Redwall Fantasy Series Returns in 2027 With New Novel Orphans of Mossflower After 16 Years

For 25 years, from 1986 to 2011, writer Brian Jacques won over readers with his Redwall series of fantasy novels. The Rogue Crew came out in 2011, three months after Jacques died. For 15 years it has stood as the last book in the series. That is about to change.

A 23rd Redwall book has been announced for next year. Titled Orphans of Mossflower, it will be released on Sept. 7, 2027, alongside a new boxed set of the other 22 novels. Both releases coincide with the series’ 40th anniversary. The books were first published in the U.K. in 1986 and in the United States a year later. Details are sparse, but Orphans of Mossflower is being advertised as written by Jacques.

Fans have suspected for over a decade that a 23rd book existed in some form. In 2010, publisher Penguin held a contest that let one fan name a character in the next Redwall novel. The winner came forward in 2015 with details about the character. Fans noticed that the character did not appear in The Rogue Crew, which fueled the theory that another book was waiting.

What will Orphans of Mossflower be about?

No official plot synopsis has been released. The last several novels Jacques wrote before his death take place one after another, unlike earlier entries that jumped around the Redwall timeline. That pattern suggests Orphans of Mossflower will be a direct sequel to The Rogue Crew.

The Mossflower Woods are a recurring location in the series, and its most notable landmark is Redwall Abbey. The title hints that the Abbey’s residents may have to leave their home for some reason.

The plot details the contest winner revealed to the Redwall wiki point the same way. The character, named Reisa Kartwell, would be a cartographer. According to the winner, “her map depicting efficient travel paths proves invaluable when the Redwallers must quickly reach Salamandastron when Redwall is under attack.” More details will likely emerge as the release date gets closer.

Over the Garden Wall creator Patrick McHale was slated to develop an adaptation of the series for Netflix. Netflix canceled the project earlier this year.

Related reading: Wanderhome is a Redwall-inspired RPG that arms players with dialogue, not daggers.

Source: Polygon