Redwall
I started reading Redwall by Brian Jacques because it was on the list. But I’m not going to finish it — it’s not doing it for me, so I’m moving on. There are a number of books marketed to younger readers on the fantasy list. Some of them, like The Golden Compass and Artemis Fowl, are readable. But others, like Redwall and Ella Enchanted, don’t seem to have anything to offer an adult reader.
Here are some specific things I didn’t like. The antagonist is described as “evil” when we first meet him. The main character, previously presented as young and inexperienced, suddenly takes over and gives instructions to everyone when a crisis occurs. The language is melodramatic — “Cluny was coming!” Finally, on the page that I stopped, a long-dead hero warns the protagonist in a dream that there’s an intruder.
If kids like the book that’s fine, but if you’re an adult looking for a good fantasy book I encourage you to look elsewhere.