Customer Reviews

The Siege of Macindaw (Ranger's Apprentice, #6)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When we last saw Will Treaty, he was in a seemingly hopeless situation -- the knight Keren and his treacherous sidekick Buttle had taken over MacIndaw Castle, the heir has been chased off, and Alyss was a prisoner.

"The Siege of Macindaw" picks up immediately after that, and thankfully John Flanagan steers the story off in a much warmer, more hopeful direction. While the middle part of the sixth Ranger's Apprentice book is on the slow side, the gentle humor, elaborate strategies and action-packed climax keep it intricate and interesting.

Will is delighted when he hears news of a young warrior with a free-for-hire shield in the area -- it's Horace, meaning that he now has a somewhat better chance of victory. As a brigade of Scotti warriors approach, meaning that a chunk of Araluen will be lost, Will also acquires other allies: Malcolm the "sorcerer" and his followers, and a band of stranded Skandians who are all too happy to be hired.

So Will and his allies set out to capture the Scotti warriors, and somehow must find out what their battle plans are. But Malcolm's illusions and deceptions won't be enough to stop the soldiers of Macindaw -- it will take plenty of strategy and combat to infiltrate the castle. And when Will finally finds Keren, he will find someone dear to him suddenly turned against him.

"The Siege of Macindaw" is a rather slow-moving book at times -- the entire middle section is a stretch of careful strategic planning, with the occasional spurt of bloody, knife-swiping action. Fortunately, it's also very intricate and well-mapped out, and it's become clear once and for all that Will is no longer just an apprentice -- he and Horace are a strong, confident Ranger and warrior.

While things seem hopeless at the beginning, Flanagan devotes much of the plot to building up advantages for our heroes -- smoke-and-mirrors demons and monsters, a band of hardy Skandians, and their own prowess. And the last third of the novel suddenly blossoms into an emotionally intense, action-packed story that pits Horace, Will and their little band against Keren.

Flanagan also has thoroughly solid, atmospheric writing that brings to mind snow, big eerie illusions and a ghastly scene where Malcolm terrifies the Scotti with the image of a reality-bending demon. While the story is devoted to stopping Keren, he inserts some pleasant exchanges that keep the characters connected, such discussing a proper name for Will's dog, or a fun little limerick challenge ("What rhymes with Macindaw?").

But the most important focus here is Will and Horace, now confident young men who still bicker, care about each other, and fight the Scotti with wild abandon. And Will's obvious feelings for Alyss finally come out into the open, while Horace is hinted to have some feelings for another absent girl. And Flanagan's careful writing also leads to some very intricate villains -- though a bad guy, Keren is plagued by guilt and doubt; and the Scotti leader is a guy you end up feeling sorry for.

The sixth Ranger's Apprentice book "The Siege of Macindaw" nicely finishes off the story started in the previous book, and cements the maturity of an apprentice that is now a full Ranger. A good solid fantasy story.

I started to read this series about 2 yrs ago and have fallen in love with the characters as they have grown. In this particular book we see that Will is fully capable of his Ranger duties and has grown into a quite a strong, brave young man. I really enjoyed the interplay between the returning characters Horace, Will and Alyss. The storyline is believable and at some points leaves you guessing what will happen next. I know some of you are going to roll your eyes, and yes there are some predictable moments. However, this is a book written for young people not adults. Although the kid in me can't deny that I still like happy endings.

On a side note, I wonder what will become of Ranger Meralon who is in charge of Norgate Fief? He has some serious questions about is his actions to answer for. But that is all I will say for those of you who have not read the book yet.

The tempo of the story is very good. Mr. Flanagan paints great pictures with his words and excites the imagination. I continue to look forward to the next installment in the Ranger's Apprentice series!

I've read all of the "Ranger's Apprentice" book up to this one, and after struggling through "The Sorcerer in the North", which was good, but had a lot of dialogue and not a lot of action, I wasn't sure what "The Siege of Macindaw" would be like. Would it be swashbuckling like "The Ruins of Gorlan" or a little darker like "The Burning Bridge"? As the series went on I noticed that the action began to slow down and the characters began to talk more than act. I mean constant dialogue from chapter to chapter with very few action sequences to break it. And, not to mention, most of the dialogue was rather pointless and did not benefit the plot at all. However, I liked the humor - especially some of the banter between Horace and Will (even that got tedious after a while) - and the character development. There were no loose ends at the end of the story, and there was a strong plot to help it along. The very few action sequences were very well executed, and overall it was a very good addition to the "Ranger's Apprentice" series.

John Flanagan has done it again. THis is another great adventnure for your and old readers alike.

"The Siege of Macindaw" is book 6 in John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series. Flanagan is one of the most talented authors I've read in a long time. His ability to create memorable characters, unpredictable plot twists, and vivid images is unbelievable. The dialog is witty, and I was not able to put this one down. Book 6 is the continuation of the story started in book 5. Will and Horace must lay siege to the castle to rescue Alyss and stop invaders from the north from taking over part of Araluen. I don't want to ruin the plot, but this book is well written and the whole series is one of the best I've ever read. And, unlike most of Flanagan's other books, this one actually ends with closure to the story. I would highly recommend it to anyone!

I bought this book for my 12 year old son. He loves this series and couldn't put it down. This series has created an imaginary world that he enjoys reading about but also encourages him to look at his own world and wonder what it would be like here if he were a ranger's apprentice. Excellent series. He loves it!

Will has grown so much and his life is changing dramatically. I think these books are perfect for all ages. My only complaint with this book is that it isnt longer and the ending leaves me hanging desperate for the next book.

THE SIEGE OF MACINDAW, the sixth installment in John Flanagan's best-selling RANGER'S APPRENTICE series, picks up right where THE SORCERER OF THE NORTH left off, with Alyss imprisoned in Macindaw castle at the mercy of Keren the usurper.

Will is soon united with enemy-turned-best-friend Horace, deep in Malcolm the Healer's mysterious forest. Much as it pains the two to be so close to Macindaw and yet so helpless, the two know that they do not stand a chance against Keren and his soldiers. Worst of all, Will has no idea what the traitor Keren might be up to.

The unexpected arrival of a small Skandian force, led by Gundar Hardstriker, is the ultimate blessing. While the Skandians find themselves stranded in Araluen quite by accident, Will greets them heartily and quickly turns them into his own small army, led by none other than Horace, the Oakleaf Knight.

With intelligence covertly provided by Alyss, Will and Horace learn of Keren's plans to turn Macindaw over to the Scotti tribes of Picta. All the odds are against them, but Will and Horace are not about to give up. The ranger and warrior complement each other perfectly, and the two hope that Will's agility and wit paired with Horace's strength and fighting experience will be enough to overcome Keren's forces and the fast-approaching Scotti army. Trying to take Macindaw with only thirty men is a daunting task, a feat never before achieved in Araluen history.

In other words, the perfect challenge.

It is easy to see why RANGER'S APPRENTICE has such a following with the preteen crowd. THE SIEGE OF MACINDAW is a fantasy adventure with strong characters and a fast-paced plot. Flanagan's characters have heart and his heroes are almost too virtuous to be true. While an adult audience might dismiss Will and Horace as one-dimensional, their shining courage and unwavering sense of morality will appeal to younger readers.

Araluen is an epic fantasy world reminiscent of Tamora Pierce's Tortall with a pinch of C. S. Lewis' Narnia thrown in for good measure.

Reviewed by: Amber Gibson

Another of the well written books in the series. If you really get into this series you need to have book 7 nearby when you finish. This book ends with a cliff-hanger. I do enjoy Will's adventures!

After a little letdown in the "Sorcerer of the North," I was glad to see that this title returned to the same level of excitement and unpredictability of many of the earlier books in the series. It continues the story of the aforementioned title in describing how Will uses his intelligence and available resources at hand to capture the castle of Macindaw. With the help of his friends I was pleasantly surprised by the believable and creative plan that Will puts together to accomplish his mission. This title is also noteworthy in that Holt is barely in the story and plays no part in Will's triumph. Though I missed Holt's presence, it really showed how Will has developed into a full and excellent Ranger in every respect. For those who may find these last two titles a bit of a letdown, fear not! The next title after this one, "Erak's Ransom" is as good as any in the entire series. (Note: The books in the series come out much earlier in the author's native Australia than they do in the U.S. for some reason. Down under, Book 9 of the series is due to come out in November.)