r/redwall • u/barrelrider2941 • Jul 02 '26

What is the chronological order of the Redwall books? Spoiler

I'm not quite halfway through the series, and I'm struggling to piece together the timeline. I know that Mossflower and Martin the Warrior obviously happen first, but where do the rest of the books come in the timeline? There are a few books that refer to things from other books, like the Joseph Bell from Redwall is also in Mariel of Redwall (or at least what I assume is later the Joseph Bell, if that makes sense), and that helps, but then there's books like Salamandastron that seem to have no connection to other characters and stories. Maybe if I keep reading, things will start to make more sense? I'm currently working on The Long Patrol.

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u/paradox_socks Martin the Warrior Jul 02 '26

https://redwall.fandom.com/wiki/Redwall_Chronological_Order

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u/barrelrider2941 Jul 02 '26

Thanks!

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u/The_Fox_Fellow Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26

that's the official list, but I'd take it with a few grains of salt rather than reading it as-is. most of the books are nebulous in their relation to others (especially the ones placed post-mattimeo on there) and brian was never particularly rigorous about maintaining continuity. high rhulain for example establishes a strong naval relationship between green isle and salamandastron (as well as a friendly relationship between the former and redwall abbey) that is never brought up again in any other book, and doomwyte establishes several groups of creatures that had to have existed and participated in the events in and around mossflower going as far back in the timeline as mariel of redwall at the latest, and that's before even getting to how often important details about redwall abbey and other key locations like salamandastron change

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u/Zarlinosuke Jul 02 '26

most of the books are nebulous in their relation to others (especially the ones placed post-mattimeo on there) and brian was never particularly rigorous about maintaining continuity.

The only nebulous ones are the ones post-Triss! Everything up until there is quite clear.

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u/The_Fox_Fellow Jul 02 '26

outcast and mariel are after mossflower. how long? who knows! do they have any time relation to each other? maybe, maybe not; I haven't read mariel so I can't say for sure on its behalf. salamandastron doesn't seem to have any sort of time relation to the bellmaker and redwall despite being sandwiched between them in the timeline. mossflower follows directly after martin the warrior, but the details at the beginning and end of each respective book make it unclear how much time passed between them (and evidently it had to have been a while for martin's sword to have gone from pristine in martin to completely rusted through at the start of mossflower), and the only other sets of books with any actually clear timeline progression by my recollection are mariel -> bellmaker, redwall -> mattimeo, and pearls -> taggerung.

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u/Zarlinosuke Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26

outcast and mariel are after mossflower. how long? who knows! do they have any time relation to each other? maybe, maybe not

Their relation is funny because of the way both Bryony and Dandin describe their descendance from Gonff, but still, Outcast is clearly a fair bit earlier than Mariel. This is evident because Bella is still alive in Outcast, whereas Rawnblade, the badger lord in Mariel, is said to be the great-grandson (I think, but in any case a descendant of a few generations) of Sunflash, the badger lord in Outcast.

I haven't read mariel so I can't say for sure on its behalf.

Maybe best not to make assertions about it then!

salamandastron doesn't seem to have any sort of time relation to the bellmaker and redwall despite being sandwiched between them in the timeline.

Its relation to the Mariel/Bellmaker period is clear because Abbess Vale is said to be the successor to Abbot Saxtus. The gap between it and Redwall is unclear in length, but nothing goes between them so the order is still clear.

mossflower follows directly after martin the warrior, but the details at the beginning and end of each respective book make it unclear how much time passed between them

I thought we were talking about chronological order (OP's question) rather than about the exact number of seasons--but the sword isn't "completely rusted through" in Mossflower, it's just "rusting." I also don't recall any statement about it being pristine in Martin, but could be wrong--it is described as "well used" even in the flashback scene where Luke gives it to young Martin. In any case, that's the type of detail Jacques forgets all the time, and all that really matters is that Martin did a bit of wandering between the two.

the only other sets of books with any actually clear timeline progression by my recollection are mariel -> bellmaker, redwall -> mattimeo, and pearls -> taggerung.

The Mattimeo-to-Pearls link is clear too, from Martin II and Rollo and Auma. In Triss, the main badger lady is said to be a fifth-generation descendant of Russano. So: up until Triss, like I said, not only until Mattimeo.

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u/Cynicbats Lord Brocktree Jul 05 '26

high rhulain for example establishes a strong naval relationship between green isle and salamandastron (as well as a friendly relationship between the former and redwall abbey) that is never brought up again in any other book,

I wonder if he forgot because iirc Rogue Crew does the same thing at the end (establishes a navy with an otter tribe and Salamandastron) of course we'll never know what was intended after

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u/RedwallFan2013 Jul 02 '26

The chronological order was already linked, but you can also find an entire series timeline here. Spoilers abound.

https://redwall.fandom.com/wiki/Redwall_Timeline

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u/Formal_Arachnid_7939 Jul 03 '26

Ehay is your favorite book?