The Ranger’s Apprentice Series
Author: John Flanagan
Publisher: Philomel (US)
Books in the Series: The Ruins of Gorlan, The Burning Bridge, The Icebound Land, The Battle for Skandia, The Sorcerer of The North, The Siege of Macindaw, Erak’s Ransom, The Kings of Clonmel, Halt’s Peril, and the final volume, The Emperor of Nihon-Ja (to be released in the US 4/19/11.)
About Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan- He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. What he doesn’t realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied . . . .
My Thoughts: I typically focus on more YA titles but I am a middle school librarian so I read a lot of middle grade fiction as well. This series is one of my favorites. It’s well written, fast paced, and appeals to both male and female readers. The books take place in an imagined world similar to medieval Europe. While they are considered fantasy there are no magical elements or fantastical creatures.
When we meet Will in book one he is 15 and just about to set off on his apprenticeship. The reader follows Will as he gains skill and confidence as an apprentice and eventually a full fledged ranger. The books build upon the events of the previous ones yet they are separate adventures. Chronologically they occur in the order they were published with the exception of Erak’s Ransom (book seven) which takes place before The Siege of Macindaw (book six.)
The series moves along nicely. As Will matures so do the issues he faces and the decisions he makes. There is a bit of a romance that develops part way through the series but it isn’t a major part of the story. The entire series is appropriate for middle grade readers but will appeal to older readers as well.
I listened to books seven and eight on CD. John Keating reads them and does a wonderful job. I highly recommend the audiobooks!
Students who love Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Maximum Ride, and Alex Rider books seem to really love this series as well. I’ve never had a student I recommend it to not enjoy it. I’m sad that it’s coming to a Halt (if you’ve read the books you know why Halt is capitalized!) #iamsuchadork
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