Orphaned Will, a ward of Castle Redmont, dreams of becoming a brave knight like he believes his father was. On Choosing Day, he's crushed to be turned down by the Battlemaster of Redmont. Worse yet, Horace, the bully who has teased Will for years, is selected instead. In Will's mind, Horace's only use is in helping Will perfect his skills at escape and stealth. The final blow is when Halt, one of the king's Rangers, produces an incriminating paper about Will and gives it to the Baron, who declares he will consider the contents and make a decision the following day. Will scales the castle tower in a desperate attempt to find out what is written about him on the paper, only to discover that he has played directly into the hand of Halt the Ranger and will now become his reluctant apprentice.
Will only knows that the Ranger Corps are shrouded in mystery. Halt teaches him that the elite group of 50 men are eyes and ears for the king, protecting the country from invasion from without and championing justice from within. Will quickly settles in to his new life and begins to learn the skills of archery, combat, and stealth which will save not only his own life, but that of many others in the future.
Will's training progresses, but the assessment of his new abilities is interrupted by word that the exiled Morgorath and his Wargals are on the move. Worse, he has employed the deadly Kalkara assassins to remove the leaders who were key to his defeat years before. With two leaders already killed, young Will heads out with Halt and Halt's previous apprentice Gilan to locate the terrifying beasts and stop them before they can assassinate their third target.
If you're looking for a great adventure story from an author you may not have heard of before, try this first book of the Ranger's Apprentice series by Australian author John Flanagan. His vivid descriptions of combat scenes put you right in the middle of the action, and the loyalty and determination of the characters in the face of impossible odds will keep you on the edge of your seat.
A word to parents about the content. The Ruins of Gorlan does contain a handful of swear words, and the intensity of the ending warrants a preview if you have concerns for younger readers. This book is recommended for kids ages 12 and up.
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Comments
Dear Elizabeth, I as well as my daughter Dominique are very excited about your article/reviews. As a teen age girl it is very hard to find good books that do not include demons, sex etc.
She is an avid reader and we are always looking for suggestions. Thank you!
Elizabeth, As a middle school teacher, I'm always looking for good recommendations to offer to my students. Your articles help me discern if a book is worthy of recommending. Thank you!
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