The Ranger's Apprentice, The Ruins of Gorlan (#1)

[TheMusicalMuse]

We all know one. That really quiet kid who doesn't say much but seems to appear as if from nowhere to say exactly what everyone else isn't brave enough to say. Or the one who keeps their mouth shut but then gets away with whipping out a snarky at just the right moment. Or even the one who seems to come and go without being seen, keeping their head down but observing everything.

I was not that kid. I tried very hard to be, but I never could quite manage it. I guess my personality's too loud, or I've got a Napoleonic complex, or something. But I was always intrigued by that sort of person: the underdog, the one passed over, the one who had powers of observation I could only dream about.

Perhaps that's why I keep coming back to The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagin. It features Will, a 15-year-old boy who gets apprenticed to the leader of what amounts to the king's secret service. His only noticeable qualities are getting out of trouble as sneakily as he gets into it and being quick with his wit. As an apprentice Ranger, though, he hones those talents for use in service to the king, along with skills such as knife throwing, bow hunting, and unseen movement--much more subtle talents than the brutish ways of the soldiers in the Battleschool. Because his master is one of the leaders of the Rangers, he also becomes involved in the protection of the kingdom of Araluen as a rebellious leader with a grudge tries to usurp power.

There are many reasons I enjoy this book so much (and have read it three times now). 1) The events in this and the subsequent books occur in countries with made-up names, but said countries are actually based on several of the more developed nations of Europe: England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Norway, France, and Spain. Though the book settles firmly into the fantasy genre, the Australian author includes a great deal of historical truth in the settings and traditions of the characters. 2) The author strikes a pleasing balance between Will's training, the development of his relationships, and the gripping battles to which Will's position as a Ranger's apprentice exposes him. The plot moves forward in such a way that you don't even notice the chapter breaks as you keep flipping pages. You get all of the information you need to understand the storyline without getting bogged down in paragraphs of descriptions. 3) The dialogue is witty and clever. The author's tongue-in-cheek style resonates with me, because I teach in much the same manner. The Ranger to whom Will finds himself apprenticed comes across gruff and taciturn, but the way he teaches and corrects Will is both effective and slightly sarcastic. Without being overly mushy or soft-hearted, he still builds a solid relationship with his pupil. This is what I aspire to as a teacher, and I often find myself smirking at conversations in this book that aren't too far removed from conversations I've had with my students. 4) The language isn't stilted. When authors write stories in a medieval time period, the temptation lies in using hoity-toity, hard-to-understand wording. The phrasing in this book, however, is not dissimilar to how you might talk with your friends. The language usage fits well within the reading level for young teenagers, but it's not so young that an adult might feel as though his or her intelligence is being insulted. 5) The Ranger Corps is comprised of those underdogs, the quiet ones, the ones you don't expect to be so brilliant. And, as that type of person intrigues me, I'm drawn in by a series of books that focuses on a whole group of such people.

John Flanagin originally wrote this book as a story for his son. I think therein lies the secret to his warm yet compelling style: he crafted this story carefully out of love, not out of a desire to be published or as a tool to further his writing career. Every time I read this series, I feel the author's connection to his characters and through them, to his son. It makes me look forward to sharing these stories with my daughter...and maybe someday, writing her an epic adventure of her own.

[tricia556]

Despite not having read young adult books for years, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written and thought out, following a group of young adults trying to find their place in the world despite not having parents of their own. While there are five that are the focus, book one follows just two of them the majority of the time, one wiry and quick, the other perfectly suited for the military ranks, and the conflict as well as conflict resolution between the two. John Flanagan easily give all character distinct personalities, and gives insight into each one while keeping them all separate. I look forward to introducing this series to my children when they begin reading chapter books.

[Mcbookpersonisuppose]

This series enthralled me for a little over a year as I read every book in the series as fast as I could find them in a library. The books struck the perfect balance between sarcastic, action-packed, world building, and character building. It made a habit of redeeming a character who you at first thought to be the enemy (example: Horace, Erak), and had a subtle love triangle without being overly mushy about it. There were plenty of pages filled with action, as the main character fought off enemies twice his size and shot at them with perfect aim. The dialogue all carried a hint of sarcasm, no matter what, and ithe may sound annoying but it added a lot to the stories character. All in all, a fantastic read, and I would recommend it to just about anyone.

[rubinelli]

I loved this book as a child! I haven't revisited it in a while, though I should go read it soon. I loved Will as a character and the story and world was just so put together and wonderful. I liked how Will was able to grow from this scrawny kid into a hero. His growth and his determination was inspiring to me.

[jesscat304]

I loved this series so much and to be honest Will always reminded me of the male version of myself. I was always that quiet kid that faded into the background with the occasional silver tongued comment. Although I am kindhearted and caring, which is exactly what is portrayed by Will. I love the complexity of the characters and the sense of adventure throughout.

[Serenesong]

I loved this series soo much when I was younger, my dad used to read me a chapter before bed and would always use different voices for each character