The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1) [Paperback]

John Flanagan (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 8, 2006 | Age Range: 10 and up

The international bestselling series with over 5 million copies sold in the U.S. alone!

They have always scared him in the past—the Rangers, with their dark cloaksand shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied. . . .

Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, T.H. White’s The Sword in the Stone, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series, and George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire series.

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8–A strong debut in a new fantasy series. Will hopes to become a knight; instead, he winds up as a Ranger's apprentice, joining the secretive corps that uses stealth, woodcraft, and courage to protect the kingdom. His aptitude and bravery gradually earn the respect of his gruff but good-hearted master. When the kingdom is attacked by evil magic forces, Will helps track down and defeat a couple of particularly nasty beasts. This closing episode sets the stage for a good-versus-evil war that will likely be at the heart of future volumes. In this opener, though, most of the story focuses on the learning process that Will goes through as an apprentice. Descriptions of Ranger craft are fascinating. Exciting confrontations with bullies and wild boars help to establish the boy's emerging character. Side stories involving a rival Battleschool apprentice and the identity of Will's father are woven in smoothly. The author occasionally spells things out more than is needed when actions demonstrate them clearly enough. However, the well-paced plot moves effortlessly toward the climax, letting readers get to know the world and the characters gradually as excitement builds. The public adoration Will gains at the end seems slightly overdone given the established distrust people feel for Rangers, but it's still a pleasing finish and should leave readers eager to share the future adventures of the Ranger's apprentice.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. Like the other 15-year-old wards of Castle Redmont, Will is nervous about Choosing Day, when each of them will be assigned to a different master for training. Though his dearest wish is to enter the Battleschool, his small stature prevents it. Instead, Will is apprenticed to the grim-faced, mysterious Ranger. Soon Will learns that becoming a ranger is more difficult, dangerous, and worthwhile than he had imagined. He earns the respect of his elders and the friendship of a former foe, but all this is prelude to the great adventure that follows, when his skills wielding a knife and keeping a heightened awareness of his surroundings become vital to the survival of his mentor and the safety of the kingdom. The last few years have seen the publication of many fantasies, but few have the appeal of this original story. Rather than creating a host of strange creatures and magical powers, Flanagan concentrates on character, offering readers a young protagonist they will care about and relationships that develop believably over time. Will's world is a colorful place, threatened by an evil warlord and his fierce minions, but it's the details of everyday living and the true-to-life emotions of the people that are memorable. Children will definitely look forward to the next adventure in the Ruins of Gorlan series. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Puffin; Reprint edition (June 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142406635
• ISBN-13: 978-0142406632
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (384 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Flanagan grew up in Sydney, Australia hoping to be a writer. It wasn't until he wrote a highly uncomplimentary poem about a senior executive at the agency he worked, however, that his talent was revealed. It turned out one of the company directors agreed with John's assessment of the executive, and happily agreed to train John in copywriting. After writing advertising copy for the next two decades, John teamed with an old friend to develop a television sitcom, Hey Dad!, which went on to air for eight years. John began writing Ranger's Apprentice for his son, Michael, ten years ago, and is still hard at work on the series. He currently lives in the suburb of Manly, Australia, with his wife. In addition to their son, they have two grown daughters and four grandsons.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For adults too. 8-) July 23, 2005

By William R. Devore

Format:Hardcover

After I had purchased the book a friend mentioned to me that the book was listed for the tweens audience. I thought of returning it but I am glad I didn't because the book is great! Flanagan writes very well and obviously understands a wide range of male age groups. I am 40 and I was hooked after the 2nd chapter. You really do start to like all the main characters and I can't wait for the next installments. And no I am not biased because my name is Will as well. ;-)

This book is well written and very entertaining. I recommend it for those with a good imagination and a appreciation for strong character writing.

Here is to "The Burning Bridge".

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The ranger's apprentice April 29, 2010

By E. A Solinas HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Imagine if the Rangers from "Lord of the Rings" took apprentices -- what kind of life would that be?

John Flanagan does a decent job answering the question in the first book of the Ranger's Apprentice series, "The Ruins of Gorlan." Besides setting up the medieval Anglo backdrop, Flanagan also spins up a solid fantasy story with plenty of monsters, weapons, a likable pair of teenage heroes, and a growing menace from a rarely-seen villain making a comeback.

On Choosing Day, Will hopes to be selected for Battleschool -- but he's rejected by all the people taking apprentices. The one exception is Halt, a Ranger.

And after Will inadvertently passes a test (climbing up a sheer wall into the Baron's study), Halt accepts him as an apprentice. At first, Will's new life seems to be all chores and unglamorous lessons, but he starts to realize the importance of the Ranger's skills. And at the same time, his fellow orphan Horace is being tormented at Battleschool by a gang of bullies.

Unfortunately, the kingdom is in new trouble -- the evil baron Morgarath is starting to send his monstrous Wurgals out once more, and there are even rumors that the ghastly Kalkara are also abroad. When it seems that the king himself may be Morgarath's target, Will and Halt are sent on a mission to stop the Kalkara -- except that the target isn't who they expect.

The world John Flanagan conjures up here is pretty recognizably a medieval England-that-never-was, with hints of similarly semi-familiar lands to explore (Gallica, Temujai). And he makes it more his own with elaborate fictional history, slightly too-Tolkienian flourishes (a villain named Morgarath?) and the first blossoming of a solid action/fantasy series.

The first half of "The Ruins of Gorlan" is a fairly slow experience, mostly made up of Will and Horace finding out what their new lives are all about. Lots of knife study, ponies, stew and tracking exercises, as well as a fairly nasty boar-hunt. And Flanagan liberally strews the story with plenty of historical backstory, and interesting details about medieval stuff (boar-spears, throwing knives, etc).

But about halfway through, the story suddenly becomes much darker, faster and bloodier. While the mild humour is still there ("Halt, Halt!"), Flanagan's tale becomes a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a pair of assassin Sasquatches. And he definitely knows how to weave a sense of tension and foreboding around the clash between Kalkara and Rangers.

Will is also an excellent hero in the Lloyd Alexander mold -- he dreams of being a great knight, but doesn't seem to have much chance of it. And as he works with Halt, he gradually comes to realize that there are ways of serving that are just as important, though not as glorious. And Halt is a good foil for Will -- quirky, taciturn and incredibly tough and deadly.

"The Ruins of Gorlan" is an excellent start to a solid fantasy series, and serves as a pretty entertaining fantasy/adventure in its own right. An excellent story for all ages.

55 of 60 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book kept a bunch of 12 year olds reading October 26, 2005

By Mrs. Rachel L. Yeager

Format:Hardcover

I got this book from our local library 2 weeks ago. My 12 year old son read it, and loved it so much he loaned it to a friend, who loaned it to a friend, who loaned it to a friend. Yes it was passed around THAT much. I was taking a group of them to church Wednesday night and the were talking excitedly about what sounded like a really awesome new movie, and when I asked them what the were talking about, of course, it was this book. My son was bummed to find out our library doesn't have the 2nd book of the series yet, so I'm here to buy them for Christmas.