Tag Archives: The Ranger’s Apprentice

The Ruins of Gorlan ReRead by John Flanagan

July 25, 2025Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Fantasy, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Ranger's Apprentice, Young Adultskyebjenner

Title: The Ruins of Gorlan ReRead
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Fantasy, Medieval fantasy, Young adult
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2004

I absolutely adored The Ranger’s Apprentice series as a young adult, and I seem to be on a bit of a revisit with well-loved series lately. So I was interested to see how this would hit now that I’m that bit older. Luckily (because it’s always dangerous revisiting well-loved things from your adolescence), I loved The Ruins of Gorlan every bit as much on this reread. It was just as fantastic, fun and hard to put down as I remembered, but with a whole lot more nuances that I thoroughly enjoyed picking up on as an adult.

Will, for me, is still that quintessential misfit / coming of age type story. He just doesn’t quite fit the mold with anyone else, and is always on the outskirts. Even amongst his year-mates who are in a very similar boat, Willl still just doesn’t quite fit. Honestly, it’s probably why I related to him so damn strongly as a preteen – I’ve never quite fit in either. And then, he finds his home amongst all of the others who don’t quite fit either – a fantastic way to remind everyone that we all have our tribe, it can just take us a whole lot longer to find them sometimes.

Alongside all of Will’s training and the absolutely brilliant description of archery (I’m an archer, most books get it wrong), I love that this is a story about finding your place in the world. Although, as much as, as an adult, I focus a lot on characterisation and character development, this is also entirely about the battle and the weaponry. I mean, knife throwing and archery were already going to pull me in. But conspiracies and that last, final, epic battle? These are all moments that I loved as an adolescent, and just adore as an adult.

As much as I loved Will finding his place and beginning to grow into himself as a man, I also adored Horace’s redemption arc. Horace starts out as a kind of horrible bully. He was completely set up to be the typical antagonist in the story, and he did work as that for a fair portion of it. But, as in real life, he realised that a lot of his actions weren’t okay. I loved his redemption arc, and that he ultimately ends up being a true friend to Will. It just melts my heart every time, and is so wonderfully heart melting.

<- More John Flanagan

The Burning Bridge ReRead ->

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The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan

May 15, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: The Royal Ranger
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #12
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short Story
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: The fireplace was full of dead ashes and needed a good clean-out.

After a senseless tragedy destroys his life, Will is obsessed with punishing those responsible – even if it means leaving the Ranger Corps. His worried friends must find a way to stop him taking such a dark path.

It is Halt who suggests the solution: Will must take an apprentice. The candidate Halt has in mind surprises everyone – and it’s a request Will cannot refuse.

Training a rebellious, unwilling apprentice is hard enough. But when a routine mission uncovers a shocking web of crime, Will must decide where his priorities lie – finishing his quest for revenge, or saving innocent lives?

The final book of the Ranger’s Apprentice series raises the stakes higher than ever. Is Will on his last mission for the Ranger Corps?

I’m still not entirely sure about my thoughts on this addition to The Ranger’s Apprentice series. on the one hand, it is really enjoyable to see what has happened to the characters almost fifteen years after the last book. But, on the other hand, the bitter creature that Will has become is really disconcerting. Plus, killing off one of my favourite characters in a series always makes me unsure about how far I want to progress into the book. It’s definitely worth it, but it is incredibly difficult to throw yourself into The Royal Ranger compared with the rest of the books in this series.

Evanlyn and Horace’s daughter is everything that you would expect her to be – pig-headed, stubborn, rebellious and with a mind of her own. However, the sheltered upbringing which she has had has also created a horribly conceited creature – one with all of the pride of her station, yet none of the responsibility. The contrast between the impetuous teenager and the rest of the young cast throughout the series is incredibly strong, and serves as a great reminder that at some point children need to grow up and move on with their own lives.

The Royal Ranger is a great reminder that we shouldn’t wallow in bitterness, and we shouldn’t be too proud to take another’s advice on. The ways in which Maddie and Will are able to work together and help each other get over the past is a great segue way into a new dawn for The Ranger’s Apprentice series.

<- The Lost Stories Review

The Outcasts Review ->

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The Lost Stories by John Flanagan

May 14, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Lost Stories, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: The Lost Stories
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #11
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short Story
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Then he nodded, understanding the request.

Everyone knows the legends of the Rangers of Araluen. But no one has heard the whole story – until now. Has Halt told Will the truth about how Will became an orphan? Did Gilan track down Morgarath’s lieutenant after the battle of Three Step Pass? Is tehre to be a royal wedding – or will tragedy strike first?

Inspired by questions and letters sent by his loyal readers, John Flanagan answers all your burning questions about the world of the Rangers.

If you want to know what’s gone before and what comes next for Will, Halt, Horace, Alyss, Evanlyn and Gilan – not to mention a certain stubborn little pony – The Lost Stories is an unmissable read.

I’m beginning to think that all good series need a collection of short stories to go with them. It helps to round out storylines that don’t actually have a place in the main series, but still hold a place in our hearts. The Lost Stories did exactly this. Not only did it help to answer some of the unanswered questions throughout the series – both the ones I knew to ask, and the ones I had no idea I needed answered until I read the tale.

When I originally read this novel, it was the end of The Ranger’s Apprentice series at the time – at least for the foreseeable future. Now, it isn’t, but it still helps to tie off some of the storylines that have woven throughout the rest of the series. Reading this collection will give any fan of Will Treaty and his friends a feeling of completion and contentment.

<- The Wolf Review

The Royal Ranger Review ->

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The Wolf by John Flanagan

May 14, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Lost Stories, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: The Wolf
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #10.9
In: The Lost Stories (John Flanagan)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short Story
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: We should mention it to Bob.

Will is tasked with tracking down and killing a lone wolf who has been creating havoc in the local villages.

The relationship between the Rangers and their mounts is definitely a thing of folklore within The Ranger’s Apprentice series. Their connection is beautifully uncanny and lasts through the years of conflict and danger that each Ranger must undergo. However, I never quite thought about, or even understood (once I did think about it) how the Ranger’s could keep one mount for such a long period. After all, a human’s life span, and even the period over which they are able to work is much longer than that of a horse’s working life span.

This story is a great way to explain the reasons why Ranger’s horses last for so long. Although it starts with a rogue wolf, the explanation of Tug’s replacement and how this occurs for all Ranger’s horses is actually really clever. It is something that, although it is often fanciful, it is actually kind of plausible and makes a poetic kind of sense.

<- And About Time, Too… Review

The Lost Stories Review ->

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And About Time, Too… by John Flanagan

May 13, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Lost Stories, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: And About Time, Too…
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #10.8
In: The Lost Stories (John Flanagan)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short Story
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘It meandered down a slight slope, taking the line of least resistance, to a small stream that was a tributary of the Tarbus River.

Will and Alyss’ wedding.

I’ve been looking forward to Will and Alyss’ wedding ever since The Sorcerer in the North. So, to have a very sweet, intimate short story that tells of their picturesque ceremony bought more than a tear to my eye. Where the story of Evanlyn and Horace’s wedding was filled with fanfare and drama, Will’s and Alyss’ was simple and small – something that actually seems like the most perfect wedding in my eyes.

The lack of drama and violence within this story, although unexpected, was kind of nice. It made the idea of Will and Alyss tying the note even more endearing. And, Halt’s presence and comments throughout just topped off the feeling of completion that this last story in The Lost Stories exuded.

<- The Bridal Dance Review

The Wolf Review ->

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The Bridal Dance by John Flanagan

May 13, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Lost Stories, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: The Bridal Dance
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #10.7
In: The Lost Stories (John Flanagan)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short Story
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Shouting and blustering right from the outset, on the other hand, often served to put a person on the defensive.

The Bridal Dance is about Horace and Cassandra’s wedding.

I can’t imagine a greater hell (and more complex act) than organising a wedding. Especially one for royalty. Include in that the fact that there is the threat of assassins hanging over the festivities, and you have a great short story. Will’s love for, and dedication to those he calls family shines through this story and acts as a reminder that sometimes, even in spite of what everyone else says, we have to follow our instincts.

Following Purple Prose, Will’s preoccupation with his speech for Horace and Evanlyn’s wedding has lessened, and, his eventual words are worthy of all the work that went before. The return of the Genovesans and Will’s missing of yet another bridal dance make this a great little side story. Horace and Evanlyn’s engagement was a beautiful ending to The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, but it was still fulfilling to read about their actual wedding day.

<- Dinner for Five Review

And About Time, Too… Review ->

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Dinner for Five by John Flanagan

May 12, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Lost Stories, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: Dinner for Five
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #10.6
In: The Lost Stories (John Flanagan)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short Story
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Outside in the street, they could hear shouting and the sound of running feet.

Dinner For Five is a short story appearing in The Lost Stories about a date between Jenny and Gilan, and three thieves who disrupt their plans.

Jenny and Gilan is a relationship that I didn’t quite see coming – but, surprisingly it works. So, a short story about this out-of-the-spotlight couple was a perfect edition to the collection of short stories in The Lost Stories. And, like all Ranger’s Apprentice stories, there is an element of crime, subterfuge and justice. Dinner for Five is a great little side line that reminds us that, even when they are not necessarily trained, women (like Jenny) are able to take care of themselves and defend those that they love.

There’s something to be said for the protective instinct in people (and literary characters) – it is an amazing driver. Although it is originally Jenny herself that is in danger, it isn’t until someone that she loves becomes endangered that she truly decides to take control of the situation. It is this, and her final sobs when she realises that her dinner is ruined that makes her such a sweet and endearing character. I love that beside diplomatic Alyss and feisty Evanlyn, there is a nurturing, motherly woman.

<- Purple Prose Review

The Bridal Dance Review ->

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Purple Prose by John Flanagan

May 11, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Lost Stories, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: Purple Prose
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #10.5
In: The Lost Stories (John Flanagan)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short Story
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Redmont’s Battleschool was one of the best in the country and Will’s assessments were almost always in the ‘Excellent’ range.

Moondarkers, a band of people who lure ships onto rocks so they will crash, are active in Araluen. It is up to Halt and Will to stop them.

Trying to tell people how deeply you care about them, and what they truly mean to you is difficult under the best of circumstances. Doing so in front of hundreds of others, and in a formal setting? I can’t imagine how horrifying and intimidating that could be. Yet, Will deals with this pressure in a fairly unique way – he becomes so flamboyant with his words that even I, who loves convoluted sentences, found the terms used irritating and difficult.

Although Will spends the entirety of Purple Prose struggling to find the words to tell Horace and Evanlyn how wonderful they are, this isn’t the only tale within the story. After all, a Ranger writing a speech makes a boring tale. However, as a side story, it works quite brilliantly. While Halt and Will struggle to stop ship wreckers, he is constantly plagued by doubt and confusion. The conclusion of their battle is only outweighed by the final creation of a speech that is actually worth listening to.

<- The Emperor of Nihon-Ja Review

Dinner for Five Review ->

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The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan

April 18, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #10
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘I don’t want any special privileges.

Horace is missing. Months have passed since he was sent on a military mission to the court of the Emperor of Nihon-Ja but he has failed to return. Evanlyn is worried and, in company with Will and Alyss, she sets out to discover what has become of their old friend.

They find that Horace has become embroiled in Nihon-Jan politics. The arrogant Senshi sect has rebelled against the rightful Emperor and Horace has chosen to stay and lend support to the desposed ruler. Now he and Will must find men willing to face the highly trained Senshi warriors, while Alyss and Evanlyn must overcome their longstanding rivalry to seek aid from a mysterious group of mountain dwellers.

Flanagan manages to do it again – he takes a well-known culture and uses it to build another fascinating world in his The Ranger’s Apprentice seires. This time, it is to the mountainous slopes of Japan and Asia that we are able to visit through such a fantastical lens. I love the vividness of the world which Flanagan has created, and the genuine level of research which he has obviously put into his work.

Horace’s integrity and willingness to stand for what is right, even when it isn’t quite the political thing to do is something that I have always admired about the character. Doing what is right and what will make the most people happy are two distinctly different things, and it can be incredibly difficult to do what you know in your heart is the right thing. Having a character that is so honest and integral is a great way to remind us that taking the easy rode isn’t necessarily the right way to go about things. Likewise, Horace’s simple, open honesty in such a situation brings a lightness and sense of righteousness to the story.

The growing relationships between Will and Alyss, Horace and Evanlyn are explored more fully in The Emperor of Nihon-Ja. As is the rivalry between the two girls. I love the way in which the four are able to work together, and eventually put all of their rivalries and jealousies behind them. The enmity between Evanlyn and Alyss has been building since Oakleaf Bearers, and it was nice to finally have a conclusion to this. Whilst their dislike of one another is understandable, it was also incredibly frustrating – it is immensely irritating to read a series where the two female leads are at odds with one another over a boy. The eventual way in which they are able to put this behind them and build a true, and lasting friendship finally helped to heal these wounds.

<- Halt’s Peril Review

Purple Prose Review ->

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Halt’s Peril by John Flanagan

April 17, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Easy Reading, John Flanagan, Medieval fantasy, The Ranger's Apprenticeskyebjenner

Title: Halt’s Peril
Author: John Flanagan
Series: The Ranger’s Apprentice #9
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Easy reading, Medieval fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Random House Australia
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Burn the barn when we leave.

Halt, Horace and will are on the trail of Tennyson and his followers. The false prophet of the Outsider cult escaped justice for his crimes in Clonmel, and Halt is determined to stop him before he crosses the border in Araluen. Will has defeated one of Tennyson’s Genovesan assassins in Clonmel but there are two left alive. Are the extraordinary archery skills of Will and Halt enough to save them during a duel with the Genovesans… or is Will’s mentor facing his last battle?

Will’s love and care for Halt shine throughout this next chapter in The Ranger’s Apprentice series. Mostly this is due to, as the title says, Halt’s Peril. However, it is also the first time that they truly work together since Will’s graduation into the ranks of the Rangers. While the dynamic has changed slightly, much of their relationship has remained the same, and it is fun to understand how they have transformed over the years. Especially Will.

Where The Kings of Clonmel was all about pursuing Tennyson and the Outsiders, Halt’s Peril quickly turned into a battle of the archers. The assassins of Genovesan, and the Rangers of Araluen. The different styles and fashions in which these characters conduct themselves is incredibly entertaining, and throughout the novel, it is almost impossible to judge which team will come out on top. However, it is the integrity and care for each other that helps the Rangers come out on top – their relationship causes them to rely on each other and trust in a way that is impossible without the love that they feel for each other.

Although The Ranger’s Apprentice series is starting to feel a little unoriginal at this point, it is still amazing. The character development of Will, Horace and Halt has progressed so organically that they feel all the more real to me. Their lives and the battles that they fight jump off the page as the cast marches through your mind. Flanagan manages to bring alive a world that is so similar to ours, yet different enough that you constantly want to discover what is around the next bend.

<- The Kings of Clonmel Review

The Emperor of Nihon-Ja Review ->

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.

Tag Archives: The Ranger’s Apprentice

The Ruins of Gorlan ReRead by John Flanagan

The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan

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The Lost Stories by John Flanagan

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The Wolf by John Flanagan

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And About Time, Too… by John Flanagan

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The Bridal Dance by John Flanagan

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Dinner for Five by John Flanagan

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Purple Prose by John Flanagan

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The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan

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Halt’s Peril by John Flanagan

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