The Ruins of Gorlan

Fifteen-year-old Will begins to learn the skills of a Ranger and helps protect his kingdom from a terrible threat.

I'd heard many good things about this Australian fantasy series here on LT, so I had fairly high expectations going in. I'm pleased to report that this book met them. This was a damned fun read! The prologue left me a little leery, ("oh no, not another one of these"), but the bulk of the book was great. Flanagan introduces the characters and their world smoothly and effectively, letting the reader really get to know them as the story develops. The pacing is good; something's always happening, be it a nicely choreographed fight scene, a training session or a quieter moment in which the characters reflect on things. There are show more some great character dynamics, and I appreciated that the characters triumph by their own hard-won skills.

Some readers may find the style a little off-putting. Remember, this is a children's book, and it definitely reads like one. There's no condescension in Flanagan's tone, (definitely a plus in any children's novel), but you still wouldn't mistake this for an adult novel. He also shifts perspective frequently, sometimes even in the middle of a sentence.

But overall, the pluses far outweigh these minor issues. This is a very good book and a promising start to the series. Highly recommended. show less

All told, I don’t think this is my favorite book in the series, but I do think it is one of the best in the series and one of the best starts to a series I’ve ever read. Man, was I spoiled with high quality middle grade fiction as a kid. I’m rereading this series and I honestly can’t wait to start the next one. It’s been 15 years since I last read this book and it holds up so well. Anyway, my nostalgia trains rolls on. Wildly biased reviews only, people. If you’re looking for objectivity, look elsewhere.

Will and the other wards his age are facing the day that they are chosen as apprentices by Baron Arald's masters. Most seem excited, but Will is more nervous than anything else; he wants to follow in his late father's footsteps and be a warrior, but he's afraid that he's too small. His fears are realized when the battle master rejects his request to join the ranks of warrior apprentices. Instead, he is chosen by the ranger, Halt, to learn his trade. And so starts Will's life as a ranger's apprentice.

I loved this first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. Lovely world building and plot setup, with fantastic characters all around. I'm completely in love with Halt already, and Will is adorable and extremely root-for-able. Overall, show more highly recommended and I'll be continuing with the series, I suspect. show less

An original, well-plotted adventure story that I thoroughly enjoyed; it's a dependable and fun series and this first novel sets the tone perfectly.

Will is a ward at Castle Redmont; one of the many fiefs in the massive, Anglo-inspired kingdom of Araluen. His parents both died when he was young, so he has grown up lumped among the other orphaned children of the fief. But now the time has come for the wards to be chosen as apprentices in the different trades. Will, who desperately wants to be a knight, is crushed when he is turned away. But a different destiny lies in wait for him; the mystery-shrouded life of the Ranger Corps. Many folk whisper that the Rangers know black magic; they can blend seamlessly into the scenery, use knives and show more bow-and-arrows with uncanny accuracy, track any human or animal, and scout in absolute silence.

In company with his wise but grouchy mentor Halt, Will learns a trade that very few are allowed to glimpse. But when the dark lord Morgarath, banished years ago from the kingdom, makes a reappearance in company with hideous beasts called Wargals, Araluen will need its Rangers more than ever.

Will is a fiery, clever, and believable hero, and he and his teacher Halt make a wonderful and often amusing duo. Other supporting characters such as the bullying knight Horace, gentle Alyss, and other denizens of the kingdom are well-developed and interesting. And this is only the set-up for a great series. show less

One of the students at the school I work at is a huge fan of the Ranger’s Apprentice series, and lent me her copy. As I understand it, it’s an important and personal series for her. When someone, not casually, but insistantly, recommends a book to you I believe in hearing them out. It’s the decent thing to do. Now, typically I make a point in returning borrowed books as quickly as I can. I know that’s hard for a lot of people, but I make a point not to be that kid. And I’m here to tell you… I failed. Well, not really, because I did read her book and return it as soon as I’d finished it, but I held on to it for MONTHS before I did anything with it. And when I did finally read it, I just thought it was delightful!
So show more reviewing this book is going to be hard, because overwhelmingly, this series is already well loved. Even Good Reads reviewers agree (there are a few nay-sayers, but most of them are drowned out by the positive reviews and never made any original or convincing arguments for why they hated it), and I’m a big-time ignorer of Good Reads reviewers.
As some have pointed out, No. The premise isn’t at all original for a fantasy novel – but I would argue that that’s its charm. It’s a Classic style fantasy novel. More to the point, this is a children’s (middle grade) Classic style fantasy novel.
WHICH MEANS!!! It’s a good way to introduce your kids to your favorite genre in a way that is accessible to them. As for me, I’m a 30-year-old woman and I still enjoyed it. I guess I just really miss a good old fashioned fantasy novel that doesn’t knock the wind out of me the way “Adultier” fantasy series do. “The Ranger’s Apprentice” series has its fans – and they are very devoted fans. We’ll see where I stand among them the further I read into the series.

Ok – Will is an orphan, living with several other Castle Wards. At a certain age, all children get apprenticed out, after feeling out their natural talents. Among Will’s group, almost everyone else is very obvious where their talents will lead them… except for Will. Will is kind of exceptionally unexceptional. Poor Will! Will’s dream is to get into Battle School because he always heard that the father he’d never met was the bravest warrior. But Will isn’t exactly… Let’s put it this way, Battle School would chew him up and spit him out. Still, he’s prepared to fight to get into Battle School. The Powers That Be have other ideas for him, and… Well, it’s not a spoiler. Will becomes a Ranger’s Apprentice. And I have High Hopes for Will The New Ranger’s Apprentice. Something tells me he’ll become the very best Ranger’s Apprentice the world has ever seen. He’ll become Hokage of his village!
Yeah, I really feel like this book would make a hit among Naruto fans if it isn’t already. Halt is practically Kakashi, which is probably why he immediately became my favorite. (The only thing I found remarkable about Naruto in the last 15 or so years was Kakashi. Don’t worry about it. That’s a story for another time.)

this review was originally posted on my blog, which you can find here show less

- for middle school
- I think that this is a fantastic book that works with themes such as: complex family situations, empowering success, love, truth, honesty, and more. It is a book about a child who doesn't know his Dad because he died before he was born. He is an outcast but is taken in as a rangers apprentice and learns skills and learns to do great things AS HE IS. He is encouraged to use his unique talents and not someone else's. Great book.

{First of 11 (or 12); Ranger’s Apprentice series. Fantasy, children’s, YA}
Group read

I picked this up to join the group read and was initially planning to read it aloud to my children. However, I decided the chapters were too long for me to be able to read aloud in one go and anyway my younger son (firelion) couldn’t wait and he’s gone ahead and finished reading the whole series by himself.

The prologue tells us that Morgarath, former Baron of Gorlan, tried to usurp the crown of Araluen fifteen years ago but was defeated and retreated into exile. Now he is planning his return and revenge.

The story proper begins in Castle Redmont in the kingdom where five of the castle wards are about to choose their life professions. It focuses show more on Will who unexpectedly (but not surprising to us, given the series title) becomes apprentice to a Ranger. Rangers protect the kingdom with one assigned to each of the fifty fiefdoms, so training focuses on agility and strength rather than the ‘bash and whack’ of Will’s first choice of Battleschool. And then, just as Will is hoping to be formally accepted into the Ranger corps, word comes of Morgarath moving for war.

I enjoyed the story. The action flowed at a steady pace and the characters were likeable and easy to relate to. There were some points, especially at the beginning, where the story was reminiscent of countless other fantasy adventures and a couple of places where it looked like a thesaurus had been used but overall I liked it. It didn’t turn out to be a typical ‘chosen one’ story (although each of the five wards seem rather precocious in their chosen fields), there are trials, tribulations and triumphs and friendships formed.

I liked the way those in authority crack jokes straight-faced and the way Baron Arald is disappointed when no-one dares find them funny.

He could see that the boy was hanging on his every word, and he added, jokingly, ‘You’re not an enemy of the Kingdom, are you, Will?’

‘No, sir!’ will said in sudden fright and the Baron sighed again. He hated it when people didn’t realise he was joking. Unfortunately, as overlord of the castle, his words were treated with great seriousness by most people.

There are no cliffhangers so this story could be read as a stand-alone - but my book has a sneak preview of the second book in the series which I plan to continue with.

3.5-4 stars show less