Customer Reviews

The Kings Of Clonmel

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4 star:		(1)
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The ranger Halt's past has always been a mystery, even to his apprentice Will. We know he was born in Hibernia, and that's it.

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 background, 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 -- the Sunrise Warrior -- against the con-man prophet and his false god. But they can only do it with Ferris' help.

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 -- while "The Kings of Clonmel" is wrapped up tidily at the end, Flanagan leaves the door open for the next book or two to deal with them further. 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. And it culminates in a brilliant double duel that shows Horace's skill and cleverness.

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 is offered a special new job that draws on his expertise. The only flaw is that Alyss is still kind of a pale, 2-D love interest. And Horace is equally confident and skilled as a young knight who must fight for the fate of an entire kingdom.

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.

When a dangerous cult threatens the safety of Araluan, Halt must return to his roots, and confront the king hidden in his past.

The Kings of Clonmel provides background on how and why Halt came to be a ranger in a thrilling, but inconclusive tale. The reader should be aware that the story contains cold blooded killing with an increased level of description, and a slightly higher level of intensity.

[...]

"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!

Great book/series - I have read all 9 and am waiting for 10 later this year.

I very much enjoyed this book (as I heve the others in this series). It is an easy read with plenty of adventure. As a result, I am looking forward to reading the next installment (Halt's Peril) & hope that John Flannagan continues to add more adventures for Will, Halt, Horace & the others.

WOW! What a story. You think you know what might be next only to be fooled. The story unfolds so well. Hoping I can get book 9 when it comes out this month. Books 7,8, and 9 not out in USA but thankfully got them from Amazon. My curiosity is waiting patiently. Would love to see this in a movie or tv series. Recommend for all ages. Great reading! You won't want to put it down!

(I'm 10 so I probably have different opinions then the adults about the book.) This book is great as all the others and definitely one of the best. (2nd best in my opinion.) I don't want so spoil anything so I won't say much.
Since book 7 was when will was an apprentice, as you probably expect, Alyss and Will are in a romantic relationship.
I have already read book 9 Halt's Peril, and that is number 1 on my list. But now dying in waiting for book 10!

Another great read in this author's Ranger's Apprentice series. I felt that the series had started to go a bit downhill but this one was most definetly back on par with the high adventure and the drama of the earlier titles.