The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1)
by John Flanagan
List Price:
Our Price: $7.63
You Save: $8.36 (52%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.00 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: John FlanaganEdition: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2005-06-16
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 256
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: Amazon Remainders Account
Book Reviews of The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1)
Book Review: The Second War
Summary: 5 Stars
The Ruins of Gorlan (2005) is the first fantasy novel in the Ranger Apprentice series. This takes place in a world where war is conducted with edged weapons. One hundred and fifty years before, the first King of Araluen had established a group of scouts -- the Rangers -- to provide intelligence during war and peace.
Fifteen years ago, Baron Morgarath had tried to take the throne with his army of Wargals. At first, they ravaged the countryside and destroyed all who opposed them. Then kingdom forces defeated them at Hackham Heath and drove them back into the mountains.
In this novel, Will is a ward of Baron Arald of Redmont Fief. After the death of his father and mother, he had been left at the castle with a note stating his name and that his father was a hero. He has always imagined that his father had been a knight.
Horace is also a ward of the Baron. He is tall, bulky and graceful. He wants to become an apprentice in the barony battleschool. He and Will have a hostile relationship.
George is another ward in Will's age coterie. He wants to be a scribe, involved in legal maneuvers.
Alyss and Jenny are also wards in the same age group. Alyss wants to be a diplomat and Jenny greatly desires to be a cook.
In this story, the coterie is now fifteen years old and they are facing the day of Choosing. Unlike normal children, the wards are allowed to Choose any craft, but they have to get the approval of the craftmaster and the Baron. Will desperately wants to be an apprentice in the battleschool and follow his father's path.
Horace heckles Will about his nervousness. Naturally, everyone except Alyss is nervous about the Choosing. But Horace manages to get in a good zinger and drive Will out of the ward room and up a tree. Will likes to sit in the tree to think and worry.
The next day, the five wards are taken into the Baron's study and told to Choose. Everyone else is accepted into their Chosen craft, but Will is rejected by the battlemaster and then the horsemaster. Finally, Halt -- the Barony Ranger -- says that Will might be a suitable Ranger apprentice.
Halt gives the Baron a note and then the Baron decides to delay Will's Choosing until the following day. That night, Will sneaks across the courtyard and climbs the castle wall to the Baron's study. He has to see what Halt wrote in the note.
To his amazement, Halt is hiding in the study and stops Will before he can read the note. Will is taken to the Baron's quarters and asked a few questions. Then the Baron assigns Will as Halt's apprentice.
This tale introduces Will to an unknown aspect of the kingdom. He had never known what Rangers did, but common gossip attributed them with black magic. He had always felt a little afraid of Halt. Now that Halt is his master, he rethinks his fears. Naturally, Will almost drives his master crazy with questions.
Then the Rangers discover that the Baron Morgarath is preparing to return to Araluen. Some minions have already invaded the kingdom. More will come in The Burning Bridge.
This series is billed as fantasy. So far, it reads much like a tale of the medieval era with strange hominids, but without any magic. Read and enjoy!
Highly recommended for fans of armed conflict with lance, sword and bow.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Children's Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Adventure books for teenage girls
Dragon Keeperby Carole Wilkinson
Hyperion Book CH; Published: 2007-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.00
Price in other shops:
The Singer of All Songs (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, Book 1)by Kate Constable
Scholastic Paperbacks; Published: 2005-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.25
Price in other shops:
Mairelon the Magicianby Patricia C. Wrede
Starscape; Published: 2002-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.99
The Coming of Dragons: The Darkest Age Iby A.J. Lake
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books; Published: 2007-03-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.44
Price in other shops:
The Creekby Jennifer L. Holm
Published: 2003-06-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.83
Price in other shops:
The Escape From Home (Beyond the Western Sea, Book 1)by Avi
HarperCollins; Published: 1997-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.65
Price in other shops:
The Door Within : The Door Within Trilogy - Book Oneby Wayne Thomas Batson
Published: 2005-08-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $11.04
Price in other shops:
Isle of Swordsby Wayne Thomas Batson
Thomas Nelson; Published: 2007-09-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.96
Price in other shops:
The Naming: The First Book of Pellinor (Pellinor Series)by Alison Croggon
Candlewick Press; Published: 2006-03-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.50
Price in other shops:
The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, Book 1)by James Patterson
Little, Brown Young Readers; Published: 2007-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.83
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Battle for Skandia: Book Four (Ranger's Apprentice)by John Flanagan
Puffin; Published: 2009-01-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)by Rick Riordan
Miramax; Published: 2006-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.06
Price in other shops:
Brisingr (Inheritance, Book 3)by Christopher Paolini
Alfred A. Knopf; Published: 2008-09-20; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.96
Price in other shops:
The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5)by Rick Riordan
Disney Hyperion Books for Children; Published: 2009-05-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.53
Price in other shops:
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)by Rick Riordan
Hyperion Book CH; Published: 2009-04-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.83
Price in other shops:
The Icebound Land: Book Three (Ranger's Apprentice)by John Flanagan
Puffin; Published: 2008-02-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.50
Price in other shops:
Ranger's Apprentice: The Sorcerer of the Northby John Flanagan
Philomel; Published: 2008-11-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.24
Price in other shops:
Ranger's Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 4)by John Flanagan
Philomel; Published: 2008-03-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.24
Price in other shops:
The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 3)by John Flanagan
Philomel; Published: 2007-06-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.95
Price in other shops:
The Burning Bridge (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 2)by John Flanagan
Puffin; Published: 2007-06-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.07
Price in other shops: