Rangers Apprentice Book Series: Review

If you're a fan of fantasy and action books, you'll love the Ranger's Apprentice series by the author John Flanagan. In the book series, Will (who is an orphan and ward of the castle Redmont) becomes an apprentice to the master Ranger named Halt. Rangers are secretive warriors who use their intelligence, courage, ability to move around unseen, and skills with bows and knives to protect the kingdom of Araluen. After training under Halt, young Will is off on a series of adventures to save Araluen from the evil Lord Morgarath.

At first, you meet the main characters and learn about their skills and personalities in the first book of the series, Rangers Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan. Will, a ward at Redmont Castle, had hoped to become a knight just like he thought his father was before he died, but his small size was not suited to that path. Instead, he learns that his stealth and intelligence, which has been observed by from the ranger Halt from the first day he had the idea to sneak off, would serve him well as a Ranger. He's placed as an apprentice to Halt—the ultimate teacher. Despite Halt's grumpiness and constant demands, Will admires his master and soon considers him a father figure.

Will and Halt team up with Halt's former apprentice, Gilan, to battle a group of beasts, the Kalkaras which are intelligent beasts born to hunt and assassinate for shiny objects, dispatched by the evil Morgarath . Fifteen years ago, Morgarath, a former baron of Araluen, tried to overthrow the king of Araluen, but was defeated by Halt in a huge war/battle and sent into exile on Mountains of Rain and Night. Will's newly learned skills—and his ability to use them under pressure—are put to the test.

After this book, the series goes on, telling stories and showing the characters experiences and growth in skills and character over time.

I enjoyed this series because its filled with action and excitement. The author included so many vivid details that I felt as if I was at the front line of the battles. Each of the characters seemed human and realistic. For example, even the heroes had flaws. In addition, each of the books ended with a cliffhanger, making me eager to read the next in the series. I highly recommend the Ranger's Apprentice series to any fan of fast-paced fantasy and action books.