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A review by twilliamson
The Long Patrol by Brian Jacques
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
As far as anthropomorphic fantasy goes, Redwall is simply the best series there is, and The Long Patrol might be among the best (and most important) in the series.
Shifting mostly away from Redwall proper, the book follows young Tammo, a hare who wishes desperately to live a life of adventure on the Long Patrol, the famed military group of hares from legendary Salamandastron. But aside from just being an adventure through Mossflower country, the book is really a bildungsroman of a young hare becoming a true warrior, along with a real contemplation of what it means to take up a cause and fight under a banner of good.
Like every other Redwall book, it contains a proliferation of violence that serves to build up the stakes of the book and secure a lot of its messaging regarding fantasy and adventure in distinction to stark reality. Some of the deaths in this book hit hard, and that is by intent. Of the ten books in the series up to this book, I don't think any one of them except Pearls of Lutra has been so intentional in its methodology around dealing in death, and that intentionality and focus brings incredible depth and beauty to what should be just another formulaic adventure.
But Jacques hides all kinds of wonderful philosophy in this book, whether it be through song and poetry or in the quietest moments of the book, when characters are given a breath to be their most soulful and reflective. Its discourse surrounding the place of violence, the impact it has, and the legacy of our lives and what we stand for is absolutely indelible, and thus the book is suffused with profundity and wonder even in its darkest, most emotionally-wrought moments.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I bawled three times in this book over various characters, over how Jacques still manages beauty in loss. This is not only one of the greatest books in the Redwall series, it's also just one of the greatest children's novels ever written, far ahead of its time and yet very much of its moment.
Jacques is truly one of the world's best storytellers, of any age, and I think The Long Patrol is just evidence of his mastery. He is so dearly missed.
Shifting mostly away from Redwall proper, the book follows young Tammo, a hare who wishes desperately to live a life of adventure on the Long Patrol, the famed military group of hares from legendary Salamandastron. But aside from just being an adventure through Mossflower country, the book is really a bildungsroman of a young hare becoming a true warrior, along with a real contemplation of what it means to take up a cause and fight under a banner of good.
Like every other Redwall book, it contains a proliferation of violence that serves to build up the stakes of the book and secure a lot of its messaging regarding fantasy and adventure in distinction to stark reality. Some of the deaths in this book hit hard, and that is by intent. Of the ten books in the series up to this book, I don't think any one of them except Pearls of Lutra has been so intentional in its methodology around dealing in death, and that intentionality and focus brings incredible depth and beauty to what should be just another formulaic adventure.
But Jacques hides all kinds of wonderful philosophy in this book, whether it be through song and poetry or in the quietest moments of the book, when characters are given a breath to be their most soulful and reflective. Its discourse surrounding the place of violence, the impact it has, and the legacy of our lives and what we stand for is absolutely indelible, and thus the book is suffused with profundity and wonder even in its darkest, most emotionally-wrought moments.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I bawled three times in this book over various characters, over how Jacques still manages beauty in loss. This is not only one of the greatest books in the Redwall series, it's also just one of the greatest children's novels ever written, far ahead of its time and yet very much of its moment.
Jacques is truly one of the world's best storytellers, of any age, and I think The Long Patrol is just evidence of his mastery. He is so dearly missed.