Customer Reviews

The Sable Quean (Redwall)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I admit it: I'm a sucker for Redwall books. I've read all of them; when my Library ordered The Sable Quean, I was the first to place a request for it.

Of Jacques' most recent Redwall books, High Rhulain was the most disappointing, though Eulalia and Doomwyte were better -- but this one! The Sable Quean is, in my opinion, the best Jacques book to come out since Triss. (Taggerung is my all-time favorite, for those dying to know.)

Alright, I'll try to keep this spoiler-free:

The plot has a number of familiar Jacques elements, but he keeps you guessing here more than I might have anticipated. Memorable villains (if not the most ostentatiously evil) and an ensemble of sympathetically displayed woodlanders give the novel an excellent cast. I feel that Jacques should have focused more on his hero rather than on his hero's comical friend, but that is a minor quibble. This novel does not have the epic feel of Mossflower or The Long Patrol, but tends to convey even more than usual the folksy atmosphere of Jacques' world.

I can recommend this entry in the Redwall cannon with great enthusiasm. Check out your library and start reading. I did, and it only took me less than a week to finish, college work aside (yes, I still read Redwall books at 19). Happy reading!

Brian Jacques has done it again. The Sable Quean is a terrific book, a worthy additon to the acclaimed Redwall series.

The beginning starts out well, but as the story began to follow the familiar routes of the previous books, I was a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I love the Redwall books. However, Jacques brilliantly rescues the story halfway through the book.

The Sable Quean is a magnificent book from Redwall, rivalling the first Redwall books and is quite possibly the greatest book yet from the Redwall shelf. This book is written proof that the amazing Brian Jacques is definitely NOT losing his touch. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the Redwall series.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I pre-ordered the book and it overwhelmingly met my anticipation. It had the usual cast of characters with the addition of a warrior mole. I would indeed like to read about more of him. For fans of Mossflower Woods and Redwall Abbey, this tale is a welcome addition to you library. Hurry with the audiobook!!

I found The Sable Quean to be a fantastic addition to the bestselling Redwall series. Brian Jaqcues did a wonderful job of writing a traditional Redwall book and adding in little twists that left us all guessing.

I have read the other reviews and agree with almost all of them as far as minor problems go, such as how the babes were kept quiet. I do realize that they slept a lot but I feel the same way about that as Austin in his review.

I also have seen better heroes, like many reviewers but thought this cast was a phenomenal addition to said heroes. I loved Diggs and Buckler and their comical conversations. Diggs was the irrepressable hare I hoped him to be and I thought he made an amazing addition to the cast, and Buckler nonetheless. I sort of wished that Buckler would be the one to defeat one of the main villians, seeing as he is the primary hero in this book.

Then there is the warrior mole known as Axtel Sturnclaw. Brian Jaqcues did an all around fantastic job with him. As far as Axtel having the Bloodwrath goes, I thought that in itself made an amazing addition to his character. On another point he had an amazing sense of "balance" to his character. What I mean by this is that he had most of the mole characteristics such as wisdom and common sense and gentleness, but he has an air of bravery and experience about him. In short, a phenominal character all around.

I honestly wished I could have seen more otters, seeing as Skipper did not have his usual crew.

All around, that put aside, I loved the book and will be waiting anxiously for the next book. For all you Redwall fans or even those who have never read Brian Jaqcues, I recommend this book very highly. It is a suprising book and when you think you know how it is going to end, it takes a new turn that leaves you guessing until the end. Thank you Brian Jaqcues, you have once again written a book we all enjoy.

Redwall Abbey is hundreds of years old. It has withstood countless assaults and provided shelter for many travelers. Its history is as colorful as the beautiful Mossflower woodlands where it sits. Heroes have come and gone, often leaving the inhabitants of the Abbey with fantastic tales to tell their young ones. The Abbey brims with such stories and the reputation of its great cuisine. Any who go through its welcoming doors are treated to the best food imaginable:

From end to end the tables groaned under the array of fresh breads, salads, cheeses and pastries... platters of scones, tarts, cakes and pies, each with a different filling, most topped with whipped honey or meadowcream. The centerpiece was a magnificent flan of strawberries, plums and damsons set in red currant jelly on a shortcake base.

Abbess Marjoram is proud of the Abbey she oversees and prouder still of the gentle, simple creatures living in its protective walls. Its peaceful existence, however, seems too often threatened by one marauder or another. This time, the threat concerns their Dibbuns (children) who have been disappearing.

Now the entire Abbey is in chaos and fear when two Long Patrol hares from the Salamandastron valley appear on their doorstep: Buckler Blademaster and his fat but noble friend, Subaltern Meliton Gubthorpe Digglethwaite, otherwise known as Diggs. It does not take them long to take in the situation and agree to find the missing Dibbuns, whatever the risk.

Meanwhile, plots are being put into action under the evil direction of a villainous badger, Vilaya the Sable Quean. Her quest is to overtake the Abbey, and her plan is to undermine the inhabitants so they will bow to her will. What better way than to threaten these families by stealing the children --- they will be so terrified that they will hardly put up a fight. Her chosen partner is none other than the menacing Zwilt the Shade. Zwilt is well known for his abilities as a swordsman, but also for his totally ruthless disregard for anyone who gets in his way. Vilaya is even more deadly, never trusting anyone (and definitely not Zwilt). But Vilaya and Zwilt have no idea that by taking children from the Abbey, they have unleashed the wrath of every Abbey dweller along with the formidable talents of Buckler and Diggs.

No battles are won without bloodshed. Sacrifices are made, which are painful and sometimes senseless. Zwilt and Vilaya leave a trail of dead bodies wherever they go, eventually ending in a surprising confrontation between the two. But this is just one of many twists as the Ravenger vermin push their way to the Abbey.

When Zwilt and the Ravengers break into the Abbey, the battle between Buckler and Zwilt ensues. Surprisingly, Zwilt gets the drop on the mighty hare, and with the help of Zwilt's guards, Buckler is cornered:

Zwilt stood over his victim, raising the big broadsword aloft to judge the strike. "Well, rabbet, you don't look so brave now, do you?"

In his 21st book of Redwall, Brian Jacques manages again to keep his readers on the edge. His villains are horrible, his heroes are mighty, and the Abbey food is delectable. Join the throngs who love these books because THE SABLE QUEAN does not disappoint. For more fun and information, visit [...]. Jacques has done it again!

Young Buckler Kordyne is a Blademaster of the mighty Salamandastron who, although his incredible skills with his custom sword might make him think of his future as a general....but not Buck! His quick-witted, near arrogant manner makes him anything but a favourite amongst officers in the Long Patrol, even with the Badger Lord. For this reason, he is sent to deliver hand-made bell ropes for Redwall Abbey.

Along the way, with his ever-present companion Diggs, Buckler will learn the truth of being a warrior, with the mystery of friend's children disappearing without a trace causing him to extend his stay at the Abbey. All over Mossflower, young ones are going missing.....but by who?

Zwilt the Shade is a enigma of a beast, a strange creature known as a sable (these are the only two that have ever even been mentioned, you might know the species as a kind of marten-like creature, like Ublaz Madeyes from Pearls of Lutra or Ashleg from Mossflower). He lives to serve his Quean (the strange spelling comes from the Old English word meaning "wicked woman"). Zwilt runs her army of Ravagers and does her bidding with capturing young ones and taking them to the mysterious location known as Althier.

What might become of such young ones? Will they ever return home to their parents? It might just be the job for an upstart hare with vengeance to pay.....





I have read Brian Jacques' books since the debut of "Redwall". It has been a pleasure to watch to progress of the series, and "The Sable Quean" will not disappoint. The story is fast and furious, with parts that seriously make you question motives of both the Sable Quean herself, and, to my great and wonderful surprise, the author. I love all of Brian's books, but I must say I always feel the later books (after book 5) were lacking details I cherished in the earlier books of his series. He has brought this back very much so, with a well-rounded story and characters. It's nice to see some vermin, who, I must say, are often my favourite characters in the books, with a bit of backbone and true cunning. Zwilt caught my attention more so than any other of the characters, with an interesting story, species, and personality.

This story is unlike any other of Jacques' books, being as the whole idea of it all, (hares from Salamandastron fighting in Redwall Abbey, anyone?) and also I love past history of Mossflower that many of us old-time readers will recall with relish, love, and fond nostalgia. The main problem I had was that the plot of stealing the young woodlanders was never explained? Vilaya never went on to tell her plans in anything other than terms that were very vague at best. The weren't slaves, or food, like in some cases in Redwall books, in fact, they were actually treated better than would be expected by vermin. Some really wonderous twists in the book, mostly involving the main characters, Buck, Zwilt....but mostly Vilaya. The unlike-ness of any other of Jacques' books makes this one stand out.

In all, one of my favourite. Two thumbs up!

A great book and a great series...Brian Jacques is a story teller, par excellance! Start at the beginning and borrow or buy them all for your young children! I still buy them for my young adult sons and they read them, have been for almost 20 years.

I loved this Redwall book! It was defintely one of my favorites. With a slight change in plot, The Sable Quean kept me interested. The plot was well-done, and the characters were designed very nicely, with the really evil villains and the enjoyable crew of Redwallers, Long Patrol members, and Guosim, plus other one-time groups (such as the Witherspyk family, who were quite funny). There were plenty of songs, food descriptions, and humor to keep the book light. Vilaya and Zwilt are a "good" set of villains, and there is a surprising turn around half-way or so between the two. The heroes/heroines are also a memorable group, including Buckler, Diggs, and Flib, to mention a few. I would rank The Sable Quean as one of the best Redwalls yet.

I bought this to add to my son's collection of Redwall books. It was exactly what he wanted and is in excellent condition. We got it in plenty of time for Christmas. Thanks, Amazon!

This book was wonderful, and I love the story. The red and blue were a LOT brighter and a little obnoxious, which is why I rated it 4 stars. Otherwise I love it!