Badrang's lapse at the very end before Martin kills him, where he offers Martin all of the property and riches in exchange for not killing him, I found very interesting.
Badrang is both greedy and power hungry, but values his own life above that. A lot of fiction villains meet their demise because of their own greed, but Badrang's rejection of that at the very end makes him unique in my opinion.
He was desperate and that was all he had to offer. Plus that's what mattered to him and so he assumed it mattered to Martin as well. We all sort of work that way.
Well, he had already realized the chance of his dying with squirrel dude beating him up. And he had already faced the fact he was obviously losing everything and likely to die. I think bargaining is a stage of grief.
I feel like the soothsayer or prophet always dies. So yeah, definitely would've expected that, even if I wasn't explicitly surprised that she was still alive when they returned.
Well if you'll remember the whole reason why we have a picture of the map up there is because the map in the book that I looked at randomly near the beginning is not very accurate. East and West were right, but North and South were backwards
It did occur to me that at the beginning, they were still finishing the fortress, but it seemed complete enough to me during all the fighting. There was never any mention of something not being finished yet and there was a clear path all the way around the tops of the walls, and no weak points due to it not being quite finished yet.
The Gawtrybe squirrels seemed to behave unusually well in the final battle. I mean I get they saw it as a game, but they did seem forgetful and I expected more threatening by the birds to keep them focused on who their enemy was.
The time required to get to and into the fight seems like enough to get them bored and distracted. Like taking your kids on a long car ride to go to somewhere they want to go.
Maybe it served to highlight Martin's stoic nature, but I'm like... where's the rage? Where's the sulking? Where are the typical fantasy tropes after the death of a love interest?
I still think the Warden is probably my favorite character. Can't quite peg him as lawful good or lawful neutral, though. Since he doesn't really seem to have compassion for the most part, I'd lean more toward lawful neutral.
I'm a little surprised there wasn't any back and forth between the Warden and the Gawtrybe since he was escorting them. Not even like a comment from him for having to deal with them.
I don't really know what I expected of Boldred and the foreshadowing that led to her, but I wasn't disappointed. https://redwall.fandom.com/wiki/Boldred
When the small picture came up in the epilogue I seem to remember a character in either this book or Redwall who had a bunch of small pictures. Does anyone else remember this?
I don't specifically remember it, but that does sound like something we read. I just can't recall any specifics about which character, or what pictures.
In case no one caught it, the rose that is given to Redwall abbey in the epilogue is the rose from Redwall.
ReplyDeleteBadrang's lapse at the very end before Martin kills him, where he offers Martin all of the property and riches in exchange for not killing him, I found very interesting.
ReplyDeleteBadrang is both greedy and power hungry, but values his own life above that. A lot of fiction villains meet their demise because of their own greed, but Badrang's rejection of that at the very end makes him unique in my opinion.
DeleteHe was desperate and that was all he had to offer. Plus that's what mattered to him and so he assumed it mattered to Martin as well. We all sort of work that way.
DeleteWell, he had already realized the chance of his dying with squirrel dude beating him up. And he had already faced the fact he was obviously losing everything and likely to die. I think bargaining is a stage of grief.
DeleteThat's a good point.
DeleteDenial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Badrang only made it halfway through.
I did expect Polleekin to die before they saw her again. For whatever reason, that was part of the impression I got from their meeting before.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the soothsayer or prophet always dies. So yeah, definitely would've expected that, even if I wasn't explicitly surprised that she was still alive when they returned.
DeleteWhile I did not look at the map anymore when they referenced directions, I still remembered enough to know it was still upside down...
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time gauging where they actually were on the map, honestly. So directions and location felt very abstract.
DeleteWell if you'll remember the whole reason why we have a picture of the map up there is because the map in the book that I looked at randomly near the beginning is not very accurate. East and West were right, but North and South were backwards
DeleteI usually don't find myself looking at the maps in books.
DeleteAnd the map I have included in the post, the one you sent us, is the exact same map as what was printed in your book?
DeleteIt did occur to me that at the beginning, they were still finishing the fortress, but it seemed complete enough to me during all the fighting. There was never any mention of something not being finished yet and there was a clear path all the way around the tops of the walls, and no weak points due to it not being quite finished yet.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that was an attempt to suggest more time elapsed? I don't think concrete time frames were given for most of the events.
DeleteLooking back it looks like it said they were expanding it.
DeleteThe Gawtrybe squirrels seemed to behave unusually well in the final battle. I mean I get they saw it as a game, but they did seem forgetful and I expected more threatening by the birds to keep them focused on who their enemy was.
ReplyDeleteIf they're anything like my kids, you give them a chance to wreak havoc whether authorized or not, they'll relish in the opportunity.
DeleteThe time required to get to and into the fight seems like enough to get them bored and distracted. Like taking your kids on a long car ride to go to somewhere they want to go.
DeleteWe can only assume they would have resorted to friendly fire and general chaos had the battle lasted much longer.
DeleteI feel like Rose's death and the aftermath was surprisingly anticlimactic.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it served to highlight Martin's stoic nature, but I'm like... where's the rage? Where's the sulking? Where are the typical fantasy tropes after the death of a love interest?
DeleteWell, people grieve differently for one.
DeleteI still think the Warden is probably my favorite character. Can't quite peg him as lawful good or lawful neutral, though. Since he doesn't really seem to have compassion for the most part, I'd lean more toward lawful neutral.
ReplyDeletehttps://redwall.fandom.com/wiki/Warden_of_Marshwood_Hill
DeleteI'm a little surprised there wasn't any back and forth between the Warden and the Gawtrybe since he was escorting them. Not even like a comment from him for having to deal with them.
DeleteEspecially since the Gawtrybe seemed to be prone to breaking rules. I could have envisioned some banter between them about how the Warden is the law.
DeleteI don't really know what I expected of Boldred and the foreshadowing that led to her, but I wasn't disappointed.
ReplyDeletehttps://redwall.fandom.com/wiki/Boldred
When the small picture came up in the epilogue I seem to remember a character in either this book or Redwall who had a bunch of small pictures. Does anyone else remember this?
DeleteI don't specifically remember it, but that does sound like something we read. I just can't recall any specifics about which character, or what pictures.
DeleteI just remember something about a home with a bunch of pictures a lot of them tiny.
Delete