Ranger's Apprentice: Book 1 The Ruins of Gorlan, by John Flanagan, caught my eye because of its fantasy genre. In addition, I have played many fantasy-themed online games, and in those games I often chose to play as a ranger-themed character. So, seeing the title "Ranger's Apprentice" added a greater appeal to me.
The book's main character is a young boy named Will, who begins as an orphan in a ward with other children. They are at the age where they are selected by Craftmasters for their future career.
I found this aspect very similar to books like the Percy Jackson series, as all the other characters can already predict their job from their abilities, but the main character does not notice any special strength about himself. In Percy Jackson, instead of careers, the demi-gods are chosen to discover which god their parent is.
After the ceremony, Will is left unchosen, but is later tested and picked to be an apprentice by the ranger Halt. Through the book, Will learns how to become a ranger, which involves stealthily moving, as well as gathering intelligence, and mastering the bow and arrow. The book also changes the point of view, from time to time, to Will's former wardmate, Horace, who became a warrior apprentice. Horace, however, is bullied by some other warrior boys through most of the book, and it was very frustrating to read about Horace getting picked on over and over. But, later in the book, Horace and Will (with some humorous help from Halt) not only stand up to the bullies, but beat up them until are limping back home. This made me feel as satisfied as Horace, as the bullies finally got a taste of their own medicine and were punished.
This is not the main conflict, however, as the true evil figure is hidden through the majority of the book. The ending is very heroic, as Will defeats some of the villain's powerful minions, and quickly earns a reputation as a ranger's apprentice. In my opinion, the enemies in this book did not seem very important to the plot, and I don't think the stakes were high enough. But, I remembered that this was only the first book in the series so there are probably many more dangers to come.
Overall, Book 1 The Ruins of Gorlan pulled me into the world of the Ranger's Apprentice with its lovable characters and fantasy land. I also appreciate how the book isn't like every other fantasy story of a "brave knight who kills a monster and saves the damsel in distress", but instead tells a tale from a ranger's view. Also, Will is not seen as the "Chosen One" or has any magical power, which allows him to solve situations by being clever and using the knowledge he is taught.
I hope to continue reading the other books in the Ranger's Apprentice series.
Sounds interesting. It's great when you can find a series that you love! ~ Mrs. Kopp
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