The Sable Quean

Redwall #21

by Brian Jacques, Sean Rubin (Illustrator)

He appears out of thin air and vanishes just as quickly. He is Zwilt the Shade, and he is evil. Yet he is no match for his ruler, Vilaya the Sable Quean. Along with their hordes of vermin, these two have devised a plan to conquer Redwall Abbey. And when the Dibbuns go missing, captured one by one, their plan is revealed. Will the Redwallers risk the fate of their Abbey and all of Mossflower Wood to save their precious young ones from imprisonment? Perhaps Buckler, Blademaster of the Long Patrol, can save the day. He has a score of his own to settle. And fear not, these Dibbuns are not as innocent as they appear. After all, they’re from Redwall.

A Classroom Guide to the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques



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Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Animals, Childrens, Middle Grade

408 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2010

About the author

James Brian Jacques was an English author celebrated for the Redwall series of children’s fantasy novels and the Castaways of the Flying Dutchman books, along with several collections of short stories that blend adventure, folklore, and the supernatural. Raised in Liverpool, he left school at fifteen and pursued a wide range of occupations, including merchant seaman, truck driver, bus driver, and entertainer, experiences that later enriched the characters and settings of his fiction. His love of literature, encouraged from childhood, remained constant, and he continued writing poems, plays, and stories throughout adulthood. While working as a milkman, he began reading aloud to students at a school for the blind, inspiring him to craft vividly descriptive tales that relied on sound, smell, taste, and touch. These readings evolved into the manuscript for Redwall, which launched a bestselling series known for its heroic quests, detailed feasts, and intense battles between good and evil. The books achieved international popularity, selling millions of copies and being translated into many languages, as well as adapted for television and audio. Jacques also hosted a long-running radio program devoted to opera and maintained strong ties to his hometown. His stories, rooted in memory, imagination, and compassion for young readers, continue to captivate audiences worldwide.

Reviews

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this same plot keeps getting recycled over and over again, and yet I somehow never get tired of it, even after 5-6 rereads. Something's wrong with me. I blame my 10-year-old self.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars (6/10 hearts). Did I love this? Yes. Oh yes. Absolutely could not put it down. What a wild ride.

I loved the characters. Flib, Buckler, even Dibbs, Jango, Midda & Flandor, Ruark, Tura, Aztel, Mumzy, Tassy + Borti, Ambrevina, Clarinna… they all filled the old Redwall types, and I LOVED it. Specifically Buckler’s heroicness, and Flandor’s sacrifice, and Axtel’s warrior strength—they were wonderful. Vilaya, Zwilt, and Triggut were excellent villains. Zwilt was genuinely terrifying and Vilaya was almost as bad. Triggut was just disgusting and frustrating.

The plot! Oh man, what a rollercoaster, what a masterful weaving of storylines! There was the underground prisons; the Redwall seige; the fight in the kitchen, attic, and hall; the abductions, the escapes and recaptures, the constant danger… things never stopped happening, and I was never sure how everything would wind up. The conclusion is epic (and also hilarious, thanks to Diggs) and oh, my heart, this is the perfect next-to-last Redwall book…

*review to be updated upon reread*

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twenty-one books in to the Redwall saga, Brian Jacques still manages a surprise or two for seasoned devotees of the series. A brave young warrior departing the mountain fortress of Salamandastron in search of his destiny is nothing new, but some of the enemies and allies he makes on his voyage are. There's a swarm of Dibbun-napping vermin commanded by two deadly sables, a gang large and mean enough to rip Redwall Abbey from its hallowed foundations; a kindly water vole living on her own but with a welcoming heart to lost and frightened Dibbuns, an asset to the community that hasn't found her niche; an insane hermit of an animal species that usually numbers among the good guys, but not every hedgehog is a wholesome woodland creature; and a perilous warrior mole armed with a Thor-like hammer, driven mad by Bloodwrath in the chaos of combat to devastate superior numbers of vermin foe. These players and many more await Blademaster Buckler Kordyne as he hits the trail in search of purpose, unaware that his excursion coincides with the arrival of a wave of evil surpassing anything in recent Mossflower history. The stage is set for an epic clash.

Zwilt the Shade and Quean Vilaya roam Mossflower Wood like phantoms, effortlessly adding to their horde of Ravagers by hijacking every pack of vermin they meet. The Ravagers have been abducting stray Dibbuns for a while, but the plan takes sharper focus when Vilaya sees Redwall Abbey for the first time. Conquering the place isn't as easy as most marauders assume, history warns, but Vilaya wants to try a different tack. Steal the Redwallers' heart and the body will fail, and the Ravagers can do that by snatching a few of their Dibbuns and holding them hostage. Confusion reigns after a handful of young ones vanish; there's been no perfidy at Redwall for so long that the Abbey-dwellers have forgotten to be vigilant against attack. By the time they catch on that their Dibbuns have been stolen, the Ravagers have the young ones stashed away and are prepared to leverage them to take Redwall.

Buckler and his portly friend Diggs, another Salamandastron hare, soon find themselves entangled in the Ravagers crisis. Zwilt and Vilaya have grabbed more than just Abbey-babes: little Guosim shrews are part of their collection, as well as a pair of young hares that happen to be the offspring of Buckler's brother. The Dibbun-napping operation is personal for Buckler now, whose sword-fighting prowess makes him equal or superior to any other warrior in the land, but the Ravagers are loaded with outstanding fighters of their own, none greater than stealthy, mysterious Zwilt the Shade. He and Vilaya are cunning strategists, and it will take more than one virtuous warrior to defeat them. Buckler is joined by Axtel Sturnclaw, the first mole in Redwall lore to be possessed by Bloodwrath, Log a Log Jango Bigboat of the Guosim shrews, a fierce and loyal tribe leader, Ambrevina Rockflash, a badgermaid on the hunt for her own destiny, and a host of other hearty warriors who won't give up as long as the Ravagers are a threat to good creatures everywhere. Are they enough to defeat their vile opponent? And if so, which warriors who number among the good will be slain in the effort?

The Sable Quean has one of the largest casts of characters in this series. No wonder it's four hundred eight pages, one of the longest Redwall novels. There are so many plots and sub-plots that I'm surprised the book didn't need to be longer. But the warrior's desire is still center of it all, that obsession of the noblest and strongest woodlanders to combat injustice to their dying breath, standing up to murderous bullies such as Zwilt and Vilaya who prey on the young and helpless, giving those nefarious characters a taste of their own medicine when they run up against a warrior greater than they. The Sable Quean is as full of extraordinary warriors as any book in the series, ones whose names will someday be written alongside those of Martin the Warrior, Lord Brocktree, Luke the Warrior, and Sunflash the Mace. Redwall Abbey and Mossflower Wood will always be secure as long as there are warriors who resist evil to the last ounce of blood that spills from their veins. They are Redwall's legacy, making the world safe for peace-loving creatures, and their sacrifices won't be forgotten.

"One day when our hearts were young,
we went roving with right good will,
side by side two comrades
to find what lay o'er the hill.
Our spirits never wearied then,
in those high old times gone by.
What friends we made, what perils we faced,
together you and I.
Now eyes grow dim and paws feel stiff,
even vittles don't taste the same.
You wake one day, with your whiskers grey,
what price then, medals an' fame?
Alas, all we have are memories,
to take out, dust off, and share.
But, oh, my friend, the pride we feel,
just to know that we were there!
We travelled an' fought an' feasted,
we triumphed, we marched and songs were sung,
We faced death, saw life and adventure!
One day when our hearts were young."

—The Ballad of Colonel Meliton Gubthorpe Digglethwaite (Retired), from The Sable Quean

It's a modest renaissance, but The Sable Quean does represent an uptick in quality from the previous book, Doomwyte. The story is more believable, its emotions more poignant, and I appreciate the soft-edged, detailed artwork by Sean Rubin, especially the map of Mossflower country. The Sable Quean doesn't measure up to early books in the series, but this is probably as good a novel as we could expect after so many. I love Redwall and will always be inspired by Brian Jacques, one of the finest fantasy authors it's been my privilege to read. Farewell Buckler, Diggs, Axtel, Ambrevina, and the rest. Your story shall be repeated forever in the annals of Redwall.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two warrior hares of Salamandastron set out on a journey to Redwall looking for adventure. When they find out that little animal babes and toddlers are being kidnapped from all around Redwall, they vow to help the Redwall creatures to find their missing children. The evil 'Quean' is hatching a horrible plot against all the good animals at Redwall, and her vermin army is closing in.

I just adore all the Redwall books! What an absolute delight! This book has everything that I love about Redwall books. Ravenous hares, wise old badgers, adorable moles, fierce shrews, and of course brave warriors ready to defend all good beasts. I especially loved the cute antics of the little babes in this book!

As with all Redwall books, I made sure to have a stash of snacks on hand since the characters are constantly eating the most delicious food. They have massive feasts and parties, but even a simple breakfast will make your mouth water with all the descriptions of pastries and fruit pies and cordials.

The action and pacing in this book are really excellent. The plot is always moving forward, but there are also scenes that take the time to show our characters grieving or resting or laughing together. It builds up the emotional components of the story, so that when you get to the big battles, we really care about what happens to the characters.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up thinking it was the very last Redwall book I'd ever get to read for the first time, then felt rather silly to see that the title list in the front included one I'd apparently missed, the penultimate one published, Doomwyte. So that'll go on my to-read list.

I quite enjoyed this. To some extent, I think it was just the right time for a highly escapist read, and the Redwall books definitely are that. It's been a couple of years since I read one, and quite a few years since I reread one - now I kind of want to revisit some of the older titles I loved as a young teen. In part, I'm curious as to whether some of the stuff I noticed in this book appears in the older ones. I've heard other fans say that the series is, upon a more mature rereading, a bit overwritten. I couldn't help but notice in The Sable Quean that there was some pretty blatant telling-not-showing, mostly to do with characters' emotions.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Positive start: wartime strategy, intrigue, and dramatic action are serious strengths of Jacques' writing. I feel they outweigh his difficulties dealing with characters' emotions. If you're looking for character-driven stories, you'll want to look elsewhere, but the Redwall books have rollicking adventure in spades. Pretty cool worldbuilding, too.

Though I enjoyed this for the same reasons I've always enjoyed Redwall books, I read it more critically than I usually do. "Critically" in the sense of "analytically," I mean.

One thing I notice is that the different species' characteristics are especially clear-cut in this volume. I've always thought it was neat in fantasy when, aside from their individual personalities, different intelligent races have clearly different physical capabilities. I like that, while most of the animals can climb, swim, dig, etc. at least a little, clear advantages go to squirrels, otters, moles, and so on. The more psychological stuff, though, starts to be a little unsettling. Basically what I mean here is the fact that "vermin" species are pretty dependably evil, no matter what, making it A-OK for any kind of bad thing to happen to them. Some of the books have rare occasions in which a single rat (or, more commonly, one of the rarer "vermin" species, like a wildcat) turns out not to be that bad. But for most rats, weasels, ferrets, stoats, foxes, etc., they're bad and totally unsympathetic from their (virtually never pictured) babyhood to their violent deaths. They're bad parents, they're usually uncaring-to-murderous mates (and they are "mates," as opposed to "husbands" and "wives" like the good guys are), they're pointlessly mean guards, they're petty and treacherous comrades, and they very rarely have friends or family portrayed at all, let alone with any goodwill among them.

This works well with the war/action/adventure sort of book these are, insomuch as it's easier to focus on the various siege/invading/rescue strategies if we can view the villains as mere obstacles to get past. They're sort of like stormtroopers, in that they're not seen as meriting empathy or sympathy - only with vermin, there's occasionally a nasty miniboss one who's shown to deserve, and gets, an extra-special end. Ditto the big bosses. Still, it's a little unnerving that Outcast of Redwall features a vermin who's raised in Redwall Abbey and turns out to be a nasty piece of work who just barely manages a semi-redemption in death, whereas Taggerung features an otter who is raised by the especially-cruel head of a vermin horde and who nevertheless turns out to be a stellar guy at every level.

It is interesting to note that the books occasionally have a random individual who doesn't fit with the typical mold of her/his species. Indeed, The Sable Quean has several. Buckler doesn't talk like a hare or obsess over food - a fact highlighted by the fact that his friend Diggs is a classic Salamandastron hare in the excellent tradition of Basil Stag, Rosie, and Tarquin. Axtel is the only Bloodwrath-carrying mole to appear in the series to my knowledge. Other books have exceptions, too: the mole scholar in The Bellmaker, as well as the lovable-oaf-too-dumb-to-be-a-villain rat in that same book; the good wildcat in Mossflower, and the occasional bad member of a "good guy" race, like the hedgehog Triggut Frap in this book.

Despite the exceptions, though, there are two incidents in this book when the narrative voice mentions a vermin's "natural vermin insolence" . . . which seems to be part of the reason it's not only okay but funny for Redwallers and others to beat, taunt, and direly threaten captured vermin. This has happened in other books of the series, actually. I think it's largely considered to be all in fun because the readers know that the good guys wouldn't really torture anyone, but in this book, I was surprised. I mean, especially after the tragedy of Globby's and Brother Tollum's mutual destruction being caused, arguably, by the Redwallers' rough treatment of Globby, I kind of expected them to learn something rather than having a grand old time treating the next solitary captured vermin even worse. I mean, yes, the vermin are rude, and you want information from them, but I really felt for Globby - he was a young product of a vicious and thieving culture, and the Redwallers basically treat him, from his point of view, exactly as vermin would: beating and forced labor. When he hides in the attic, sobbing, terrified that the big Skipper is going to start whacking him again, it's a little late for the Redwallers to play nice - and even as they're trying to talk him down, they send someone through a window to sneak up on him! If they hadn't done that, neither Globby nor Brother Tollum would have died! It seems a little odd to me that they never address this - everyone's sad about Brother Tollum, but no one thinks, "Hunh, maybe we should try NOT doing that stuff we did." (Yes, Redwallers are generally way better captors to have than vermin, but . . . maybe not always ideal.)

I suspect the Redwall books don't spawn a lot of works of literary criticism, but there are some things I'd love to see examined thoughtfully by someone who maybe has more time than I do, including:

1. Survival rates for different species. I noticed a long time ago that, among the good guys, Guosim shrews seem most likely to be offed over the course of a given novel, probably because they're warlike and inclined not to have stated names. They're also not portrayed as being very disciplined (or big), so it seems more reasonable somehow to lose half a dozen of them than half a dozen Salamandastron hares, say, in a skirmish. And, of course, villains have a high death rate regardless of species, though I do wonder a bit whether it varies by species. (Ashleg of Mossflower probably skewed the pine marten stats wildly by running away to live elsewhere when he's one of, like, two pine martens in the series. I like to think he's just really genre-savvy. This could explain the survival of the fox Binta in The Sable Quean, too.)

2. Gender roles and relations. I'd love to see this explored in the contexts of different species, too. Wasn't sure what to think of it in this book: we have young female warriors Flib and Ambry, and Midda and Tura do some cool stuff, and I like the Abbess of this book - less experienced and more relatable than many of Redwall's Abbots and Abbesses. Was a bit disappointed when Clarinna's moment of badassery turned out to be under the thrall of Martin's spirit. I mean, yeah, you could argue that Martin only inspires characters who already have it in them, but still. On the other hand, other books in the series contain some seriously awesome female characters, like Rosie in Mariel of Redwall and The Bellmaker and Jess and Constance in Redwall and Mattimeo. So I really don't have a word to say against Jacques' portrayals of female characters in general. I think I just twitched a bit with all of this book's mentions of "the wives" and "the mothers" of the warriors and the kidnapped young ones. (Also, is it me, or do we never ever see families of individual Dibbuns? Are they all orphans taken in by the Abbey, or do parents just give up their kids to be communally raised for a few seasons after they have 'em?)



I couldn't help but feel sad that not only did Brian Jacques recently die, he died so without warning that he didn't have a chance to create any kind of grand finale for this epic series. I'm not complaining - it's not like there are loose ends left, since most of the books are so disconnected from each other - I just wonder whether there's anything Jacques always wanted to do with the world that he would have done if he'd known this would be his last book.

On the other hand, The Sable Quean does do some cool stuff hearkening back to earlier books: the use of Corim and Brockhall, the badger being drawn through dreams to Salamandastron, and of course busting out Martin's sword.



A couple of things I wonder about in The Sable Quean: how do the Redwallers know, down to a specific day, when the Ravagers will return after their first visit? It seems as if Jacques maybe meant to put in a line like, "Expect us back in three days," but I can't find one. They're sure of the day the vermin will return, but all I see is, "We will be back here before too long." And the Redwallers also make the assumption that their hideout is a day's march away, and use that to calculate where it is. Where'd that assumption come from? Also, the Abbess says she'll have to give them her decision when they return. Probably a safe guess, but they have no idea what it's a decision on. The vermin haven't made any demands. Between these two things, I almost feel like my copy was missing a page in the area of the first vermin-Redwall meeting, but I don't think it is.

Then, when Buckler first chases Vilaya and Zwilt, he's told to return to Redwall and that no one can follow them or try to find out where their lair is, or the young ones will suffer. So after the Ravagers leave, he and others go after them, but - and here's the part that confuses me - they aren't sneaky about it, nor do they fear what could happen to the hostages after Buckler and the others have a run-in with Zwilt. They're caught doing the thing that the vermin said would be bad for the young ones, yet they're not concerned that this could have bad consequences for the young ones. Which it doesn't. I think both of these confusions stem from me going, "The author knows that thing, and the reader might know it (or might not), but how in the world would the characters know it?"

Also, minor point, but why is it that everyone who hears "Quean" knows it's "Quean" and not "Queen"? I don't think anyone writes it down within the book, so maybe they'd misspell it if they did, but it just seemed a little odd to me - like when Redwallers said it, it should have been "Queen." After all, the Internet assures me they mean different things, but are pronounced the same way.



All that said, I enjoyed The Sable Quean. It fits well with the patterns and spirit of the series. I'm grateful to Brian Jacques for all the happy reading hours he's provided me over the years.

[L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sable Quean is, in my opinion, the best Jacques book to come out since Triss. (Taggerung is my all-time favorite, for those dying to know.)

Alright, I'll try to keep this spoiler-free:

The plot has a number of familiar Jacques elements, but he keeps you guessing here more than I might have anticipated. Memorable villains (if not the most ostentatiously evil) and an ensemble of sympathetically displayed woodlanders give the novel an excellent cast. I feel that Jacques should have focused more on his hero rather than on his hero's comical friend, but that is a minor quibble. This novel does not have the epic feel of Mossflower or The Long Patrol, but tends to convey even more than usual the folksy atmosphere of Jacques' world.

I can recommend this entry in the Redwall cannon with great enthusiasm.

[Will Waller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Following the same tired tropes and worn out phraseology, Jacques does a disservice to any young adult reader who seeks to understand plot in the modern age. Books of such predictable style make young people comfortable and don't expand their minds in any real way. I suppose this book is comforting to some, but to me it screams a+b=c...everytime. That's been the formula for Jacques throughout the entire series.

This book does have a couple of interesting elements. The digging out the trapped Dibbuns was different and the funny aspect of Diggs with amnesia cracks a couple of jokes.

All and all...a dud to be sure.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a WONDERFUL book! Once again, Brian Jacques comes through with a brilliant, heartrending battle between good and evil.

My only regret was that Flandor died. I knew as soon as I came across him that he was going to be another Shogg. As it turned out, I was right. I cried when I read that part, only to laugh at myself when I remembered it was just a book, and then to cry again when I thought, "So what? I loved Flandor!"

All in all, Brian Jacques has turned out a masterpiece once again, one that will make you laugh, cry, and drool over that wonderful food!

[Camille · Rating 1 out of 5]

Urghk. I love the Redwall books, don't get me wrong, but they're becoming increasingly formulaic. I could predict the outcome of basically every plot point in the book. Even the characters look suspiciously similar to those from earlier books. The only character who actually seemed new and original was Axtel, and he got injured early on and didn't actually get to do anything. Any and all characters who died did so in disappointingly unclimactic ways. Sorry Mr. Jacques, but maybe after 21 books you've done all you can with this series. Maybe it's time to start something new?

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not bad, I'm fairly certain. The plot had some interesting points and the amount of enjoyment was great, as is typical of books about Redwall.

[Wesley Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems a bit of a waste to have a protagonist like Buck and barely let him fight.

[Bibliophile Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Woodlanders with families, relatives and friends. The young ones, their babes, their kindred, are the hope of the future, the very lifeblood of peaceful creatures. They would do anything to protect their brood, even fight. But how can they fight what is not there? The worry, the grief and sorrow at the loss of their dearest treasure. Where are their young ones? Are they alive or dead? No woodlander or Abbeydweller will know until I speak to them on my terms. Give me what I want, and your families will be allowed to live. They will, believe me, because the alternative would be too awful for them to image.
That is my plan, Zwilt.”

Well, that was delightful. I can't believe it'd been two years since I read a Redwall book. (And I'm almost done with the series!! just one more to go. *sob*)

As with every book of Jacques', the tale he tells in The Sable Quean is filled with adventure, peril, heroism, a bit of sorrow, and a lot of humor. The feasts are as legendary as ever and the characters endearing (or repulsive, as the case may be), varied, and yet still so familiar, even though they only appear in this book. My favorite of them all would have to be Flib. She's sharp-tongued, sharp-witted, and fiercely capable, and this type of character typically ends up being the one I love best. Particularly when Brian Jacques writes them.
Buckler and Diggs are my other two favorites, of course. Hares are just the best, always. xD oh, and I can't forget Axtel! A warrior mole was both surprising and awesome and I wonder why Jacques didn't bring in any before?

anyway, it felt so good to be back in Mossflower. For me, these books are the ultimate cosy, the perfect comfort reads. When I'm reading a chapter or two before bed with a cup of tea I am VIBING~
Gotta go start another one so I can continue to do so.

"Did anybody teach you to sing, Mister Diggs?"
Diggs puffed his chest out proudly. "No. Why d'you ask?"
She smiled innocently. "Oh, nothing, really, but it might've been nice if they had."
Diggs thought about this for a moment, then gave the hogmaid an icy glare. "See here, marm, I've seen creatures thrown overboard for remarks like that. It's bloomin' mutiny, y'know!"

[Kryptomite · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sable Quean is the first book Jacques has written in a long time (possibly since the beginning of the series) that doesn’t follow his infamous formula. Rather, he creates some new character architypes, villains that pose some new dilemmas, and a storyline that doesn’t deal with Martin visions, acquiring/being destined for Martin’s sword, or a useless treasure hunt. It wasn’t super compelling through some of it, and the Sable Quean’s idea of ransoming Redwaller’s families against them never really comes to fruition (which would have been an impressive idea if some had turned on the others). Then again, I am a bit jaded after reading what could pass for the same story over and over. But it was new, and mostly succeeded in creating a solid plotline. I question the use of the word "quean," as I'm not sure it conveys what he was aiming for, but that's a tiny niggle of mine. Overall, Jacques should be lauded for stepping out of his comfort zone. Unfortunately, there is only one book left in the series. Let’s hope it ends on a high note. Either way, if you want to read a few good books in the Redwall series, this one should be on your short list.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid Redwall adventure mostly due in part to the memorable characters in this particular story. The action and overall story is engaging if not all too familiar and predictable in terms of Jacque's Redwall tropes with character arcs and stories. But the familiarity is fine, it just keeps the story from moving on to being something greater.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d forgotten how much I loved these books! And then to discover how fun listening to the audiobook is!! Lots of fun!

[Cheyenne Langevelde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one felt different from the others in the series. It had a lot of POVs and characters more so than usual, but it all came together nicely at the end. It just didn't feel as polished and smooth as the others. Also having a mole experience the blood wrath was new... Not quite sure how I feel about that. But otherwise, I really enjoyed this one. Diggs was hilarious.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really tossed about how to rate this book. One the one hand I liked the story immensely. It was a typical Redwall book and the author, Brian Jacques himself was doing most of the narrating. But on the other hand - it was done as a ensemble with Mr Jacques doing the vast majority of the reading but the characters were done by other people. But what really drove me crazy was the constant singing and/or music. OMG! I would just get settled sewing when they would burst into song. I would get up and nudge the story a bit to get passed the song, sit back down and Wham! Another song would begin. It got so annoying that I found myself skipping larger chunks in an effort to get passed all that nonsense. Once the actual story got underway I was much, much happier.

The one thing I have always enjoyed about the Redwall books is the fact that Brian Jacques reads them himself. I have listened to them all to date either with my kids when they were young or by myself because I like his books. I was super disappointed to learn that the author passed away a few years back shortly after finishing a book which means he did not get to narrate his final Redwall story. I would like to finish the series but perhaps not as an audiobook. Just wouldn’t be the same without his wonderful narration.

[Emily Luebke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was obsessed with the Redwall Books when I was younger and Brian Jacques was a big influence on my dream of becoming a writer. It was nice to come back and read one of his books again after so long. Even at 31 I enjoy the swashbuckling adventures and engaging characters. As usual the descriptions of food and the songs are glorious.

I listened to the audio version and I cannot recommend them enough. Of all the full cast audio productions I have listened to, the Redwell ones are by far the best. While there are a few weak links, most of the performances are not only solid, but excellent.

A downside of 'Sable Queen' is that it is one of Brian's later books and thus is pretty similar to his other works, especially 'Mattimeo'. If I wasn't coming back to this series after not reading any Redwall in a while I would have found this a bit too derivative of previous tales. However, Brian's fun and engaging characters are where it's at far more than the plots themselves. These characters were adequately charming, if not as nuanced as some of his others.

Overall a fun time, but I would recommend his earlier books if you're looking to get into the Redwall series.

[Sarah Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am never disappointed by the Redwall world. This book is comfortably familiar yet unique in that way only the great Brian Jacques could accomplish. Never in my years of reading Redwall have I encountered a dangerously mad hedgehog like Triggut Frap; it's genius, and totally destroys the expectation of all woodlanders being friendly. What woodlander would dangle a baby mouse over a pool of rabid pike? My only concern is the very short length of the battle for Redwall. For an entire section of the novel to be called as such, it was clipped, as was the death of Vilaya. While Ambrevina definitely had reason to kill her, I feel it should have been a more epic confrontation, like the one with Zwilt. Speaking of which, I was on edge during that fight. I was sure Buckler was going to die. I learned my lesson: never doubt the spirit of Martin the Warrior. Clarinna used Martin's sword to kill Zwilt, and it was everything any true Redwall lover could hope for. Overall, this is a fantastic book, as is any written by the late, great Brian Jacques.

[Elsa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oof. As I mentioned in my review of the previous book, Doomwytes, one of the major problems was the cast-of-thousands tendency. Every time Jacques runs into a plot knot, he Gordians it by introducing a new character. The Sable Quean is much the same. There simply isn't enough time to care about everyone, and the result is a flock of forgettable flat characters and short shrift for the figures who should be well-developed.

Of course, being 21 books deep into the series, most of Jacques' readers can infer the missing character development, and that familiarity--along with Jacques' straightforward and effective prose styling--keeps the book readable. But it's not one of his better efforts.

[John Brinsley-pirie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether it is his first novel of Redwall or near this last, Jacques manages to bring to life a nostalgic and wonderous world.

I loved the original Redwall novel and its sequel, Mattimeo and I loved going back to explore the time of Martin the Warrior and the history of the Abbey and the fortress of Salamandastron. These always felt connected in a clear way to me to the original story. As I read others, I would often feel pangs of regret that the story wasn’t continuing with the characters that I grew up with like Martin and Matthias.

However, the more I read, the more those pangs turned into little smiles of memory. The Matthias and Methuselah bells referred to in The Sable Queen, brought back to the characters they were named after, show a long history of the world and refocus on the institutions that survive and are important to it.

Across the books, there is always a Badger Lord at Salamandastron (or will be), there is a Foremole and Skipper of Otters, the Long Patrol roams the world as do the Gousim and, of course, Redwall Abbey stays perennially the oasis of Mossflower. These things start to matter more the more I read and frame every story of Redwall.

This allows the story to have obvious touchstones for a reader and be introduced new characters standing on the storyline of previous books. It meant I could navigate the story of the Sable Queen fairly easily, though I have to admit I felt less attached to these characters than to some of my original favourites like Basil Stag Hare. Though there were delightful similarities between him and Diggs in this novel.

The story itself was, as usual for Jacques, compelling, funny and engaging. I enjoyed my time reading it and will continue to read these books.

[Tea & Gemimah Read Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Brian Jacques looking at the plot of Mattimeo and saying, "We can go bigger. Let's kidnap everyone."

Vilaya, the Sable Quean, is a villain who actually understands logistics. She doesn't just want a castle; she wants a workforce, so she orchestrates the mass abduction of basically every child in Mossflower.
It is grim.
It turns the usually cozy Abbey into a silent, empty shell, which is genuinely unsettling. She runs her operation like a crime boss rather than a barbarian, which makes her infinitely more terrifying than the standard "screaming rat" archetype.

Then you have Zwilt the Shade. He sounds like the lead singer of an emo band, but he fights like a butcher. Standing in their way is Buckler, a hare who radiates Main Character Energy. He has a big sword, a bad attitude towards vermin, and the skills to back it up.

This book feels like a return to the "Golden Age" of Redwall. It’s dark, the stakes are incredibly personal, and the pacing doesn't let up. A masterpiece of woodland noir.

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[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this installment, the Sable Queen has her eyes on Redwall a Abbey determined to be the first beast to conquer the woodland creatures. Her plan is simple--capture the dibbuns and exchange their safety for the Abbey. Zwilt the Shade who leads her vermin hordes would rather just battle.
Not that the Redwallers are helpless. There are two visiting Long Patrol hares, a warrior mole, a shrewmaid with attitude and a badgermaid, all ready to help so that the young ones are reunited with their families.
This is classic Redwall style with several subplots, more than one hero and lots of food.

[Tiny Octopus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacques is my all time favorite author. Having grown up reading and re-reading his redwall series until I knew most of them by heart, I’ve been putting off his last couple of books for quite some time, never wanting to reach the end.

I finally picked this one off my shelves and was swept away into the woodlands, the Abbey, the streams and far away mountain home of the badger lords and long patrol.

I’m still devastated by the death of Jacques, even though he passed some time ago. I regretfully never got to meet him at a book signing, tho I do have a few autographed editions.

I have one book to go - I don’t know if I can make myself finish them. Bittersweet for sure.

[Ethan Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some very cool things going for it especially for diehards. The villains are neat and memorable in their cleverness and slight aura of mysticism. Although the heroes don't all have distinction except for two, and the plots aren't all created equal, one is fraught with tension that I love. This book also has an inevitable duel that ranks high in the series. You can see it coming from the first two chapters, and when it arrives, it is superbly technical and tense. On the whole, the book may not reach the same heights as its long past predecessors, but it still holds its own weight well.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Loved this one! I do wish Jacques explained why it's "Quean" and not "Queen." I guess it was just to be a little different. I only detracted half a star for the somewhat anti-climactic showdown.

As always, I loved the story and it's characters, Buck was a great and lovable hero, and the saga of the not-so-helpless dibbuns was charming. I loved the focus on Redwall, as always, and the new addition of a Warrior Mole, Axtel! f

These books are such great adventures, and this is one of my favorite in the series. I recommend this book to all fans of the series, and all readers who enjoy fun adventure reads.

[Nidhi Mahendran · Rating 4 out of 5]

*The Sable Quean* by Brian Jacques is a thrilling and action-packed addition to the *Redwall* series, filled with adventure, danger, and intrigue. The story follows a fierce and ruthless pirate queen, the Sable Quean, who terrorizes the seas and threatens the peaceful inhabitants of Redwall Abbey. The heroes of Redwall, including the brave young mouse, the bold squirrel, and a band of loyal companions, must unite to stop her and protect their home. Filled with intense battles, treacherous villains, and themes of courage and friendship, *The Sable Quean* delivers another exciting chapter in the beloved series.

[Sam Bequette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good gracious golly this was way better than I remembered. Despite being so late in the Redwall series, The Sable Quean holds its own against the best of the series. The main character Buckler is very compelling, having a tragic motivation as well as being an experienced fighter (both of which are often missed in Redwall). His best friend Diggs is iconic, and the rest of the supporting cast is solid enough, with the warrior mole being a real standout. The plot takes the best parts of Mattimeo and The Long Patrol, adding another classic to Brian Jacque's repertoire. 4.5/5

[amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

buck and diggs - just friends or more...? jk..unless?
as per usual, the villains probably couldve done the thing if their leaders had just worked together instead of doing the redwall villains special of betraying each other for no good reason and then losing because of said betrayal. it's not even a spoiler, the man could not write a plot with 2+ villains and have them work together for more than like 3 chapters
vilaya and zwilt give the exact and i mean EXACT opposite vibe of edelgard and hubert. i guess that ancient rat could be the FERDINAND VON AEGIR opposite day equivalent too.

[William Westmoreland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Redwall : Realm of Peace

I have loved Jaques’ books ever since my kids discovered them years ago. His vision of the peaceable kingdom rings true as it is surrounded by the powers and principalities that would see it destroyed. The Sable Quean is the latest incarnation of all that corrupts the good crestion. Redwall and it's band of freedom lovers working at great odds win the day in the end. 5 stars.