John Flanagan

Ranger's Apprentice — (2005-2011) Ages 9-12. Publisher: He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. What he doesn’t realize yet 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...

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The Ruins of Gorlan

Will, the hero of The Ruins of Gorlan, could probably have been taken in entirety from any number of authors who have written this sort of children's/YA stuff, but for me it was like I was 13 years old and reading Magician’s Apprentice by Raymond Feist. That is high praise because I read that book over and over until the cover literally fell off and the binding no longer held the pages together. Will is an orphan who has grown up around a noble’s keep and lived with his support. He is nothing special to speak of in his own estimation and he has goals of becoming a warrior and a hero. His history is touched on briefly and it leads nicely into later parts of the plot.

Will is not selected according to his wishes to be a warrior, but is chosen as an Apprentice to the local Ranger — a man of great mystery to the people of the keep. The story progresses as Will learns to not only respect but also admire the Ranger who is his mentor. Will’s unique talents and abilities begin to manifest themselves as he is shaped and trained.

The story is written in simple enough terms that a younger reader can get through it without difficulty, but is has enough excitement and adventure for a more mature reader to also enjoy. I found the contrasting characters and much of the story to be reminiscent of other things that I had read, but instead of feeling like it was copied, it felt more like well used ground that is tried and true for a good story.

I really enjoyed the ride back through youthful fantasy and will probably read the next couple of books as well in order to make sure that my son, who is now reading Ranger's Apprentice, is not biting into subject material that grows beyond his maturity. —John Hulet