Ranger's Apprentice, Ruins of Gorlan

Rangers Apprentice, Ruins of Gorlan is a thrilling fiction book by John Flanagan. This book is in mid evil times with all the nights and princesses. This may not seem like it matters but it is a big, big deal. If you don't know this when you read the book it wouldn't make any sense at all.

The main character is Will. His parents died early in his life so he was put into scribe school to prepare to choose his future career. He wanted to apply for the battle school but was always told by his classmate Horace that he was too thin and small. The day he went to stand before the Baron(the king) with his scribe school classmates he was incredibly nervous. His four classmates applied for their job first and were all accepted. Will applied for the battle school first but the battle master thought he was too small in stature as well. No one else would accept him into their certain schools. The ranger, Halt, whispered into the Baron's ear then the Baron said "We should probably wait until morning to choose for this one. Halt then slipped him a piece of paper to the Baron. The Baron Aarald kept glancing at him while he read the note. Will wanted to know what that note was about and he already had a plan to figure out.

That night Will snuck past the guards, up the castle wall, and in through the Baron's open window. All that effort only to be caught by the ranger Halt standing against the wall almost invisible wrapped in his rangers cloak. Halt took him into the Barons study room. The Baron looked up and said "You were right Halt. He did try to sneak in." Will was shocked that Halt knew he would try to sneak in. But he still wanted to know what that note said. Baron Aarald then said "All right Halt, you can have him. Will be here at 6:30 ready to start your training.Will was thrilled and yet disappointed because he wanted so badly to be in the battle school, but also wanted to learn more about rangers or Halt himself. He was always thinking about what the rangers were used for and why they acted so concealed. He always watched Halt hide himself in the shadows and disappear to the human eye in a flash. He wanted to know how he did it. All of a sudden he wanted to become a ranger. A ranger's apprentice.

Will spent the next few months training with Halt, learning about past history, and getting to know Halt himself. Will continued to train with Halt over the next few months becoming more advanced with his bow and arrow by day. A few months after the boar hunt Halt, Will, and Gilan (Halt's old apprentice) went to a Ranger meeting to discuss the problems and things happening in the area they had to watch over. Halt figured out that Molgarath, an evil wizard, was making plans again to overthrow the kingdom. He also found out that he was using the Kalkara to kill people that were vital to his defeat the last time he attacked. Halt decided that Will, Gilan, and himself should try to find and kill the kalkara that Morgarath was using. They left later that night to start their hunt. Halt figured that their nest would be on the Solitary Plain beyond the Stone Flutes. A long, flat, dry land with very few trees where the wind is always blowing. The Stone Flutes make a long ear piercing sound that never stops as long as the wind is blowing. The three rangers searched for the kalkara for three nights until Halt finally thought of a new plan. He told Will to ride Gilan's horse and his own, Tug, back to the castle to get the Baron and some men to help kill the kalkara. Halt said he'd try to kill them with Gilan but to hurry with the help.

Will rode the horses back to the castle telling the Baron about their discovery. They quickly set off tracing Will's tracks back to the Solitary Plain. Right when they got there they found one kalkara lying on the ground at the place of Halt's camp. It stood up to meet them with a quiver of arrows in his chest. Sir Rodney and Baron Aarald charged it and sent it flying into the fire. A huge red flare shot out and the kalkara was suddenly gone. Halt was under a pile of stone trying to conceal himself from the kalkara that was right on his tail. suddenly he heard a piercing scream from his campsite and a huge red flare shoot into the sky. The kalkara trailing him went over to a wall of stone to try and surprise attack his new challengers. Halt sprinted from his hiding spot to distract the kalkara and protect his friends. Will, the Baron, and Sir Rodney saw halt racing from his hiding spot and saw the kalkara close behind him. Sir Rodney told Will to stay here as him and the Baron sprinted to meet the kalkara before it met Halt. They intercepted it just after Halt was knocked to the ground by a deadly blow from the kalkara. Sir Rodney swung his axe at the kalkara and it would a have been a deadly blow but the kalkara dodged and knocked him down with one of his massive paws. Baron Aarald then knocked the beast over with his huge spear that snapped as it hit the kalkara. The Baron was about to kill the kalkara but the monster stood up and looked him in the eye and the Baron was instantly paralyzed by shear fear. The kalkara let out a huge howl with the sense of victory. Will still by the camp wrapped weeds around his arrow and lit it on fire. With the fire scorching his left hand he fired. It hit the kalkara straight in the chest and another flare of red light went up in the air. Will with the sense of satisfaction right with him went to help the Baron, Sir Rodney, and Halt back onto their horses to head home.

The next day the kingdom had a celebration for the defeat of the kalkara. The Baron asked Will to some and stand with him. He asked Will if he wanted to become a night knowing that he had first wanted to go to battle school. Will thought about it but declined the magnificent offer. Will exclaimed, "Sorry Baron Aarald, but I'm a ranger now." He strutted of the stand and back into the castle. Right before he got in he looked to the side and saw Halt. It was the first time he saw Halt smiling.

Will learned a lot in this book. He learned to try new things or things that he didn't think would be fun. He got a lot braver and learned to stand up for himself. He learned a lot of skills and traits from Halt like shooting arrows and training and riding his horse. Will became more mature and grown up in this book because he had to make a lot of decisions for himself. Will became a man. You can learn a lot from Will and this book. You learn how to be brave and not stupid, you learn how to use your head while in a crisis, and you learn that trying new things and letting it work out will lead you to greater opportunities.

This book was a book that would draw you in very swiftly. But it would just as quickly bring you out. It had some fun interesting parts but also some really boring parts. I'd have to give this book a B+.