I've heard about and seen posters for the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan, and I've been really interested in them. That's why when I got the first two books for Christmas to read with my Sweetie, I was really excited to start reading them.
From the blurb: "They have always scared him in the past—the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. What he doesn’t yet realize 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 Review:
Fantasy can be really hit or miss for me, but The Ruins of Gorlan was a hit. Marketed for 4-8th grade, it was fun to reminisce on the fantasy books we had read when we were that age. It definitely helped that Sweetie and I read it together before bed (and to be perfectly honest, I crashed out many nights and had to re-read a bit of each chapter), and could talk about it the next morning. It made for a great bonding time for us.
Many elements of the plot and structure were very predictable and cliche; however, there were several times when it seemed predictable, but it broke the prediction apart and went a totally different direction. The action is fairly stereotypically the good vs. evil, but the action/fight scenes were exciting and fun to read. It also has a lot of really funny moments and phrases that kept both of us laughing.
The characters were likable and I'm excited to see how Will and Halt grow and develop as the series moves forward. There is also hinting at a possible romance for Will that should be fun to see develop.
I asked one of my students who is reading one of the later books which has been his favorite, and he said that they've just gotten better and better as they've gone on. So, needless to say, I'm excited to start the next novel, The Burning Bridge!
Final Rating: 4 out of 5
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