So, one of the webpages I'm doing work for is the official Redwall Abbey site.

I had already watched -and loved- the TV series a few years back, but only now am I getting interested on the books (maybe because I'm in direct contact with the community and they make them sound AWESOME), so I picked up one and tried to read it... and it was, indeed, amazing.

Now I own the whole collection and I'm trying to devote myself to those books, just because of how great an impression the first one left on me. Has anyone else read them by chance? If so, which one would you recommend the most? I'm not reading them in any particular order and I'd be very interested on hearing your recommendations.

Thanks in advance, mates!

That's so awesome you're working on the official site Silver!

Thanks! The forums are the funnier, most rewarding part of it (when SMF feels like behaving itself, that is ).

I think I'm reading Mossflower next, just because of how widely (and, sometimes, wildly ) recommended it is, but after that I'm definitely going to read Outcast, based only on your post and experience with it. I'm a sucker for good stories with sad, touching endings, so that's definitely up my alley.

Now, I have a few questions to ask if that's ok with you.

First of all... is High Rhulain as bad as they say it is? I mean, I have heard downright terrible things about the main character (going as far as to calling her "the queen of Sues") and the plot in general. It seems a bit unlikely that Mr Jacques would put out something like that -based on what I have read- but I have to take every opinion into account.

Also, what's so insulting about "Loamhedge"? All I know is that it's a bit harsh towards a certain group of people.

Thanks, mate!

PS: The forums are full of recipes and dishes which were cooked following instructions from the books. I'd recommend you taking a look at it

Mossflower, along with Redwall and Marin the Warrior are definitely the foundation books of the series. A few like Legend of Luke and Lord Brocktree go back even further. 

vkimo wrote :

Mossflower, along with Redwall and Marin the Warrior are definitely the foundation books of the series. A few like Legend of Luke and Lord Brocktree go back even further. 

As far as High Rhulain goes, I wiki'ed  it for a refresher and don't really remember too much. Pearls of Lutra seemed similar in that it took place outside of Mossflower for the most part.

Loamhedge was fun, I liked it but I can see what some might think it was a tad offensive. Highlight the text below to see if you don't mind a major spoiler.

In the book the kid in the wheelchair is following clues if I remember correctly. He's paralyzed from the waist down. In the end of the book a voice says GET UP and he miraculously leaps out of his wheelchair. From the beginning the book hinted that he'd somehow find the cure for his paralysis which I guess can be offensive to those in real life with no hope of walking.

-end quote

Reminds me of when Grandpa Joe gets the Golden Ticket in Willy Wonka 

Woah, that does sound terrible.

I don't know what gives, but I think that would throw me off entirely if I were among that specific group of people.

Another one of my favorites, which came to mind earlier is Marlfox. It arguable features my favorite warrior from the series, Janluar Swifteye. He's such a bada** and the Marlfoxes are very similar to Sith Lords from Star Wars.

Thanks for the recommendation, mate

I started Mossflower and got hooked since the very first word, but I ran out of time and I left it three chapters in until I find the time for it again. I gotta say, though, that this is the true starting point of the series (at least to my taste) since it delivers easily and confidently, whilst Redwall had some sort of unearned arrogance to it, which I really didn't appreciate all that much.

One of the things I repeatedly hear about the books (never read them myself) is how descriptive and detailed they are, and that the author purposely made them that way because he knew a child that was blind. He wanted him to be able to visualize as much of the story as possible.

Just slowly coming back to Mossflower...

I can't believe I got busy enough to leave it three chapters in (especially since I loved it so far).