In 2013, we uncovered the cover artwork for the Czech translation of Redwall. Milan Dubnický's contribution was such a vibrant and beautiful cover I knew it would make a perfect addition to the Redwall Wiki library.
The front cover portrays Cluny the Scourge, whip-tail in paw, with his horde outside of Redwall Abbey.
And the back cover is equally mesmerizing: Basil Stag Hare and Matthias with a shrew in Mossflower Woods.
When the book arrived in my mailbox from the Czech Republic, there were a few surprises.
First, the book was a very small 186-page paperback - there is no Czech hardcover edition.
Second, it was meant to be part of a trilogy.
The full title of "Červená Pevnost" ("Red Fort") includes the subtext 'Kniha první: Hradby' (Book One: The Wall).
It was originally published in early 1996 by Asociace Fanoušků Science Fiction (AFSF) and Andre, but oddly this publisher seems to have gone out of business before the other two books hit the market.
"Kniha Druhá - Výprava" ("Book Two - The Quest") and "Kniha Třetí - Bojovník" ("Book Three - The Warrior") are all mentioned in the beginning of Červená Pevnost as being the other two parts of the 'trilogie'.
They're referenced again at the very end. "Výprava" was scheduled for October 1996 publication, while "Bojovník" was scheduled for December.
Alas, there are no internal illustrations - or even a map. Below, find a comparison of this paperback to a U.S. Redwall hardcover.
For another Czech language feature, please see the Redwall Wiki's review of the Czech editions of Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales.
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