We All Have Them: A Tribute to Brian Jacques

We all have them: writers who reached us at an early age, wrote something that penetrated our minds, our hearts, our souls; writers who captivated us when our minds were soft and ripe, eager for stories to get lost in. Today, one of mine passed away. His name was Brian Jacques. And I'll never forget what he did for me.

I've aways been a reader. "Book" was literally my first word. In my second grade classroom, my teacher kept a shelf of tattered, old paperbacks in a row, available to any kid who wanted to pick one up and dive in. One day I chose a book at random. It was old, worn, creased and loved. It was called Redwall. The cover image was of a funny-looking little mouse holding a sword and shield. The copy promised a grand adventure. I was a fast reader, plowing through hundreds of pages a day, so even if I didn't enjoy Redwall, it wasn't a huge loss. I took the book home with me that day. By that night, I was finished.

My bookshelf as it sits today, with Redwall and Mossflower at the bottom. Stories I love as an adult. Stories that remind me of being a child.

I was enraptured by the quest of the small, timid mouse, Matthias, and his quest to retrieve the sword of the legendary Martin the Warrior to protect his home, the Abbey, from Cluny the scourge and his minions. Over the course of the story, the timid Matthias grows into a leader, a fighter, proving himself to have courage and bravery that nobody--even himself--knew existed.

The next day I bought Mossflower, the prequel to Redwall, about the rise of Martin the Warrior. By the time Martin fought the evil feline queen Tsarmina at the end, I don't think my eyes had left the page from the moment I cracked the spine. Following I devoured Mattimeo, Mariel of Redwall, and Salamandastron. I eagerly devoured the entire Redwall series, exploring the world Brian Jacques created, learning the histories of its characters, reaching out to know everything about this creation that had passed from Jacques's mind into my own.

As I grew older, I stopped reading Brian Jacques. My tastes changed, but the memory of this world never dimmed. Recently, I noticed that new editions of the Redwall books had been released. The child I once was opened his eyes again. I bought the new editions of Redwall and Mossflower, knowing my bookshelf wasn't complete without the books that had watered and nourished my budding love of books. They sit on my shelf as we speak.

Throughout my career, I've had the fortune to meet many of my literary heroes. But I never met Brian Jacques. Still, I'd like to think that somewhere our minds and hearts met, that a person who wrote books that I cherished so much must have known the young boy I was, the stories that would enrich my life. Today, a small piece of my childhood passed on, but the memory and legacy has not.

Thank you, Brian Jacques, for your incredible stories, for helping a boy understand that courage and bravery can come from the unlikeliest of places, for helping a boy imagine a wondrous world outside of his own. Thank you for the worlds that opened his mind and heart, a world he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

Jason Pinter is the bestselling author of five thriller novels (the most recent of which are The Fury and The Darkness), as well as the ebook exclusive thriller FAKING LIFE, which have nearly 1.5 million copies in print in over a dozen languages. His first novel for young readers, Zeke Bartholomew: Superspy!, will be released in November 2011. Visit him at www.jasonpinter.com or follow him on Twitter.

 

 

 

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Comments

[JemFan]

08:55 PM on 02/11/2011

When I was 11, my Mom signed me up for a summer book club and one of the books on the list was Mossflower. I never made it to that book club, but I ended up reading Mossflower anyway and I was hooked from the first paragraph. I went on to devour Redwall and the rest of the series. At this point I think I've read the first few books at least half a dozen times. I'm 25 now and I still have such fond memories of these books. I just might have to pull one down from my bookshelf this weekend. Mr. Jacques, you will be missed. RIP.

[Behind the Tweed Curtain]

08:58 AM on 02/10/2011

I discovered Brian Jacques whilst looking for something to read at night to my son - who was slow in getting interested in reading. The stories are so beautifully told that my daughter - who is considerably older than her brother - often came into his room to snuggle up and listen as well. The death of Rose in battle is one of the few things I remember that brought him to tears in a story, he was upset with the author for killing her off. It was, as he said, very rude.

RIP Brian Jacques.

[Phil Pinkstaff]

09:59 PM on 02/09/2011

Rest in peace Mr. Jacques. I had the opportunity to meet this wonderful man four years ago when he spoke near my home for a book signing. He spent time talking to my two young sons and signed their books. He was a delightful man, very kind and caring. Thank you sir, for sharing your talent with us all.

[josh2082]

01:54 PM on 02/09/2011

I will be cracking open my copy of Redwall again this weekend.
Brian Jacques came with me through middle school and high school.

As I grew older, I fell out of reading each new book as they arrived, yet never ceased cherishing those memories given by those books in my younger years.

Very few of us can point to such a concrete and loving legacy, Mr. Jacques you will be sorely missed. Thank you for all you shared with us.

[pebbleinmyshoe]

11:09 PM on 02/07/2011

The Redwall series pretty much made my childhood. I took the paperbacks with me to school so I could read during lunchtime when everyone else was out playing on the field. I read the series at the dinner table, at parties, at restaurants, and under the covers. My brother and I fought over the newest in the series--he always won. The stories made me laugh and worry and wish for adventures. RIP Brian Jacques.

[Joshua Vaughn Bennett]

08:40 PM on 02/07/2011

Brian Jacques and his Redwall series is my entire childhood. He will be missed greatly.

[ScatmanCrothers]

06:05 PM on 02/07/2011

I was fortunate enough to have met Brian Jacques when I was 11 years old at my local small town bookstore. He signed my copy of Redwall and said "Oh you must be the Chris I keep hearing about down at the pub!" I had no clever retort of my own and stood there speechless. I'll always love his books. Weird dude. Great writer.

[dustyeskila]

05:59 PM on 02/07/2011

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Mr. Jacques... I was very lucky to have met him, but I know he reached so many kids who knew him through his tales and characters.

[Alex Blanes]

05:48 PM on 02/07/2011

Mossflower was the first novel I ever read at the age of 7 years old. Along with so many others, Brian kindled my love of reading, of food, of adventure. He gave me rudimentary tidbits of a simple morality, along with the stout and honest values of a simple life. To live well; to protect the good in ourselves and others. To defend the people and places we care about. To never give up hope.
I'll never forget what you did for me, sir. May we find you once more, a ghost upon the walls in the Hall of Badger Lords.
"Search, and never give up hope. You will find joy, frustration and sorrow in your quest. Never forget that friendship and loyalty are more precious than riches... happiness can be brief, but it knows no time in the land of dreams. Sleep on, and I will show you."
- from The Pearls of Lutra

[Emily Cross]

05:25 PM on 02/07/2011

Mr. Jacques was such an inspiration to me in so many ways. I discovered "Redwall" when I was eight and I don't remember ever being without one of his books by my side until I was twelve. His writing shaped so much of who I became. RIP, Brian Jacques.