Redwall abandonned

A terrible thing has happened, a personal hero of mine has sadly passed away. Brian Jacques, best known for his Redwall novels, died last week at the age of 71.

As a child I grew up on the Redwall series of books, devouring one after another in my youth, the are directly responsible for my love of literature and a darn good book. It's not a great leap to say I was in love with the books, looking back and rereading its clear my taste has moved on, but my heart has stayed true.

Redwall books where expertly wrote, long intertwining stories and dashing heroes solving fiendish riddles. What I liked most was they way the books asked a lot of the reader, each tome tipping the five hundred page barrier. They had complex social hierarchies between the animals (did I mention that the books told the story of animals? Mainly revolving around Redwall abbey and the legend of Martin the warrior, a mouse, and the beach side fortress of Salamanderstron, the mighty stronghold of badger kings and his hare army), each having distinct accents and colloquial idiomatic quirks. Brian wrote a total of twenty one books which have spread worldwide, being translated into 29 languages and selling twenty million copies.

The books have been made into a animated television series that for a time ran on channel five, a series I sadly only caught a couple of episodes of, and apparently I have just discovered, a opera. I really, really want to watch a Redwall opera.

Brian Jacques was a great man and a much loved author, my thoughts are with his family, for he will sadly be missed. I'll leave you with this fantastic anecdote, Brian was once caned by a teacher who wouldn't belive that a ten year old could create such a detailed sotry about a little bird who cleaned crocodile teeth.