Are the earlier Redwall books the best?

[daskar666]

I didn't really think of it as a war scene (but now that I think about it it could be classified as such considering Vallug fired arrows).

[Skalrag of Marshank]

That's why we put war in quotation marks.

[rakkety tam]

i think the first books wernt that good

[Skalrag of Marshank]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Well, Jacques was kind of trying to get the big idea of the series in the first few, so they might not be AS good. I love the first three.

[Coobreedan]

I've only read the first book and it was great so.............

[Log-a-Log]

I personally think the earlier books are better, but I can't figure out why. I guess I just like them better. I still like the later ones though

[Skalrag of Marshank]

Me, too.

[yeswonderful]

Most importantly, it was the last book (that I read) that had characters I already knew (Cregga was still alive). Every book after that took place seasons and seasons after the previous book, and it just felt like I was reading random fanfiction, not a book series. It made me feel like he wasn't familiar enough with his own series to include the same characters in multiple books, and instead had to make up completely new characters each time.

I feel very much the same way. I have read all the new books except for Rogue Crew and thought they were at least entertaining if somewhat flat and predictable, very much lacking the luster of previous stories. My cut off is after Loamhedge, though Triss was not one of the best in my opinion. I still read the ones afterwards, but I just seemed to plod through them for the lingering sense of nostalgia and dedication to the series. I missed seeing and hearing from characters I knew.

With recurring characters, one feels more connection to the story. When the books just kept pushing forward, I felt as though the series lost a bit of that depth to it that it once had. Character types were repeated, as were major plot points and structures. I felt like I was reading skeleton of the same book, just with different parts making up the "meat" of the story, if that makes any sense.

I also think it may have something to do with my age as the series went on. I haven't gone back and read any of the old books in a while, though I'm tempted to re-read the series before I get to Rogue Crew to see what I think of the oldest of the books. Perhaps in chronological order this time...

[Lily]

I also think it may have something to do with my age as the series went on. I haven't gone back and read any of the old books in a while, though I'm tempted to re-read the series before I get to Rogue Crew to see what I think of the oldest of the books. Perhaps in chronological order this time...

I agree with you, yeswonderful. I think the fact that I like the earlier books more has a lot to do with my age as the series went on.

I'm doing just what you're tempted to do, re-reading the series in chronological order before I read Rogue Crew. I highly recommend it, it's wonderful re-reading my old favourites.

[yeswonderful]

I'm doing just what you're tempted to do, re-reading the series in chronological order before I read Rogue Crew. I highly recommend it, it's wonderful re-reading my old favourites.

Right before I read your post I started Lord Brocktree    Already remembering how much I loved that book. So far the Prologue and first chapter are just as I remember them.  

[Skalrag of Marshank]

Once I finish the series, I'm probably gonna do that, too.

[Taggerung The Otter]

ah donae ken

[Matthias Martin]

i believe that the eirlier ones are better. all the way to Triss. after that it jsut went downhill fast for me and it was dull in the last book. i think that the first 5 books were the best of the entire series

[Dotti]

[Right before I read your post I started Lord Brocktree    Already remembering how much I loved that book. So far the Prologue and first chapter are just as I remember them.  

Lord Brocktree is one of my favorite books (see my username )!  The characters are just awesome.  I like that Lord Brocktree is much more.....oh what's a good word for it.....well, I like that he's less distant than Urthstripe and some of the others.  And Dotti...well, she's just epic!   That being said, I do agree with Sir James's post a while back about the flaws of the book: It is true that Dotti winning over Bucko is a bit of a stretch, however, I didn't think it overly impossible.   It is fiction after all.

I guess the biggest thing for me is the uselessness of the blue hordes.  It's kind of like a giant that never gets to use his great strength because he keeps tripping over his own feet.  So by the time the heroes get to him, he's flat out on his back and and really can't put up much of a fight.
Having said that, I love the characters so much, that it's still one of my favorite books! 
For me, the series really died off with Loamhedge.  Loamhedge, Eulalia!, Doomwhyte, and The Sable Quean were my least favorites.  The Rogue Crew revived the series to a great finish!  So I guess the later books aren't as good as the early ones, but it's the very last ones that I don't like as much.

[Superdreuzel]

I started with Mossflower, and it is still the best in my opinion.