Rangers Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw

Rangers Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw


This is the continuation of the complicated plot up at Castle Macindaw. I’m not going to reveal pretty much any of the plot since that would be a spoiler to the previous book, but I will reveal little tid-bits.

Will was faced with a pretty hard choice when he helped Orman (the rightful ruler of Macindaw) escape from the renegade ‘Sir’ Keren. Not only that, but Alyss is being held captive by the same wonderfully traitorous knight. Thankfully, Halt and Crowley had the insight to send some backup for Will; but, I’m not telling you who they send. As the plot continues to thicken, and the characters join forces against a traitorous plot that could mean the downfall of the Kingdom of Arluen. Can Will save Alyss? Will Keren's plan work, or will he change his mind and repent? Also, what will happen to Shadow, Will's dog, when he leaves Macindaw? All these questions leave you wanting to keep reading right up until the end.

All in all I would give this book a 10 out of 10, since John Flanagan did such a marvelous job in continuing the plot and keeping you reading up until the very end. He used great imagery, so much that you can feel like you're Will shooting arrows or Keren sweating at the meaning of what he is doing. Rangers Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw is a great read, especially if you are a fan of the series. Hope that you enjoy it!!!

Rangers Apprentice: Sorcerer of the North

Rangers Apprentice: Sorcerer of the North

Yes! This book is the best of what I like to say ‘the second part of the series’. Mainly because it opens a new chapter in Will’s life and skips a couple of years since the last one.

Will is finally a full pledged ranger, and so is given his own fief. (That’s all I am saying about that, I don’t want to spoil your read) Halt and Crowley give him an assignment that, you guessed it, has to do with sorcery…and the North. Hence the title. Will goes in disguise since rangers are believed to be “black sorcerers” they figure it would be counterproductive to have a ranger just go waltzing in. Will heads up north with his new dog (it’s a she) to investigate. What he begins to find will probably shock most of the readers (I was shocked for one) This book is probably one of the more engaging since you can never really tell what John Flanagan was going to do next.

Sorcerer of the North is the first part of a new little series within the series. Yes, I know they are all in the series but he leaves you hanging just like he did with “The Burning Bridge” through “The Battle for Skandia”. I thought that this is a really original story line/plot, and would (could) become an awesome movie (wink wink nudge nudge movie studios). Once again John Flanagan worked absolute genius on the next book in the series, weaving the characters in and out of danger in a way that will leave you hanging until the very last word. I thought that this book leaned in more toward mystery than the previous books (I was totally ok with that) but was still action packed and wonderful.

All in all I give this book a 10 out of 10, because well, in my opinion this book, this series is wonderful and without fault. I really think that followers of the series and even newcomers to the books will enjoy John Flanagan’s next installment of the Rangers Apprentice series.

Rangers Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia

Rangers Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia

I have two words to describe this book: Action packed! I think that John Flanagan did a great job connecting this book with the previous book (Rangers Apprentice: The Icebound Lands), while giving it its own style or 'flare'.

Contrary to the previous book the focus of characters in this book switches. It goes from Halt and Horace getting to know one another better; to Halt and Will being reunited. Tension also begins to rise between Horace, Will, and Evanlyn (aka Princess Cassandra.) I thought that this added an interesting twist to things, seeing as the plot thickens with the other characters. Erak is in a tight position with Evanlyn and Will returning to the capital of Skandia where they were slaves before he helped them to escape. All of this is brought on by the inevitable invasion of Skandia by a warrior race known as the Temujai. Halt agrees to help the Skandinavians since if they were defeated Araluan would be in danger of a similar attack.

This book is one of my favorites of the first five, because it introduces us to new characters, and also starts to show the bravery and camaradery shared by the main characters, (Halt, Evanlyn, Horace, and Will.) I thought that John Flanagan did an excellent job in the writing of the story and the 'weaving' of the plot. The plot is light and humorous, with tastes of danger, intrigue, romance, and seriousness.

This book is easy to read so that it is open to the younger grade levels as well as being intriguing enough that it captures the older audience. Also readers should be aware that in international market this book goes by "The Oakleaf Bearers" in its home country of Australia and other areas. On a scale of 1-10 I would give this book a definite 10!

Rangers Apprentice: Icebound Land

Rangers Apprentice: Icebound Land.

The Icebound land is a great book through and through!!!!! As Horace and Halt go on their search and rescue mission (Will was captured in the previous book) they create a close bond and Horace learns that Halt will do anything (no matter how shady) to save Will.

Meanwhile Will and Evanlyn become closer on the voyage to their new home. At this point a little bit of romance enters the scene. I always felt like hitting Will across the head (You like Alyss you….you…. Apprentice!) But, it plays a minor roll and it doesn’t really affect the book.

Horace creates a laugh throughout the book as he and Halt give/ return friendly banter. I think that this adds to the book, giving what could have been a very slow, sad and boring book the pick-me-up that it needed. Halt surprises Horace, especially in their encounter with the dark warlord Deparnieux.

Meanwhile life continues as slaves for Will and Evanlyn. Will succumbs to a highly addicting drug (No!!!!!!) but Evanlyn still looks for a means of escape to save herself and Will (score one for the girl!) She finds it in one of the most of unlikely of places. (It still surprises me after the third and fourth readings anyway)

I thought that this book was good , so I would give it 7.5 out of 10 because it can get pretty slow in the middle. All in all I think that John Flanagan did an excellent job with this continuation of a fabulous series. Tune in next time for a snatching review of the next installment in the series, “The Battle for Skandia”
-Kristina

Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge

Rangers Apprentice: The Burning Bridge
This is the second book in the series, and although it has a really good beginning and middle the end leaves something to be desired, but is better now that you can immediately read the third book.
In this book Will and Gilan (Halts former apprentice) along with Horace, going to Celtica to investigate some mysterious happenings. What they discover leads them to find a servant girl from Araluan who escaped an attack by Wargals on her mistresses’ caravan. Evanlyn (the servant girl) accompanies Horace, Will and Gilan as they come closer and closer to the truth.
As I mentioned earlier, the ending is quite abrupt, and leaves you with a sense of incompleteness. I thought it could have been better. Even though he shows what happens you can only ask WHY?!?!!?! As you continue with the series this book (along with the horrible ending) plays a pivotal role in all of the books to come. I enjoyed the read and I hope you do to!

Rangers Apprentice Review

Rangers Apprentice: Ruins of Gorlan
This is the first installment in a series that is becoming widely popular over the whole globe. Written by John Flanagan, Rangers Apprentice starts out with a young orphan boy by the name of Will. Will has no last name since he was orphaned from a young age. He is now old enough to become the apprentice to one of the craft masters of the fief (state) that he lives in. He originally tries to enter Battle school to follow in the steps of his father (or so he thinks) he is widely disappointed when he is denied that “privilege.” His hope returns when the mysterious ranger Halt gives the baron a letter said to hold Will’s future in it. Will takes a huge risk to find out the contents of the letter, but he gets caught. Halt, the ranger wants Will to become his apprentice, and faced with the choice of a life of farm labor or that he goes with the ranger.
Will’s adventures throughout this book continue to grow and make him a better person. Will begins to discover who he is and what it is to be a true friend. Although it starts out a little slow, this book soon ensnares the reader into a web of intrigue and suspense. The end leaves you waiting for the next book, barely satisfied for the time being. So far Will’s adventures have been documented in nine books, but sadly not all of these have yet to be printed in the US... yet.

First Semester Portfolio- Piece I would like to revise

Just then a very devote servant of Ambrose appeared. He was dressed as richly as any of my cousins (although he was a good deal older), but the way he spoke to Ambrose it was clearly evident that he was a servant.
“M-m-m-aster…” He stuttered, as if he were terrified of the young man that stood in front of him.
“Yes, Helio?” Ambrose asked politely acting as if he were completely oblivious to the servants stutters.
“Y-y-our h-horse i-s-s r-ready s-sir.” He answered.
“Thank you, Helio, you may bring her to me…please” Ambrose asked quite politely.
I watched this whole exchange with a slightly bemused expression. I could tell that the stuttering was all an act. Whether the act was for my benefit or Ambrose’s I couldn’t tell quite yet. Helio gave it away when he winked at me behind Ambrose’s back and that he seemed to stutter almost every word, which was unusual. Still, was the act a attempt of Ambrose’s to impress me or all of Helio’s doing, letting Ambrose go under the illusion that he was in charge and was a overbearing master. Either way those two were going to make this quest, well, interesting.
Helio left us and went to bring Ambrose his horse, jostling everyone in his way while doing so. Ambrose jumped up on the horse in one fluid movement. Even I was impressed by that.
“Are you coming or not?” He asked from his perch… Way up on that horse.
“All the way up these?” I really didn’t have any fond memories of the last time I got on a horse with him.
“How else do you expect us to finish this quest in both our lifetimes without one?” Ambrose asked. He was clearly laughing…at me!
“I don’t know… Walking?”

This piece is a small excerpt of a fiction book that I am writing. It is told through the eyes of a teenage girl back in Ancient Greece who is going on a quest to see if she is really the daughter of a goddess. In this section she is arguing with her new found friend about modes of transportation, and watching an exchange between him and his servant. To be quite honest I don’t know where I got the ideas, they just kind of popped into my head. If I were to revise this piece I would clean up the grammar and us more smiley face tricks/imagery. I want to do this because I am trying to make it the best that I can.

First Semester Portfolio- Favorite Piece

Time

Time is so important
To me, to you, to them.
Without it what would we be?
But beings living a monotonous existence.

It can pass both fast and slow,
And follows rules all of its own.
We try to stop it.
Make us stay young.
But still we have not
Ever played with for fear.

Of screwing it up.
Of making mistakes.
Of changing the past, present, or future.
So we only dream of traveling through it.

And so it passes,
By and by.
Slipping through our fingers.
Always passing on and on.
Following its own rules.
Time and Time.
Again.


This piece is a poem that I wrote. It is obviously poetry, but it follows no specific format. This poem talks about time and its mysteries, and how we have tried to stop it, slow it, and always seem to fail. It is my favorite because it talks about something that no one really understands and so you kind of have free-range with it, as long as you stay somewhat reasonable. I got the idea for it because the school year seemed to be passing both fast and slow all at the same time.

First Semester Reflection

This first semester I have learned so much about writing that sometimes I can’t even comprehend it. One of the biggest things I have learned about is smiley face tricks and how to write so that the reader(s) stay interested and are able I imagine what is going on and how it looks. I have also learned about different kinds of writing and how you use those kinds effectively in any writing that you do. My teacher has a way of putting things that I get it immediately, and it sticks in my head.

Last semester I learned that if I apply myself to grammar I can get it and if I don’t it is seemingly impossible. I must apply myself and work hard to get the neatness and get that great quality that I have come to expect from myself.

This semester I can try to be a better student by reading more, and not slacking off until the last minute like I am prone to do. I can work on making my writing better and not settling for good enough. “You can never achieve greatness if you settle for good enough. You must practice until you don’t get it wrong and you do the best possible.” This semester I will make this my motto and follow it to the best of my ability.