days after the 5th, there was the message of Mr. Jacques passing. I couldn't quiet understand what my eyes were reading, or my mind refused to believe the words. I read the message three times before it finally sank in.  . . . I burst into tears.

I remember seeing the news as I was browsing the internet. At first I dismissed it, but when I quickly went to his website I discovered the terrible news. I was really shocked and couldn't really take it in. I was distraught the whole day.

I just finished reading Doomwyte and it really hit me then. He is, and forever will be my favorite author. I just wish I had a chance to meet him in person or wrote to him.

Disbelief.  Thought it was an internet scam then i checked and then i groaned...No more redwall abbey...no more salamandastrom...no more sea roving...i never found out what happened to mariel and dandin...no more Castaways of the Flying Dutchman....i was shocked and sad...

Quote from: Log a Log Grenn on June 12, 2011, 11:09:06 AM
I know this has nothing to do with BJ dying
but I recently got my friend reading the first Redwall book Redwall
And I was telling him about BJ and when I said Jakes
He said I was pronouncing it wrong
He was pronouncing it Jacques(the French way) ::)

i found out it was kakes just recently

I haven't been reading Redwall for very long, and found out that he'd died when my mum told me. I wasn't very sad at first, because I hadn't read very many yet, but I got disappointed later, because I knew there wouldn't be any more books!  :( :( :( :( :( :(

Mr. Jacques' death brought me back to the Redwall books. I'm really bummed that we won't see any more literary works from this wonderful author.

I was shocked. I felt like fainting.  :'(

I remember being stunned, but not totally sad.  Its one of those things you think can't happen, so for Mr. Jacques passing, I was certainly stunned and wondered what would happen to Redwall now?

Hey, bringning this back.

I was sooooooo sad. i saw it three months ago, in, sadly, one of his books. It was a newer copy, and said: "Dr. Brian Jacques was the blahblahblah." Was? I was depressed, and am sad not just for his death, which is a tragedy of itself, but for the deaths of the ideas he held. Imagine, what was lost. Imagine, the dozens more books he could have, and would have, written.

I figured out in a copy of Entertainment weekly. It said something like "Author Brian Jaucques, who wrote Redwall, Died February 5th (or something like that)"...

I was extreemly sad, due to the fact that well....


...there would be no more Redwall Books after The Rogue Crew.

I read it online, on the 9th of February. It felt as though the universe had been pulled away and nothing was left but a void. I had written to him a few times and always received lovely responses from the Redwall staff, on his behalf. It was one of my life's worst moments, but I gathered strength from the books as time went on. The most difficult thing was telling my community of plush amimals. They visit Redwall Abbey daily, so I couldn't let them find out about it by surprise. I told them and they were able to offer comfort to the Abbey dwellers. Think I'm nuts? Maybe, but the books have kept me going many times times, when it would have been easy to cave in. The critters are doing fine now. So am I. Hope you are able to make a tribute to Brian in your own way!

I got VERY depressed, and i cried for a long, long time. I loved his books, and i still miss him so much.
here is a good quote for this:

"You will find joy, frustration and sorrow in your quest. Never forget that friendship and loyalty are more precious than riches... Happiness can be brief, but it knows no time in the land of dreams."- The Pearls of Lutra.
R.I.P. Brian Jacques.

Quote from: Okamikee on July 21, 2011, 08:39:53 AM
Mr. Jacques' death brought me back to the Redwall books. I'm really bummed that we won't see any more literary works from this wonderful author.

Same here.  I had burned them out as a kid and hadn't read them for years, then I heard about Brian's passing and immediately dug them out of the attic and have been reading and re-reading them since.  They bring me such comfort and warmth and meaning, I only wish I could have spoken to Brian at some point to let him know that.   I didn't have all that many friends growing up but I did have an active imagination and Redwall became my happy place for many, many years, and still is.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Jacques, on those sunny slopes.  And thank you for your gift.

ah was sad... :'( :'( :'( 'cause REDWALL IS OVER.

Shock and tears. Lots and lots of tears. :(

Quote from: Flandor on November 14, 2011, 02:16:50 PM
Same here.  I had burned them out as a kid and hadn't read them for years, then I heard about Brian's passing and immediately dug them out of the attic and have been reading and re-reading them since.  They bring me such comfort and warmth and meaning, I only wish I could have spoken to Brian at some point to let him know that.   I didn't have all that many friends growing up but I did have an active imagination and Redwall became my happy place for many, many years, and still is.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Jacques, on those sunny slopes.  And thank you for your gift.

Beautifully written, Flandor. I'm exactly the same, I hadn't re-read a Redwall book for years since I'd read and re-read and re-re-re-re-re(etc...)read them as a child, and his passing made me re-read the whole series. I'm still not finished, but I'll get there. I'd always meant to write a letter to Mr Jacques to tell him how much his books meant to me, but I never got around to it. :(

Quote from: Lily on November 15, 2011, 12:25:53 AM

Quote from: Flandor on November 14, 2011, 02:16:50 PM
Same here.  I had burned them out as a kid and hadn't read them for years, then I heard about Brian's passing and immediately dug them out of the attic and have been reading and re-reading them since.  They bring me such comfort and warmth and meaning, I only wish I could have spoken to Brian at some point to let him know that.   I didn't have all that many friends growing up but I did have an active imagination and Redwall became my happy place for many, many years, and still is.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Jacques, on those sunny slopes.  And thank you for your gift.

Beautifully written, Flandor. I'm exactly the same, I hadn't re-read a Redwall book for years since I'd read and re-read and re-re-re-re-re(etc...)read them as a child, and his passing made me re-read the whole series. I'm still not finished, but I'll get there. I'd always meant to write a letter to Mr Jacques to tell him how much his books meant to me, but I never got around to it. :(

Now that's sad, aye :'( :( :'( :(

Me too- I was going to write a letter to him to let him know what his books meant to me. Never got round to it. Now, I'm devastated about that.  :'(

i cried fer 3 and a half hours


:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(



R.I.P.

ah ken how ye felt

I found out about a month or so after his death I was shocked I had just found out about the books the fall before he died and I wanted to meet him and have him sighn my book/s.I was going through a hard time and his books really kept up my spirits and changed my life my way of thinking my imagination and etc. He is my favorite author now I just want to meet his family or see where he was laid to rest.He was one of those authors that in your own mind really would stick around forever and always be there for you.I only have to read Rakkety Tam and Taggerung but Im trying not to oder them from the library just yet because I feel like then it will truly be over does that make sense?I used to feel that way alot but now that I found this forum I feel relief and so blessed!Brian changed my life for the better and I loved matthias's idea for the 5th of feb I think I'll do that too.

Rest in peace mr. brian jaques your books will carry on with your fun spirit forever!Never will forget you!

Wish I could have wrote him! :'(

 How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep...that has taken hold.-Lord of The Rings.

This quote described perfectly the pain that I felt when I learned of the bad news that my favorite author of all time died last weekend of a heart attack. It felt as a part of me deep down died. And even days after hearing the tragic news, my heart is still aching.



Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England, on 15 June 1939 to James (a truck driver) and Ellen.[3] He grew up in the area of the Liverpool docks. He is known by his middle name 'Brian' because both his father and one of his brothers are also called James. His father loved literature, and passed it to him, having him read stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Jacques showed a knack for writing at an early age. At age 10, he was given an assignment of writing a story about animals, and he wrote about a bird that cleaned a crocodile's teeth. His teacher could not believe that anyone could write that well at age 10. He was called a liar and caned by a teacher for refusing to say he copied the story. He had always loved to write, but it was only then that he realized he had a talent for writing.

He attended St. John's school until the age of 15 when he left school (as was the tradition at the time) and set out to find adventure as a sea merchant sailor. His book Redwall was written for the children of the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind, whom he refers to as his "special friends". [3] He first met them when he delivered milk there as a truck driver. He began to spend time with the children, and eventually began to write stories for them. This accounts for the very descriptive style of the novel and the ones to follow.

His work gained acclaim when Alan Durband, a friend (who also taught Paul McCartney and George Harrison), showed it to his (Durband's) own publisher without telling Jacques. Durband told his publishers: "This is the finest children's tale I've ever read, and you'd be foolish not to publish it". Soon after, Jacques was summoned to London to meet with the publishers, who gave him a contract to write the next five books in the series. Thus begin one of the greatest children's book series ever written. Over the course of a little over 40 years, Brain made the best selling series, "Redwall." with over 20 million copies sold in over 29 different languages. How did a book for the blind become a hit among the world?

This is the brief story of how I cam to know the world of Redwall and how it impacted my life and changed me forever.



I remember my first encounter of this magical world. I was eight years old on that peaceful Sunday morning and I saw a commercial for the first season of Redwall on PBS Kids. So I decided to watch it and see if it was any good at all. That day changed my life forever. Every Sunday after that I got up and watched it. I was so into it that I couldn't stop talking about the show for weeks on end. But then it ended when the station stopped showing it after the 2nd season. I felt this emptiness inside of me that was known by adults as depression.  Then I found out a month later that the show was actually based off of a book series. So I got a copy of the book Redwall and started reading it. My favorite characters in Redwall were Matthias, Cornflower, and Martin the Warrior. I couldn't get enough of this wonder series. I remember reading The Legend of Luke in the hallways of the YMCA in Ashley, Mossflower out in the corn field underneath a big oak tree, and reading Martin the Warrior as a bed time story every night until I finished it. I would spend hours at a time reading the books and then I would spend time making up my own stories of this world that seemed to be realer then the real world. I entered my middle school and high school years with this series as my number one series. I run for Cross Country and Track. And I am in wrestling. During this time in sports I gained the nickname, Matthias Martin for my hardcore will of never giving up and pushing myself past my limits. I wanted to write him a letter for advice and to share with him some of my stories and see what he thought of them. But I never got around to sending it out and now I feel regret for not sending it out. And I was going to see him the next time that he came to America. But alas it wasn't meant to be.



Redwall also played an impact with me and God. There is a church camp at Lake James in Angola Indiana. One year I went to the wilderness camp there and we would camp for a week out in the woods. On the Tuesday, our leader gave us a pile of staffs and told us to pick one out to keep. I picked one that needed a lot of work on. For the next week I sanded it down, put a finish on it and then I carved the name, Redwall into the middle of it. I still use that staff when I go hiking and when I go on mission trips. And I also used to pretend that it was a sword and use it out in the fields and pretend that I was in one of the stories that Brain made or one of the many that I made. I always wanted to be just like Martin and Matthias. i made stories with me as being one of their close friends or even their other warrior brother.   I remembered reading Ephesians, 6:10-20 on the day that I became a Christian. This passage talked about how you should wear the armor of God and wield the sword of the spirit. From that day on for about 4 years, every time that I stood in the pews, I would pretend that I was wearing the armor of God. But the armor and sword that I was wearing in my mind was that of the great Martin the Warrior. And every time that I think of God and heaven (for the next few years), I would think of the rolling flatlands, the roaring seas with the famous mountain fortress, Salamandastron standing watch over the waves, from the cold flat Northlands, to the blazing hot Southlands, to the quiet peaceful forests of Mossflower country, up the dusty path and to the main gates of the famous Abbey. When I die, I want to ask God if I can see all of it from Salamandastron west stand and north up to Redwall. 



I remember the day that he died. For some strange reason I haven't read any of the books for a few months. I was talking to my best friend on the internet and doing homework. That night I had a dream in which it was winter. The snow covered the firm ground. The wind kicked up wisps of snow as the air glisten. I was walking by a lake that was covered with ice. The ice started to break up and then I was a figure fighting to stay on top of the ice. I ran out onto the ice and then I saw the pike. It was a huge fish, the biggest that I ever seen. Then I felt cold steel at my side. I look down and see that I was wearing the sword of Redwall. There was a battle and I don't remember if I saved that beast's life but I do remember that my dream ended with me staring at the sword in my hands as everything faded to darkness.



Redwall played an important part in my life and I would not know who I would be today if it wasn't for it. Redwall taught me that no matter how big or small you are, you can do the impossible. It taught me to dream big and to never give up and to never give in to the bad pressure of this cruel world. I want to personally thank you Brain for your stories. They have touched so many lives and will touch so many more for generations to come. My prayers go out to his family in this time of grief and sadness.



Slumber through twilight, sleep through the dawn,

Bright in our memory from first light each morn,

Rest through the winter beneath the soft snow,

And in the springing, when bright blossoms show.

Warriors brave, who gave all you could give,

Offered your lives so that others would live.

No one can tell what my heart longed to say

When I had to leave here, and you had to stay. - The Long Patrol.

R.I.P. Brian Jacques

I almost cried, Maybe a single manly tear at most. I felt like I knew him after reading all his books ever since 3rd grade. I was depressed and spent the next week or so thinking about Redwall, was sad :(

I sat down with a shocked expression started crying and have really been getting on too my brothers for making fun of him and his books!! i practically want to kill them every time they call him and his books stupid but i did that before i new he had died 

Quote from: Matthias Martin on December 18, 2011, 12:49:22 AM
How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep...that has taken hold.-Lord of The Rings.

This quote described perfectly the pain that I felt when I learned of the bad news that my favorite author of all time died last weekend of a heart attack. It felt as a part of me deep down died. And even days after hearing the tragic news, my heart is still aching.



Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England, on 15 June 1939 to James (a truck driver) and Ellen.[3] He grew up in the area of the Liverpool docks. He is known by his middle name 'Brian' because both his father and one of his brothers are also called James. His father loved literature, and passed it to him, having him read stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Jacques showed a knack for writing at an early age. At age 10, he was given an assignment of writing a story about animals, and he wrote about a bird that cleaned a crocodile's teeth. His teacher could not believe that anyone could write that well at age 10. He was called a liar and caned by a teacher for refusing to say he copied the story. He had always loved to write, but it was only then that he realized he had a talent for writing.

He attended St. John's school until the age of 15 when he left school (as was the tradition at the time) and set out to find adventure as a sea merchant sailor. His book Redwall was written for the children of the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind, whom he refers to as his "special friends". [3] He first met them when he delivered milk there as a truck driver. He began to spend time with the children, and eventually began to write stories for them. This accounts for the very descriptive style of the novel and the ones to follow.

His work gained acclaim when Alan Durband, a friend (who also taught Paul McCartney and George Harrison), showed it to his (Durband's) own publisher without telling Jacques. Durband told his publishers: "This is the finest children's tale I've ever read, and you'd be foolish not to publish it". Soon after, Jacques was summoned to London to meet with the publishers, who gave him a contract to write the next five books in the series. Thus begin one of the greatest children's book series ever written. Over the course of a little over 40 years, Brain made the best selling series, "Redwall." with over 20 million copies sold in over 29 different languages. How did a book for the blind become a hit among the world?

This is the brief story of how I cam to know the world of Redwall and how it impacted my life and changed me forever.



I remember my first encounter of this magical world. I was eight years old on that peaceful Sunday morning and I saw a commercial for the first season of Redwall on PBS Kids. So I decided to watch it and see if it was any good at all. That day changed my life forever. Every Sunday after that I got up and watched it. I was so into it that I couldn't stop talking about the show for weeks on end. But then it ended when the station stopped showing it after the 2nd season. I felt this emptiness inside of me that was known by adults as depression.  Then I found out a month later that the show was actually based off of a book series. So I got a copy of the book Redwall and started reading it. My favorite characters in Redwall were Matthias, Cornflower, and Martin the Warrior. I couldn't get enough of this wonder series. I remember reading The Legend of Luke in the hallways of the YMCA in Ashley, Mossflower out in the corn field underneath a big oak tree, and reading Martin the Warrior as a bed time story every night until I finished it. I would spend hours at a time reading the books and then I would spend time making up my own stories of this world that seemed to be realer then the real world. I entered my middle school and high school years with this series as my number one series. I run for Cross Country and Track. And I am in wrestling. During this time in sports I gained the nickname, Matthias Martin for my hardcore will of never giving up and pushing myself past my limits. I wanted to write him a letter for advice and to share with him some of my stories and see what he thought of them. But I never got around to sending it out and now I feel regret for not sending it out. And I was going to see him the next time that he came to America. But alas it wasn't meant to be.



Redwall also played an impact with me and God. There is a church camp at Lake James in Angola Indiana. One year I went to the wilderness camp there and we would camp for a week out in the woods. On the Tuesday, our leader gave us a pile of staffs and told us to pick one out to keep. I picked one that needed a lot of work on. For the next week I sanded it down, put a finish on it and then I carved the name, Redwall into the middle of it. I still use that staff when I go hiking and when I go on mission trips. And I also used to pretend that it was a sword and use it out in the fields and pretend that I was in one of the stories that Brain made or one of the many that I made. I always wanted to be just like Martin and Matthias. i made stories with me as being one of their close friends or even their other warrior brother.   I remembered reading Ephesians, 6:10-20 on the day that I became a Christian. This passage talked about how you should wear the armor of God and wield the sword of the spirit. From that day on for about 4 years, every time that I stood in the pews, I would pretend that I was wearing the armor of God. But the armor and sword that I was wearing in my mind was that of the great Martin the Warrior. And every time that I think of God and heaven (for the next few years), I would think of the rolling flatlands, the roaring seas with the famous mountain fortress, Salamandastron standing watch over the waves, from the cold flat Northlands, to the blazing hot Southlands, to the quiet peaceful forests of Mossflower country, up the dusty path and to the main gates of the famous Abbey. When I die, I want to ask God if I can see all of it from Salamandastron west stand and north up to Redwall. 



I remember the day that he died. For some strange reason I haven't read any of the books for a few months. I was talking to my best friend on the internet and doing homework. That night I had a dream in which it was winter. The snow covered the firm ground. The wind kicked up wisps of snow as the air glisten. I was walking by a lake that was covered with ice. The ice started to break up and then I was a figure fighting to stay on top of the ice. I ran out onto the ice and then I saw the pike. It was a huge fish, the biggest that I ever seen. Then I felt cold steel at my side. I look down and see that I was wearing the sword of Redwall. There was a battle and I don't remember if I saved that beast's life but I do remember that my dream ended with me staring at the sword in my hands as everything faded to darkness.



Redwall played an important part in my life and I would not know who I would be today if it wasn't for it. Redwall taught me that no matter how big or small you are, you can do the impossible. It taught me to dream big and to never give up and to never give in to the bad pressure of this cruel world. I want to personally thank you Brain for your stories. They have touched so many lives and will touch so many more for generations to come. My prayers go out to his family in this time of grief and sadness.



Slumber through twilight, sleep through the dawn,

Bright in our memory from first light each morn,

Rest through the winter beneath the soft snow,

And in the springing, when bright blossoms show.

Warriors brave, who gave all you could give,

Offered your lives so that others would live.

No one can tell what my heart longed to say

When I had to leave here, and you had to stay. - The Long Patrol.

R.I.P. Brian Jacques

Thank you for saying that, that is exactly how I feel as a christain! Redwall changed my life for the better and friends think I am crazy :( :D I always thank God that he brought Redwall into my life!
Thanks again you dont know how much that you said that I was thinking!!!!!! :)

I sulked all day and cried at night. RIP BJ :'( :'( :'( :'( :(

I stared at the screen for half an hour when I read it, seemed like years

i cried alot, i found out on youtube strangley enough

I was shocked, I cried, I didn't eat. He died right before My birthday, for the longest time I was inactive, I dreamt weird dreams about Redwall and I couldn't focus on school.
I felt really bad because on feb 5th 2011, I had a feeling something wasn't right, that something happened.
The next day I found out why.

I was sad and felt rather melancholy for a few days. He was a great writer but what many have posted is true. Brian will live on through his stories for a very long time!

Oh, and I put together a meal for my friends based on the Redwall cook book a few nights after his passing as a memorial. 

I was sad, sure, but my thoughts were simple, and, I think, fitting - "Such is life."

Quote from: Bragoon on January 20, 2012, 06:09:05 PM
I was sad, sure, but my thoughts were simple, and, I think, fitting - "Such is life."

You took it better than me, I went into a state of deep depression for a while.

 :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( Pretty much just that.

I didn't find out until yesterday that he had passed :( I happened to start re-reading the series for the first time in years and decided to google the latest books that I had missed out on and the first thing that came up was the obit :( I definitely cried a bit; he's been my favorite author since I was a little kid, and the Redwall books are what made me realize what I wanted to do for a living. I wish I could have written him just one more letter (like I used to when I was a kid) and thank him for his books and the good influences they've been on me.

I is awful. No more books, no more BJ, its just to bad to think about. :'( :'(

Surprised and sad.  Because I think I heard about it the next day.

I actually found out about his death while reading the article about him on Wikipepia. I was very surprised, and I was stunned for a few moments.  But I've gotten over it. I am sad about more than just his death; it also means that no more Redwall books will be written (or any other books for his other series eather) :'(.

I shot my self with an airsoft gun

When I heard this I was sad two weeks...I don't want to say too much about my broken heart .I'm so sad now because I remembered again...

Absolute shock. One day he was there, the next he was gone.

didn't he die from a heart attack?

Quote from: Redwallfan7 on August 08, 2012, 02:39:51 AM
didn't he die from a heart attack?

Yes, they rushed him to the hospital, but he was beyond help.

To me, his death closed a door. I was worried, and i still am, that world of red wall might never feel as open again. With no more sequals it had a deffinitive end, with out a real ending. Its sad. And part of me wants some one to pick up the torch and finsh the race, To write THE last book.

As for Brian's death, i have seen videos of him talking. He seemed like a really good person to be around. And i am really sorry, for all thoase who really knew him.

Well, I immediately felt empty and got a lump in my throat. Then I searched for another source that said he had passed away...when I realized it was the truth, I texted my friend (who is also a Redwall fan), and I posted a small memoriam on my facebook page, in honour of BJ. Finally, I skimmed most of my Redwall books for a very long time.
I just didn't feel myself that day I found out.
Then again, I came across this wonderful forum the same day I found out about BJ. There's always a silver lining I suppose. :)

That was sad... Redwall fans will always remember him, though.

I only found this out today, and joined this forum just to say that this is a horrible shock. I have been reading his series for the past 9 years of my life, and have read everyone book in the Redwall series 3-4 times. RIP:(

i was pretty shocked and cryed a bit.i was actualy about to send some fan mail to him.

Well, seeings how i found out after i finished the first book, and he was already dead by then; I was a bit disappointed. Redwall's a series i've been searching for for a long time.

I didn't Know in till a few months after he died.

I got into the books before the Sable Quean was out.  a few years later in 2011, I was going to write him a letter but my sunday school teacher told me he had died so I was like What!!!!

I started reading the series earlier this year, so I didn't know he had died. I eventually found out (I don't remember how), and I remember being surprised and a bit sad. Now that I've finished all the books, I'm really sad that there will be no more. I'm thankful he left such a wonderful legacy behind, so we will always remember him.

it was the most terrible news I heard. I was so sad, I cried until I had no more tears left

I cried. I found out about a year later. I still am so sad about it.

When I started the series Redwall, Brian Jacques had been dead for some months (he died in early 2011 and I started the series end of 2011 - early 2012). I visiting the Wikipedia page of Redwallthen I went to see the page of BJ and that's where I learned that he was dead. I was not really sad, and I did not cry, but I was shocked to learn that he had died so short time before. In any case he will not fall into oblivion, because as long as it there will be people for enjoy books of Brian Jacques will be remembered of Brian Jacques.

*Tungro stumble over dead thing* Ohh! look at this!

He died on my brothers birthday, (the one who first discovered Redwall) so he was pretty upset for a little bit, but most of us were just like, "Why do we always get there late?"

I actually didn't even know he was still alive when I started the Redwall series, so I was sad that I might've had the opportunity to write him, yet I didn't even know. >:( :'(

I never really thought about it, I didn't start reading Redwall until about 2  yrs ago..

What Witess said-no idea who he was until after I got into Redwall (and he went to heaven... Or somewhere else but I don't really know)

well, of course he has to go somewhere!

I know where he went. Redwall abbey, in Mossflower country.

I knew he was dead when I first started reading redwall, and It didn't matter to me. Until I finished the rogue crew,that is. At that moment, it hit me. Brian Jaqques was dead. I pretended to be okay for the day, and then cried all night. I hope that the fanfiction we write contulinues to please te fans of te series as e did.

Rest in peace, Brian. Rest in peace.

That was... very sweet.

Don't get used to it.

Quote from: One-Eye the wildcat on June 21, 2019, 03:12:10 AM
I know where he went. Redwall abbey, in Mossflower country.

I knew he was dead when I first started reading redwall, and It didn't matter to me. Until I finished the rogue crew,that is. At that moment, it hit me. Brian Jaqques was dead. I pretended to be okay for the day, and then cried all night. I hope that the fanfiction we write contulinues to please te fans of te series as e did.

Rest in peace, Brian. Rest in peace.

Wow! I agree with Grey, that was very sweet, One-Eye.  :)

JUST THIS ONCE.

I never really thought about it. I wasn't connected to him as much as I was to his work and the world he created, but it's still sad to think there won't be any more "real" Redwall books. The Rogue Crew was basically part fanfic, anyway. Fanfic is enough for me.

What happened in the Rogue Crew?

Pretty sure BJ didn't finish it and somebody else wrote the end.

Oh. Was it obvious that it was someone else?

For a long time I wasn't sure whether he was still alive or not, as all his pictures made him seem pretty old.  At one point I looked it up and he was still alive, but later I learned that he died not too long after it happened, interestingly.

My first thought was that the world lost an unparalleled storyteller, and I would have liked to hear him tell one of his stories in the flesh.

I am just so sad that he died when I was a 1 year old because I never got to meet him.  :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(