User blog comment:LordTBT/News:RIP Brian Jacques, 1939-2011/@comment-6229-20110208090641

I admit to have been mildly spooked...I had just been reading Salamandastron before I went to bed on the night of the 6th (it seemed the news had not gone out yet), and woke up on the 7th and saw a friend on Facebook posting the link that Mr. Jacques had been taken from us. I went bolt-upright in my chair, staring for several minutes - I couldn't believe it.

I discovered Redwall in middle school, little over ten years ago. I was one of "those kids", the ones with small classes, therapy sessions every week, and the occasional chat with the on-campus policeman when things got rough. On my teacher's bookshelf, she had ALL of the Redwall novels to that point (this was prior to 2001, so it would have been right up to Marlfox, as I recall). I had always been interested in stories like these, tales of adventure and legend, and I took to them immediately. I admit I've not kept up (I only have four - Salamandastron, The Bellmaker, Pearls of Lutra and The Long Patrol, as those were the ones I read the most in school), but if I ever get a chance, I will find and buy the others.

It pains me, though, that there will be no more...for no one can tell a tale of Redwall like he can.