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Redwall #8
Outcast of Redwall
paperback, fine
360 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 1995
196 people are currently reading
6733 people want to read
About the author
Brian Jacques
263 books4,312 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 371 reviews
April 7, 2018
Outcast of Redwall
Outcast of Redwall is another book in the Redwall series written for children by the late Brian Jacques, but also read by many adults too including me. Years ago, every time Brian brought out another book I would be there to buy it. I am proud to have them on my bookshelves and have read them all, most of them more than once. The ultimate triumph of good over evil is always the main theme running through all of the Redwall series.
Brian never shied away with difficult concepts in his books even though he was writing for young people. This particular book tells the tale of ‘Sunflash the Mace’ a badger and his wicked adversary Swartt Sixclaw There is a long standing feud between these two.
Ideally to get the full picture of why this feud is so bitter and ongoing, readers should read right through from the very first book in the series . However it isn’t absolutely necessary as each one can be read on its own too.
Running alongside the continuing battles between these two there are two more plot lines both of them relating to Veil who is Swartt Sixclaw's son. He was left behind as a baby in one of his father’s battles and rescued by young Byrony a mouse maid who was one of the Redwallers. He was brought up in Redwall Abbey. A third plot line brings everything in the story together in conclusion.
In this story as in all of Brian’s books there are morals and maxims behind all that goes on to make children and probably adults too, stop and ponder. I am a big fan of these books and also Erin Hunter’s books about wild cats also for young people but read by adult fans like me. They are easy reads because of the age groups they are written for, but have enough bite in the plots to be enjoyed by all ages if you like animal stories. They are not as sophisticated as the Duncton Wood series about moles which are more suitable for young adults upwards, again if the readers are animal lovers. I recommend them highly.
Outcast of Redwall is another book in the Redwall series written for children by the late Brian Jacques, but also read by many adults too including me. Years ago, every time Brian brought out another book I would be there to buy it. I am proud to have them on my bookshelves and have read them all, most of them more than once. The ultimate triumph of good over evil is always the main theme running through all of the Redwall series.
Brian never shied away with difficult concepts in his books even though he was writing for young people. This particular book tells the tale of ‘Sunflash the Mace’ a badger and his wicked adversary Swartt Sixclaw There is a long standing feud between these two.
Ideally to get the full picture of why this feud is so bitter and ongoing, readers should read right through from the very first book in the series . However it isn’t absolutely necessary as each one can be read on its own too.
Running alongside the continuing battles between these two there are two more plot lines both of them relating to Veil who is Swartt Sixclaw's son. He was left behind as a baby in one of his father’s battles and rescued by young Byrony a mouse maid who was one of the Redwallers. He was brought up in Redwall Abbey. A third plot line brings everything in the story together in conclusion.
In this story as in all of Brian’s books there are morals and maxims behind all that goes on to make children and probably adults too, stop and ponder. I am a big fan of these books and also Erin Hunter’s books about wild cats also for young people but read by adult fans like me. They are easy reads because of the age groups they are written for, but have enough bite in the plots to be enjoyed by all ages if you like animal stories. They are not as sophisticated as the Duncton Wood series about moles which are more suitable for young adults upwards, again if the readers are animal lovers. I recommend them highly.
March 3, 2010
For most of my childhood, I was utterly in love with the world of Redwall.
Brian Jacques has a gift for storytelling, describing battles and feasts in equal meticulous detail, and it paints an enchanting picture for any reader.
But the strength of the series aside- hell. This is one of the most unfair, even racist, books I've ever read! It makes a mockery of the nature vs. nurture debate, and the vermin namesake of the book is seen as an irredeemably evil character, even when he's just a baby. Seriously. What kind of kid are Redwallers expecting to raise when their first reactions to an abandoned baby ferret are along the lines of "I don't like the looks of this one. It'll be evil, mark my words."
Great, Brian Jacques. Just because someone looks different, they must be evil.
What kind of message are you supposed to be sending to kids here?!
PS. Veil (the ferret) really doesn't get much page time in this book anyway. It's essentially the story of the Mary Sue of all Badger lords, Sunflash, and his pet bird. Yawn.
Brian Jacques has a gift for storytelling, describing battles and feasts in equal meticulous detail, and it paints an enchanting picture for any reader.
But the strength of the series aside- hell. This is one of the most unfair, even racist, books I've ever read! It makes a mockery of the nature vs. nurture debate, and the vermin namesake of the book is seen as an irredeemably evil character, even when he's just a baby. Seriously. What kind of kid are Redwallers expecting to raise when their first reactions to an abandoned baby ferret are along the lines of "I don't like the looks of this one. It'll be evil, mark my words."
Great, Brian Jacques. Just because someone looks different, they must be evil.
What kind of message are you supposed to be sending to kids here?!
PS. Veil (the ferret) really doesn't get much page time in this book anyway. It's essentially the story of the Mary Sue of all Badger lords, Sunflash, and his pet bird. Yawn.
December 3, 2019
I appreciated this book's clear departure from Jacques' typical formulaic Redwall plot, and appreciated even more its foray into moral complexity. This was the first (perhaps it remained the only?) Redwall book which explored the possibility that the "evil" predatory/scavenger species of Redwall's sentient animal world were capable of reform, growth, and transformation. That perhaps their inclination toward vile behavior owed much more to their upbringing within abusive, marauding cultures, or even prejudicial cultures, than it did to their genes.
Moral complexity was badly wanted in Redwall stories up till this point. It is often lacking in high-adventure stories in general, even from books written for older audiences. Bravo to Jacques for taking it on in a middle-grade fantasy novel, and for doing a profoundly good job. Emotions run deep in this story, as characters must decide repeatedly what price is worth paying for true friendship, and work out how to recognize good and evil in their companions. As a child, I cried reading this book.
All three times.
Moral complexity was badly wanted in Redwall stories up till this point. It is often lacking in high-adventure stories in general, even from books written for older audiences. Bravo to Jacques for taking it on in a middle-grade fantasy novel, and for doing a profoundly good job. Emotions run deep in this story, as characters must decide repeatedly what price is worth paying for true friendship, and work out how to recognize good and evil in their companions. As a child, I cried reading this book.
All three times.
August 2, 2025
Like with everything I seemingly pick up by Jacque, I can never seem to put it down till it’s done and this is no exception. I was really curious reading the synopsis and studying the cover of my paperback but I really wasn’t prepared for how unique a tale Brian decides to give us this time around, but I think it’s all the better for it. Where we normally follow people climbing their way to greatness, in this we follow what might be my favorite badger to step off the page yet in sunflash, and with his mace and mysterious pull towards finding out who he truly is, even if everyone else around him reveres and seems to know his station is so curious and really helped push me along. Then to tie in with the duality of following potentially the only true rotten egg and outcast in veil, no matter the love and nurturing some eggs just go bad. But the hardest and saddest of the entire tale was that poor mousemaid and Mole in vain trying to bring back her lost adoptive son even if she truly did no wrong and nothing could’ve been done to revert his actions. That being said that twist and complex ending was incredible and honestly teared me up a bit and if I’m being honest, just gave me another push to keeping onto this special and fascinating series. May Brian’s soul rest in peace, bless him yer her.
December 27, 2024
nrtc
5 stars. I wasn’t sure if I would love this because it sounded so different from the other Redwall books—which it was. It starts with a random badger and hawk escaping a wicked warlord ferret, and chronicles their adventures for a while. Redwall doesn’t even show up until about 50% in. In the end, though, I ended up pretty fond of it.
So, as I mentioned, this book is pretty different. The setting, for starters—partly random woods, partly Redwall, and partly Salamandastron. Most of it is the woods, though. Then the characters. It took me a while to get into the characters, even if I was ecstatic that my wish came true and Sunflash was having his own story! But even if it was slow, his story was pretty sweet and definitely original. Swartt was also an original villain with his wife (that poor girl—I wanted more to her story!) and his kid, Veil, who himself was a very original character for Redwall. A vermin babe raised at Redwall?! Yes, indeed. And Byrony was such a sweet foster-mother. I desperately wanted Veil to turn out right, and although things didn’t go as I wanted, his ending was satisfying and perfect—well done, Jacques.
It’s been a while since I read this and I read it over a couple days, so I forgot a lot of it; but everything wrapped up perfectly, I loved the ending, and it was a fun, original tale I can’t wait to read again.
Review to be updated; content list & quotes to be added upon reread.
5 stars. I wasn’t sure if I would love this because it sounded so different from the other Redwall books—which it was. It starts with a random badger and hawk escaping a wicked warlord ferret, and chronicles their adventures for a while. Redwall doesn’t even show up until about 50% in. In the end, though, I ended up pretty fond of it.
So, as I mentioned, this book is pretty different. The setting, for starters—partly random woods, partly Redwall, and partly Salamandastron. Most of it is the woods, though. Then the characters. It took me a while to get into the characters, even if I was ecstatic that my wish came true and Sunflash was having his own story! But even if it was slow, his story was pretty sweet and definitely original. Swartt was also an original villain with his wife (that poor girl—I wanted more to her story!) and his kid, Veil, who himself was a very original character for Redwall. A vermin babe raised at Redwall?! Yes, indeed. And Byrony was such a sweet foster-mother. I desperately wanted Veil to turn out right, and although things didn’t go as I wanted, his ending was satisfying and perfect—well done, Jacques.
It’s been a while since I read this and I read it over a couple days, so I forgot a lot of it; but everything wrapped up perfectly, I loved the ending, and it was a fun, original tale I can’t wait to read again.
Review to be updated; content list & quotes to be added upon reread.
July 31, 2025
This book, more than any of the seven that precede it in the Redwall series, differs significantly in feel from the type of story that Brian Jacques usually tells.
Though Outcast of Redwall is the third book to contain the name of the famous Mossflower Woods abbey in its title, surprisingly little of the action takes place at Redwall. Even in the fifth Redwall book, Salamandastron, about half of the story happens within the confines of Redwall Abbey, but in this book, curiously, much more of the plot unfolds at the mountain fortress Salamandastron. This change of pace made for an interesting new reading experience.
Overall, Outcast of Redwall reminds me a bit of the type of story found in old western movies or novels. All of the principle parties in this book are seeking revenge for wrongs done to them, or at least perceived wrongs: The warrior badger Sunflash the Mace wants to settle a score with Swartt Sixclaw, the nasty ferret warlord who snared him years ago and had been planning to kill the badger; Swartt wants to kill Sunflash, who with the aid of the hawk Skarlath had escaped from his clutches and in the ensuing struggle permanently damaged Swartt's famed paw that has six claws on it; and Swartt's son Veil—who was accidentally left behind in the wild by his cruel father and found and raised by a kindly Redwall mousemaid named Bryony—carries a desire for revenge against the infamous father that he never knew. The way that the plot develops is notably different from that of the previous stories written by Brian Jacques; even the way that the characters think and act seems to be slightly changed.
In the character of Sunflash the Mace, Brian Jacques has created a stunningly formidable hero, one with enough might to be put in the same conversation as former Redwall legends such as Martin the Warrior, Boar the Fighter, and Mattimeo. Yet Sunflash also has the true inner being of a poet, and he maintains none of the aloofness typical in the badger lords of Salamandastron. Sunflash gets down on the floor with the little ones and plays and laughs with them, shirking the sober regard of a dangerous badger warrior to embrace the little ones and be willing to give enrichment to their lives, while at the same time receiving enrichment in return. Sunflash is, at his true center, a wonderful gift to the young animals who are instinctively drawn to him and love him, and the little animals repair the rends in his soul inflicted by a world that sometimes requires him to use his badger rage in the most frightening of ways.
One of the most important parts of this book is Veil, the ferret babe left behind by Swartt Sixclaw and his horde as they once passed by Redwall. Normally, ferrets are one of the kinds of animal that does not live at Redwall Abbey in peace with the others, but instead scours the woodlands in vicious groups, marauding and killing. Veil, however, being a defenseless ferret baby, was taken into the abbey and raised by the mousemaid Bryony. Veil's time at Redwall is continuously shadowed by the question: Can a ferret, given proper guidance and upbringing, be made into the kind of creature that lives peacefully with others? In Veil's case, at least, the answer appears to be "No". Harboring bitterness in the confines of his heart despite the benevolent childhood that he was afforded, Veil ultimately crosses the line in a major way with an act of vile malice, and is forever excommunicated from Redwall. Even knowing that the ferret she raised as her son had never really shown even a hint of goodness in his time within the abbey walls, Bryony is heartbroken for Veil. Gathering her courage, the tender mousemaid sets off on his trail, determined to find him and prove that he can, after all, be truly reformed.
Much of this book's soul lies in the incredible love of Bryony for her son, that despite all the evidence of Veil's treachery and even his derisive view of Bryony's love for him, she is never willing to quit on her surrogate son. Bryony never gives up on the ferret who is running from her; in her mind he is still the ferret babe that she had grown to love and always will love, and what those around her think of Veil makes no difference. It is all about love.
Everything told, Outcast of Redwall finds its profound voice in a new way for author Brian Jacques. Though much of the narrative is focused on Veil and Bryony, the most poignant single moment of the novel directly flows from the unforgettable friendship shared by Sunflash the Mace and Skarlath, the hawk who first freed him from his bondage and ends up becoming his closest and most vital ally. The potency of the one single moment I refer to is as powerful as it is because of the deep overlapping layers of the entire story, a real credit to Brian Jacques as a writer. Outcast of Redwall is a very good story, thoughtfully told with no trite conclusions, stretching the minds of those readers who have faithfully read through the previous seven books in the series about this tranquil Mossflower Woods abbey. I would certainly considering bumping my review of this book up to three and a half stars.
Though Outcast of Redwall is the third book to contain the name of the famous Mossflower Woods abbey in its title, surprisingly little of the action takes place at Redwall. Even in the fifth Redwall book, Salamandastron, about half of the story happens within the confines of Redwall Abbey, but in this book, curiously, much more of the plot unfolds at the mountain fortress Salamandastron. This change of pace made for an interesting new reading experience.
Overall, Outcast of Redwall reminds me a bit of the type of story found in old western movies or novels. All of the principle parties in this book are seeking revenge for wrongs done to them, or at least perceived wrongs: The warrior badger Sunflash the Mace wants to settle a score with Swartt Sixclaw, the nasty ferret warlord who snared him years ago and had been planning to kill the badger; Swartt wants to kill Sunflash, who with the aid of the hawk Skarlath had escaped from his clutches and in the ensuing struggle permanently damaged Swartt's famed paw that has six claws on it; and Swartt's son Veil—who was accidentally left behind in the wild by his cruel father and found and raised by a kindly Redwall mousemaid named Bryony—carries a desire for revenge against the infamous father that he never knew. The way that the plot develops is notably different from that of the previous stories written by Brian Jacques; even the way that the characters think and act seems to be slightly changed.
In the character of Sunflash the Mace, Brian Jacques has created a stunningly formidable hero, one with enough might to be put in the same conversation as former Redwall legends such as Martin the Warrior, Boar the Fighter, and Mattimeo. Yet Sunflash also has the true inner being of a poet, and he maintains none of the aloofness typical in the badger lords of Salamandastron. Sunflash gets down on the floor with the little ones and plays and laughs with them, shirking the sober regard of a dangerous badger warrior to embrace the little ones and be willing to give enrichment to their lives, while at the same time receiving enrichment in return. Sunflash is, at his true center, a wonderful gift to the young animals who are instinctively drawn to him and love him, and the little animals repair the rends in his soul inflicted by a world that sometimes requires him to use his badger rage in the most frightening of ways.
One of the most important parts of this book is Veil, the ferret babe left behind by Swartt Sixclaw and his horde as they once passed by Redwall. Normally, ferrets are one of the kinds of animal that does not live at Redwall Abbey in peace with the others, but instead scours the woodlands in vicious groups, marauding and killing. Veil, however, being a defenseless ferret baby, was taken into the abbey and raised by the mousemaid Bryony. Veil's time at Redwall is continuously shadowed by the question: Can a ferret, given proper guidance and upbringing, be made into the kind of creature that lives peacefully with others? In Veil's case, at least, the answer appears to be "No". Harboring bitterness in the confines of his heart despite the benevolent childhood that he was afforded, Veil ultimately crosses the line in a major way with an act of vile malice, and is forever excommunicated from Redwall. Even knowing that the ferret she raised as her son had never really shown even a hint of goodness in his time within the abbey walls, Bryony is heartbroken for Veil. Gathering her courage, the tender mousemaid sets off on his trail, determined to find him and prove that he can, after all, be truly reformed.
Much of this book's soul lies in the incredible love of Bryony for her son, that despite all the evidence of Veil's treachery and even his derisive view of Bryony's love for him, she is never willing to quit on her surrogate son. Bryony never gives up on the ferret who is running from her; in her mind he is still the ferret babe that she had grown to love and always will love, and what those around her think of Veil makes no difference. It is all about love.
Everything told, Outcast of Redwall finds its profound voice in a new way for author Brian Jacques. Though much of the narrative is focused on Veil and Bryony, the most poignant single moment of the novel directly flows from the unforgettable friendship shared by Sunflash the Mace and Skarlath, the hawk who first freed him from his bondage and ends up becoming his closest and most vital ally. The potency of the one single moment I refer to is as powerful as it is because of the deep overlapping layers of the entire story, a real credit to Brian Jacques as a writer. Outcast of Redwall is a very good story, thoughtfully told with no trite conclusions, stretching the minds of those readers who have faithfully read through the previous seven books in the series about this tranquil Mossflower Woods abbey. I would certainly considering bumping my review of this book up to three and a half stars.
December 26, 2012
I wish I could give this story two separate reviews--one for Veil's story, one for Sunflash's. Since I cannot, I have averaged the two ratings out to three stars and will review the two storylines separately.
Sunflash the Badger: 5 stars
When we first meet Sunflash, his name is Scumtripe. He has been captured and enslaved from infancy (or toddlerhood) by Swartt Sixclaw the Ferret. Sixclaw's treatment of the badger can probably be inferred by the name the ferret bestowed upon him: beatings, forced to wear a muzzle, no clothes even in winter, bad food, etc. Had this character been handled by any other author, he would have become pure angst fodder. In Jaques' hands, he becomes awesome.
Jaques doesn't spend too much time dwelling on Sunflash's time with Swartt. It's been a while since I've read the book, but I'm pretty sure Sunflash escapes in either his first or second scene. He and Scarlath, a kestrel he befriends, exact their revenge upon Swartt and his men, killing most of them and damaging Swartt's six-clawed paw permanently.
Sunflash wastes no time in reclaiming his identity. Scarlath decides he should be called Sunflash the Mace because of his golden stripe and his weapon of choice, and Sunflash goes with it. When I first read this book in middle school, I didn't know there was such a thing as Stockholm Syndrome; now, looking over the current YA selection, with its dark and heartbreaking stories of abuse, I'm glad Jaques chose not to introduce young readers to that terrifying bit of reality through Sunflash. There are true stories of Stockholm Syndrome, and fictional stories about that Syndrome do have their place, but I for one did not read the Redwall books to learn about child abuse. I read them for fun, and to escape from the trials of middle school. Jaques knew his audience and kept Sunflash a strong character.
I loved Sunflash and Scarlath from the moment I met them. Their friendship was deep and affecting, and I truly enjoyed every scene where they interacted with the mole family who took them in. When Sunflash discovered his destiny, I cheered. And when he reunited with his mother, I'm not ashamed to admit I cried a little.
I could have read two books about Sunflash.
Veil Sixclaw the Outcast: 1 star
Veil is the son of Swartt Sixclaw, who Swartt abandons as an infant following his mother's death. He is found by a young mousemaid named Bryony, who takes him into Redwall Abbey and raises him as a son.
This story had the potential to be the most morally complex Redwall book yet. Here we have an abandoned baby, who most goodbeasts are convinced will grow up to be evil, and his adopted mother is the only one willing to see the good in him. This could have been a beautiful story. It could have been about a little boy who grows up to do great things despite what is essentially a prophesy of doom on him. I was sincerely looking forward to watching Veil grow into a mighty ferret warrior, a beast every bit as clever as his father, who uses his cleverness for good. He and Swartt could have engaged in an epic battle of the wits, ending when Veil single-handedly defends Redwall Abbey against the vermin horde, all the while shouting "COME AT ME, BRO!" (or whatever the Redwall equivalent of that meme is).
You've probably gathered by this point that this is not what happens.
No, Veil grows up to be evil. He steals from the kitchens, bites his fellow dibbuns, pulls mean-spirited pranks on Redwallers he dislikes. Bryony refuses to believe her fellow Redwallers when they tell her what Veil does, and when faced with undeniable evidence, she makes excuses for him. "You don't understand...." or "If you were just a little nicer to him...." Needless to say, she is portrayed as extremely naive for believing in her adopted son.
I felt much rage at this.
Anyway, Veil finally fulfills the title of the book when he attempts to poison a fellow Redwaller and is caught (quite literally) red-handed. He is kicked out of Redwall as Bryony cries and the other Redwallers tell her they knew it all along. Like a good villain, Veil vows revenge.
Does he get a chance to redeem himself? Of course. After spending the majority of the book as a terrible piece of garbage, he finally sacrifices himself for Bryony. Rather than say, "I told you so! See? There was some good in him!" she essentially says, "Well....I know I raised him, and I loved him like a son, and hearing the rest of you tell me he was evil hurt me personally....but yeah, he was a terrible piece of crap. Horrible excuse for a goodbeast. We call them vermin for a reason. Should've let him die as an infant." I almost saw letters form above her head: CHARACTER: BRYONY! LEVEL UP! PLUS 50 MATURITY, PLUS 100 LEADERSHIP, PLUS 2,000,000,000 PARENTING SKILLS!
I nearly threw the book across the room. I only kept reading because I wanted to see what happened to Sunflash.
In conclusion: This may have been the only book by Brian Jaques I did not like. Props to him for throwing Sunflash in there; otherwise I wouldn't have liked this book at all.
Sunflash the Badger: 5 stars
When we first meet Sunflash, his name is Scumtripe. He has been captured and enslaved from infancy (or toddlerhood) by Swartt Sixclaw the Ferret. Sixclaw's treatment of the badger can probably be inferred by the name the ferret bestowed upon him: beatings, forced to wear a muzzle, no clothes even in winter, bad food, etc. Had this character been handled by any other author, he would have become pure angst fodder. In Jaques' hands, he becomes awesome.
Jaques doesn't spend too much time dwelling on Sunflash's time with Swartt. It's been a while since I've read the book, but I'm pretty sure Sunflash escapes in either his first or second scene. He and Scarlath, a kestrel he befriends, exact their revenge upon Swartt and his men, killing most of them and damaging Swartt's six-clawed paw permanently.
Sunflash wastes no time in reclaiming his identity. Scarlath decides he should be called Sunflash the Mace because of his golden stripe and his weapon of choice, and Sunflash goes with it. When I first read this book in middle school, I didn't know there was such a thing as Stockholm Syndrome; now, looking over the current YA selection, with its dark and heartbreaking stories of abuse, I'm glad Jaques chose not to introduce young readers to that terrifying bit of reality through Sunflash. There are true stories of Stockholm Syndrome, and fictional stories about that Syndrome do have their place, but I for one did not read the Redwall books to learn about child abuse. I read them for fun, and to escape from the trials of middle school. Jaques knew his audience and kept Sunflash a strong character.
I loved Sunflash and Scarlath from the moment I met them. Their friendship was deep and affecting, and I truly enjoyed every scene where they interacted with the mole family who took them in. When Sunflash discovered his destiny, I cheered. And when he reunited with his mother, I'm not ashamed to admit I cried a little.
I could have read two books about Sunflash.
Veil Sixclaw the Outcast: 1 star
Veil is the son of Swartt Sixclaw, who Swartt abandons as an infant following his mother's death. He is found by a young mousemaid named Bryony, who takes him into Redwall Abbey and raises him as a son.
This story had the potential to be the most morally complex Redwall book yet. Here we have an abandoned baby, who most goodbeasts are convinced will grow up to be evil, and his adopted mother is the only one willing to see the good in him. This could have been a beautiful story. It could have been about a little boy who grows up to do great things despite what is essentially a prophesy of doom on him. I was sincerely looking forward to watching Veil grow into a mighty ferret warrior, a beast every bit as clever as his father, who uses his cleverness for good. He and Swartt could have engaged in an epic battle of the wits, ending when Veil single-handedly defends Redwall Abbey against the vermin horde, all the while shouting "COME AT ME, BRO!" (or whatever the Redwall equivalent of that meme is).
You've probably gathered by this point that this is not what happens.
No, Veil grows up to be evil. He steals from the kitchens, bites his fellow dibbuns, pulls mean-spirited pranks on Redwallers he dislikes. Bryony refuses to believe her fellow Redwallers when they tell her what Veil does, and when faced with undeniable evidence, she makes excuses for him. "You don't understand...." or "If you were just a little nicer to him...." Needless to say, she is portrayed as extremely naive for believing in her adopted son.
I felt much rage at this.
Anyway, Veil finally fulfills the title of the book when he attempts to poison a fellow Redwaller and is caught (quite literally) red-handed. He is kicked out of Redwall as Bryony cries and the other Redwallers tell her they knew it all along. Like a good villain, Veil vows revenge.
Does he get a chance to redeem himself? Of course. After spending the majority of the book as a terrible piece of garbage, he finally sacrifices himself for Bryony. Rather than say, "I told you so! See? There was some good in him!" she essentially says, "Well....I know I raised him, and I loved him like a son, and hearing the rest of you tell me he was evil hurt me personally....but yeah, he was a terrible piece of crap. Horrible excuse for a goodbeast. We call them vermin for a reason. Should've let him die as an infant." I almost saw letters form above her head: CHARACTER: BRYONY! LEVEL UP! PLUS 50 MATURITY, PLUS 100 LEADERSHIP, PLUS 2,000,000,000 PARENTING SKILLS!
I nearly threw the book across the room. I only kept reading because I wanted to see what happened to Sunflash.
In conclusion: This may have been the only book by Brian Jaques I did not like. Props to him for throwing Sunflash in there; otherwise I wouldn't have liked this book at all.
September 6, 2007
A young stoat is taken in by the saintly woodland creatures of Redwall, who raise him as best they can. But his "true nature" is always making itself known--he plays lots of cruel pranks and keeps lying and stealing. At last, he runs away to seek his fortune elsewhere. The story follows several Redwall creatures as they go off on their own adventure; eventually they encounter the earstwhile stoat once more, who has joined with a band of ruffians. Fighting ensues, and the stoat throws himself into the path of an arrow to save his foster-mother. THEY DO NOT MOURN HIM. Because, you see, he didn't *really* mean to save her--he was just acting impulsively as always. WTF?
Years later, just thinking about the unfairness of this book drives me to clench my fists with rage. I have never read another Redwall book.
Years later, just thinking about the unfairness of this book drives me to clench my fists with rage. I have never read another Redwall book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2023
This one felt very different from the other Redwall books. I was confused as to why it was about the outcast since the majority of the book actually revolved around a totally different character. However, it was a very bittersweet story and I enjoyed it much, and was brought to tears by the end.
February 26, 2012
This one pissed me off. I liked it more when I was younger, but after rereading it, I can't ignore some of its serious flaws. An orphaned ferret baby Veil is raised by "kind" Redwallers who emotionally abuse him and constantly discriminate against him, then kick him out. His adopted mother, the only mouse who didn't hate him, follows him as he sets out to find his father, the evil warlord Swartt Sixclaw, who abandoned him. He finds his father, the mouse finds them, the Swartt throws a spear at the mouse in an attempt to kill her, then Veil jumps in front of the spear and gives his life to save his adpoted mother. Then the mouse "realizes" that her adopted son was pure evil after he sacrificed his own life to save hers. WTF!?! I didn't like the "good guys" because they were prejudiced and their behavior can't be excused. This book shows a negative side of the Redwall inhabitants (though I don't think this was intentional), but I think the reader is supposed to accept that the Redwallers were right to treat the ferret the way they did and he was evil only because he was a ferret, and it had nothing to do with his horrible upbringing.
This book had a lot of potential to explore the nature v. nurture debate, but failed terribly. Could the ferret have been good if he had been raised by kind, loving creatures? We'll never know.
I give it one star because I hated the storyline about the outcast, and the storyline between the Sunflash the badger and the ferret warlord (which took up the majority of the book, despite its title) was equally enraging. I hate it when fictional characters do idiotic things that no one would do in real life. This happens here when Swartt captures Sunflash but doesn't kill him when he had the chance. Instead, he ties up the badger, then the badger escapes and immediately kills the ferret.
In conclusion, I was disappointed. Very disappointed. One star.
This book had a lot of potential to explore the nature v. nurture debate, but failed terribly. Could the ferret have been good if he had been raised by kind, loving creatures? We'll never know.
I give it one star because I hated the storyline about the outcast, and the storyline between the Sunflash the badger and the ferret warlord (which took up the majority of the book, despite its title) was equally enraging. I hate it when fictional characters do idiotic things that no one would do in real life. This happens here when Swartt captures Sunflash but doesn't kill him when he had the chance. Instead, he ties up the badger, then the badger escapes and immediately kills the ferret.
In conclusion, I was disappointed. Very disappointed. One star.
April 16, 2021
A new badger lord ascends Salamandastron. His sworn enemy gathers a horde. A young mouse maid comes of age in Redwall. Tying them all together; an abandoned ferret babe. The age old question remains....Is evil inherited?
May 2, 2023
I had full nostalgia listening to this one. This one is a mixture of two stories which then eventually tie into a single story in the final third.
Considering the main characters are a weasel and a badger. The character depth is always spot on in these novels
Considering the main characters are a weasel and a badger. The character depth is always spot on in these novels
February 4, 2011
The past summer I decided to re-read some of this series. I remembered loving it in grade school, and The Outcast of Redwall was my favorite book of the series. I remember reading it several times as a kid, but upon rereading it in college, I couldn't figure out why. There were several unlikable characters (Bryony comes to mind), the philosophy of "all of carnivora is EEEEVVIILLLL, except badgers and otters for some reason, and that one cat from Mossflower" continued unchecked, despite the potential in the title, and despite the title, Veil got almost no actual presence. When he did, it was usually from the perspective of those around him rather than his own, so we rarely get a chance to get inside the character. Instead, he came off as a petulant brat who got what he deserved. Going to steal stuff and poison people? Yes, in a civilized society you SHOULD be held responsible for those actions. This pretty much sums up my adult view of the book, as well as many others it seems. But what made it so endearing as a child? Why was I rooting for Veil then, and despising him now?
It took me almost 6 months to realize that as an adult I was typecasting him and ignoring what HE was saying. I've grown much more discriminating and less accepting, no doubt as a result of age and experience, though undesirable. As a child, I was listening to Veil's voice, not that of the Badgermum. At one point Veil asks some friar why he's always getting blamed for things going missing and the problems. Bryony supports him, claiming they always blamed Veil from the time he was a Dibbun. Back then, this is what I picked up on--the Redwallers really DIDN'T give him a chance. I filled in the blanks for Veil then... all the times he was excluded from games with the other dibbuns because he was different, all the times he was chastised far more severely than the others, many times unjustly... Though, all we see as readers is the "bratty Veil", and I believe this is a key flaw. When the readers have to fill in the blank of "always evil / raised poorly" and the cards are already stacked against him due to his species, it is far too easy to jump to the black-and-white or 'racist' conclusion.
That being said, I enjoyed the story of Sunflash far more the second time around. Partly this was due to the fact that I already knew it would take up a good half of the book, and partly because I find badgers to be one of the more interesting species in the Redwall universe. Its very true that the different species are strongly stereotyped as good or bad, but badgers seem to have a healthy dose of grey area due to their berserker rage and the accompanying burdens of typically assuming some form of leadership role. Sunflash was by far one of the greatest and most complex characters in the series, despite being cast next to many of the least original and shallow characters (Bryony... and a whole mountain of hares)
Then, of course there is the villain. I enjoyed Swartt a lot more in 5th grade, probably because I couldn't recognize the fact that he was completely interchangeable with any other Redwall villain. Well, mostly. To be fair, he was probably one of the only villains with a good reason for going on a campaign of war due to his history with Sunflash, and he didn't obsess over Redwall as though it contained some kind of treasure or as if there really was a good reason to set a siege there. (There isn't. It's just an abbey, and the only thing worth stealing is a tapestry, as we learned in both Redwall and Marlfox) Even if he wasn't chased off by Skipper he probably wouldn't have been particularly interested, since Sunflash wasn't there. The most annoying part though, was that even when he had chances to take on Sunflash, he preferred just tying him up so that he could escape later, and was too afraid of Sunflash to actually battle him one on one. We also don't see him working on his fighting skills in preparation for the battle, or ANYTHING, so he really is never a good opponent for Sunflash. Sunflash might not actively train either, but he's a badger--much larger than Swartt, naturally stronger, and has berserker strength. He doesn't need to train. But if you're a ferret going to take THAT on, don't you think you'd prepare a little better, instead of relying on a fox's woo-woo nonsense? Then again, Redwall villains are never that smart or tough, relying on numbers rather than wits. Even the more intelligent ones aren't as sharp as the dullest of the dibbuns most of the time.
To conclude, I rated this four stars to average out both times I read it. In fifth grade I would have given it 5 stars, today I would have given it 2, +.5 for nostalgia = 4 stars.
It took me almost 6 months to realize that as an adult I was typecasting him and ignoring what HE was saying. I've grown much more discriminating and less accepting, no doubt as a result of age and experience, though undesirable. As a child, I was listening to Veil's voice, not that of the Badgermum. At one point Veil asks some friar why he's always getting blamed for things going missing and the problems. Bryony supports him, claiming they always blamed Veil from the time he was a Dibbun. Back then, this is what I picked up on--the Redwallers really DIDN'T give him a chance. I filled in the blanks for Veil then... all the times he was excluded from games with the other dibbuns because he was different, all the times he was chastised far more severely than the others, many times unjustly... Though, all we see as readers is the "bratty Veil", and I believe this is a key flaw. When the readers have to fill in the blank of "always evil / raised poorly" and the cards are already stacked against him due to his species, it is far too easy to jump to the black-and-white or 'racist' conclusion.
That being said, I enjoyed the story of Sunflash far more the second time around. Partly this was due to the fact that I already knew it would take up a good half of the book, and partly because I find badgers to be one of the more interesting species in the Redwall universe. Its very true that the different species are strongly stereotyped as good or bad, but badgers seem to have a healthy dose of grey area due to their berserker rage and the accompanying burdens of typically assuming some form of leadership role. Sunflash was by far one of the greatest and most complex characters in the series, despite being cast next to many of the least original and shallow characters (Bryony... and a whole mountain of hares)
Then, of course there is the villain. I enjoyed Swartt a lot more in 5th grade, probably because I couldn't recognize the fact that he was completely interchangeable with any other Redwall villain. Well, mostly. To be fair, he was probably one of the only villains with a good reason for going on a campaign of war due to his history with Sunflash, and he didn't obsess over Redwall as though it contained some kind of treasure or as if there really was a good reason to set a siege there. (There isn't. It's just an abbey, and the only thing worth stealing is a tapestry, as we learned in both Redwall and Marlfox) Even if he wasn't chased off by Skipper he probably wouldn't have been particularly interested, since Sunflash wasn't there. The most annoying part though, was that even when he had chances to take on Sunflash, he preferred just tying him up so that he could escape later, and was too afraid of Sunflash to actually battle him one on one. We also don't see him working on his fighting skills in preparation for the battle, or ANYTHING, so he really is never a good opponent for Sunflash. Sunflash might not actively train either, but he's a badger--much larger than Swartt, naturally stronger, and has berserker strength. He doesn't need to train. But if you're a ferret going to take THAT on, don't you think you'd prepare a little better, instead of relying on a fox's woo-woo nonsense? Then again, Redwall villains are never that smart or tough, relying on numbers rather than wits. Even the more intelligent ones aren't as sharp as the dullest of the dibbuns most of the time.
To conclude, I rated this four stars to average out both times I read it. In fifth grade I would have given it 5 stars, today I would have given it 2, +.5 for nostalgia = 4 stars.
September 14, 2014
I will be honest when I say that this book actually pissed me off when I read it. Mr. Jacques had a great opportunity here, to take one of his traditionally "evil" creatures and let him be a good guy. To break the conventions of his other stories and to do something different. And Veil does try, through most of the story, to be good. I could almost feel him fighting the author through much of the early part of the book. But no, in the end his evil side wins out, and he turns out to be no better than his genetics made him. The lesson that he wants to give here seems to be that, no matter who raises you, or what you strive to be in life, in the end the world will conspire against you and you will never be able to be better than your parents.
And I liked the Redwall books, I really did, and I still really enjoy several of them. This was one of the low points in the series, the entire thing feels like a wasted opportunity at the end, much like Veil himself.
And I liked the Redwall books, I really did, and I still really enjoy several of them. This was one of the low points in the series, the entire thing feels like a wasted opportunity at the end, much like Veil himself.
August 29, 2009
I used to adore Redwall, and still have a soft spot in my heart for the earlier books, but this one was just awful. Jacques never provides any ambiguity in his characters: all the drama comes from physical conflict or from youngsters bucking the rules, never from relationships between characters.
Nowhere is this more evident that in Outcast of Redwall, where Jacques finally gave himself a chance to right a real wrong in his world: all mustelids are evil! In Jacques's world, if you're born a fox, rat, stoat, or weasel, you are automatically evil, and you have no chance for redemption even if you're raised in an environment as conducive toward peace as Redwall.
Fail. :(
Nowhere is this more evident that in Outcast of Redwall, where Jacques finally gave himself a chance to right a real wrong in his world: all mustelids are evil! In Jacques's world, if you're born a fox, rat, stoat, or weasel, you are automatically evil, and you have no chance for redemption even if you're raised in an environment as conducive toward peace as Redwall.
Fail. :(
August 7, 2017
It's easy to see why this is the most divisive book in the Redwall series. It's a book of two very different halves. On the one hand you've got the Sunflash/Skarlath/Swartt plot which is excellent. Sunflash is oh so adorable, Swartt is a loathsome baddy and Skarlath is so wonderful and so very doomed that it makes re-reads quite painful. Salamandastron is my favourite Redwall'verse location (all the good stuff in this book begins with the letter 'S' for some reason) and all the hares are enchanting characters. There's also the sprinkling of Mossflower callbacks: Bat Mountpit! Wuddship Creek! That scene with Breeze and Starbuck from the end of the previous novel! It's just an effortlessly good read, although unbearably sad in parts.
And then there's the rest of it. Weirdly, the Redwall Abbey action doesn't kick in until almost half-way through the book and when it does, you really wish it hadn't. There's the usual cast of lovely, bumbling woodlanders with their meadowcream and their hotroot soup, and then there's Veil: the ferret outcast of the title. The whole point of the book is to examine what would happen if a vermin creature was raised by the Abbey to become good, would they succeed or would he revert to type? The results are just befuddling. You could argue that Veil only becomes bad because the rest of the Abbey expect it of him, and spend their time blaming him for everything that goes wrong to the point that he feels he may as well do bad things anyway. He also ends up sacrificing himself to save his former nursemaid Bryony. But then Bryony decides that despite this he was evil through and through because....that's just the way vermin are? What about Blaggut and Romsca and Grubbage, the characters Jacques wrote to prove that vermin don't always end up evil? We just gonna ignore those? How 'bout the fact that Veil's name was chosen because it was an anagram of 'evil' and 'vile'? WHO WOULD DO THAT? To a BABY? What did people expect from him? It doesn't help that Veil is written like a whiny, entitled little brat and Bryony becomes so passive and obsessed with him in the last few chapters I wanted to reach into the pages and slap her. Her reward for running after Veil and proving he's evil by letting him die for her (it doesn't make any more sense when you write it out, does it?) is to become Abbess. I wouldn't want an Abbess who refuses to believe in empirical evidence and occasionally drops everything to run after irritating young ferrets. Friar Bunfold was robbed of the job, ROBBED I TELLS YA! Anyway. The whole book feels like it should be leading up to an epic showdown between Veil and his father Swartt but....nah. It just sort of fizzles out when they finally meet up. No-one's gonna care about a whiny teenage ferret when there's badger lords and mystical fox seers and perilous hare warriors about the place.
If you leave the Redwall Abbey stuff aside, this is an excellent read. You can just ignore the title of the book and call it 'Sunflash is Awesome' instead because that's far more accurate. The publishers clearly thought so too, because half of the editions feature him and Skarlath instead of Veil on the cover. If you want father/son vermin dynamic you'd be better off reading Salamandastron and if you want vermin-rises-above-their-origins then you read The Bellmaker or Pearls of Lutra. Just try to forget that Jacques tried to do the whole thing in reverse a few books later with otter-born-into-vermin-horde story 'The Taggerung.' And that didn't have tragic badger/hawk dynamics to save it. Shudder.
And then there's the rest of it. Weirdly, the Redwall Abbey action doesn't kick in until almost half-way through the book and when it does, you really wish it hadn't. There's the usual cast of lovely, bumbling woodlanders with their meadowcream and their hotroot soup, and then there's Veil: the ferret outcast of the title. The whole point of the book is to examine what would happen if a vermin creature was raised by the Abbey to become good, would they succeed or would he revert to type? The results are just befuddling. You could argue that Veil only becomes bad because the rest of the Abbey expect it of him, and spend their time blaming him for everything that goes wrong to the point that he feels he may as well do bad things anyway. He also ends up sacrificing himself to save his former nursemaid Bryony. But then Bryony decides that despite this he was evil through and through because....that's just the way vermin are? What about Blaggut and Romsca and Grubbage, the characters Jacques wrote to prove that vermin don't always end up evil? We just gonna ignore those? How 'bout the fact that Veil's name was chosen because it was an anagram of 'evil' and 'vile'? WHO WOULD DO THAT? To a BABY? What did people expect from him? It doesn't help that Veil is written like a whiny, entitled little brat and Bryony becomes so passive and obsessed with him in the last few chapters I wanted to reach into the pages and slap her. Her reward for running after Veil and proving he's evil by letting him die for her (it doesn't make any more sense when you write it out, does it?) is to become Abbess. I wouldn't want an Abbess who refuses to believe in empirical evidence and occasionally drops everything to run after irritating young ferrets. Friar Bunfold was robbed of the job, ROBBED I TELLS YA! Anyway. The whole book feels like it should be leading up to an epic showdown between Veil and his father Swartt but....nah. It just sort of fizzles out when they finally meet up. No-one's gonna care about a whiny teenage ferret when there's badger lords and mystical fox seers and perilous hare warriors about the place.
If you leave the Redwall Abbey stuff aside, this is an excellent read. You can just ignore the title of the book and call it 'Sunflash is Awesome' instead because that's far more accurate. The publishers clearly thought so too, because half of the editions feature him and Skarlath instead of Veil on the cover. If you want father/son vermin dynamic you'd be better off reading Salamandastron and if you want vermin-rises-above-their-origins then you read The Bellmaker or Pearls of Lutra. Just try to forget that Jacques tried to do the whole thing in reverse a few books later with otter-born-into-vermin-horde story 'The Taggerung.' And that didn't have tragic badger/hawk dynamics to save it. Shudder.
February 20, 2018
Finally, fans of Redwall get to know more about the badgers of Salamandastron. A young badger is held captive by an evil ferret, Swartt Sixclaw. Coincidence and bad weather brings the hawk, Skarlath to the camp of Sixclaw. The badger and Skarlath help each other escape, but not before the badger seriously wounds the ferret warlord. Skarlath names the badger Sunflash, and together they journey through Mossflower, helping those in need and making friends along the way. But Swartt Sixclaw has vowed to avenge his wounded paw, and builds an army to find and defeat Sunflash. Back at Redwall Abbey, the peaceful creatures take in an orphaned baby ferret, unbeknownst to them, the only son of Swartt Sixclaw. Hard as they try, the Redwallers, and a young mousemaid named Bryony who is responsible for the young ferret, are unable to show Veil how to live peacefully. True to Jacques style, the stories of Sunflash and the Redwallers intertwine, and the reader is lead on a journey of fierce friendship, loyalty, fate and the battle of good vs. evil.
July 17, 2023
another redwall audiobook down! outcast of redwall remains one of my favorites from the series - it's an especially epic storyline with sunflash and swart's decades long rivalry, veil's exile from redwall, and bryony's quest to find him all meshing with NON. STOP. ACTION! some of my favorite lines were:
"you've lived the life of a coward, but you'll learn to die like a soldier!"
"he dealt a blow that sounded like a log hitting rotten fruit"
"oooh, ferret smashed to bits, head in one place paws in another, blood everywhere, hehehehehe!"
"no, please lord, mercy - [the sounds of a realistic death gurgle as a fox has her head crushed by a giant spiked mace]"
why are these marketed as children's books again????
"you've lived the life of a coward, but you'll learn to die like a soldier!"
"he dealt a blow that sounded like a log hitting rotten fruit"
"oooh, ferret smashed to bits, head in one place paws in another, blood everywhere, hehehehehe!"
"no, please lord, mercy - [the sounds of a realistic death gurgle as a fox has her head crushed by a giant spiked mace]"
why are these marketed as children's books again????
February 7, 2017
Another stirring adventure for the creatures of the idyllic Mossflower wood. As previous reviewers have pointed out, the storylines do get a little repetitive; however I don't expect the youthful audience the books are aimed at, would be too troubled with that - just as long as there are heroes and heroines, warriors and pirates, goodies and baddies, and lots of scrumptious feasts to fill the long, sun-drenched, bucolic days!
October 13, 2018
To the adventurous pretties,
The end of this Redwall book was particularly sad to me. While previous books have had really happy atmospheres. Que reading slump. The end was left neutral, and felt precarious.
That's all for today.
Ta-ta,
shizuku
The end of this Redwall book was particularly sad to me. While previous books have had really happy atmospheres. Que reading slump. The end was left neutral, and felt precarious.
That's all for today.
Ta-ta,
shizuku
December 14, 2021
3/5 I appreciated that this (8th) volume of Redwall did try and change things up a bit. However it just didn't resonate with me. Which is too bad as this was one I always looked forward to getting to in the series. You didn't actually meet Veil the Outcast of Redwall until halfway through the story.
The first half is the setup introducing Sunflash the Mace, his hawk partner Skarett, and his evil ferret nemesis Swartt Six Claw. I did however like that the majority of this novel took place away from the titular Redwall Abbey and we didn't have any meandering subplots there which we usually do.
As I mentioned the Outcast of Redwall Veil the Ferret isn't really introduced until halfway through the story and then he's just such a one note character. Redwall takes in and raises a ferret who turns out to be evil. Not a decent bone in him no detail into why he is that way other than he's a ferret so he is evil regardless of upbringing. This is contradictory to the unusually nice see rat Blaggut in The Bellmaker.
Swartt six claw, the villain, was ok but not the best and none of the other characters particularly stood out which is a bit of a shame. All in all it was just an ok book in the series.
The first half is the setup introducing Sunflash the Mace, his hawk partner Skarett, and his evil ferret nemesis Swartt Six Claw. I did however like that the majority of this novel took place away from the titular Redwall Abbey and we didn't have any meandering subplots there which we usually do.
As I mentioned the Outcast of Redwall Veil the Ferret isn't really introduced until halfway through the story and then he's just such a one note character. Redwall takes in and raises a ferret who turns out to be evil. Not a decent bone in him no detail into why he is that way other than he's a ferret so he is evil regardless of upbringing. This is contradictory to the unusually nice see rat Blaggut in The Bellmaker.
Swartt six claw, the villain, was ok but not the best and none of the other characters particularly stood out which is a bit of a shame. All in all it was just an ok book in the series.
March 26, 2024
It's probably been at least 10 years since I've read anything Redwall related, and even longer since I read this particular book. My only memory of it is that it is sad. So I was a little apprehensive to read it again, and honestly wasn't sure I ever would. But I'm glad I did. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Brian Jaques along with a voice cast. If you haven't listened to Brian Jaques narrate one of his books, I would highly recommend it. He is a joy to listen to. The voice cast did an excellent job as well, they really brought the characters to life.
As for the story itself, I quite liked it. It's not perfect, but it's still good. I might write a longer review later, I could honestly go on for a while. But for now, just know that it is indeed a sad and tragic story. It's not as sad as I thought it might be, in fact, it's rather enjoyable for the most part. But the end hits hard.
As for the story itself, I quite liked it. It's not perfect, but it's still good. I might write a longer review later, I could honestly go on for a while. But for now, just know that it is indeed a sad and tragic story. It's not as sad as I thought it might be, in fact, it's rather enjoyable for the most part. But the end hits hard.
January 15, 2022
"My fish Pepper liked this book because it was more focused on the life of a badger lord than any other Redwall book so far. But it had no business being called Outcast of Redwall and that whole subplot was garbage. I don't care if you're a vermin or not, babies are not inherently born evil, and people can change."
March 21, 2019
I liked the story line about Veil, but it felt like it came along too late in the book. Other than that complaint, this was one of the better books in the series.
May 1, 2024
This chapter of Redwall is as absorbing as the previous segments of the series, doling out familiar comforts in generous measure. There's mouthwatering feasts and heavy vegetarian stews, warm hazy days spent in play and feasting and gardening and song, newly established friendships, maternal loves, and the heartbreaking return of a prodigal son. (His redemption story is brushed over a bit hastily) There's also the obligatory hundred-page battle at the end where allies and foes reunite.
February 8, 2023
the duality of badger...
February 5, 2019
I've read other reviews of this book, and it seems as though most of the time readers fall into one of two camps: they either hate it (they disliked the Bryony/Veil storyline), or they love it. Myself, I really liked it. It was interesting reading about the mousemaid, Bryony (who is later rewarded with the distinguished title of Mother Abbess), as she leaves Redwall to find the six-clawed ferret that she raised as an infant. Veil was kicked out of Redwall after almost murdering an Abbeybeast, and Bryony was the only one who really liked him. Veil never seemed grateful of Bryony's love and kindness, but he saved her life by giving up his own. In the end, Bryony admits that "Veil was bad" and wonders "if he would have saved me if he knew his father was really going to throw that javelin," concluding "that the world is a better place without Veil or Swartt bringing death and misery to it." Sometimes you can only love someone from afar because they don't return your love. I'm glad Bryony met some great friends along the way (including Sunflash, the hares of Salamandastron, and other kind and caring creatures) to help her on her quest.
I loved Sunflash - he was a badger like no other, defending his mountain home "like a boss." What I wouldn't give to explore Salamandastron and know all of the secrets of badger lore! I love the way the hares and moles speak! Some people get tired of reading the Redwall books because the storyline is almost always the same ... creatures leave Redwall on a quest ... but myself, I love them and will never get tired of them!
I loved Sunflash - he was a badger like no other, defending his mountain home "like a boss." What I wouldn't give to explore Salamandastron and know all of the secrets of badger lore! I love the way the hares and moles speak! Some people get tired of reading the Redwall books because the storyline is almost always the same ... creatures leave Redwall on a quest ... but myself, I love them and will never get tired of them!
March 15, 2017
This was very good. My enjoyment of it was quite vast in dimension.
June 24, 2015
This series as a whole has some excellent traits, and I overall enjoyed Redwall books growing up.
However, even as a child, the theme that I now see to be essentially racism was unacceptable. I think this book was the one that finally made me stop reading the series entirely. Bryony (a mouse and therefore moral and good) adopts Veil (a ferret and therefore inherently bad). Viel inexplicably grows up to do evil like his ferret father he's never met, apparently because he is of the wrong species. In the end, when Veil still sacrifices himself to save Bryony, she writes it off as an unintentional sacrifice on Viel's part, and comes to the conclusion that he was just inherently evil.
The series already had the issue of implying that some beings are born irredeemably and one-dimensionally evil, and the ending to Outcast is so infuriating and terrible in message that it stains the entire series.
However, even as a child, the theme that I now see to be essentially racism was unacceptable. I think this book was the one that finally made me stop reading the series entirely. Bryony (a mouse and therefore moral and good) adopts Veil (a ferret and therefore inherently bad). Viel inexplicably grows up to do evil like his ferret father he's never met, apparently because he is of the wrong species. In the end, when Veil still sacrifices himself to save Bryony, she writes it off as an unintentional sacrifice on Viel's part, and comes to the conclusion that he was just inherently evil.
The series already had the issue of implying that some beings are born irredeemably and one-dimensionally evil, and the ending to Outcast is so infuriating and terrible in message that it stains the entire series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2019
As a child, I was deeply unsettled by this book, and I didn't understand why. Now I do. I'm revolted by the notion of being 'doomed' to go bad because of ancestry. I enjoyed most of the other Redwall books, but only this one truly stuck with me because of how unfair and cruel its message was. I do give Outcast of Redwall points for being the first book to make my younger self think about this. It did teach me a lesson, even though it was a harsh one: that there are people out there who believe you have a 'true nature' that cannot be overcome and you should be treated accordingly. ...yes, I still have a massive grudge against this book two decades later. I recognize it's not entirely healthy.
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