Redwall - Tumblr Posts
Been listening to the Redwall audiobooks and I just realized that at least one of the mice to carry the sword of Martin is a descendant of Gnoff (Dandin). Since Gnoff seems to have a large number of descendants in the Mossflower area and all of the mice who are Redwall Champions (with the exception of Mariel, who counts because I say so) grew up in Redwall, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that all the mice who take up the sword are descendants of Gnoff.
Also it seems fitting that Martin would choose mice from his best friend's family tree.
Martin: I forget, but I do NOT forgive. Martin: I walk around hating bitches and I can't remember why.
I hope you enjoyed the book!!
I am particularly interested in your first bullet point about the Dark Forest vs. Hellgates. I know Jacques has said that he purposefully did not include religion in the Redwall books, although the Abbey itself has obvious roots in real-world religion (and, for that matter, the word "Hellgates").
"There is no religion in my stories and no hidden meanings. What you see is what you get." -Jacques, via the Redwall Wiki
The way I always thought about it, the Dark Forest isn't really a direct metaphor for heaven in that it's not a place goodbeasts go when they die, but a way for woodlanders to speak about the death of their peers.
The Dark Forest can be a safe place, as Mossflower is familiar to its woodland inhabitants, but it can also be frightening. I remember that characters from The Rogue Crew get lost in a dark part of Mossflower wood where birds don't sing and the sun doesn't shine through the branches. The Dark Forest is also not the only place that is used in talks of death. Vermin, of course, are often damned to Hellgates. Goodbeasts also speak about peaceful meadows in which their friends now lie (a metaphor that I have always particularly loved).
I've seen people talk about the Hellgates as a curse. That is, beasts will be cursed to Hellgates or speak fearfully of the Hellgates, but they are using the word primarily as a linguistic and cultural idea. I thought that was interesting. My partner suggested that the Hellgates were inside the Dark Forest, which is also fun.
So, upon reflection sparked by your comment, I think that anyone could "go to the Dark Forest." This includes Gormad Tunn. However, the Hellgates may be reserved only for villains.
However! I am only speculating about my favorite stories in the world, so I don't mean to correct anything you said. Thank you for the post and the thoughts it provoked <33
Thoughts on The Long Patrol
ok we're almost done this blog will be about Other Things again
Soon Gormad Tunn’s spirit would be at the gates of Dark Forest. Dark Forest is the equivalent of a peaceful afterlife. Hellgates is...not. Was this killer under the impression he was going to heaven lmao
Seeing young uns pick their weapons at the mountain forge and learn to be Salamandastron hares is nice.
💯 Forgot Cregga was Ruler of Salamandastron.
Abbess Tansy my girl 🌟 Arven is the only known animal to go from Warrior to Abbott and that's only bc he was truly the last option (mentioned in Marlfox).
There's a mention that if Salamandastron did not stand, the entire country would be overrun with vermin. Chapters later, Eyebright says they can only defend the West and shores in front of them. We never see a recurring other fighting force in the series with a permanent dwelling. Smaller bands and groups fill in the blanks but the mountain really doesn't cover a wide swath.
We have another odd throwback to how the time periods differ or what their lengths may be. This book iirc is kind of the barrier between fairly directly chronological (Arwen acknowledged Auma, who was Badger Mother in Pearls of Lutra and the young kidnapped badger in Mattimeo) and great centuries may have passed (in Triss, Skipper is noted be the distant descendant of The Taggerung.)
all that to say how did Russa’s tomb never become a landmark? She also died too early I feel. Should have been more like halfway in the book.
Gaduss unlooped from his belt a greased strangling noose 4 fashioned from animal sinew. This vermin probably skinned some creature down to the muscles and ripped out the sinew to use as a noose. Wow.
Squirrels don't really have a subculture in this series after like book 3. The Squirrelqueen stuff amounted to nothing, there's a minor mention in Outcast of a squirrel language, a handful of squirrel characters have surnames and familial legacies (mainly Dann, Tan, and Triss) but that's it. Even hedgehogs have Waterhogs. Mice subculture is truly just Redwall as a whole. There are more mouse brothers and sisters and rulers than any other species, although after the initial trilogy, Mariel and Joseph, and the Martin/Luke stories, mice aren't the main characters again until doomwyte. For a series that's stereotyped as “fighting mice”, that's incredible.
“O’er The Hills” could have a nice melody
It's a lot fresher than I recall. The tropes work because the Patrol naturally wanders the country. The villain is smart. Redwall itself undergoes a change. The only tiresome part is Pasque marrying Tamm, it's always a Gentle Healer Maid who can sorta fight marrying the lead.
This also happens to Salixa in Eulalia...also on that ridge.
I'll elaborate more but I don't think most of this series is as repetitive as people like to say .
I'm re-reading Taggerung right now! This is a lovely review! And really really interesting comments.
thoughts on [The] Taggerung
This is very long because I'm very torn on it. When it's good it's very great but it fails in its original twist.
All my favorite Abessess are dead 🫥. Well except Lycian I guess.
Here's something never mentioned - outside of Germaine's tomb, where are the Abbesses buried? Just by the vegetables to replenish the soil I guess.
I may be wrong but this may be a new art style for the chapters and only for this book. It may never be seen again in another story because I don't remember seeing it again (disclaimer - I get the ebooks and not all come with art) Pity, it's like the Marlfox art but with less sketchy lines. It's nice!
You've heard their names, everybeast has. Cluny the Scourge, Slagar the Cruel, Ferahgo the Assassin and many others. All of them defeated and slain. Redwall is so powerful, it killed someone who never tried to conquer it or even entered Mossflower Country!
See they mention Vulpuz! There’s a demon entity! AWESOME
Once again we have a great concept that's kneecapped bc of the strict dichotomy these species have. You can find fanfictions on the Redwall wikia where people have played with the concept of “good” species who are raised in evil (or in my 25 chapter fanfictions case, suffered a head wound and turned into vermin) and actually kill and commit crimes. We can't even give Tagg the vermin dialect. There's nothing to deconstruct here.
Sometimes he had admired Sawney, his strength, leadership and determination, but he had never really liked the ferret, never called him lather, never loved him. No internal conflict. If this had been written earlier, I'm sure we would have gotten a little. This is why Nimbalo is a better character because he has been changed bc of the abuse he suffered and is unlike most mice in the series.
The hares are wildly hit and miss for me. Scarum was annoying. Boorab is delightful.
We see the flatlands north of Redwall to the mountain. It's nice, lively, not as weird southern desert like where the ravine and Loamhedge is.
This may be the only book in the series with an actual theme beyond good vs evil, in terms of family. The ones you pick, are born into, are forced into, you lose, you leave, you make. You see it in the Obvious but then you see it with instances like how Boorab and Filorn are peas in a pod or how Fwirl (who is a rarity as an actual active female character who is noted as pretty doing things beyond healing) joins the Abbey, and Mhera supporting Cregga all this time.
Actually most of the redwall characters genuinely grow and learn something you don't often see in these books. It helps that it's not a huge cast, like in Loamhedge, the Bellmaker is killed early and they never name the man again. Broggle learned confidence, Fwirl and Nimbalo learned to rely on others, Filorn learned acceptance, Alkanet isn't shamed for being stern but grows to be flexible , Mhera did the typical Abbess MasterClass speed run.
One of the chapter arts suggests that Nimbalo is much smaller than Tagg. He stated to be a harvest mouse, when the non denomination mice of Mossflower are a bit more in scope with otters.
We need more Forthrights.
The actual drama of Tagg finally being back at Redwall but them not knowing he's the missing babe Deyna is very good and I appreciate how the reunion is delayed and not rushed through. There's a real sense of anticipation, and for my big critiques about the idea not having any follow through, this is probably the best 3rd act of any Redwall book. Maybe only Mossflower is better.
Somehow I thought Ruggan Bor just...walked away when Deyna said the Taggerung wasn't at Redwall lmao WHY did I think this.
Another point; You know how I said squirrels don't have a subculture like the other animals? There are very few, if any, shrews without a subculture , they're either Guosim or Pigmy Shrews.
There's a sliding scale of sapiency with some animals. Woodpidgeons don't talk, so they can be eaten. Other birds do, so they don't get eaten, even if that's the intent of the villains. Most lizards are sapient but some like Firl in Mariel don't talk. So when rawback was trapped in the swamp, did he go insane by eating talking lizards and frogs? Basically one out of two mentions and depictions of cannibalism in the series?
While there's a humongous missed opportunity with Tagg as a character, this can very solidly sit in my top 5.
OKAY! IN REDWALL, THERE IS A PATH GOING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THAT APPARENTLY HAS BEEN THERE FOREVER. NOW, THE THING IS PATHS NEED SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL TO BECOME DIRT PATHS THAT ARE COMPACTED ENOUGH TO STAY DIRT PATHS OVER THE YEARS. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT EVENT DID THAT!? OR IS THERE JUST A LOT OF TRAVEL!?
Incredibly written, both of you, friends. I love all of Martin's story; his patronage toward all abbeydwellers and even goodbeasts beyond Mosslfower, and especially the tragedy and unfinishedness of his earlier life. I don't know why, but I find safety in the things that Martin lost and the way that is accepted and respected in the story. I think Jacques writes very good characters.
Also, I find it symbolically interesting that Gonff went on to father many children, while his best friend's life ended with no offspring but generations of Redwallers to call family. Their paths are both opposites and parallel. And Jacques always said that Gonff was inspired by himself.
I remember the thing that most struck me in Redwall as a kid was that I expected Martin to have a wife and kids. He’s the spiritual father of the abbey with Germaine as its mother, he’s a mentor/father figure to the various orphan protagonists even if he is a ghost. The ultimate unattainable dad.
But, hopping back to Mossflower, he’s a virginal hero-knight, kindly but aloof compared to the more involved Gonff. Back further to Martin the Warrior, his relationship with Rose is beyond kids’-book chaste. I can’t even remember if it’s canonically a romance or just by implication.
Some of that may be the Christian influence, Martin as Galahad or a Christ-figure, unsullied by earthly desires. Kid me remembered it more as an abortion or stunting of his role in the story. He’s the hero. He’s supposed to win the day, get the girl, settle down, have a brood. Instead, Jacques takes care to show him as a person missing something. He’s incomplete.
From the earliest point in his chronology, he’s lost away from home. We never see him in his natural habitat. He loses the girl who was supposed to be his great love. He can’t even have Timballisto, who seems like one bright spot and then gets gently referred to in the past tense in Legend of Luke. Martin’s defining characteristic is that he’s an outsider, he’s too late, he’s stopped short, he’s unable to achieve his destiny as the hero, he has to instead become the mentor
"Redwall: Descent Into The Mushroom Forest"
Broadpaw and Treadfast didn't want to cross the fungi forest, but the alternative was backtracking nearly forty miles. Their kidnapped friends couldn't wait - they would have to push on after the weasels.
"Redwall Feast"
Abbot Dycus leads the weary warrior mouse and his badger companion down to the Cavern Hole, where luck has it the springtide feast is currently being prepared.
Raising his mug of dandelion ale, Samhern Mouse calls out, "Three cheers for the returning heroes!"
My husband is reading Redwall to me and I always giggle at sentences that are like:
The rat evilly walked over the the sink and villainously washed the dishes. He squinted malevolently as he tried to scrub the dried mashed potato from the previous nights insidious meal.
More redwall doodles
made a Redwall wallpaper for my gf 🗡️ the little isolated Matthias mouse is by the wonderful artist @wonderarium :)
Thoughts on Rakkety Tam
We have only two books left, folks :( Those will probably just be one post before I give my overall thoughts
I had to read this one because otherwise I would get through this entire thing and go “damn it did I forget that book AGAIN”
Lady Melesme ok let's see if she does anything “she's sending ye a drum!” I love how everyone is shocked when canonically, 1000 years ago or whatever, they used a log when the bells were being created.
Immediately we have cannibalism and a character telling the main characters to go to hell lmao maybe I judged this too harshly at first.
Bloodlight is mentioned twice at least. The first time I can understand bc it refers to Tam, who may not know the term bloodwrath, but the second is by a Long Patrol hare Fortindom. Non-badgers can get bloodwrath. Mayhaps this was the beginning of a lesser form of bloodwrath.
I like how the hares don't adhere to the dichotomy and immediately thought squirrels killed their fellows, also the language barrier. Then this bird thinks Tam is also a vermin. So I guess the dichotomy was slightly challenged in this book, congrats to us!
“Only a fool rises to the bait of h’another fool.” things we all can learn.
The map is facing...somewhat behind Salamandastron, with more focus on the land. Other maps face somewhat in front of it, with the mountain being on the edge of the ocean, and this is the map that has stuck in my head for decades. So when it said the Squirrelkingdom was South of Salamandastron, I was wondering how this grove of trees was just in the ocean.
I imagined Tam and Armel to be a bit older than the writing suggests. Not as old as Brag and Saro but older than the typical heroes of the books. They're maybe just entering their mid seasons.
Brigadier Wotwot 💀
Tam’s personality is a little.overwhelmed by everyone else. Doogy is a delight. That's an issue a lot of these paired up protagonists have (Triss and Shogg, Buckler and whoever that was) I like the focus on his heritage being stronger than others with his weapon choices, and more would have been nice.
I think this is the most chapter art we've gotten with a villain. I guess Gulo was just that fun to draw!
This may be one of 2 books (I remember Doomwyte being similar) where the Abbeybeasts are pragmatic about the need to fight. Screeve was very casually “ya I just killed that bastard with a rake”
20 books in and I just now wonder: where do they go to the bathroom.
“Doogy Plumm threw up his paws in resignation. “Och, that explains everythin’. He should’ve been called Martin the Destroyer o’ Weapons.” Legit had me laughing.
This one is more tactical than others, focusing on the surroundings of Mossflower more than a battle at the very end. Look at how the foebeast had a plan to lock the hares out from Redwall that almost worked. As a whole, it's refreshing.
Well, my and friend's OCs are originally based on the game "Ghost of a Tale", but can be used in "Redwall", I think.
Sonic Underground
That one show where Sonic has two siblings (Sonia and Manic) and they're trying to find their Mom (Queen Aleena) after Egghead led a coup and she went into hiding to escape from Egghead forcing her to marry him.
Iron Man Armored Adventures
Tony, Rhodey, and Pepper are all teens in highschool together, and Tony is a teen superhero a la Spiderman.
Redwall
Martin the Warrior Mouse passes his sword and his mantle of protecting Redwall Abbey on to Matthias, who has to fight off the rat Cluny the Scourge.
Marvel Super Hero Squad
Dr. Doom wants to gather the fragments of the Infinity Sword, Iron Man and his team are constantly stopping him from getting all of them.
