User blog comment:Clockworthy/Essay: Why 'The Sable Quean' Could Issue In The Old Era of Creative Redwall/@comment-1421927-20100305152134

I really like this book, too. I thought having two villains co-villaining (If that's a word) the story made it more interesting. Vilaya is a cool (In the sense of something new) villain; it reminds me of like some bad chic from a James Bond movie; let the slopheads do the dirty work and get killed while I sit here drinking my blood martini (Shaken, not stirred) and talk to by BFF (The freako rat lady). It's a good change of pace from, "LET WE KILL DE ABBEY!!!!!! DIEEEEE!!!" villains we've seen in practically every book so far (Excluding Mattimeo, Salamandastron, Lord Brocktree, The Bellmaker, Martin the Warrior, and Taggerung, since they just wanted Tagg in that.)

Vilaya is slinky and sly; she'll play the pyscological card becauase she knows she's no fighter. A very smart villain.