29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The king and the ranger, May 18, 2010
This review is from: The Kings of Clonmel: Book 8 (Ranger's Apprentice) (Hardcover)
The ranger Halt's past has always been a mystery, even to his apprentice Will. But his past is revealed in "Ranger's Apprentice: The Kings of Clonmel," the eighth fantasy novel about the skilled and elusive Rangers and the land of Araluen. John Flanagan's smooth solid writing is in top form here, and he neatly weaves together two fascinating subplots -- one about Halt's past, and the other about a toxic cult.
While Will attends the Gathering, Halt is off investigating a cult that has recently popped up -- the Outsiders, a warm'n'fuzzy religion that uses psychology and hired bandits to fleece believers of all their gold. And though Halt is able to save the village in question, he finds that the Outsiders' next target is the kingdom of Hibernia, his own homeland. Unfortunately, King Ferris is a weak and cowardly king... and he's got a very special connection to Halt.
It doesn't take long for Will, Horace and Halt to find the Outsiders and their charismatic leader Tennyson, who are rapidly converting the Hibernian populace to his false religion. But Tennyson doesn't realize that he's being stealthily sabotaged by the Rangers, who plan to use an ancient Hibernian legend against the con-man prophet and his false god.
John Flanagan seems to be revving up the Ranger's Apprentice series for a whole new arc, this one centering on Tennyson and the insidious gold-leeching cult. "The Kings of Clonmel" is wrapped up tidily at the end, but Flanagan leaves the door open for the next book. But the big draw of this particular book is the revelation of who Halt was before he became a Ranger -- and it comes as a bit of a shock.
Along the way, Flanagan weaves together a complex plot that drips with lots of tautly-written action, political manipulation, clever deceptions, and quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor ("You're certainly not going to shave me in tea!"). The first few chapters are a bit on the slow side, but once our heroes head to Hibernia it becomes a brilliant adventure tale... with a subtle message on how easily people are swayed into doing terrible things.
Will and Horace have come a long way from the unsure, naive boys they were at the series' beginning. Will is now a confident, skilled Ranger who is teaching the younger apprentices, and Horace is equally confident and skilled as a heroic young knight. The only flaw is that Alyss is still kind of a pale, 2-D love interest.
On the flipside, Flanagan has you wishing a meteor would fall and squash the devious Tennyson and paranoid, pathetic Ferris. As for Halt... well, he's been a mystery for far too long, and Flanagan finally reveals where he came from, who his family is/was, and the reason he left. And as we're often reminded, he's not as young as he once was.
"The Kings of Clonmel" is a thoroughly entertaining fantasy adventure, which is all tied up in the long-hidden past of the Ranger Halt. And it leaves you eagerly waiting for the next installment.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than the Rest, May 20, 2010
This review is from: The Kings of Clonmel: Book 8 (Ranger's Apprentice) (Hardcover)
For the last 7 books, the picture of Will in my head was of a boy--young and fresh faced and ready to ask questions and annoy Halt. Even when he became a full Ranger, I pictured him like that! But in this book, Flanagan uses amazing imagery, an endearing plot, suspense and more to really change the picture in my head. Will is all grown up now, and I couldn't be happier.
This book is extremely creative, in my opinion. The characters are one of a kind, the plot synopsis is clear and original. I love it so much.
I've been an avid reader of young adult books, like Vladimir Tod, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and this really stands out among them all.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Who is Halt and where does he come from?, August 3, 2011
This review is from: The Kings of Clonmel: Book 8 (Ranger's Apprentice) (Hardcover)
"The Kings of Clonmel" is book 8 in John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series. This is one of the most incredible series I've read in a long time. Flanagan has an uncanny ability to make his characters come alive. So much so that I've found myself wondering what they were up to while I'm driving to and from work. Halt, Will and Horace have traveled to Hibernia to help discredit The Outsiders, a group of people preaching about a false god for their own gains. I don't want to ruin the plot, but one of the best things about this particular book is it delves into the mysterious Halt's past, providing us with more information then ever about where he comes from and who he really is. The battles sequence at the end created vivid images that were awesome, and the plot was intense. Even if you're not a fan of this genre of writing, you will truly love this book in particular and the entire series in general. I would recommend it to anyone!
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