March 2020 Bracket

This is the Lent of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. I never thought I would live during a time of pandemic, but here we are, and it has meant I've read a lot of books lately. Total book count for the month: 14.

I switched up the bracket mechanics just a little bit, giving all the books an initial standing and pairing them up accordingly. This bracket was developed in Microsoft PowerPoint and I found it much easier to create than previous brackets, which I made in Paint.

Book Descriptions, Why I Picked Them, and My Impressions

Sarah Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan

A simple and short tale from the Great Plains, this story centers on a family of father and children who invite a woman from Maine into their lives in the hopes that she will stay.

Why I picked it up: I was browsing the Kindle Unlimited selection and this title caught my eye. I had heard of it before, and what with my love of children's literature and the impressive Newberry Medal awarded to it, I needed no other encouragement to try it out.

My impressions: It reminded me strongly of Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, although I think it chronologically falls a little later than those stories.  I imagine this book as taking place at the end of the 19th century. It also is much shorter than the "Little House" books - I read the entire thing in the space of two hours or less. I never knew that a "mail-order bride" scenario could be so endearing, but it was the sweetest thing. There was not much "action" or even much to the plot - widower advertises for a wife, he and his two children begin a letter correspondence, and she visits, and then decides to stay - but this story captured my heart. Not only was the writing beautiful and thoughtful, but it made me yearn for Sarah to stay, just as her potential new family did. I highly recommend this book; it is appropriate for all ages, but those who need some more "Little House on the Prairie"-style books in their lives should definitely check this book out.

Skylark, by Patricia MacLachlan

The second book in the "Sarah Plain and Tall" series considers the difficulties of leaving one home to make a new start somewhere else. Sarah must navigate between memories of Maine and the wonderful people in her new life as a drought strikes the prairie.

Why I picked it up: Who knew there was a whole series? I'd only ever heard of "Sarah Plain and Tall". It was the second book and easily available at the library.

My impressions: Again, a simple, straightforward book, but the tension was heightened this time as the family faces some interpersonal difficulties as well as the problems created by Nature. Even though the characters deal with some very real problems, I felt like I was able to explore and observe them in safety alongside the characters. When I first finished it, I had trouble deciding if I liked this book better or the original. Same recommendation as above, especially if the reader enjoyed the first book.

Caleb's Story, by Patricia MacLachlan

The third book behind "Sarah Plain and Tall" comes from the perspective of Caleb, the brother of the original narrator. Caleb's long-lost grandfather returns to the family farm and the family - especially Caleb's father - struggle to learn how to reintegrate him into their lives.

Why I picked it up: It was the next book in the series I was reading.

My impressions: This book dealt with heavy emotional turmoil. Again, I appreciated how I was able to enter into the conflict without becoming perturbed myself. I am impressed by how real these characters and situations feel, and I maintain the same recommendation for this one.

More Perfect Than the Moon, by Patricia MacLachlan

"Sarah Plain and Tall" series' fourth book is written from the perspective of Sarah's biological daughter. It details her struggle to accept the advent and appearance of a new baby to the family.

Why I picked it up: It was the next book in the series I was reading.

My impressions: This book was not quite as enjoyable as the first three. The narrator really dislikes the prospect of having a new baby brother or sister and is very negative about it. Again, this is a real situation that happens now, too, but the story was not as excellent as the others. All the same, I'd still recommend it, but perhaps not as strongly.

Grandfather's Dance, by Patricia MacLachlan

The final book in the "Sarah Plain and Tall" series has a wedding as an important event, but the focus is on the narrator's relationship with her grandfather.

Why I picked it up: It was the last book in the series I was reading.

My impressions: Thanks to several instances of foreshadowing in the tale, I knew how the book was going to end, and that made it difficult. I won't give any spoilers, but if someone picks up this book, I would not be surprised to find they could guess the ending. Again, this book was not quite as enjoyable as some of the others - likely because of the ending. I also found the narrator's imaginative trains a little on the strange side. For example, she daydreams she is having her wedding. That is pretty normal, I'd imagine, even for a younger girl. However, she imagines her groom-to-be as the family dog. I suppose it's cute, and maybe even that is not unusual, but that certainly rang an odd note for me. I'd recommend this book, but with the warning that some parts might make sensitive readers (like me) emotional.

The World's First Love, by Venerable Fulton Sheen

This book is an admirable and loving work on the Virgin Mary and her role in our lives and in the world.

Why I picked it up: I remember finding this on the discount shelf at a local Catholic bookstore and purchasing it, likely because I had heard of the author before. I tend to work through spiritual books slowly and only one at a time, so it was a while before I actually got around to reading it.

My impressions: This book is excellent. I already had a devotion to Mary, but this book presented some different thought about her and God that I had not considered before. I could tell that Fulton Sheen loved Mary from the way he wrote about her. And he is an excellent writer, too. I imagined that this book was the result of hours and hours of meditation in an adoration chapel. I have no clue if that's accurate or not, but that was my impression of it. I definitely recommend this book as spiritual reading for Catholics, whether you are already familiar with her or not. It can work well as food for thought in adoration, but it's also good just a few paragraphs at a time.

Ember's End, by S. D. Smith

This is the fourth and final book in the "Green Ember" series. In a fight between rabbits and predatory creatures, this is the finale of a good-versus-evil saga. Stakes are high, battles rage, and the evil master of the foes himself comes out to wage war.

Why I picked it up: I pre-ordered this book and was eager to read it because book #3 - "Ember Rises" - ended on quite the cliffhanger.

My impressions: I appreciate what the author did with this series - it was a set of books after my own heart. However, I have to admit that there were multiple elements that I wish were different, especially in this last book. I won't have spoilers here, but for more of my thoughts on this book, please refer to my earlier post about "Green Ember" and "Redwall." I would recommend this book without reserve to slightly older children (10+?) who enjoy anthropomorphic - or even just action - stories, excepting the fact that I do think some of it is too intense for those who aren't emotionally ready for some somewhat dark events.

Paradiso, by Dante Allighieri (John D. Sinclair translation)

This is the third part of Dante's classic epic poem about a man's journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, this being the final section and the one that focuses on Heaven. Dante is guided by his inspiration, Beatrice, through the different spheres of Heaven.

Why I picked it up: It was time. This poem had been on my list for years, but I had not tackled it until last fall. I had finished "Purgatorio" during my Christmas break, but then I needed a break from Dante. I made good on my plans to read it during spring break, and it is finally read.

My impressions: I'm glad I've read it and now know what some great writers are talking about when they refer to this work. It feels like a big accomplishment. However, I don't anticipate I'll be picking it up again any time soon. I appreciated this particular translation because the translator worked to provide context for obscure references. It turns out that Dante included many of his contemporaries in the work and I had no idea who most of them were - I might have recognized the name of a pope or king or two, but that was it. If I ever go back and read it again, I think I will try a version that has been translated into a poem - this one was rendered into prose. It could not possibly recreate the poem as it was composed in its original Italian, but I wonder how the effect might change if I read it as a rhyming poem. I would not recommend this work unless the reader was an adult who had committed to this big project and could handle some pretty academic topics.

Out of My Mind, by Sharon Draper

This book follows the story of a 10-year-old girl who cannot talk because she has cerebral palsy, and therefore limited control of her body. When she gets an alternative/augmentative communication (AAC) device that helps her communicate, she tries out for and makes it onto the school's equivalent of a "scholar's bowl" team.

Why I picked it up: This had been an option on a list of books to read for my AAC class in grad school, but I passed it over. A social media friend recommended it a while back. And then, Kindle Unlimited happened and it was there.

My impressions: I know that I am positively biased towards the book from the outset because AAC is something that is directly connected to my field of work. I do not work with it to this level myself, but I was grateful that an author had taken the time to write out a story like this. Lots of kids probably see students like the main character and are not aware of the ways their words and actions can unintentionally hurt someone. However, bullying takes place in the story, too. There was a twist that I did not expect and - well, it got me. I think the one thing that wasn't perfect was the taste I had in my mouth at the end. It wasn't the wrong ending, but I think there was something about the tone of the ending chapters that was a little off for me. I would recommend this book for kids (and adults) 10 and older.

Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis

This book is a sort of "popular theology" or "layman" look at the Christian faith in God, written by Christian convert C. S. Lewis. It developed from a series of BBC radio talks he gave.

Why I picked it up: This was a reread for me - either the second or third time going through it. Someone mentioned it in the last couple months and I decided it was time to read it again.

My impressions: I was not as wowed this time around as I was originally, but that in no way detracts from the excellence of this book. As a Catholic, there are a few moments when I thought he was off the track a little bit, but most of his theology is spot on. Lewis has a dynamic writing style and uses great hypothetical examples. I would recommend this book to just about anyone high school and older, but for readers on the younger side (specifically, Catholics) I would throw in a word of caution that not quite everything comes off as theologically solid, although it overall is excellent. I would recommend to Christians and non-Christians alike, but for different reasons.

Surprised by Joy, by C. S. Lewis

C. S. Lewis wrote this autobiographical account of how he came to believe in God and become a Christian. He goes through his life from his early childhood, through the death of his mother, a strained relationship with his father, boarding school years, the war, and college. He identifies "joy" as the defining feature of his journey and as the experience of which that ultimately brought him to God.

Why I picked it up: This was another book that long held a place on my "to-read" list, and specifically on the "to-read" area of my shelf. 

My impressions: It is a solid work, but not my favorite of Lewis'. There were some parts - specifically, when he described some of the culture of boarding schools he attended - where again his theology did not seem quite right, but I'm still thinking through that. I learned that he experienced something like scrupulosity at one point, which I had not known before. But his description of "joy," especially as he went through his Wagner/"Northernness" phase, was recognizable to me. The way he described his delight in these things were echoes of some of my own experiences. I am not surprised that that sensation or phenomenon or whatever one calls it was what led him to God. I wouldn't place this book terribly high on the list of "C. S. Lewis books everyone should read," but I am glad to have read it. I read a lot of books about Lewis' works, so it is good to reconnect with the actual works every once in a while. I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone younger than a pretty mature high school student. Lewis doesn't dwell long on some more mature topics in this work, but they do come up.

I Thirst, by Gina Marinello-Sweeney

Rebecca, a Catholic psychology student, navigates college life and various friendships; first of the "Veritas Chronicles".

Why I picked up this book: A good friend said that she just finished the third book in this series and really liked it, so I decided I'd give the series a shot.

My impressions: This was a pretty light, easy read (finished it in one day); think along the lines of the Regina Doman fairy tale novels or "Catholic Philosopher Chick," if you're familiar with those. I have discovered this genre is not my favorite - I feel bad saying that, but clearly-obvious Catholic high school/college students who must experience modern life and relationships don't hold much captivation for me. Like I said, though, this book has its good points. The friendships Rebecca has are very realistic and her conversations (with her gal pals) sound like those I might have myself. I was a little disappointed about the lack of plot, but it did not bother me much. I was put off a bit more by the style of writing. Rebecca is a poet, and that came across a little too strongly for me in the writing - good chunks of the book are written in what I thought was an overtly poetic manner and it didn't quite work. I skimmed much of those parts and quite a bit of the story she was writing with a friend. This book would probably be enjoyed most by Catholic, college-aged (or slightly past) women.

The Rose and the Sword, by Gina Marinello-Sweeney

Rebecca, a Catholic psychology graduate student, navigates a mentored counseling assignment and various friendships; second of the "Veritas Chronicles."

Why I picked up this book: It was the second book in a series.

My impressions: Pretty much the same as above, with some differences. There was more of a plot this time, but I took issue with the villains. I feel that books in this specific niche all tend to run to the same - situation? - flaw? - perspective? Let me explain. In the Regina Doman fairy tale novels, "Catholic Philosopher Chick" books, and in this book, I have noticed that the antagonists are supposed to be "evil" and it just doesn't come across naturally in this setting. Yes, there is evil in this world, and people sometimes do evil things. But most Catholic high school/college girls who are living their faith are not going to run into the psychotic and/or criminal underworld of society. Most aren't going to come across coworkers or classmates or mentors or future mothers-in-law who are connected to drugs, felonies, or even vandalism. Or if they are, they're usually not rotten to the core. The villains in these books often are. I can appreciate a sincere desire to create tension or action in stories, but I can't help thinking that there is a better way to do it in this genre, even if I'm not sure what it is. This book would carry the same recommendation as "I Thirst."

Consecration to Saint Joseph, by Father Calloway

This book follows the style of consecration in the vein of "33 Days to Morning Glory," etc., but this time it focuses on Saint Joseph.

Why I picked up this book: I had been hearing about this book for half a year when I received it free from my diocese's retreat center, the Spiritual Life Center. Some people on a team with me agreed that we would all do it together and finish it on the solemnity of Saint Joseph.

My impressions: It was a pretty solid book and I'm glad I did the consecration. However, I felt that the author presented some aspects of Joseph's life with a little more "certitude" than was warranted. I might be completely off, but I'll leave it at that. I do feel like I know Saint Joseph more, and I'm always glad to learn more about the saints. I'm curious to see how Saint Joseph works for the Church today, specifically through this consecration. I really loved the artwork Father Calloway commissioned to be made of Saint Joseph - full-color plates are included in the back of the book. I honestly think I might invest in a piece if/when I get married. I recommend this book for any Catholic who would like to get Saint Joseph more; probably high school age and above, but I could imagine this being a great thing to do as a family.

Bracket Play

Here we have the bracket again. As you might guess, it was much easier to eliminate some of the books that I didn't think were quite as good when I pitted the strongest book against the weakest and went from there. This means that the last two "Sarah Plain and Tall" books, as well as the "Veritas Chronicles" books, were quickly eliminated.

However, I was also sad to see "Caleb's Story" fall to "Mere Christianity." The Lewis book won out because it is such a classic and a very approachable apology (Catholic definition) for Christian belief. It was also hard to have "Out of My Mind" win out over the "Consecration to Saint Joseph" book, for more than one reason. Of course, I felt guilty that I would pick a secular children's novel over a book on a spiritual theme, but I went with the former because it was a very solid book and a story that I think needs to be heard more. Of course we should hear about Saint Joseph, too, but...it's hard to compare apples and oranges.

"Sarah Plain and Tall" received a buy on the second round, while another book in the series fell to "Mere Christianity" again. Sheen's book beat "Out of My Mind" because of the author's excellent writing and because of the connection I had with the subject. "Ember's End" took out "Paradiso" because, even though it was not as lofty in theme or execution, it was way more fun to read and it's far likelier that I'll come back to it again. 

However, the flaws of "Ember's End" prevented it from defeating "Sarah, Plain and Tall." And while "Mere Christianity" would win out over "The World's First Love" if I were recommending books to a non-Catholic, this is my bracket, and Sheen's book wins. His love for Mary is so evident in his writing, and the book is both an apology for Catholic doctrine on Mary as well as a way to help the reader love her more.

The final showdown was again difficult, as the contenders were so different. How do you weight the worth of a fictional, non-religious book for children with a nonfiction work about the Virgin Mary? I decided that Sheen's book won, but it felt like a false dichotomy. I would have picked both.

And maybe the next time I read fourteen books in a month, I'll break it up into two brackets - one for fictional works, and one for non-fiction. That might be a better weigh of measuring them.

Thank you for giving this long post a chance. I hope that you have learned a little bit about a book or two you would like to try out sometime.

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Redwall and The Green Ember

It's not the end of the month, but I felt the need to write something today. I just finished reading the final book in a series around lunchtime and the urge struck me soon after, but as I'm not mentally prepared to go and edit a large work (which I considered for two seconds), I figured a blog post would do.

The book, called "Ember's End," is the finale of a four-volume tale known as The Green Ember series. The saga details the battle of noble rabbits against their murderous enemies - primarily large birds of prey, but wolves, other rabbits, and other creatures as well.

IF you are considering reading this series ever, STOP reading now, for there will be spoilers.

Consider yourself warned.

Today's conclusion was a big moment for me. I think it's the first time I had to wait for the next book in a series to come out. This marks the first time I ever pre-ordered a book. This is not the first time, but it is one of the bigger times I felt like I had a story that I could potentially spoil for others. And this is one of the only authors with whom I have corresponded on their works. There were many firsts with this series. One of the biggest "firsts" happened with the first book, however. Two years ago, when I first began reading the original, "The Green Ember," I had serious flashbacks to another series I had loved to read while growing up: the Redwall series, by Brian Jacques.

There will not be a bracket for these two series (at least, not at this time), but I would like to compare and contrast them and their respective qualities.

Similarities

It might be best to point out what it is about both sets of books that reminds me one of the other. Both Redwall and The Green Ember series are anthropomorphic accounts of woodland creatures in a "medieval" setting - think swords, catapults, battles, etc. Both series include characters that are noble and vile, and the main conflict generally centers on the battle between good and evil. Herbivorous creatures in these tales are generally on the side of "good," and carnivorous creatures generally fall in the realm of "evil" (a notable exception in the Redwall series being the otters, who are "good" creatures). As one can see, the essential trappings of both series are very similar in a general sense.

However, story structure and other elements line up amazingly well, too. Quests are a big part of these stories, as are the singing of songs and even messages or visions related through dreams. Seer characters and religious orders pop up in both, as do references to ancient heroes of the past. In both sets, stories/the story usually begins with some group of young creatures - innocent and happy - who find themselves plunged into danger and in need of some serious maturation. I would also like to point out that the reader can detect definite improvements in the authors' respective writing styles as one progresses through the series. Illustrations are featured in both sagas.

Even with these similarities, though, I have decided that there are some areas of weakness in both series, and these weaknesses are highlighted because those same areas are often relative strengths for the other work.

What Redwall Does Well

The Redwall series has a lot going for it. It includes 22 books and features a wide variety of creatures in its cast, including mice, hares, badgers, otters, squirrels, shrews, moles, hedgehogs, ferrets, rats, weasels, foxes, wildcats, and others. When I read the books, I felt pretty comfortable with my assumption that Jacques included most of the forest creatures to be found in Great Britain in this series, and therefore figured I had something close to a complete picture of the world. And his world-building was pretty good. As there are many books, and they are all stand-alone stories (but sometimes featuring connections via characters carried over from the previous story in the timeline), a lot of time passes; the maps are different in details, but the main locations stay the same. Redwall is pretty central. A path runs by it on one side, and open space lies on another, with Mossflower wood reaching around other parts of it. Salamandastron is in the south. The sea is to the west. In these essential respects, Jacques stays consistent.

Jacques also works well with multiple story lines. In a typical book, he would have two to three storylines going at once. There is always one for a stationary location - usually Redwall or Salamandastron - which is typically under attack, one for the questing group, and sometimes one for the villain. These lines diverge and remain separate for much of the story, but they converge at some point or another. Jacques switches between storylines easily and did not really spend too much time on one over another. He made use of these breaks to build suspense when appropriate - this is good, but as we'll see later, he does not take it to the level of The Green Ember.

I'll finish up with some of my favorite parts of the Redwall books: food and festivals. Jacques' books are full of delicious food descriptions. I have never tried deeper'n'ever, turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot pie, but I would pay money to have my own slice. Listen to the musicality of that name! Feast descriptions are paragraphs long and give details about everything from the cheeses and main course to the drinks and desserts. Jacques knew how to describe a spread, and he never disappointed me in that regard. Finally,  one of the best parts of the book was the end. At the conclusion of every Redwall novel, there is a celebration. Yes, there is food, but food alone does not a festival make. The party lasts for multiple days, but length of time does not create a proper feast, either. Perhaps the most important element in these feasts is the sense of homecoming. After suffering many trials and surviving manifold dangers, the heroes return home to Redwall and celebrate with their loved ones. The friends who were left behind at the Abbey often have to wait a long time to see their return, and Jacques builds the sense of expectation beautifully. After impatience and longing, all are reunited and healed, and the time to celebrate begins. The festival requires many elements to achieve the right tone: food in abundance, joy and games, good company, sometimes the bittersweet remembrance of fallen friends, and a sense of peace achieved. There is usually some afterword that details how happily things have developed at the Abbey since the threat of evil was destroyed, and then an invitation to the reader to come visit Redwall Abbey again. This final note often breaks the fourth wall, but it feels nice to be considered "welcome" the next time I read a Redwall book.

What Redwall Does Not Do as Well

May I say two words? Formula writing. Brian Jacques found a format that worked for him and he sure stuck to it. I have joked before with my friends that I could probably write a good fan-fiction based off the elements that ALWAYS show up in the stories. I won't list them here, but maybe that could be a project for another day. Much like the plot elements, characters also tended to be flat, both individually and as a species. Yes, some characters developed and gained refinement from their greenhorn beginnings, but Jacques seemed to refer to types more often than not. Hares were always garrulous, gallant, and hungry. Moles always have homely common-sense. Otters are always jovial but great athletes and capable in a fight. I still find many of his books to be unique and enjoyable even if they share the same parameters, but the last four or five books, in my estimation, dropped considerably in their creativity. The books did finally reach a point where they felt like they had "been there, done that."

While I noted that Jacques had been pretty consistent in world-building as far as locations on the map go, I would say that there are some internal inconsistencies that I have noticed. In the first half or two-thirds of the series, he refers to the afterlife as the "Dark Forest." It seemed to me that all creatures, whether good or evil, ended up in this place after death. However, there comes a point when he drops references to the Dark Forest and refers to "Hell" or "Hellgates" for evildoers and...well, there's no reference to any afterlife regarding those who lived well. Another case of inconsistency occurs with the characters of "Mariel of Redwall" and "The Bellmaker." These stories are some of the few that actually happen very close in time to each other, and therefore, there's a lot of carryover in the character department. Unfortunately, if one reads these books one after another, the reader feels that the Mariel and co. of one book are very different from the Mariel and co. of the other. Looking at publication order, Jacques wrote other books in the series between these two, so my guess is that by the time he made it back to the same characters, he'd probably lost a sense of their unique qualities, which resulted in some pretty flat characters in "The Bellmaker." These are the main consistency errors that come to mind for Redwall.

What The Green Ember Does Well

The Green Ember series includes four full-length novels and follows a single storyline. S. D. Smith wrote smaller novellas that supplement the reader's background knowledge of the world of Natalia, but my focus will be on the four main books. As a whole, I think the series' main good quality is that it is an exciting adventure from start to finish. There is nothing formulaic about them, even if you can sometimes tell what direction the story is heading in or what will happen to a certain character. Every location was exciting for me to explore in my imagination. I'm not quite sure how he does it, but reading his books was almost like a feeling of addiction for me - I really did not want to put them down (placing chapter breaks and switching storylines at critical moments probably helps). I needed to know what happened next. Smith, like Jacques, did some great world-building, and his maps are definitely helpful references.

Another area in which The Green Ember excels is in keeping focus in its long-arc storytelling. I sometimes felt like I was being hit over the head with his theme, but the idea that the heroes endure all this suffering for the hope of the "Mended Wood" is well established from the beginning and continues throughout the books. Smith does something that Jacques did not accomplish - and did not even really attempt - he tells one lengthy story. Writing stand-alones is no bad thing, but Smith took on a large project and did well on it.

Character development is an area that, compared with Jacques, Smith does a great job with. Some characters are a little more flat, but the main ones, particularly Picket and Helmer, definitely see a lot of change. And while both Redwall and The Green Ember paint some pretty high stakes, I would say that The Green Ember wins in making the odds feel impossibly daunting and creating a sense of desperation should the heroes fail. In some ways, the dangers faced by Green Ember characters feel more real than those faced by Redwall characters. There is a better feel of the politics involved to get things going of the real disagreement that happens even when people are on the same side. And, in moments when characters might be prone to despair, Smith never fails to present voices of hope that say that things may turn out right in the end.

What the Green Ember Does Not Do as Well

One of the main things I missed from The Green Ember  was the variety of creatures Jacques presented. In Natalia, there seem to be four main creatures: rabbits, birds of prey, wolves, and lizards. That's it. The story was plenty riveting with this limited palette, but I couldn't help but wonder what the story might have looked like if there were other kinds of creatures invested in this war.

Another element I struggled with was how Smith handled storylines. He would spend multiple chapters at a time focused on one group, then cut to a completely different set for a while. This was a good strategy for building suspense, but I think this technique also led to some important moments happening offstage, such as when Heather's father shows up and we discover he has been appointed as the new Tunneler, a vital position that was the result of a fraught decision that the reader does not get to see. To have shown more of the scene would have slowed down the narrative, but I felt like there were several deus ex machina moments that came from this style of writing. 

Granted, at the end of the fourth book, Smith credits Tolkien as his "master," and as a major Tolkien fan myself, I definitely had his idea of eucatastrophe in mind while reading Smith's books. (Eucatastrophe is the occurrence of everything suddenly and completely going right when is seems like it will go wrong; it is the opposite of a catastrophe.) However, there were more instances of this device than I thought were good for the story. At the final battle, there really did need to be a eucatastrophe for anything good to survive (refer above to heightened stakes), but the appearance of a miracle flower that just happens to heal terrible wounds...the fact that some random character who appears out of nowhere just happens to have a bag of its seeds...that was a little much.

Along with these elements, I felt there were some loose ends that Smith did not tie up, specifically in "Ember Falls." Who is the Pilgrim? Emma knew, but I did not at the end. What happens to the things Heather stuffed into her bag in the dragon tomb? What was rabbitkind's best defense against the dragons, to which Lander referred? What were the significance of Heather's dreams? The list goes on. Perhaps these were intentionally left as mysteries. Maybe Smith has some more writing to do about these questions, but for now, it seems like I'm not likely to get any answers quickly.

This last point I will bring up is flavored so much by my experience with Redwall, so I don't know how fair it is for me to mention. However, I will do so, now that I have given warning about my bias. The ending of The Green Ember series was good, but it didn't have the unbridled joy I expected in a Redwall book. Maybe it was because there was not a good description of the food at the feast - for while food does not make a festival, it is a necessary element of it. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't able to just sit and revel in the moment with the characters - it was on to the next bit of denouement before we'd really taken in the happiness. No one sat and just enjoyed the day - it was a lot of action and doing to the very end. But at least all ended well, and well beyond belief.

And actually, I have one last point: SO. MUCH. CRYING. Weeping is a great way to express deep emotion, but...there was a lot of it.

Conclusion

Redwall and The Green Ember: is one series better than the other? No. They may be better in some respects than the other when the two are compared, but they are excellent adventures about heroic deeds in the eternal battle of light against the darkness. I realize I spent a lot of time picking out flaws in The Green Ember series, but this post has been something of me pouring out my thoughts on the final book, "Ember Ends," which I just finished. None of my friends have read the final book yet, so this is my chance to "talk" about it, in a way. Don't let the number of words written in one section of this review be taken as indicative of the worth of either series. Both are excellent, and if someone enjoyed one, I would definitely recommend the other series to them. It's hard for me to switch gears and turn to other books, but I hope to dive into a Redwall  book soon. Maybe I'll reread The Green Ember series in another year or two. In any case, I think I will write another letter to S. D. Smith and thank him for his work. It's important to let people know when we appreciate something they have done.