Commentary on the Book The Long Patrol

[Wylder Treejumper]

For discussion related to the book The Long Patrol.

@James Gryphon: If these topics are considered unnecessary please delete.

[belle]

It was ok, wasn't wild about it.

[alexandre]

It was ok, wasn't wild about it.

Really? I thought it was great, second only to Mossflower!

Tammo's whole journey and everything was so awesome, I always thought the Long Patrol was a real cool idea on Jacques' part.

A whole book about it was definitely good in my opinion.

Though I can see some possible reasons not to like it.

The villain was pretty mediocre, Cregga was cool but stupid, I don't even remember what went on at Redwall other than that Tam visited. Was that the book where they had to build a new south wall?

[Lady Ashenwyte]

Yep.

The battle was amazing. Still reread it for that part and the parts where Cregga is a bad(butt)

[Captain Tammo]

This was the first redwall book I ever read and it's still one of my favorites. I remember, after re-reading it a few times, I started getting a little too used to the story. HOWEVER, next time you look at this story, don't look at it as a tale about Tammo. Instead, look at this story as a tale about what the book is named after: the long patrol. I argue that the book isn't about Tammo and Cregga and fighting the rapscallions - it's about the culture of the long patrol.

We see many chapters based on the hares at the mountain. Here, we get to see how the hares interact with the badger lord and one another, some of the traditions in the hare's rite of passage into the long patrol, and the culture that the hares share when they're marching out to meet the rapscallion army.

Secondly, we also see the long patrol culture from the perspective of a unit that's out scouting the land. This plays into the story of a young hare who is stary-eyed with the longing to join them and learn about the long patrol. How do units in the field interact with each other and their environment? What traditions do they have and what happens when they come across trouble? Brian was addressing these questions we had when he wrote in Tammo's quest.

Taking a second look at the long patrol as a story which develops this strange 'army' we've somewhat become used to, it takes on a new light as a whole and I think it reads as almost a different book entirely. Next time you read this one, think of it as a story about the long patrol and developing that entity in the series, rather than a story that is about Tammo. You may find out there was a whole different story sitting there under your nose

[Frank Clydth]

Also the first redwall book i read. Lady Cregga Rose Eyes demolished Damug Warfang and his army. Epic Battle depiction! The long patrol sparked my interest obsession with the redwall series.

[clunylooney]

I really enjoyed it. The Long Patrol in this book is probably my favorite. The Battle at the end was the best in the series and the book itself was very enjoyable. Nothing SUPER amazing but I liked the characters and the journey.

[Cornflower MM]

Welcome to the twelfth book in our series readalong event: The Long Patrol!

For those who have not already seen, here are a couple things to note before you start discussing:

• Please keep your posts here and in the entirety of the General Discussion board on-topic and constructive. When discussing topics like favorites, it always helps to give reasoning as to why you chose your favorite character, scene, etc. When in doubt, add more! It is always fun to see what other people think and respectfully debate with them.
• If you would like to participate but don't own the book, there are a few resources that may be of use to you. Libby, Audible, and (of course) your local library, are all good ways to rent books/audiobooks for free (Audible is free only for the first 30-day trial). There is no harm in permanently expanding your Redwall collection, though, if you can afford it!
• If you want even more Redwall discussion, please check out the Recorder on the Wall podcast episodes for the book! Every three weeks we will be posting the relevant episodes, so please check them out. Here are the episodes for Parts 1, 2, and 3 of The Long Patrol!
• If you have created any writing, art, voice acting, or any other form of media based on this book and/or its characters, send a link (or image if it is art) to me through PMs and I will share it in this post! Seeing how other people portray the story through their own work is a wonderful way to be drawn deeper into the story and wider Redwall community.

Finally, here are a few guiding questions for discussion if you are unsure what to talk about:

• Who is your favorite character, and why do you regard them as your favorite?
• Who was your least favorite character, and why did they bother you?
• What was your favorite scene? What stuck out to you about it?
• What are your thoughts on the book as a whole? Where does it rank against other Redwall books and why?
• Do you have any theories or small details others may not have picked up on when reading?
• And anything else you want to mention!

Have fun, and happy discussing!