Redwall is a bestselling children’s fantasy series by British novelist Brian Jacques.
Jacques’ stories follow the lives and adventures of anthropomorphic animals who live in the mystical land of Mossflower Wood. The series began back in 1986 and continued for twenty-two books until the author’s death in 2011. But even today, more than a decade after the final installment in the saga was released, the Redwall series is still captivating readers, young and old.
The Redwall Books
In the scenic countryside of Mossflower Wood resides a group of peace-loving woodland animals. There are moles, mice, otters, hares, badgers, hedgehogs, and various other critters to be found, and they all live together in relative harmony.
But despite their gentle nature, these docile animals often have to defend themselves against the wild vermin who also call Mossflower their home.
Rats, weasels, foxes, ravens, and snakes are just a few of the more hostile inhabitants in the Redwall universe. These creatures are villains of the countryside. And so, from time to time, the more gentile woodland animals are forced to become warriors in a series of ongoing battles against them.
The primary setting for most of the books in the series is Redwall Abbey – a large red sandstone building – originally founded by Abbess Germaine and Martin the Warrior. But since the abbey’s construction many years ago, countless animals have called this peaceful commune their home.
The overarching theme of the Redwall stories is the never-ending battle between good and evil. In each book, the good-natured characters of the series find themselves flung into battle with monsters and villains who threaten their way of life. So, these unlikely heroes have no choice but to be brave in the face of adversity. And, more often than not, their bravery pays off.
How to Read The Redwall Books?
There are twenty-two books in the Redwall series, but they weren’t published in chronological order. This epic saga spans multiple periods of the fictional history of Redwall and its surrounding regions, and author Brian Jacques penned his storylines across space and time.
So, with that said, you have two options when it comes to choosing your preferred reading order. Some opt to read the books in the order they were originally published, while others prefer to follow along chronologically. Below, I’ll list both so that you can decide which is best for you.
The Redwall Timeline
Before we get started with the reading order of the Redwall books, it’s important to note the various subsets of the series, which tie together to form the overarching story of the Redwall universe.
These are as follows:
1. The Martin Stories
The books Martin the Warrior, Mossflower, and The Legend of Luke all take place during the era of Martin the Warrior. Martin is a legendary mouse who eventually returns as a ghost to assist the Redwalllers in the latter part of the series.
2. The Mariel Stories
The books Mariel of Redwall and The Bellmaker both take place long after the events of the Martin the Warrior books, during the time of Joseph the Bellmaker and his daughter Mariel. These two books come as a pair and can be read as one unified story or separately, depending on your reading order preference.
3. The Badger Stories
The books Lord Brocktree, Outcast of Redwall, and Salamandastron are not intrinsically connected, and they’re set across various points in time. Still, they all share a common theme: they focus primarily on badgers.
4. The Main Series
The rest of the Redwall books make up the main series, which begins with the story of Matthias, a respected mouse who later becomes known as Matthias the Warrior. And with each subsequent book, the starring characters continue down Matthias’s family line.
The Complete List of Redwall Books in Order
Now that you have a better idea about the subsets of the Redwall series so how do these relate to the reading order?
If you choose to read the books in the order they were published, the subseries will be intermixed, switching back and forth in time with each subsequent book.
However, you read the books in a chronological timeline. In that case, you will observe the subseries largely flow into one another (see the chronological reading order below.)
That being said, there are benefits to both, and whichever way you approach the series, you’re bound to fall in love with these books.
| Sr. No. | Title | Publication Date | Print Length | Publisher | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwall | October 4, 2007 | 352 pages | Philomel Books | Amazon |
| 2 | The Tribes of Redwall: Badgers (2001) | February 18, 2002 | 24 pages | Philomel | Amazon |
The Redwall Books in Publication Order
Some fans of Brian Jacques’ epic fantasy saga insist that the only way to approach the Redwall books is to read them in publication order.
Reading in publication order means that you’ll be sent backward and forwards in time and get glimmers of characters that will flesh out and unfold throughout the series. But this is how the author originally intended it to be, so you won’t be disappointed.
The full publication order of all twenty-two Redwall books is as follows.
- Redwall (1986)
- Mossflower (1988)
- Mattimeo (1990)
- Mariel of Redwall (1991)
- Salamandastron (1992)
- Martin the Warrior (1993)
- The Bellmaker (1994)
- Outcast of Redwall (1995)
- The Pearls of Lutra (1996)
- The Long Patrol (1997)
- Marlfox (1998)
- The Legend of Luke (1999)
- Lord Brocktree (2000)
- Taggerung (2001)
- Triss (2002)
- Loamhedge (2003)
- Rakkety Tam (2004)
- High Rhulain (2005)
- Eulalia! (2007)
- Doomwyte (2008)
- The Sable Quean (2010)
- The Rogue Crew (2011)
The Redwall Books in Chronological Order
Below, you’ll find a list of the entire twenty-two-book Redwall series in chronological order. If you want to avoid flitting forwards and backward in time, this is the list you should follow.
I’ve also included notes on the various subseries, so you can see how the full Redwall saga will unfold on your reading journey.
This book forms the first part of the Badger stories collection, which takes place long before Martin the Warrior arrives on the scene, and Redwall Abbey is constructed.
Martin the Warrior, Mossflower, and The Legend of Luke all form the Martin stories subseries. Each book is set during the time of Martin the Warrior, the famous founder of Redwall Abbey.
This follow-up to the first Badger stories book acts as a standalone. It tells the tale of Sunflash the Mace, a Badger Lord later known as Sunstripe, thanks to the distinctive golden stripe on his snout.
Mariel of Redwall and The Bellmaker form the Mariel stories. These tales take place after the time of Martin the Warrior and before Matthias arrives on the scene.
The third and final installment of the Badger stories, Salamandastron, is another standalone title with events that are largely unconnected to the rest of the series.
- Redwall (1986)
- Mattimeo (1989)
- The Pearls of Lutra (1996)
- The Long Patrol (1997)
- Marlfox (1998)
- The Taggerung (2001)
- Triss (2002)
The seven books above form the first part of the main series, which begins with Matthias and continues down his family line.
- Loamhedge (2003)
- Rakkety Tam (2004)
- High Rhulain (2005)
- Eulalia! (2007)
- Doomwyte (2008)
- The Sable Quean (2010)
- The Rogue Crew (2011)
The last seven books in the chronological timeline continue through the generations, far into the future of Redwall.
The final book, The Rogue Crew, was published posthumously after the author’s death in 2011.
The Tribes of Redwall Mini-Series
This supplementary mini-series takes a deeper dive into the different clans and tribes that inhabit Redwall Abbey and the surrounding countryside.
Each book examines a different species and unveils new information about their backgrounds, characteristics, and roles within the wider Redwall universe.
Originally, the collection was intended to be longer to cover more species, but author Brian Jacques had published just three before his death in 2011. Still, if you’re a fan of the Redwall series, you won’t want to miss these fascinating guides, complete with character profiles, quizzes, and a full-color pull-out poster.
- The Tribes of Redwall: Badgers (2001)
- The Tribes Of Redwall: Otters (2002)
- The Tribes of Redwall: Mice (2003)
Conclusion
Brian Jacques’ bestselling Redwall series has delighted young readers for generations. And even though the author is sadly no longer with us, his captivating tales and incredible legacy live on today.
Are you a fan of the Redwall series? Perhaps you read it as a child, or maybe you’re just exploring it for the first time now. Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please drop me a comment in the box below!