I don't think so! They would ruin everything! Probably set traps and shoot birds, and cruel stuff like that.
If you have an opinion please post it.
Humans just aren't Redwall!
I don't think it should even be a question. Humans are just not meant for Redwall, they have no place in the series.
BJ was once asked if he would ever put humans in Redwall. His response was "Do you want humans in Redwall?" Good answer. :)
It would be odd bu,t interesting. ::)
Only if ALL the characters were humans (except the birds and snakes of course).
Um, no that just wouldn't work.
Definitely not! *is glad that he's not human*
Quote from: Tiria Wildlough on July 01, 2011, 06:39:27 AM
I don't think so! They would ruin everything! Probably set traps and shoot birds, and cruel stuff like that.
If you have an opinion please post it.
I think I quoted BJ on this before, but it's such a good quote I'll use it again: "Animals make better people than people."
Redwall would not be Redwall if he incorporated humans. In fact, if you look at the original Redwall book, you can see some human elements that he decided to do away with (I'm thinking, just off the top of my head, of the big wagon Cluny and his gang found themselves in in the beginning...
Quote from: Wot Wot! on July 01, 2011, 07:01:42 PM
I think I quoted BJ on this before, but it's such a good quote I'll use it again: "Animals make better people than people."
Late to the party, but this pretty much sums it up for me.
I think it would work.
Hhhmmmmmm.... That's tough. Im not sure I would mind it as long as they didn't have significant roles. Like maybe being mentioned. Like in the beginning of redwall it sounds like there are humans but they don't have major roles in the plot or story. They could gradually grow into the story and eventually get a role. But It would deffinately take some getting used to. Especially animal--->human communication. I have a feeling if he was still alive today, then he would just leave the "animals and humans in the same story" to the "Castaways of the Flying Dutchman" series (I wish he wrote more of those :'( )that is, unless the fans wanted different
I don't think it would work and i wouldn't want it. i don't know how it wouldn't work, but i think it doesn't and i simply can't imagine redwall with humans in it. Maybe it can be like Guardians of Ga'Hoole where humans have left remnants and have died out or moved somewhere else, but for there to be any direct interaction between human and creature...would be...well i wouldn't like it.
I also remember BJ mentioning humans in Redwall very subtly. Something like Cluny came from a place with strange creatures who farmed or something like that.
I also found this on BJ's website when someone asked him if there were ever any humans,
"No, there are no humans, my first book Redwall did mention the horse and cart but no humans are ever in the stories and I don't intend that they should ever be. The ships are generally crewed by vermin."
I did wonder about the horse and cart. I don't remember anything about strange creatures who farmed, though. :)
Quote from: sabretache5611 on July 05, 2011, 01:37:19 AM
I don't think it would work and i wouldn't want it. i don't know how it wouldn't work, but i think it doesn't and i simply can't imagine redwall with humans in it. Maybe it can be like Guardians of Ga'Hoole where humans have left remnants and have died out or moved somewhere else, but for there to be any direct interaction between human and creature...would be...well i wouldn't like it.
Here is how it can't work:
1: The humans would either be giants or the same size of the animals (which is weird and wrong).
2: If the humans were giants they would probably destroy Redwall.
3: And humans are not one side or the other. They can be bad, they can be good. And this would be very confusing.
4: Mossflower can not have humans because it is not to be. It is a fictional land of mice, rats, and other woodland creatures.
That probably makes no sense, but it is my reasons.
Quote from: Redwall Musician on July 05, 2011, 04:53:44 AM
Quote from: sabretache5611 on July 05, 2011, 01:37:19 AM
I don't think it would work and i wouldn't want it. i don't know how it wouldn't work, but i think it doesn't and i simply can't imagine redwall with humans in it. Maybe it can be like Guardians of Ga'Hoole where humans have left remnants and have died out or moved somewhere else, but for there to be any direct interaction between human and creature...would be...well i wouldn't like it.
Here is how it can't work:
1: The humans would either be giants or the same size of the animals (which is weird and wrong).
2: If the humans were giants they would probably destroy Redwall.
3: And humans are not one side or the other. They can be bad, they can be good. And this would be very confusing.
4: Mossflower can not have humans because it is not to be. It is a fictional land of mice, rats, and other woodland creatures.
That probably makes no sense, but it is my reasons.
actually it makes total sense. or most of it does
Definitely no humans!
My question is, what if they had chickens in the Redwall series?
Chickens were mentioned in Redwall.
Overall: Redwall is a series about animals, how is this a question?
Quote from: Taggerung_of_Redwall on July 05, 2011, 04:17:36 PM
Chickens were mentioned in Redwall.
Overall: Redwall is a series about animals, how is this a question?
What? When where chickens mentioned in Redwall?
The infamous acts of Cluny the Scourge, read by Methuselah towards the beginning of the novel.
I'm looking at that particular page right now and I see piglets, cows, and a town dog. But no chickens.
Well, we have several options as far as putting humans in a Redwall story.
1) Place them directly in the story as characters, interacting with other characters.
This is the most obvious possibility, but it's also the worst for reasons of feel and scale. Humans talking to mice isn't really Redwall, and realistically, they would be massive giants, far eclipsing Redwall in size... even Salamandastron would be just a hill to them. We could scale them down, but that makes no sense, and besides, I don't really see why anyone would want to see humans interacting directly with mice, rats, and badgers anyway; there's no good reason to do it.
2) Place them directly in the story, as a "force of nature".
Humans talking to Redwallers, eating at the feasts, etc. clearly has problems. A more reasonable alternative is to include them, but only as "monsters", or invincible obstacles in the heroes' quests. Something to be avoided, not confronted. In this sort of story, the focus might be on avoiding the humans or resolving the threat to Redwall/the animal community at large as they go about their daily business; razing trees, imprisoning and killing beasts, and generally making a grand nuisance of themselves.
3) Place them indirectly in the story.
It's never directly stated in Redwall that humans don't exist, and from the horse-driven cart, reference to "towns" elsewhere, and some different animals (such as the dog), the Redwall world very clearly appears to be a world where humans could exist -- even though they probably don't. In this kind of a story, the characters would deal either with what the humans created, or with their pets, never with the humans themselves -- like a more distant, non-malevolent version of 2).
4) No humans in Redwall.
What everyone is used to. The Redwall lore (aside from Redwall itself) doesn't outright state that humans don't exist, but they don't leave much room for them to exist either. I believe the closest the series ever comes to acknowledging the possibility of humans is in High Rhulain, where Riggu Felis mentions that his ancestors rescued the feral cats from some "masters", somewhere. Nevertheless, this isn't exactly a solid indication of humans existing, and even if they did, it would have had to be at some point in the distant past -- in other words, a time that isn't now.
I think options 2 and 3 could be intriguing elements in a fanfiction story -- either one that directly deals with humans, or one that seeks to recapture the "feel" of the earliest Redwall stories. I don't see any *good* reasons to do #1, and #4 is what everyone is used to as it is.
Quote from: Galedeep on July 05, 2011, 05:11:35 PM
I'm looking at that particular page right now and I see piglets, cows, and a town dog. But no chickens.
Yeah, I realzied their abasense right after I posted. Sprry ofr the confuson.
And mad typos, my computer is in a straneg astate.
I recall thinking humans were mentioned somewhere in High Rhulain. Felis says something like "your kind came from across the seas where they served strange masters" or... something to that effect. It always made me think, Oh! House cats! :D
James: you always have the most detailed posts. :)
Yes! I remember that bit in High Rhulain. The feral cats depended on their strange masters. Subtle. :oI never realized that until now.
Really? Can I get a reference to that?
Sure, here it is:
QuoteA gurgling laugh issued from behind the chain mail as Riggu addressed Kaltag. "That one's got the makings of a proper wildcat!"
She sniffed. "We have two sons, both wildcats."
Pulling the face mask to one side, the warlord thrust his hideous features close to her. "Never! I'm the only true wildcat here--I, Riggu Felis! You and all the rest of these cats, you are only feral cats. Your ancestors were tame creatures who served stronger beasts. You could not even fend for yourselves. It took my kin, the real wildcats, to conquer your masters. We brought your kind here from the sunset lands of the far oceans. See my colour, my stripes, these are the marks of the proper wildcat bloodline. I am the only one who is all wildcat, a warlord born. Jeefra is more like you, but Pitru has more wildcat in him!"
High Rhulain, chapter six.
There's a serious difference between "stronger" and "strange" when it comes to their masters. It just sounds like wildcats defeated other beasts and conquered the ferals.
Anyway, very interesting. Actually, I remember that scene quite well, and the previous.
To those people who have mentioned the Redwall book, let's not forget that the Redwall book has heaps of elements that don't appear in other novels. The story line changes considerably in the books that followed. Redwall was different to the other books and Brian was still creating and growing the world in that book, so he added and took away plenty of different things from that novel. That's why it's hinted that there may of been humans in Redwall, but after that novel the books don't say anything about humans, in fact it seems that the books make it seem impossible that humans could exist in the Redwall world. Hope that made sense!
It was kinda random actually.
You sort of have a point. But humans being hinted at wasn't that drastic in Redwall I'd say
Eh, I was going from memory before I went and dug the book out. I think it's still all rather ambiguous, myself~ ;) It wouldn't surprise me if humans were hinted at, but they'd never be mentioned.
Also: you guys post way fast, wow! XD
I don't it is necessary because people are huge compared to small animals like a mouse.
Al
Having humans would be worse than having Asmodeus!
Quote from: Tiria Wildlough on July 06, 2011, 05:25:23 AM
Having humans would be worse than having Asmodeus!
Haha, yeah, that'd be interesting if there were humans as an enemy. The animals wouldn't stand a chance.
Quote from: Osu on July 06, 2011, 05:26:37 AM
Quote from: Tiria Wildlough on July 06, 2011, 05:25:23 AM
Having humans would be worse than having Asmodeus!
Haha, yeah, that'd be interesting if there were humans as an enemy. The animals wouldn't stand a chance.
...as someone said earlier, salamandastrom would be just a hill...redwall...would be tiny too. basically its redwalls worst nightmare.
no humans. dont put, don't make it happen and we're all good ;D
Quote from: AakashB on July 05, 2011, 02:52:45 AM
I also remember BJ mentioning humans in Redwall very subtly. Something like Cluny came from a place with strange creatures who farmed or something like that.
I also found this on BJ's website when someone asked him if there were ever any humans,
"No, there are no humans, my first book Redwall did mention the horse and cart but no humans are ever in the stories and I don't intend that they should ever be. The ships are generally crewed by vermin."
Can't argue with that
Just think. They'd lay traps for the animals, shoot the hares, capture otters and badgers for their fur, and probably bulldoze Salamandastron. I was so scared that it would happen.
:( :(
Quote from: CreggaRoseEyes on July 14, 2011, 11:48:10 AM
Just think. They'd lay traps for the animals, shoot the hares, capture otters and badgers for their fur, and probably bulldoze Salamandastron. I was so scared that it would happen.
:( :(
It could be that I don't normally get online this early, but when I read this I laughed. XD Bulldoze Salamandastron... ahaha! Can you picture it? Oh man... ;D ...that's terrible.
What if the humans were the same size as the animals? That'd even the odds up a bit, eh?
I can't imagine Redwall with humans. We would be horrible additions. It would have destroyed the series. Just a disgusting idea.
QuoteIt would have destroyed the series. Just a disgusting idea.
I don't think it would be disgusting, or that it would have destroyed the series, but it would undeniably change things quite a bit... the tone of the series would probably resemble more
Watership Down in some ways than what it is now, and that's a pretty substantial difference.
QuoteWhat if the humans were the same size as the animals? That'd even the odds up a bit, eh?
It would, but I think that would eliminate the whole point of putting humans in the story in the first place.
In my mind, the only reason to have humans in Redwall is if they have a similar effect on the world that they do in real-life; not an enemy to be defeated, but an invulnerable obstacle to be survived and avoided. Other than that, there's no need to have them, because the characters we have are better-suited to the
Redwall story than any human character.
Oh, I agree wholeheartedly. There's simply to point to adding humans to the picture.
Still. Bulldoze Salamandastron.... I will dream about this tonight, I just know it! XD
Quote from: Osu on July 15, 2011, 04:54:05 AM
Oh, I agree wholeheartedly. There's simply to point to adding humans to the picture.
Still. Bulldoze Salamandastron.... I will dream about this tonight, I just know it! XD
Just make sure the bulldozer isnae working for the
Death Defying Beavers, ok?
(Oh no, now they've entered this thread! We're doomed. :( )
Salamandastron probably wouldnt be able to be destroyed. It's still a mountain, even to badgers, who would come up to a humans' knee on all fours. Probably to the waist standing up. So it'd still be a mountain
Humans don't work and that's that. So why must we question it further?
Quote from: Redwall Musician on July 15, 2011, 06:24:33 AM
Humans don't work and that's that. So why must we question it further?
Well, because they only don't work if you want to have a series that looks like it does now.
I don't think there's anything wrong with imagining the possibilities, though, or how different it would be if there were humans in the
Redwall universe.
It's akin to some fan fiction I've read or heard about where some of which species are good/evil are switched around, so you might have villainous badgers, or that take place in the distant future of the series, where the creatures have access to modern technology.
Even if they're not your cup of tea, they're still the result of imagination and creativity, wondering, "What if..."
I think the concept of humans in the
Redwall world might be worth consideration, and that it'd be interesting to think about how they might have changed the series, even if most people probably like it better the way things are now.
Please stop calling Brian Jacques "BJ". It just sounds disrespectful. Call him Brian, Mr. Jacques, or Brian Jaques. Seriously guys.
Quote from: Redwall Musician on July 15, 2011, 06:24:33 AM
Humans don't work and that's that. So why must we question it further?
I like this no nonsense approach. To add a human you'd need to consider relative size...are the mice as big as humans or do the humans tower over the mice? Those spears would give a pretty nasty cut on your big toe to say the least! ;D There's just no way to make it work, and not face a ton of continuity issues in the story if you had to consider everything relative to the size of a human, leaving all other fantasy elements (e.g. magic) out of the story.
*shrug* I just don't know. Redwall Abbey has to be tall enough for birds to nest on top of. Maybe that's one of the things you're not supposed to question.
Maybe, if the humans and rodents were the same size...... then again, humans would probably just try to take over Redwall. You guys know how that is. No offense to the Germans but, hence Hitler, he tried to take over the entire WORLD let alone one little abbey.
Ahaha, I think comparing all humans to Hitler is a little harsh. If I'd been dropped into Mossflower, first thing I'd do is track down Salamandastron and study its mysteries first hand! And then to Redwall for some serious scoffing. Hey, those rodents are good cooks. ;D
I'd go to Redwall first myself.
If I were to go to Redwall though, I'd be an otter, not a human.
Aww, where's the fun in that? ....no, nevermind. ;) (I'd be a hare.)
Even so, a Redwall bajillions of years down the road, say, with human researchers discovering it wouldn't be so bad, right?
Quote from: Osu on July 22, 2011, 03:52:13 PM
Aww, where's the fun in that? ....no, nevermind. ;) (I'd be a hare.)
Even so, a Redwall bajillions of years down the road, say, with human researchers discovering it wouldn't be so bad, right?
No it wouldn't. but we'd have to create a sort of star trek prime directive in order to explore it XD Personally i want to go to Redwall and scoff.
I don't think having Redwall discovered by humans in an alternative universe would be a good thing. ^^
How about humans in an alternate dimension observing the lives and adventures of Redwallers on a pan-dimensional viewing screen?
^ Say what? :D
How about just a plain old computer?
What if the Redwallers discovered our dimension?
Quote from: Matthias720 on July 24, 2011, 03:57:47 PM
How about humans in an alternate dimension observing the lives and adventures of Redwallers on a pan-dimensional viewing screen?
Isn't that what we're doing by watching the TV show? ;)
Quote from: Lily on July 25, 2011, 12:20:03 AM
Quote from: Matthias720 on July 24, 2011, 03:57:47 PM
How about humans in an alternate dimension observing the lives and adventures of Redwallers on a pan-dimensional viewing screen?
Isn't that what we're doing by watching the TV show? ;)
I choked on my soda from laughing when I read all that. ohyouguys ;)
How about Redwallers discovering ancient human remains, then? Fits better?
Noooo...
I mean, maybe...
Yes, no, maybe so? ;D Scenario: humans go extinct and all traces of them are buried. Like dinosaurs. Kinda. Enter the world of Redwall! Some animal historians stumble on the remains of an ancient human city.
Sorta like that? It'd be interesting as a subplot, but I dunno if I'd go for a Redwall book with such a thing as the main plot.
I kinda feel having humans in any form would sorta spoil the whole erm...asrhajkdsh I don't know how to explain it. It just won't work for me. :(
Without Animals It wouldn't be Redwall! There is no other way for it to have been this good if it had been humans. Humans seem to destroy, the animals seem to build on everything around them
I'm not sure if it has been mentioned, but the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series mentioned "The Others", who were obviously humans, as it says they made things like castles, churches etc., but they be ame extinct. The owls occasionally put the things they left to good use. That series still counts as an "animal only" series, but then again it is quite a bit different to Redwall. Just pointing out how it maybe could work, but I still believe that he shouldn't have done it.
O wow...this hasn't been posted in for AGES.
:D
@DanielofRedwall, I haven't read Guardians of Ga'hoole, but it sounds pretty good from what you say about it. :) But I don't think that there should be any human influence on Redwall.
Also...I think I will add a poll to this. ;D
Of course not! Mossflower Country and the surrounding area were made to be human-free! If Brian Jaques did put humans in, the humans would probably do what is normal for humans. Hunt and kill the animals.
The Redwallers are the humans. I always pictured them the same size as humans.
If redwall(the series)had humans in it,I think it would work.Pearls of Lutra had whales in the book and as far as we know of...there are no whales smaller than humans.I don't agree with humans being,as said,directly in the story,but they could be mentioned.For example,"This huge furless paw just crushed Flinky!Aahhh!"
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, there are a lot of problems size-wise with putting humans in Redwall. For example, the trees are about the same height as the wall. So, the trees, to a human, would probably be about waist high. The size would be almost impossible to do. I wouldn't mind it under some very specific circumstances, but the size barrier is just too great for me.
I feel that the Redwall world just shouldn't have humans. I don't know why, but it wouldn't fit in and feel right
I think a lot of the comments, like the one above me, are simply because the Redwall series never had humans, so it feels normal and if humans were suddenly introduced it would break this. But, if the series always had humans, I'm sure everyone here would still read the series and love it, and the humans would seem normal. Then the topic would be "Do you think BJ shouldn't have put humans in Redwall" and we would all be saying no, because the humans would just be part of the series.
^ Point taken Daniel. I think we can just go on forever with this topic. Its all in how you interpret Redwall...are the characters the humans in themselves because they have abbeys and weapons, like humans? I don't think we needed actual humans in Redwall....the animals were human-like enough. ;)
Quote from: Wot Wot! on July 01, 2011, 07:01:42 PM
Quote from: Tiria Wildlough on July 01, 2011, 06:39:27 AM
I don't think so! They would ruin everything! Probably set traps and shoot birds, and cruel stuff like that.
If you have an opinion please post it.
I think I quoted BJ on this before, but it's such a good quote I'll use it again: "Animals make better people than people."
Redwall would not be Redwall if he incorporated humans. In fact, if you look at the original Redwall book, you can see some human elements that he decided to do away with (I'm thinking, just off the top of my head, of the big wagon Cluny and his gang found themselves in in the beginning...
he talked about goats milk and stuff like that and then it was greensap milk........no redwall simply could not and will not live with humans >:(
HUMANS ARE NOT IN THE REDWALL FORMULA! THIS TOPIC IS PRETTY POINTLESS IN MY MIND! THE NAME OF IT IS DO YOU THINK BJ SHOULD HAVE PUT HUMANS IN REDWALL?! AND GUESS WHAT? I SAY NOOOOOOO!
Sorry. Guess I sorta lost my cool there. No, he shouldn't have. I'm leaving this topic forever now. Good day.
The problem is that everyone seems to lose their cool, and I honestly can't quite tell why. It's not as though the series couldn't conceivably have been written with humans in it; it's just a difference in style.
My best guess is that the words "should have put" mean that the question is whether or not Mr. Jacques made a major mistake in crafting his Redwall world, to which, of course, most people here will say "No" -- apparently rather empathetically.
I guess maybe a better name for the topic would have been, "What if Brian Jacques had put humans into Redwall"; maybe that would be more conducive to a discussion of hypotheticals.
naw it would stink
I'm tempted to try to write Redwall fan fiction with humans in it just to prove that it can be done -- and that it needn't be the disaster* that everyone seems to think it would be.
*: As far as writing quality goes -- I make no promises that it'd be an easy ride for the heroes.
one word about humans: EVIL
Maby if it was like a giant eleven year old
Or a BABY. :D
i proboally would not have been that into the series if he had
Humans are not in Redwall, it would be kind of weird, because a human could be good or evil. A human would have to be larger than all other creatures, too "Off-Scale". Next thing you know he'd add a bear or something. So, no. No humans in redwall.
I'm glad he didn't put humans in redwall.
No, definitely not, humans don't really fit with Redwall at all, if humans were in Redwall I don't think I would be interested in the series. And besides, like others have already said in this topic, the animals are pretty close to humans in a way, they have similar weapons and some similar food. So no, no humans in Redwall for me!
No, definitly not
Question: If there were humans, would they be human sized and the animals the regular real world size, or be the same height of humans? I have always wondered ...
HUMAN+redwall=NO
No because if a human happened to kill a furry animal PETA would call it animal cruelty. ;)
Humans just don't belong in Redwall!
True I think they would ruin the story
QuoteTrue I think they would ruin the story
Humans ruin everything. :(
Quote from: Buzz_Bumble on May 16, 2013, 10:08:40 PM
QuoteTrue I think they would ruin the story
Humans ruin everything. :(
Yes, being a Pug, I entirely agree with you, unless they give you nice, yummy treats!
Humans would ruin the Redwall world. They would trash it up, and make everything modernized. One thing that I love about the stories is the "Medieval Time Air" and feel about it. The animals have no guns, electricity, cars, or machines. This means all of the work the must do must be man- (or should I say creature) made, which means that you can really feel pride in an object that made entirely, without the help of a machine.
Quote from: CrazyPug37 on May 16, 2013, 11:17:57 PM
Quote from: Buzz_Bumble on May 16, 2013, 10:08:40 PM
QuoteTrue I think they would ruin the story
Humans ruin everything. :(
Yes, being a Pug, I entirely agree with you, unless they give you nice, yummy treats!
Humans would ruin the Redwall world. They would trash it up, and make everything modernized. One thing that I love about the stories is the "Medieval Time Air" and feel about it. The animals have no guns, electricity, cars, or machines. This means all of the work the must do must be man- (or should I say creature) made, which means that you can really feel pride in an object that made entirely, without the help of a machine.
My thoughts exactly!
no
I would never even consider disguising myself as a human! That would ruin me for sure!
Redwall with humans would just make it another medieval story. But with the animals, it becomes something entirely new and different.
IF THERE WERE HUMANS IN REDWALL I WOULDN'T HAVE READ AND BROUGHT ALL THE BOOKS >:(
Agreed
Quote from: Shadowed One on May 21, 2013, 06:55:22 PM
Redwall with humans would just make it another medieval story. But with the animals, it becomes something entirely new and different.
I completely agree with this statement. I've never been one to enjoy the ordinary stories and I'm the only one out of my friends who HATES reading stories about normal people doing normal things and highschool drama. I can't stand those stories! I live that life, why would I want to read about it?!
But with Redwall, it isn't just a common medieval story either. The medieval period is where most of my favorite stories are but even then, reading with people gets boring. I dunno, I guess it's just because I enjoy reading about completely different worlds!
So finding a book series like Redwall or Mistmantle Chronicles or even Guardians of Ga'Hoole that completely changes everything and gives you something new to read, it's great!
And I'll stop rambling. XD
Aye, it givez ye ze zoughtz, zenzez, etc... o' ze characterz. Vot doez ziz zmell like from a dog'z perpective? Doez ziz tazte different tae an ovl? 'ov vould an 'edge'og rezpond tae ziz zituation? It openz up nev vorldz an' makez ye zink. Redwall iz zolly aboot Animalz, zae it iz an entirely nev vorld!
Quote from: HeadInAnotherGalaxy on May 27, 2013, 11:27:36 PM
Aye, it givez ye ze zoughtz, zenzez, etc... o' ze characterz. Vot doez ziz zmell like from a dog'z perpective? Doez ziz tazte different tae an ovl? 'ov vould an 'edge'og rezpond tae ziz zituation? It openz up nev vorldz an' makez ye zink. Redwall iz zolly aboot Animalz, zae it iz an entirely nev vorld!
That's one of the reasons why I love so many of those kinds of books. It could be about animals, like Redwall, or human-like creatures, like LOTR, but I still love to read them.
Redwall doesn't really give a hugely different world since the animals do use many human-like objects (swords, brooms, kitchens, beds, etc.). Stories like Watership Down and The Duncton Chronicles with more realistic animals, although they do talk to each other, tend to give a world that's more different.
I like the feel of Redwall as is. I agree with the majority of the posts that humans would have changed the stories drastically and might have gone so far as to "ruin" them.
Though, as for things like Watership Down or Plague Dogs which have humans, is done in a way where the story is not ruined but is enhanced. Both are quite sad and moving.
But Redwall, having a medieval feel and having the animals anthropomorphized does set it apart. Even considering the world at its core is just a medieval setting featuring humanized animals...it does have a distinct and magical feel. It is really in its own category! :)