Ranger's Apprentice

by John Flanagan

I started reading the RANGER'S APPRENTICE series about four years ago. John Flanagan is an Australian author who wrote short stories for his son to encourage him to read. Not only are these books a great way to encourage kids to read, but as an adult, I loved the story line and the character development. There are ten books in the series and though I thoroughly enjoyed them all I can't talk about them all, not just because I would be writing my own novel glorifying the stories, but that it would give away some of the fun plot twists.

The stories follow two characters primarily both of them orphans who grew up together. Will is a smaller fellow who initially wants to be a knight like he believes his father was. When he is given the opportunity to become a ranger, he develops amazing skills with a bow and the opportunity to harness his quick wits. The other character is Horace. He is a much larger boy who does get the opportunity to train as a knight. Though he doesn't seem to have the same mental prowess as his friend Will, his strategic comprehension and skills with a sword make his a force to be reckoned with.

If I had to choose my favorite book from the series I would say it is book seven, ERAK'S RANSOM, though not by much. These books teach the importance of responsibility, honor, dedication, and friendship. Though the two characters I mentioned were male, there are plenty of strong female characters that are just as awesome as the boys. An overall killer series that I will make sure my children read when they grow up.

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
The Emperor of Nihon-Ja