Halt's Peril

by John Flanagan
#9 Ranger's Apprentice
PRMS hardcover 386 pgs

Kind of disappointing, actually. Halt, Horace, and Will are in pursuit of Tennyson. The Genovesans are sent to kill them. Murder and mayhem ensue at a very, very slow pace. The part with Malcolm is my favorite. He rocks! This one just didn't have the momentum of the others. I kept trying to press on to get it done, but it took me four sittings to get through. Good thing #10 ends the series. It's time.

The Kings of Klonmel

Ranger's Apprentice book 8
by John Flanagan
PRMS hardcover 358 pages
genre: YA adventure

Once again, I loved it! Flanagan's storytelling style just really works for me. I laughed aloud at a couple of places. I love to see the good guys triumph over the bad guys. Will's skill and his growing confidence along with Horace's friendship help them defeat the Outsiders and their attempt to take over Clonmel.

Erak's Ransom

by John Flanagan
Ranger's Apprentice #7
PRMS hardcover 373 pages

Going back in time to when Will was still an apprentice, this book covers the capture of Erak (as he goes on a raid to break up the monotony of being Oberjarl) by the Arradi. Cassandra and the other young ones, with the help of Halt and Gilan, go to ransom him but are instead drawn into a deadly battle in the desert.

Enjoyable as usual! My favorite part was probably the race. It reminded me a bit of Hidalgo. Looking forward to getting #8.

 

Above from 10.8.2010. Below added 6.9.23.

 

The start of the book is about Halt and Pauline planning their wedding. I only got to chapter 5 over several weeks (reading via Libby ebook) and just wasn't into it. I don't like all the jokes at Halt's expense. I don't like that this story jumps backward in the timeline (taking place before Will has his own post). I just have so many other books to read. 

The Siege of Macindaw

by John Flanagan
Book 6 of The Ranger's Apprentice series
PRMS hardcover 293 pages
genre: adventure, fantasy

Nice! Of course, Will and Horace are victorious. I love the Skandians and Malcolm. The Scotti were an interesting addition. Keren and his mesmerizing blue stone, abrupt changes in behavior - not so much. Great fighting scenes. Looking forward to #7. (Is it weird that I enjoy YA books so much? Arrested development, perhaps.)

 

<Above written 9.30.2010. Below added 5.21.2023.>

 

Chapter 28: "Before you start swinging around like a demented milkmaid at a Spring Festival hop-dance, look over your damned shoulder!"

 

This line made me laugh! Gundar (one of the Skandians) is talking to Nils (one of his crew) as they are preparing to siege Macindaw castle. 

 

I liked the way Will interacted with the various characters and planned to defeat Keren, Buttle, and the other bad guys.

I loved that Will and Horace drank so much coffee that Malcolm was seriously concerned about a shortage!

The Sorcerer of the North

Book 5 of The Ranger's Apprentice
by John Flanagan
PRMS hardcover 295 pages
genre: adventure, fantasy

He did it again! This story gets to a climax, then leaves us hanging. NOW I know why kids who read these books come into the media center frantically asking for the next book in the series! I was almost tempted to go in to work today to check the next one out! About five years have passed for the characters in Araluen. Will has just been assigned to his first post in Seacliff when the previous ranger decided to retire. He is soon sent on a special mission to the north. Mystery, danger, and unusual alliances ensue. The book ends with Will having failed to rescue Alyss from the duplicitous Keren. . .

 

<Above posted 9.18.2010. Below added 5.21.2023.>

 

I like how Will and Alyss discover Malcolm and the healing work he is doing. I love how Will rescues the dog! And how he makes peace with the Skandians . . . and then gives them the evil John Buttle. These stories are page-turners!

The Icebound Land

Ranger's Apprentice #3
by John Flanagan
PRMS hardcover 266 pages

In this third installment of the series, Will and Evanlyn are brought to Skandia as slaves. Horace joins Halt in venturing to rescue them, though Halt forfeits his membership in the Rangers to do so. My favorite parts were where Will "shows up" Slagor and where Halt bests Dearnieux. These books create an insatiable desire to find out what happens next. . .

 

<Above published on 9.16.10. Below added 5.16.23.>

 

Libby ebook

 

The thing that really struck me in this book was the description of Will's addiction to Warmweed. The drug is given to him by another slave in the Skandians' yard and Will is so weakened by hunger, cold, and work that he gratefully chews it and enjoys the narcotic warmth. As the story goes along, the descriptions of his dependency are all too realistic.

Chapter 31: "Warmweed built up a physical dependence in its addicts, so that total deprivation meant actual pain. She would have to gradually wean the boy off the drug, . . . "

"For the first time, she saw a glint of expression in his normally dull gaze. But his attention was totally focused on the drug and she came to realize how completely it ruled his life and his mind these days. Silently, tears forming in her eyes, she watched the hollow shell who had once been such a vital, enthusiastic companion. She condemned Borsa and the other Skandians who had caused this to the hottest corner of whatever hell they believed in."

I enjoyed Evanlyn / Cassandra as a character. I'm so glad she was able to help Will escape.

The Battle for Skandia

by John Flanagan
PRMS hardcover 294 pages
genre: fantasy adventure

I'm so glad Halt's back in the thick of things! Will, Halt, and Horace save Evanlyn from the marauders (Temujai) and end up helping to save Skandia as well. I like the strategy of the battle and Slagor's comeupance. These books are kind of addicting. (Louie is reading book 3, which I haven't blogged about yet) right now.

 

<Above published 9.11.10. Below added 5.16.23.>

 

Libby ebook.

 

Yep. I plowed right through books 1-4 and am currently on book 5. Addicting!

Chapter 40: "'I'm so sorry, everyone. But if you ever knew my grandmother, you'd understand why my grandfather might have been tempted! Grandma had a face like a robber's dog - and a temperament to match it!'"

Cassandra is not behaving in a very princess-like manner here, but she definitely helped Halt reconcile with her father, King Duncan. Her outburst made me laugh. She has just spent a year as a captive of a rough, raiding tribe of people . . . so her manners may take a while to revert to polite courtliness.

Chapter 40: " . . . Halt's tonsorial efforts."

I don't see that word often, but the fact that Halt's hair looks as though he's hacked it off with his belt knife . . . great use of context to teach vocab, Mr. Flanagan!

The Burning Bridge

book two in The Ranger's Apprentice series
by John Flanagan
PRMS, hardcover, 262 pages

Loved this! I missed the wonderful reader's voice and accents from listening to book one, but the story is filled with adventure and a bit of mystery. Morgarath attacks, the rangers are amazing, and the king's daughter Cassandra is in danger. The ending surprised me, since it's a cliffhanger. Now I have to read book three!

 

<Above published on 8.22.10. Below added 5.16.23.>

 

Libby ebook

While in Costa Rica, I read book one in/on Libby and immediately checked out book two!

 

I only bookmarked one passage, but had forgotten that this was a cliffhanger so I hurriedly got book three . . . 

 

Chapter 14: "'Then don't!' Gilan said forcefully. 'Self-doubt is a disease. And if it gets out of control, it becomes self-fulfilling. You have to learn from what happened . . . Use the experience to make you stronger.'"

 

Gilan is older than Will and was also trained by Halt. Will needs to build his confidence, and Gilan's advice is sound. In this story, Will and Evanlyn are taken by the Skandian raiders who had been mercenaries for Morgarath. Horace has an amazing battle.

 

These books are so addicting! I went immediately to book three.

The Ruins of Gorlan

by John Flanagan
Carver County Library, audioCDs, 7.75 hours
performed by John Keating
genre: YA historical fiction / adventure

Louie and I enjoyed this story of Will, Horace, and the other orphans in book one of The Ranger's Apprentice series. Although Will has always wanted to become a knight / warrior, he is taken in by the ranger Halt (pronounced "Holt" by Keating). Morgarath is the Great Enemy, but he doesn't figure into this story too much. My favorite scene was the reconciliation between Will and Horace. Halt is a wonderful character! Enjoyable story and I got book two from PRMS today.

 

<Above entered on 8.19.10. Below added 5.16.23.>

 

Libby ebook

I was looking for a quick read on my phone for a trip to Costa Rica and I grabbed this story. I knew it was a quick, enjoyable book but had forgotten how addicting these are!  

Since this was an ebook, I was able to bookmark passages! (As opposed to listening to it . . . )

Chapter 1: "In fact, it was this tendency that often led to trouble between them: Will was yet to learn that having the last word was not always a good idea."

The conflicts between Horace and Will were exacerbated by Will's quick wit and quick tongue. This reminded me of my sister Louise as a teenager. She got into so much trouble with her sassy mouth!

Chapter 4: "Willpower, he thought abstractedly, recognizing the play on the boy's name."

I love that Baron Arald recognized how hard it was for Will to stand before the craftmasters and other orphans and be discussed. Holding back tears when you are upset is hard indeed!

Chapter 16: "Like most cooks, once she had prepared a meal, she had little interest in eating it. Her real pleasure lay in watching others enjoy the results of her work - and listening to their praise."

When one prepares food as an act of love, this is so true! Poor Jenny didn't know why Horace was in a foul mood.

Chapter 22: "But it had his shoulder and body weight and months of suffering and loneliness behind it - the loneliness that only a victim of bullying can know."

Vindication! I love that Horace and Will became friends, but I'm sorry that Horace had to experience some of the cruelty he had dished out to Will when they were children. Horace getting to punch out the chief of his bullies is sweet. Halt made this all work out well.