I liked that the heroes of Loamhedge (two of them, anyway) were old warriors and served as the mentors of the three younger ones. It made the trope of “the heroes of Redwall know everything about fighting despite never going outside the Abbey walls before” much less noticeable. Horty, Fenna, and Springald are inexperienced and rash, and as a result have noticeable character development throughout the book as they journey with Bragoon and Saro.Although not as good as the Freebooters in Triss, Badredd’s gang are portrayed more sympathetically/comically than other vermin gangs in the Redwall series. Despite their overall inefficiency, they do manage to lay siege to Redwall, and perhaps because of their comic portrayal, all of the named members of the gang that attacked Redwall survive and go off and apparently live off the land for the rest of their lives. Flinky, their Chief when the gang escapes Redwall, is also liked by the rest of the vermin, another rarity. I do enjoy these moments of departure from the Redwall formula, especially in a book that is full of said formula. Also, Ka-chunk!So, how did Sister Amyl get out of her wheelchair? It seems too unlikely that her and Martha’s inability to walk were both psychosomatic. In fact, the entire “willpower cure” that Bragoon and Sara create seems a bit crass, and not at all representative of actual disabilities. Willpower (or positive thinking) is good and does affect certain areas of your life, but having the message of the book be “through willpower your disability will vanish” seems…shortsighted.So, the “hares are always hungry” gag was mildly funny for the first few books, but Jacques has really amped it up since then and now it’s only annoying. Horty is not as bad as Scarum, but still quite obnoxious. And speaking of formulas, the shrews were definitely only put in there so that there was a band of shrews with an acronym name.I’m confused as to why Martha didn’t become Abbess, after all the leading she did during the battle, and Fenna, of all creatures, did.Raga Bol, another Redwall villain to have the most anticlimactic death ever. I’ve noticed that when badger lords are involved, the villain’s death is always swift and always anticlimactic.Read more reviews at http://leafsreviews.wordpress.com/
The best Redwall bookThis may be a controversial claim, considering the large number of other highly memorable tales penned by Brian Jacques (Mossflower, Redwall) but the simple truth is that Loamhedge is by and far my pick for the best in a highly recommendable series of books.The thing that really sets Loamhedge apart from its compatriots is the originality with which it is plotted. Most Redwall books are the same standard formula, not to say they aren't good, but Loamhedge deviates from the status quo, mostly in the story of Bragoon and Sarobando, the two most memorable Redwall characters conceived which, unfortunately, means that Lonna Bowstripe's story almost bogs the story down.The plot is predictable in places, but not so predictable in others. The standard Redwall formula is there, but in other places Loamhedge is a book all unto itself. It's pleasing to see that a book series as long as Redwall can feel fresh this far into the series. Is it perfect? No. Lonna Bowstripe's story is standard and the villains are... well... Brian Jacques hasn't really written a very good villain since Slagar in Mattimeo. (That one actually was quite memorable) But this book is fully recommendable because of the story arc of Bragoon and Sarobrando. Pick it up sometime!Also, for those of you wondering, the Redwall series does follow a chronology, but the books aren't in chronological order. You can pick up any book without reading the previous one and still understand it. So there's no need to read the previous fifteen if you're curious about this one.
What do You think about Loamhedge (2005)?
And the beat goes on...Okay this book is more of the same with some differences from other Redwall books. The terrain is different which is a plus. The villains are not that intimidating. Instead of a mega-villain, the Redwall folks face a humorous and bumbling group. And the characters cross a crevasse which is an interesting change of pace too. However, far, far too much of this book is about food. I think in Jacques old age he became preoccupied with it and it shows in this book. I skim all these sections because the typical conversation is: we had food, we discussed the food, Dibbuns were ridiculous, people appreciated our food, especially hares. Secondly, this book could have the opportunity to really tie back into the past with the trip to Loamhenge, but it doesn't. They get there, they see some stuff but nothing mind blowing. Finally, the last villain really should be fleshed out. Not memorable at all, and comes only in the final few pages. The ending is great in this one however, unlike most Redwall books.
—Will Waller
Once again I feel like Jacques ended this book too soon. The scenes with the Wearet creature, Lonna Bowstripe fighting the vermin down to the last rat, Toobledum the dormouse and his pet lizard...I wish he had just continued the storyline rather than maybe worrying about time constraints or page numbers. I can't believe, however, how attracted I was to those brave warriors, Bragoon the otter and Saro the squirrel. I almost cried when I read how they died! And making up one final rhyme to add to
—Piepie Beuttel
This book is a part of a series called Redwall. Loamhedge is Brain Jacques 16th book he has made in this series. This book takes place at a red Abbey known as Redwall. A little hare named Martha sat in her wheel chair yearning to walk, but she could not walk from events in her childhood. A squirrel by the name of Sarobando, and an otter named Bragoon return to their home at Redwall after running away as dibbuns. The abbot of Redwall asked them to go on a quest to Loamhedge. A secret lies at Loamhedge, a secret that will help Martha walk once more. Vermin, traps, and many trials await for them on their quest to Loamhedge. This is a very good book, I really recamend this book to all fantasy readers.
—The Best
