It seems from what you write that we would disagree with a lot of things, but I still feel the need to express my thoughts.
Even if orcs, rats and ferrets are fantasy races, the idea that some people are simply evil because it is in their "genes" is deeply problematic. A central tenet of racism is that your morality, intelligence etc are determined by your birth, and seeing a world where this is true is just distressing for me.
Just found this rather late since its release and I found it interesting. I have read many of the Redwall books and I feel there are a few things I should mention since I had noticed similar trends, but then I noticed exceptions. There is a female squirrel called Triss who wields the sword of Martin. As well as being the first female character to wield the sword she is also the first person not from Redwall abbey to wield the sword. This felt to me like the more likely reason that Danden wielded the sword and traveled with her when Mariel went after Badrang. After Triss several others among my favorite characters such as Deyna and Tam from outside the abbey use it in later books.
On the note of species while it is mostly clear cut there are exceptions both ways. In Taggerung there is a squirrel named Maud who tries repeatedly to kill the protagonist and otter named Tagg and the pigmy shrews in the book of Martin's name enslave him and several others for a length of time. There are others as well. There are also some good characters among the vermin, Romsca being one of my favorite characters as a child. She's a Ferret corsair who after befriending the abbot of redwall begins to be more good and eventually is killed fighting monitor lizards who were going to eat him if I remember correctly. Blaggut is a sea rat who eventually kills his captain who murdered a redwaller and then goes back before settling down to make boats. Gingivere Greeneyes is a wildcat in the book Mossflower who is a very caring and good character throughout the book and disdains violence. Squire Julian Gingivere in Redwall is a descendant of his.
If you've read this far thanks. I'll check again and see if anyone commented on this. I'm rather sad to know Jaques passing has left me unable to read more of his great books.
It seems from what you write that we would disagree with a lot of things, but I still feel the need to express my thoughts.
Even if orcs, rats and ferrets are fantasy races, the idea that some people are simply evil because it is in their "genes" is deeply problematic. A central tenet of racism is that your morality, intelligence etc are determined by your birth, and seeing a world where this is true is just distressing for me.
Never read these books. Kinda want to now.
Just found this rather late since its release and I found it interesting. I have read many of the Redwall books and I feel there are a few things I should mention since I had noticed similar trends, but then I noticed exceptions. There is a female squirrel called Triss who wields the sword of Martin. As well as being the first female character to wield the sword she is also the first person not from Redwall abbey to wield the sword. This felt to me like the more likely reason that Danden wielded the sword and traveled with her when Mariel went after Badrang. After Triss several others among my favorite characters such as Deyna and Tam from outside the abbey use it in later books.
On the note of species while it is mostly clear cut there are exceptions both ways. In Taggerung there is a squirrel named Maud who tries repeatedly to kill the protagonist and otter named Tagg and the pigmy shrews in the book of Martin's name enslave him and several others for a length of time. There are others as well. There are also some good characters among the vermin, Romsca being one of my favorite characters as a child. She's a Ferret corsair who after befriending the abbot of redwall begins to be more good and eventually is killed fighting monitor lizards who were going to eat him if I remember correctly. Blaggut is a sea rat who eventually kills his captain who murdered a redwaller and then goes back before settling down to make boats. Gingivere Greeneyes is a wildcat in the book Mossflower who is a very caring and good character throughout the book and disdains violence. Squire Julian Gingivere in Redwall is a descendant of his.
If you've read this far thanks. I'll check again and see if anyone commented on this. I'm rather sad to know Jaques passing has left me unable to read more of his great books.