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Redwall #20
Doomwyte
On a moonless night, two rats follow hypnotic lights into the forest, never to be seen again. Such is the power of the Doomwytes, sinister ravens led by the deadly Korvus Skurr. And when the young mouse Bisky persuades the creatures of Redwall Abbey to go in search of a fabled treasure, hidden long ago by one of the abbey’s most notorious thieves, they do not suspect Skurr and his ravens will be vying for that very treasure. Bisky and his fellow Redwallers must summon all their courage to face the evil horde of slithering snakes and vicious ravens. From underground tunnels to the tops of trees, the fearless Redwallers, with the help of their woodland friends, battle some of their most vicious enemies yet in an exhilarating, terrifying treasure hunt.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
124 people are currently reading
7483 people want to read
About the author
Brian Jacques
263 books4,313 followers Brian Jacques (pronounced 'jakes') was born in Liverpool, England on June 15th, 1939. Along with forty percent of the population of Liverpool, his ancestral roots are in Ireland, County Cork to be exact.
Brian grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks, where he attended St. John's School, an inner city school featuring a playground on its roof. At the age of ten, his very first day at St. John's foreshadowed his future career as an author; given an assignment to write a story about animals, he wrote a short story about a bird who cleaned a crocodile's teeth. Brian's teacher could not, and would not believe that a ten year old could write so well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then that he realized he had a talent for it.
He wrote Redwall for the children at the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool, where as a truck driver, he delivered milk. Because of the nature of his first audience, he made his style of writing as descriptive as possible, painting pictures with words so that the schoolchildren could see them in their imaginations. He remained a patron of the school until his death.
Brian lived in Liverpool, where his two grown sons, Marc, a carpenter and bricklayer, and David, a professor of Art and a muralist, still reside. David Jacques' work can be seen in Children's hospitals, soccer stadiums, and trade union offices as far away as Germany, Mexico, and Chile (not to mention Brian's photo featured in most of his books).
Brian also ran a weekly radio show on BBC Radio Merseyside, until October 2006, where he shared his comedy and wit, and played his favourites from the world of opera - he was a veritable expert on The Three Tenors.
When he was wasn't writing, Brian enjoyed walking his dog 'Teddy', a white West Highland Terrier, and completing crossword puzzles. When he found time he read the works of Mario Puzo, Damon Runyon, Richard Condon, Larry McMurty, and P.G. Wodehouse. He was also known to cook an impressive version of his favourite dish, spaghetti and meatballs.
Sadly, Brian passed away on the 5th February 2011.
Brian grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks, where he attended St. John's School, an inner city school featuring a playground on its roof. At the age of ten, his very first day at St. John's foreshadowed his future career as an author; given an assignment to write a story about animals, he wrote a short story about a bird who cleaned a crocodile's teeth. Brian's teacher could not, and would not believe that a ten year old could write so well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then that he realized he had a talent for it.
He wrote Redwall for the children at the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool, where as a truck driver, he delivered milk. Because of the nature of his first audience, he made his style of writing as descriptive as possible, painting pictures with words so that the schoolchildren could see them in their imaginations. He remained a patron of the school until his death.
Brian lived in Liverpool, where his two grown sons, Marc, a carpenter and bricklayer, and David, a professor of Art and a muralist, still reside. David Jacques' work can be seen in Children's hospitals, soccer stadiums, and trade union offices as far away as Germany, Mexico, and Chile (not to mention Brian's photo featured in most of his books).
Brian also ran a weekly radio show on BBC Radio Merseyside, until October 2006, where he shared his comedy and wit, and played his favourites from the world of opera - he was a veritable expert on The Three Tenors.
When he was wasn't writing, Brian enjoyed walking his dog 'Teddy', a white West Highland Terrier, and completing crossword puzzles. When he found time he read the works of Mario Puzo, Damon Runyon, Richard Condon, Larry McMurty, and P.G. Wodehouse. He was also known to cook an impressive version of his favourite dish, spaghetti and meatballs.
Sadly, Brian passed away on the 5th February 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
September 19, 2024
Doomwyte is the twentieth full-length novel of the Redwall saga, but Brian Jacques wasn't the only original member of the series' creative team still onboard at that point: Troy Howell did the cover art for Doomwyte and every Redwall novel preceding it, and his skill showed not a whit of decline after twenty-two years. Brian Jacques introduces some new elements in Doomwyte, while maintaining the standby motifs that fans of the series love. As Redwallers Dwink (a young squirrel), Bisky (a mouse of the same age), and Dugry (a mole) discover there's truth behind the legend of a priceless treasure swiped by Gonff the Mousethief untold seasons ago, an evil gathering of carrion birds lurks in an underground grotto of Mossflower Wood, hoping to steal the treasure for themselves. The birds are led by a violent-tempered raven called Korvus Skurr, who depends on a serpent seer to divine what future course the birds should take. Korvus covets the legendary jewels of Gonff to complete his own collection and earn him great prestige in Mossflower and beyond, and he's not afraid to launch an attack on Redwall Abbey if that's what it comes to. A war unlike any in the Abbey's history could be at hand.
The discovery of Gonff's book of riddles puts the Redwallers on the trail of Gonff's jewels, a trail that leads beyond the Abbey walls. As the quest progresses, Korvus enlists the terrifying adder Baliss to lay siege to Redwall and pressure the young treasure seekers into giving up, but Korvus's authority among his own birds is already disintegrating, and the plan immediately goes wrong. Soon Baliss shows up at Korvus's underground lair to make trouble for the raven who hired him while Bisky, Dwink, and their party of finders pursue the treasure unhindered. It will be a proud homecoming for the young ones if they return to the Abbey with Gonff's jewels, but the elders will be just as proud to see how they have matured during these troubling times. In the face of enemies as frightening as any faced by past Redwall warriors, this generation has made its mark and proven their worth. The Abbey will be in good hands for many seasons to come.
I was intrigued by a few story components of Doomwyte, components that undoubtedly would have better served the series when it was newer and more spry. Well-worn plot devices are avoided for the most part in these pages, and the characters show promise. Brother Torilis? Baliss? Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee, heir to the mantle of eccentric warrior hares? They would be invaluable assets to earlier Redwall novels, probably written more cleverly and leveraged for major emotional payoffs in the story. Redwall in its prime is a spectacular series, and its halcyon days are a literary marvel. They are the legacy of Brian Jacques.
"Homecomings can be coloured by many emotions."
—Doomwyte, P. 363
Doomwyte is the least exceptional of the first twenty Redwall books, but there's a quote here or there worth remembering. I'd give it one and a half stars, and the epilogue was nearly enough for me to consider rounding up to two. If you've made it this far in the series, you know before starting Doomwyte that it isn't likely to be another Mattimeo, Martin the Warrior, or The Bellmaker, but it's nostalgic fun for those who have loved passing time in this fantasy world for most of their lives. There's no substitution for a few days spent in the land of Redwall, and I hope readers always feel that way.
The discovery of Gonff's book of riddles puts the Redwallers on the trail of Gonff's jewels, a trail that leads beyond the Abbey walls. As the quest progresses, Korvus enlists the terrifying adder Baliss to lay siege to Redwall and pressure the young treasure seekers into giving up, but Korvus's authority among his own birds is already disintegrating, and the plan immediately goes wrong. Soon Baliss shows up at Korvus's underground lair to make trouble for the raven who hired him while Bisky, Dwink, and their party of finders pursue the treasure unhindered. It will be a proud homecoming for the young ones if they return to the Abbey with Gonff's jewels, but the elders will be just as proud to see how they have matured during these troubling times. In the face of enemies as frightening as any faced by past Redwall warriors, this generation has made its mark and proven their worth. The Abbey will be in good hands for many seasons to come.
I was intrigued by a few story components of Doomwyte, components that undoubtedly would have better served the series when it was newer and more spry. Well-worn plot devices are avoided for the most part in these pages, and the characters show promise. Brother Torilis? Baliss? Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee, heir to the mantle of eccentric warrior hares? They would be invaluable assets to earlier Redwall novels, probably written more cleverly and leveraged for major emotional payoffs in the story. Redwall in its prime is a spectacular series, and its halcyon days are a literary marvel. They are the legacy of Brian Jacques.
"Homecomings can be coloured by many emotions."
—Doomwyte, P. 363
Doomwyte is the least exceptional of the first twenty Redwall books, but there's a quote here or there worth remembering. I'd give it one and a half stars, and the epilogue was nearly enough for me to consider rounding up to two. If you've made it this far in the series, you know before starting Doomwyte that it isn't likely to be another Mattimeo, Martin the Warrior, or The Bellmaker, but it's nostalgic fun for those who have loved passing time in this fantasy world for most of their lives. There's no substitution for a few days spent in the land of Redwall, and I hope readers always feel that way.
May 1, 2023
The good creatures of Redwall discover a riddle that could lead to the lost treasure of Gonff, the Prince of Mousethieves. Hundreds of generations ago, Gonff stole four beautiful jewels from the Doomwyte caves, and hid them somewhere in Redwall Abbey. Now a new generation of young creatures are following the clues to find the priceless jewels.
I didn't care for this book as much as other books in this series. First of all, I can't stand snakes, and there are a lot of snakes in this story. Also, I just didn't connect to the characters as much as I usually do. The characters are fun, and the plot is interesting, but I guess I wasn't in the right mood or something.
The plot was going in a bunch of different directions, with dozens of characters doing different things. I prefer a more linear story that focuses on one group of main characters. I skipped most of the scenes that follow the villains. I just didn't want to hear about their nasty squabbling and killing.
There are a lot of grisly deaths in this book, which is true of most Redwall books, but it just seemed like a bit too much in this one.
There are a few characters that I really liked though. I liked Bisky, the young mouse who starts the whole adventure by relating the tale of Gonff the Mousethief to the Abbey babes at bedtime. I liked the voracious hare, Laird Bosie, who eats everything sight and never backs down from a fight. And I liked Samolus, the old mouse who first discovered the legend of Gonff and the hidden jewels. And I loved Abbot Glisam, who leads the Abbey with wisdom and kindness.
I didn't care for this book as much as other books in this series. First of all, I can't stand snakes, and there are a lot of snakes in this story. Also, I just didn't connect to the characters as much as I usually do. The characters are fun, and the plot is interesting, but I guess I wasn't in the right mood or something.
The plot was going in a bunch of different directions, with dozens of characters doing different things. I prefer a more linear story that focuses on one group of main characters. I skipped most of the scenes that follow the villains. I just didn't want to hear about their nasty squabbling and killing.
There are a lot of grisly deaths in this book, which is true of most Redwall books, but it just seemed like a bit too much in this one.
There are a few characters that I really liked though. I liked Bisky, the young mouse who starts the whole adventure by relating the tale of Gonff the Mousethief to the Abbey babes at bedtime. I liked the voracious hare, Laird Bosie, who eats everything sight and never backs down from a fight. And I liked Samolus, the old mouse who first discovered the legend of Gonff and the hidden jewels. And I loved Abbot Glisam, who leads the Abbey with wisdom and kindness.
December 27, 2024
5+ stars (6/10 hearts). Wow, this has a lot of the original Redwall feels!!
Bisky reminded me of Mattimeo a little, and he + Spingo are pretty cute. ;) I do feel like there wasn’t much of the original-best-friends feeling between him & Dwink, but I like how Dwink + Dubble grew close through their adventures. Poor Dubble. Tugga Bruster doesn’t deserve the title of Log-a-Log and did deserve his fate. Samolus was a bit like Methuselah—rather an amusing old fellow—and Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee reminded me of Basil Staghare. Perrit was something like Jess or Springald, and Pikehead Nokko was also a familiar type of character—jovial, clever, light of paw, but a good friend. Poor clumsy Umfry and Corksnout Spikkle were endearing, and Rorgus, of course, was a simply splendid Skipper. I really liked Zaran, too. Brother Torilis was such a fun addition, and Aluco was a typical likeable owl.
As for the villains, Jeg was reminiscent of Vitch and Chigid + his Painted Ones obviously similar to several villains that pop up through the book. Korvus Skurr definitely reminded me of General Ironbeak, and Baliss of course was like Asmodeus. There was so much of Doomwhyte that reminded me of Mattimeo, with the ravens and the statue and even Sicariss, who reminded me of Malkariss! The plot reminded me specifically of books 1-3 of the series, but also several others, and it was SUCH a fun throwback. At the same time, it’s still its own story and very good. So good that although it's been nearly a month and I forgot most of what happens, I do remember I read this in almost one day because I couldn’t put it down. There’s Brian Jacques’ signature constant twists, the rhyming treasure hunt, and the epic battle won with sacrifice and heroism. I’m so not ready for this series to end, and I can’t wait to reread this (and, incidentally, update this review).
Bisky reminded me of Mattimeo a little, and he + Spingo are pretty cute. ;) I do feel like there wasn’t much of the original-best-friends feeling between him & Dwink, but I like how Dwink + Dubble grew close through their adventures. Poor Dubble. Tugga Bruster doesn’t deserve the title of Log-a-Log and did deserve his fate. Samolus was a bit like Methuselah—rather an amusing old fellow—and Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee reminded me of Basil Staghare. Perrit was something like Jess or Springald, and Pikehead Nokko was also a familiar type of character—jovial, clever, light of paw, but a good friend. Poor clumsy Umfry and Corksnout Spikkle were endearing, and Rorgus, of course, was a simply splendid Skipper. I really liked Zaran, too. Brother Torilis was such a fun addition, and Aluco was a typical likeable owl.
As for the villains, Jeg was reminiscent of Vitch and Chigid + his Painted Ones obviously similar to several villains that pop up through the book. Korvus Skurr definitely reminded me of General Ironbeak, and Baliss of course was like Asmodeus. There was so much of Doomwhyte that reminded me of Mattimeo, with the ravens and the statue and even Sicariss, who reminded me of Malkariss! The plot reminded me specifically of books 1-3 of the series, but also several others, and it was SUCH a fun throwback. At the same time, it’s still its own story and very good. So good that although it's been nearly a month and I forgot most of what happens, I do remember I read this in almost one day because I couldn’t put it down. There’s Brian Jacques’ signature constant twists, the rhyming treasure hunt, and the epic battle won with sacrifice and heroism. I’m so not ready for this series to end, and I can’t wait to reread this (and, incidentally, update this review).
July 14, 2011
I picked the audiobook up at the Library. I loved the Redwall books as a middle-schooler, so mostly I picked this up to see if my tastes back then were any good. I can see why I liked them. They are very well crafted stories, easy to follow, but have a lot of fun and "exciting" twists and turns. Mostly Brian Jacques sticks to a very narrow story pattern which is repeated in every book. This isn't all bad, he does it well and so its perhaps good that he sticks with what he knows.
The biggest criticism of these books I have is that they are racist. It is fantasy after all and set in a different world with different rules so maybe its okay to be racist when dealing with animals. When I say racist, I mean that race defines if you are good and bad, and you cannot change that - you are born that way. Thus, mice, rabbits, etc. are basically good. This is actually kind of a strange concept for me. Imagine a people who have the inability to perform evil, or at least, great evil. They do make small mistakes, but they simply cannot do really bad things. A mouse could never kill another mouse. Rats, on the other hand, have the inability to actually be good and do great good. Again, they can slip up for a bit and do some good things, even join the Abbey for a bit like in Outcast of Redwall, but they cannot fully embrace good.
If this "anthropology" (or rodentology)were actually true, our stories would be much different. In the Bible, there are distinctions between the righteous and the wicked, but they are more fluid. Wicked can become righteous, and righteous can become wicked. Israel as a whole is the most obvious example. They start out as God's chosen people - you don't get more righteous than that. Then, they kill the son of God and God rejects that race in favor of another race - the gentiles. Or, on a more individual level, we could take Abraham. A righteous man, yet, he doesn't seem to mind prostituting his wife with Pharaoh. Or take Aaron. He is the mouthpiece of Moses and high priest - and then builds a golden calf (or did that just pop out of the fire?). Or take Moses. The most humble man in the world, but he still gets angry and hits the rock really hard.
The Bible has a much more nuanced picture of the good guys and the bad guys than the Redwall stories. One might say that the Redwall stories are for kids, so its good to simplify things for them. That is true, as long as the simplifications do not distort the truth. We can teach our kids that Abraham was righteous, that Moses was awesome, that David was a great. And that Cain was evil, and Manassah was horrible, and that Ham was cursed. This is all true. But there are other stories where Abraham was stupid, Moses was disobedient, and David was sinful. In Redwall, these other stories do not exist. Given that there are now 20 books in this series and that each book is considerably large, they are too big to be over-simplified. I think that this defect creates a false view of reality.
The biggest criticism of these books I have is that they are racist. It is fantasy after all and set in a different world with different rules so maybe its okay to be racist when dealing with animals. When I say racist, I mean that race defines if you are good and bad, and you cannot change that - you are born that way. Thus, mice, rabbits, etc. are basically good. This is actually kind of a strange concept for me. Imagine a people who have the inability to perform evil, or at least, great evil. They do make small mistakes, but they simply cannot do really bad things. A mouse could never kill another mouse. Rats, on the other hand, have the inability to actually be good and do great good. Again, they can slip up for a bit and do some good things, even join the Abbey for a bit like in Outcast of Redwall, but they cannot fully embrace good.
If this "anthropology" (or rodentology)were actually true, our stories would be much different. In the Bible, there are distinctions between the righteous and the wicked, but they are more fluid. Wicked can become righteous, and righteous can become wicked. Israel as a whole is the most obvious example. They start out as God's chosen people - you don't get more righteous than that. Then, they kill the son of God and God rejects that race in favor of another race - the gentiles. Or, on a more individual level, we could take Abraham. A righteous man, yet, he doesn't seem to mind prostituting his wife with Pharaoh. Or take Aaron. He is the mouthpiece of Moses and high priest - and then builds a golden calf (or did that just pop out of the fire?). Or take Moses. The most humble man in the world, but he still gets angry and hits the rock really hard.
The Bible has a much more nuanced picture of the good guys and the bad guys than the Redwall stories. One might say that the Redwall stories are for kids, so its good to simplify things for them. That is true, as long as the simplifications do not distort the truth. We can teach our kids that Abraham was righteous, that Moses was awesome, that David was a great. And that Cain was evil, and Manassah was horrible, and that Ham was cursed. This is all true. But there are other stories where Abraham was stupid, Moses was disobedient, and David was sinful. In Redwall, these other stories do not exist. Given that there are now 20 books in this series and that each book is considerably large, they are too big to be over-simplified. I think that this defect creates a false view of reality.
September 26, 2024
Update September 2024: Three stars is right for this book. This time I don’t give that third star for nostalgia’s sake, but rather because the story earned it. It’s better and more cohesive than I remember—Korvus Skurr, while not a great bad guy, was at least distinct; and Baliss makes up for his lack with terrifying menace. There was a sad moment at the end, although it was glossed over pretty quickly. And I still take issue with the “He’s probably fine; let’s eat!” mentality.
……………………………………….
This is certainly not one of Brian Jacques' best stories. While an enjoyable book with a couple of unexpected occurrences, the plot seemed to meander, and didn't really add anything special to the Redwall saga. Not to mention that none of the good characters seem to worry much when a good friend gets kidnapped or disappears into dangerous woods; no, they decide they'll go eat several good meals and maybe look tomorrow if the missing person hasn't yet returned. I think this story got one its stars mostly out of nostalgia for the better books in the series.
……………………………………….
This is certainly not one of Brian Jacques' best stories. While an enjoyable book with a couple of unexpected occurrences, the plot seemed to meander, and didn't really add anything special to the Redwall saga. Not to mention that none of the good characters seem to worry much when a good friend gets kidnapped or disappears into dangerous woods; no, they decide they'll go eat several good meals and maybe look tomorrow if the missing person hasn't yet returned. I think this story got one its stars mostly out of nostalgia for the better books in the series.
August 21, 2010
Another unusual sort of Redwall book, but in a good way. It has a lot of the typical Redwall elements, but some things are quite different. While it has its share of battles, the quest and the rescue of friends are more prominent than a siege or the overthrow of a tyrant as in many other Redwall tales. I suppose this could be a let down for some, but I found it an interesting change from the usual. It's a good, fun read, though I am admittedly a biased Redwaller, and I loved the references to Gonff, Cornflower and Asmodeus!
April 11, 2023
hell hath no fury like a black otter scorned
May 5, 2017
Now this was a fine example of a book. Riddles, foebeats, gigantic hedgehogs, snakes (who may or may not be affiliated with said foebeasts), the odd bit of mystery. Simply not too bad.
August 5, 2023
Doomwyte had one of the best premises of the Redwall books so far. It started out with an almost Raven God type of figure who wore a snake as a crown, and was seeking vengeance on whoever had stolen the eyes from his people's statue. Unfortunately for the redwallers, the guilty party had been Gonff the mouse thief, and it seemed they were going to have to deal with the repercussions of one of their heroes and his dubious pastime.
However, the book went off the rails in the second part, and dealt with a rescue mission and war, neither of which really needed to happen nor had much of a point to the story at all, and by the time it got back on track with its brief third part, there wasn't time for anything to take place properly. Worst of all, the quest to find the gemstones was shoehorned in half-heartedly, with terrible clues and useless discoveries. By the time the last one was found, which was simply turned over by a character who had stolen it, the gems were buried "to remember people who were dead," and felt very reminiscent to Pearls of Lutra, where the pearls were chucked into the ocean, nullifying the quest to collect them in the first place.
By the end of this book, I was thoroughly divested of interest in the story, ready to move on. Which is a big shame because I had high hopes at the beginning.
However, the book went off the rails in the second part, and dealt with a rescue mission and war, neither of which really needed to happen nor had much of a point to the story at all, and by the time it got back on track with its brief third part, there wasn't time for anything to take place properly. Worst of all, the quest to find the gemstones was shoehorned in half-heartedly, with terrible clues and useless discoveries. By the time the last one was found, which was simply turned over by a character who had stolen it, the gems were buried "to remember people who were dead," and felt very reminiscent to Pearls of Lutra, where the pearls were chucked into the ocean, nullifying the quest to collect them in the first place.
By the end of this book, I was thoroughly divested of interest in the story, ready to move on. Which is a big shame because I had high hopes at the beginning.
April 19, 2010
Many people have complained that Brian Jacques has been churning out the same book over and over and simply replacing the characters and villain - I've seen complaints along these lines since way back with The Long Patrol! I've never felt it until now, but I think at this point in the series, it's definitely feeling rehashed.
This time, the villains are carion birds of all types (as well as an adder), and the hero is... a mouse? I think he's a descendent of Gonff or something, but I've forgotten already. That's probably not a good sign. As usual, there's a lone warrior, a hare that pops up just when he's needed and provides much needed military assistance, and the bad guys are defeated.
For first time readers of the Redwall series, I'd definitely recommend other books in the series. Anything pre-Triss was pretty good, but afterwards they've started feeling a little dull. Huge fans of Redwall like me will probably read it anyway and at least enjoy the sentimental value, though I wouldn't recommend expecting a lot out of it. Jacques' books are so lovely and I've enjoyed most of them so much in the past that I find this problem easily forgiven and forgotten, however.
This time, the villains are carion birds of all types (as well as an adder), and the hero is... a mouse? I think he's a descendent of Gonff or something, but I've forgotten already. That's probably not a good sign. As usual, there's a lone warrior, a hare that pops up just when he's needed and provides much needed military assistance, and the bad guys are defeated.
For first time readers of the Redwall series, I'd definitely recommend other books in the series. Anything pre-Triss was pretty good, but afterwards they've started feeling a little dull. Huge fans of Redwall like me will probably read it anyway and at least enjoy the sentimental value, though I wouldn't recommend expecting a lot out of it. Jacques' books are so lovely and I've enjoyed most of them so much in the past that I find this problem easily forgiven and forgotten, however.
June 3, 2009
I love the Redwall series. It's always fun to dip into the Mossflower Woods and spend some time with the mice, shrews, hares and otters of the Redwall Abbey, and to read some exciting battle scenes with the "vermin" characters of rats, snakes, ravens, and so forth. I listened to this full cast audio recording and boy was it entertaining. The author narrates, in his loovly Liverpudlian accent, and the actors who play all the parts all have the right accents for the moles and other animals. Plus there are songs sung, which really adds to the character. In this volume, Redwall mouse Bisky and squirrel Dwink get caught up in a quest for rubies and emeralds (the stolen eyes of the Doomwyte statue), while the evil Korvus Skurr, raven leader of the Wytes gang, also seeks the gems--and he's got a giant nasty serpent to help him! (shiver)
December 12, 2008
This is by far the best book he's written in my opinion. The only thing that made me sad was that there was a lot less descriptions of food T.T
December 18, 2022
I love these books so much. I’d give them ten stars if I could. I listened to the audiobook book of this one which was a lot of fun.
The hare or hares are always one of my favorite characters and the Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee was no disappointment.
The hare or hares are always one of my favorite characters and the Laird Bosie McScutta of Bowlaynee was no disappointment.
December 31, 2025
Outrageous to be so late in the series, and still have new flourishes. Dazzling to think about all the joy that Jacques has brought to so many for so long. His storytelling is elemental and, despite other parts of my heart that are blackened to a crisp, I find his world genuinely moving.
February 6, 2023
4.5 stars. This book was so much fun, one of my favorites in the series. I loved that the villain was a bit different. I loved the quest/riddle/Redwall lore. I loved that this was wholly centered on Redwall. The characters were fun, adventurous and charming. Only half a star deducted because the confrontation wasn't the battle royale, or even the direct conflict & confrontation that I would have preferred.
I recommend this to both fans of the series, and fans of adventure reads.
I recommend this to both fans of the series, and fans of adventure reads.
September 18, 2025
I thought this one well done. A mystery to solve and a treasure hunt take center stage, and Baliss and the crows bring a different character to Jacques’s gallery of antagonists. I appreciated seeing Jacques going off the beaten narrative paths here later in the series.
February 14, 2010
I just finished Doomwyte, the twentieth book in the Redwall series. Right now it’s the only one I don’t own. Obviously I love the series. Every book follows a simliar formula, but is always a great story.
This time the Redwallers and the evil don’t have much to do with each other for a while. Korvus Skurr, leader of the Doomwytes, wants to restore the eyes to the Doomwyte idol and lead his flock of carrion birds into a great new age. A passing bird evesdrops and hears a story told by a young Redwaller, Bisky, regarding the jewel eyes. This starts everything into motion.
Skurr tries to find out information by trying to have a Redwaller kidnapped. The stupid birds try to take a Dibbun (basically a toddler) who wouldn’t know anything of the story. Without knowing that someone else is interested in the jewels, a small group starts to work on finding them. From there more adventures ensue, friends and enemies are met, and finally the final confrontation occurs with… no, I won’t spill the ending. ;)
It is a wonderful book as usual. It’s interesting to see how many little changes have occured over the series. For a while there was at least one character that was around in the previous book. Now we’re lucky to get a name mentioned in passing. This one deals with a character from way back in the beginning of the history of Redwall Abbey. Other little differences are there, but make sense as many seasons have passed since the first Redwall book was written. It’s still as good as ever and I am really looking forward to the next book!
This time the Redwallers and the evil don’t have much to do with each other for a while. Korvus Skurr, leader of the Doomwytes, wants to restore the eyes to the Doomwyte idol and lead his flock of carrion birds into a great new age. A passing bird evesdrops and hears a story told by a young Redwaller, Bisky, regarding the jewel eyes. This starts everything into motion.
Skurr tries to find out information by trying to have a Redwaller kidnapped. The stupid birds try to take a Dibbun (basically a toddler) who wouldn’t know anything of the story. Without knowing that someone else is interested in the jewels, a small group starts to work on finding them. From there more adventures ensue, friends and enemies are met, and finally the final confrontation occurs with… no, I won’t spill the ending. ;)
It is a wonderful book as usual. It’s interesting to see how many little changes have occured over the series. For a while there was at least one character that was around in the previous book. Now we’re lucky to get a name mentioned in passing. This one deals with a character from way back in the beginning of the history of Redwall Abbey. Other little differences are there, but make sense as many seasons have passed since the first Redwall book was written. It’s still as good as ever and I am really looking forward to the next book!
January 4, 2015
(mild spoilers)
This book is a refreshing one in the Redwall series in terms of plot elements (Redwall recycles plot elements like crazy): some of the Fetch Quest Items were outside the Abbey, rather than hidden inside; the villain and his cronies were fairly unique; and Tugga Bruster was a mean and nasty Log a Log that nobody really mourned. I wish Balis hadn’t been given the Mad Villain Treatment so early on, but the threat he made even going mad was at least legitimate unlike Korvus Skurr, who didn’t actually do much besides throw snakes to the catfish.
I do think the Redwall books with one main hero and his/her sidekick are better than the group hero books because the former can focus more on development. Bisky and the others (I can’t even remember their names) were pretty flat and even Bosie, who carried the Sword of Martin, was forgettable. I did like Zaran, though, because even though she filled the “warrior wants revenge” trope, I did think she was quite sweet (as in charming) as a whole, and she managed to put the past behind her and move on with a new life.
Also, I did like the inclusion of the Gonfelins, even though we’ve never heard of them before, and some of the new places found in the Abbey. This book was heavy on exploring for much of it, and I enjoy exploring.
Read more Redwall reviews at http://leafsreviews.wordpress.com/
This book is a refreshing one in the Redwall series in terms of plot elements (Redwall recycles plot elements like crazy): some of the Fetch Quest Items were outside the Abbey, rather than hidden inside; the villain and his cronies were fairly unique; and Tugga Bruster was a mean and nasty Log a Log that nobody really mourned. I wish Balis hadn’t been given the Mad Villain Treatment so early on, but the threat he made even going mad was at least legitimate unlike Korvus Skurr, who didn’t actually do much besides throw snakes to the catfish.
I do think the Redwall books with one main hero and his/her sidekick are better than the group hero books because the former can focus more on development. Bisky and the others (I can’t even remember their names) were pretty flat and even Bosie, who carried the Sword of Martin, was forgettable. I did like Zaran, though, because even though she filled the “warrior wants revenge” trope, I did think she was quite sweet (as in charming) as a whole, and she managed to put the past behind her and move on with a new life.
Also, I did like the inclusion of the Gonfelins, even though we’ve never heard of them before, and some of the new places found in the Abbey. This book was heavy on exploring for much of it, and I enjoy exploring.
Read more Redwall reviews at http://leafsreviews.wordpress.com/
June 16, 2015
This latest installment of the Redwall series strikes a wonderful balance between classic Redwall adventures and something new, which is essential for part of a long-running series. Like most of the recent books, Doomwyte is set an unspecified number of seasons after the events in Redwall, but as near as I can tell before the books and records were moved from the Gatehouse into the library in High Rhulain.
The story itself stays pretty tightly focused on the Abbey and its surroundings, which is a change from many of the other books in the series which range from the northlands to far-flung islands and the great mountain Salamandastron on the shores of the sea. I enjoy both types of stories, and I am very happy to see that Brian Jacques can tell both equally well.
Doomwyte also draws more heavily on spooky and supernatural elements than most of the other Redwall novels, and I quite enjoyed that difference.
The story itself stays pretty tightly focused on the Abbey and its surroundings, which is a change from many of the other books in the series which range from the northlands to far-flung islands and the great mountain Salamandastron on the shores of the sea. I enjoy both types of stories, and I am very happy to see that Brian Jacques can tell both equally well.
Doomwyte also draws more heavily on spooky and supernatural elements than most of the other Redwall novels, and I quite enjoyed that difference.
October 21, 2008
This book was a better redwall book. It differed from the others, which can't be said for the last few. THough the villains weren't that memorable, the storlyline was. THe plot isn't very "we'll die unless we succeed" type. A more laid back type, which was fine for me because I've been recently reading things that aren't very lightheareted all. Many more deaths. So this was a little lift on my spirits, especially because they stayed in Redwall mostly. This made it less of a travelling adventure, but not any less of a good one. I'm surprised that after nineteen other books, he can still write a good story. A book that should be read by any Redwall Fans.
January 3, 2009
Doomwyte is the most recent book by Brian Jacques featuring the creatures of Redwall. I was a little disappointed by this one. There were still the wonderful descriptions of Redwall Abbey and all the feasts and the different animal dialects, but the story was just not very convincing. It seems like maybe the last 2 or 3 of his books didn't have as strong of a storyline as most of his earlier books did. I guess there are only so many ways that Redwall Abbey and/or it's inhabitants can be attacked by various "vermin". Overall, though still a typical Redwall book - full of interesting animals having adventures.
April 19, 2011
This wasn't my favorite of the series, but it's always nice to revisit Redwall. I would have given it 3 stars, I think, except that I do like the series and there were some interesting settings and characters here.
March 11, 2011
Hadn't read a Redwall book in so long, I couldn't resist. Same old Redwall feasts, riddles, and quests, but it was a fun, cheerful old friend of a read after such a long hiatus.
October 7, 2015
Not my favourite by him, but it was still Redwall. It mostly just made me miss Martin though
September 19, 2024
This one seemed to have an unusually large number of deaths, compared to what I recall of other Redwall books, and some of them violent enough to raise an eyebrow (although I don’t think they’re too likely to traumatize young readers, especially if other Redwall stuff hasn’t fazed them?). I would definitely not make this the first Redwall book that someone read!
It is far into the series, technically, admittedly, and with a villainous setting that follows fairly directly from an earlier book. In addition, it has relatively direct callbacks to Gonff—although like Martin, one doesn’t really have to “know” him or any of the other earlier characters to enjoy those in Doomwyte. A couple of the usual species-is-character tropes and other elements are played with in ways one can only appreciate after having a couple of other Redwall books under your belt, though. It does have some better (albeit still mostly-temporary) wheelchair rep in the later half than other books though, for what it’s worth.
It also doesn’t help that this just isn’t one of the best books. It is rather scattered, and while the plots roll along at a fairly hefty clip if you count “number of times characters are in peril/on the hunt” types of moments, they clatter and blur together into a not-terribly-sensible and fairly arbitrary timeline. It also means our time and attention are often divided between the many characters, to their great detriment; the cast should have felt more colorful and better-known than they did, but because of this divided attention they too blur together more than the average Redwall cast, and are less likely to become readers’ affectionate favorites compared to some of the much stronger and more-memorable figures of books past.
Several of those aforementioned deaths in this one (including the ones which come as a package! as well as an early foebeast’s) are probably what’ll stick with me much more than any other of the otherwise exceptionally light fare this offers up, although one mousemaid’s plight is also fairly unique and dramatic and probably the best mini-sequence of the book. …The actual main questline of the stalwart young Redwallers felt exceptionally pointless and inconsequential, though, meantime! Even though in reality it probably should have inspired more alarm than the actual Big Bad Birds (and assorted reptiles) of the book, if Abbey security had any sense. But hey, when there are three other completely pointless macguffins to go, time’s a-wastin’! —Martin’s sword was also weirdly forgettable in its awarding and use, and faded into the background; it didn’t even point his advising spirit in the right direction or anything, since I don’t think the wielder had a single Martin vision from what I can recall.
Also, rather oddly: unlike every other Redwall book (afaik), this book has zero badgers.
However, the final poem that the book ends with had a surprisingly hefty emotional impact… but more for its obvious parallels to the author than anything from the rest of the book.
It is far into the series, technically, admittedly, and with a villainous setting that follows fairly directly from an earlier book. In addition, it has relatively direct callbacks to Gonff—although like Martin, one doesn’t really have to “know” him or any of the other earlier characters to enjoy those in Doomwyte. A couple of the usual species-is-character tropes and other elements are played with in ways one can only appreciate after having a couple of other Redwall books under your belt, though. It does have some better (albeit still mostly-temporary) wheelchair rep in the later half than other books though, for what it’s worth.
It also doesn’t help that this just isn’t one of the best books. It is rather scattered, and while the plots roll along at a fairly hefty clip if you count “number of times characters are in peril/on the hunt” types of moments, they clatter and blur together into a not-terribly-sensible and fairly arbitrary timeline. It also means our time and attention are often divided between the many characters, to their great detriment; the cast should have felt more colorful and better-known than they did, but because of this divided attention they too blur together more than the average Redwall cast, and are less likely to become readers’ affectionate favorites compared to some of the much stronger and more-memorable figures of books past.
Several of those aforementioned deaths in this one (including the ones which come as a package! as well as an early foebeast’s) are probably what’ll stick with me much more than any other of the otherwise exceptionally light fare this offers up, although one mousemaid’s plight is also fairly unique and dramatic and probably the best mini-sequence of the book. …The actual main questline of the stalwart young Redwallers felt exceptionally pointless and inconsequential, though, meantime! Even though in reality it probably should have inspired more alarm than the actual Big Bad Birds (and assorted reptiles) of the book, if Abbey security had any sense. But hey, when there are three other completely pointless macguffins to go, time’s a-wastin’! —Martin’s sword was also weirdly forgettable in its awarding and use, and faded into the background; it didn’t even point his advising spirit in the right direction or anything, since I don’t think the wielder had a single Martin vision from what I can recall.
Also, rather oddly: unlike every other Redwall book (afaik), this book has zero badgers.
However, the final poem that the book ends with had a surprisingly hefty emotional impact… but more for its obvious parallels to the author than anything from the rest of the book.
May 10, 2017
Like I say in every single Redwall book I've ever reviewed, I love the series so this is not going to be an entirely biased reviewer and this series is my go-to book series after I've read something really frustrating (in this case way too many Tamora Pierce books). I've actually been dragging my heels about reading the last couple of books in the series. Not because I'm afraid they will be bad, but Jacques died in 2011 and even though I'm a fully grown adult it makes me sad that there will be no new Redwall books.
That being said, I love this series, but I'm not too close to the books not to see some of the problems. A common argument against this series is that they are formulaic and predictable. I don't disagree with that though I do make the argument that the books have enough personality and Jacques was such a good storyteller who clearly loved to tell these stories that I've always found them very entertaining. This one, however, has many of the familiar motifs, but they never really come together like they had in previous books. In fact, this might be my least favorite Redwall book to date. The plot was kinda all over the place and the villain was pretty forgettable (and a tad confusing honestly). Also, what normally happens in the series is that the focus is divided between a group goes questing away from the abbey (usually at sea somehow) and then the group that stays at the abbey. This one stayed pretty close to Mossflower for the entirety and honestly I found myself missing the searats a bit if for no other reason they are usually pretty interesting villains/comic relief characters.
*Spoilers ahead*
That being said, there was still quite a few things that I like about this series. This is the first book in the series that I can recall that ends with a married abbess with children which answers a question I've had for years about whether that was allowed or not. I also always like that Jacques is always pretty varied with the types of characters he features. There's always a mix of old and young and male and female and in a variety of roles. Women are portrayed as leaders and warriors while men are portrayed as healers, cooks and gardeners and vice versa without any gender expectations. This happens again with the character of Torilis who is a curmudgeon with a very caring side. I also liked that Gonff has such a legacy. He is one of my favorite recurring characters and it's always great to hear about him again.
Not my favorite, far from it actually, but still a Redwall book so worth a read!
That being said, I love this series, but I'm not too close to the books not to see some of the problems. A common argument against this series is that they are formulaic and predictable. I don't disagree with that though I do make the argument that the books have enough personality and Jacques was such a good storyteller who clearly loved to tell these stories that I've always found them very entertaining. This one, however, has many of the familiar motifs, but they never really come together like they had in previous books. In fact, this might be my least favorite Redwall book to date. The plot was kinda all over the place and the villain was pretty forgettable (and a tad confusing honestly). Also, what normally happens in the series is that the focus is divided between a group goes questing away from the abbey (usually at sea somehow) and then the group that stays at the abbey. This one stayed pretty close to Mossflower for the entirety and honestly I found myself missing the searats a bit if for no other reason they are usually pretty interesting villains/comic relief characters.
*Spoilers ahead*
That being said, there was still quite a few things that I like about this series. This is the first book in the series that I can recall that ends with a married abbess with children which answers a question I've had for years about whether that was allowed or not. I also always like that Jacques is always pretty varied with the types of characters he features. There's always a mix of old and young and male and female and in a variety of roles. Women are portrayed as leaders and warriors while men are portrayed as healers, cooks and gardeners and vice versa without any gender expectations. This happens again with the character of Torilis who is a curmudgeon with a very caring side. I also liked that Gonff has such a legacy. He is one of my favorite recurring characters and it's always great to hear about him again.
Not my favorite, far from it actually, but still a Redwall book so worth a read!
December 7, 2017
Just be forewarned, I'm trying to watch a football game while I'm writing this, so if this review is incoherent, I'm sorry. But the Falcons are playing the Colts right now.
So, on to the review! This is my first venture into the Redwall world. A friend at church talked about Redwall enough she convinced me to try one out, and while I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure if I'll take another venture in.
Writing: 3.75/5
The writing, while pretty good, wasn't as good as it could have been. It seemed as Brian Jacques was semi-trying to write deep POV. He didn't pull it off very well. And there was a really annoying quirk that pulled me out of the writing more than once where he would blend two sentences together with just a comma which should have been replaced by a period. Gah, grammar issues. I tried to overlook it and enjoy the story. Other than that, it was fairly well-written, just not spectacular.
Setting: 4.5/5
It wasn't spectacular. I couldn't really tell if it was supposed to be in a separate world from the text, although my friend at church assured me so (I think). Other than that, it seemed pretty good, just nothing stood out.
Plot: 4/5
Well? You've seen me say before I couldn't pinpoint the plot, but I loved it. I sort of pinpointed the plot, it just wasn't a very dynamic or moving one. There wasn't even a reason to be searching for the lost Great Eyes of the Doomwyte other than the adventure, and there was absolutely no clear idea what they were going to do with them when they acquired them all! SPOILERS When they got them, all they did was rebury them, which was...a huge anticlimax, to say the least. SPOILERS They ran into trouble and everything, so there was excitement, or it would have been, if I had been more invested in the characters, but I'll get to that in the next section.
Character Development: 3.5/5
I know why I didn't connect with the characters well. There was no clear protagonist. I'm serious! There was no protagonist. There characters were fairly well-developed, but there was no clear main character. The characters were a little more two-dimensional than three-dimensional, but they were well enough developed that I was invested enough to keep reading.
In review, I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had been younger. It was definitely an adventure story for a younger reader, although it has a more mature tone. I don't know, maybe being a writer has made me more picky about stories, but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it enough to read more of the series.
So, on to the review! This is my first venture into the Redwall world. A friend at church talked about Redwall enough she convinced me to try one out, and while I enjoyed the book, I'm not sure if I'll take another venture in.
Writing: 3.75/5
The writing, while pretty good, wasn't as good as it could have been. It seemed as Brian Jacques was semi-trying to write deep POV. He didn't pull it off very well. And there was a really annoying quirk that pulled me out of the writing more than once where he would blend two sentences together with just a comma which should have been replaced by a period. Gah, grammar issues. I tried to overlook it and enjoy the story. Other than that, it was fairly well-written, just not spectacular.
Setting: 4.5/5
It wasn't spectacular. I couldn't really tell if it was supposed to be in a separate world from the text, although my friend at church assured me so (I think). Other than that, it seemed pretty good, just nothing stood out.
Plot: 4/5
Well? You've seen me say before I couldn't pinpoint the plot, but I loved it. I sort of pinpointed the plot, it just wasn't a very dynamic or moving one. There wasn't even a reason to be searching for the lost Great Eyes of the Doomwyte other than the adventure, and there was absolutely no clear idea what they were going to do with them when they acquired them all! SPOILERS When they got them, all they did was rebury them, which was...a huge anticlimax, to say the least. SPOILERS They ran into trouble and everything, so there was excitement, or it would have been, if I had been more invested in the characters, but I'll get to that in the next section.
Character Development: 3.5/5
I know why I didn't connect with the characters well. There was no clear protagonist. I'm serious! There was no protagonist. There characters were fairly well-developed, but there was no clear main character. The characters were a little more two-dimensional than three-dimensional, but they were well enough developed that I was invested enough to keep reading.
In review, I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had been younger. It was definitely an adventure story for a younger reader, although it has a more mature tone. I don't know, maybe being a writer has made me more picky about stories, but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it enough to read more of the series.
July 20, 2025
This is definitely better than the last Redwall book I finished, but it’s still missing some of the magic I remember from my childhood. I think it’s more to do with me and how I’ve matured as a reader than the book itself. All of the pieces are there, and in relatively the right shapes. There’s an evil band of creatures threatening the Abbey. There’s a quest for some treasure based on riddles and clues hidden long ago. There’s adventure and new friendships and budding romance. There are feasts and colorful characters and a variety of dialects. There’s even a little bit of mysticism and intrigue. Yet it all falls short.
Unfortunately, a lot of the Redwall series relies on the idea that certain creatures are born evil and others are born good. For that reason, it’s taken as understood that it is good or at least OK that a mouse (a good creature) stole four precious stones from a raven (an evil creature) many years ago.
The central conflict of the book is built around the idea that the raven and his followers want the stones back, and they finally found out they were taken to Redwall years ago. This leads to attempted kidnappings to ransom the jewels (rather than diplomacy to ask for them back, but that feels more like a justification for when the heroes *spoilers* them all at the end).
The characters then end up spending most of the book meandering around the woods running into other foes. Painted tree rats, a crazed old hedgehog, and her army of bees waylay the plot as it moves forward and really only serve to increase the body count going into the home stretch. The Redwallers all kind of end up as the heroes simply because we are told they are. In multiple instances, they traipse into someone else’s territory only to be offended when that territory is defended, and ultimately end up killing their newfound “enemy.”
Some of the general charm of this series has worn off after 20 iterations. The folksy and simplistic morals that ignore nuance and real world implications. Having a song every other chapter with no actual tune or clue how it is supposed to be sung.
I have a hard time recommending these books through my present day lens. It does make me curious how well Redwall itself or some of the other early books would hold up, but this was a decently enjoyable tale for what it was.
Unfortunately, a lot of the Redwall series relies on the idea that certain creatures are born evil and others are born good. For that reason, it’s taken as understood that it is good or at least OK that a mouse (a good creature) stole four precious stones from a raven (an evil creature) many years ago.
The central conflict of the book is built around the idea that the raven and his followers want the stones back, and they finally found out they were taken to Redwall years ago. This leads to attempted kidnappings to ransom the jewels (rather than diplomacy to ask for them back, but that feels more like a justification for when the heroes *spoilers* them all at the end).
The characters then end up spending most of the book meandering around the woods running into other foes. Painted tree rats, a crazed old hedgehog, and her army of bees waylay the plot as it moves forward and really only serve to increase the body count going into the home stretch. The Redwallers all kind of end up as the heroes simply because we are told they are. In multiple instances, they traipse into someone else’s territory only to be offended when that territory is defended, and ultimately end up killing their newfound “enemy.”
Some of the general charm of this series has worn off after 20 iterations. The folksy and simplistic morals that ignore nuance and real world implications. Having a song every other chapter with no actual tune or clue how it is supposed to be sung.
I have a hard time recommending these books through my present day lens. It does make me curious how well Redwall itself or some of the other early books would hold up, but this was a decently enjoyable tale for what it was.
October 12, 2020
This one was much more satisfying than most late entries to the series. Jacques calls back to places and characters from the very early books--it examines the descendants of Gonff the Prince of Mousethieves, one of the groups of adversaries are the Painted Ones, and we encounter one of the line of Asmodeus.
Did Brian Jacques know this would be his last book (not published posthumously)? The Recorder's Epilogue reads in part:
Lessons of truth and honesty
From creatures, far more bold than me.
I tried my best and played my part
To be amongst the brave of heart.
Mayhaps I failed, but now it seems
That I've become the Teller of Tales,
The scribe, the Weaver of Dreams.
A little acknowledgement of the author's role and of his intentions for his stories?
This story suffers as it goes on from some serious character creep. There's a squirrel, a young mouse, an old mouse, a young hedgehog, an old hedgehog, a dormouse, two foremole, another mole, a otter Skipper, another otter, another young mouse, another old mouse, a hare, a Logalog, another shrew, another young squirrel, an owl... Nothing out of the ordinary for Redwall, but I've been listening to Redwall (the book) on audio, and those original stories were much tighter, with more well developed characters. Doomwytes felt like it might be that way; the first book and a half or so are darker than the usual and the small group of main characters get a more thorough development, but once the cast of thousands starts piling in, the book loses focus. It feels like a lot of thought went into the premise and establishing the conflict. But when it comes time to start resolving the various plot threads, Jacques falls back on his old tricks, and unfortunately only one of them feels like a deliberate callback to previous events.
Did Brian Jacques know this would be his last book (not published posthumously)? The Recorder's Epilogue reads in part:
Lessons of truth and honesty
From creatures, far more bold than me.
I tried my best and played my part
To be amongst the brave of heart.
Mayhaps I failed, but now it seems
That I've become the Teller of Tales,
The scribe, the Weaver of Dreams.
A little acknowledgement of the author's role and of his intentions for his stories?
This story suffers as it goes on from some serious character creep. There's a squirrel, a young mouse, an old mouse, a young hedgehog, an old hedgehog, a dormouse, two foremole, another mole, a otter Skipper, another otter, another young mouse, another old mouse, a hare, a Logalog, another shrew, another young squirrel, an owl... Nothing out of the ordinary for Redwall, but I've been listening to Redwall (the book) on audio, and those original stories were much tighter, with more well developed characters. Doomwytes felt like it might be that way; the first book and a half or so are darker than the usual and the small group of main characters get a more thorough development, but once the cast of thousands starts piling in, the book loses focus. It feels like a lot of thought went into the premise and establishing the conflict. But when it comes time to start resolving the various plot threads, Jacques falls back on his old tricks, and unfortunately only one of them feels like a deliberate callback to previous events.
March 8, 2024
Probably one of the weakest Redwall books in the series, though even a weak Redwall book has elements to like! While the main characters Bisky and Dwink are fun enough but hardly compelling, the older characters that populate the abbey are very enjoyable. Abbot Glisam is memorably sweet and steeling at turns, the hare Bosie is fun enough (though he shows up pretty randomly out of the blue), the Skipper of Otters is unusually goofy and childlike, and Zaran makes for an intimidating (if long overdue) appearance. Tugga Bruster makes for an interesting addition as one of the rarer examples of both an evil doing woodlander and an abusive father who gets his just desserts.
But the plot is scattered and meandering, the treasure hunt is ultimately meaningless from start to finish (the heroes just decide to start looking for the Doomwyte's jewels just... because. At least in Pearls of Lutra it was because the Abbot was being held for ransom), and the villains incompetent. The Redwallers don't even realize the villains are "attacking" them until the last fourth of the book. Everything in this book just feels very... standard. Standard protagonists, standard adventure, standard goals. Even the treasure is dependent on older books' characters with Gonff being the one who hid the jewels in the first place. Also for a series that is normally so good about not throwing arbitrary last minute romances into the plot, this book has a whopping THREE that happen at the end. They're not terrible or anything, but it's just another thing indicative of this book being a few rungs beneath other books in the series. It's not terrible, but you'll get more out of just about any other Redwall book.
But the plot is scattered and meandering, the treasure hunt is ultimately meaningless from start to finish (the heroes just decide to start looking for the Doomwyte's jewels just... because. At least in Pearls of Lutra it was because the Abbot was being held for ransom), and the villains incompetent. The Redwallers don't even realize the villains are "attacking" them until the last fourth of the book. Everything in this book just feels very... standard. Standard protagonists, standard adventure, standard goals. Even the treasure is dependent on older books' characters with Gonff being the one who hid the jewels in the first place. Also for a series that is normally so good about not throwing arbitrary last minute romances into the plot, this book has a whopping THREE that happen at the end. They're not terrible or anything, but it's just another thing indicative of this book being a few rungs beneath other books in the series. It's not terrible, but you'll get more out of just about any other Redwall book.
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