Series Review: Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan

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Author: John Flanagan

Genre: High Fantasy

Age Group: Middle Grade

Number of Books: 12

    Book #1: The Ruins of Gorlan 

    Book #2: The Burning Bridge

    Book #3: The Icebound Land

    Book #4: The Battle for Skandia

    Book #5: The Sorcerer of the North

    Book #6: The Siege of Macindaw

    Book #7: Erak's Ransom

    Book #8: The Kings of Clonmel 

    Book #9: Halt's Peril

    Book #10: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja 

    Book #11: The Lost Stories 

    Book #12: The Royal Ranger

In Araluen, fantasy version of medieval England, Rangers have a shady reputation. Viewed with a mixture of fear and awe, they are rumored to have powers ordinary people can only dream of, so when the fifteen-year-old orphan Will is chosen as a Ranger's apprentice, he isn't sure what to expect. Does he have what it takes to join this clandestine society?

The first book, The Ruins of Gorlan, hooked me right away with its witty dialogue and descriptions of weaponry, and after reading the entire series, I'm happy to say that there's not much to dislike about the first four books. It's remarkable how relatable Will is, despite living in a different time period in a different world, and, as someone who usually hates the protagonist, I was surprised to find myself rooting for him the entire way. Unfortunately, the fifth book is where things started to become not-so-amazing. There's a time skip of four years between The Battle for Skandia and The Sorcerer of the North, and I'm sorry to say that reading about Will as a twenty-year-old, fully-fledged Ranger is much less intriguing than when he was a teenager. This is listed as a middle grade or young adult series, depending on where you look, and John Flanagan ought to remember that kids prefer to read about people their own age. The world building and humor deserve an A+ in all the books, but I believe Ranger's Apprentice would be much better if the author decided to stop after the first four books. (That being said, the short story Purple Prose in the eleventh book had me in tears, I was laughing so hard.) Three out of five stars for the entire series.

If you enjoyed Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda or the Netflix show Cobra Kai, you're sure to love Ranger's Apprentice!























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