The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, #1)

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The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)

4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 · rating details · 30,772 ratings · 2,987 reviews

Alternate cover edition for ISBN: 9780142406632

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 Rang...more

Paperback, ALT cover ISBN: 9780142406632, 249 pages

Published June 8th 2006 by Puffin Books (first published November 1st 2004)

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Jul 11, 2012 The Holy Terror rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: color-black, color-blue, childrens, fantasy, middle-grade, buddy-reads-2012, male-protagonist, ebook, made-me-cry, epic-fantasy, favorite-books, 2012

This book was a pleasant surprise for me; I really had no expectations going in and I didn't read anyone's reviews beforehand so I ended up being completely blindsided by this awesome story, which is definitely a good thing! I'll admit I wasn't expecting much, I figured I'd get a good time-waster and a fun story, but I never thought I'd be moved to tears by the honor, loyalty, and friendships forged within.

This is the story of Will, an orphan raised with fellow wardmates, and it tells the tale o...more This book was a pleasant surprise for me; I really had no expectations going in and I didn't read anyone's reviews beforehand so I ended up being completely blindsided by this awesome story, which is definitely a good thing! I'll admit I wasn't expecting much, I figured I'd get a good time-waster and a fun story, but I never thought I'd be moved to tears by the honor, loyalty, and friendships forged within.

This is the story of Will, an orphan raised with fellow wardmates, and it tells the tale of his growth into a young man and Ranger, who are the eyes and ears for the fiefdom. At a certain age the castle wards each must choose a Craftmaster to study under, such as the castle's chef, Horsemaster, or Battlemaster. Young Will is a bit scrawny but he has always dreamt of becoming a mighty knight, because although he never knew his father he believes he died the heroic death of a brave knight. Unfortunately, the Baron has other plans for Will, and even though he's crestfallen at not being able to enter Battleschool, he has a much more important fate awaiting him: the Rangers.

Will is a great character - not too smart, not too cocky, not too bratty - but full of heart. In the beginning we get to meet him when he's still living with his friends before they've all chosen their crafts and it's shown that the kids don't always get along. There's a particular boy, Horace, who bullies Will relentlessly. Will isn't exactly an angel though as he ends up mouthing off to Horace and riling him up constantly. These two are at each other's throats for the majority of the book and it's fascinating watching their relationship change and mature. Two of the scenes with these boys were the ones that made me tear up. I don't know why it got to me, but their camaraderie really turned into something special in the end.

I also really enjoyed Will's budding master-apprentice relationship with the Ranger, Halt. Halt is a prickly character who (almost) never smiles. He's brutal on Will but he does so because he sees his potential. The last scene with these two at the end was another one that filled me with emotion because I couldn't help but feel proud for the two of them myself.

Will's point of view is the main one throughout most of the book, but we do get glimpses of what's going on in other characters' heads, and up until the halfway point almost each chapter switches back and forth between Will and Horace, though that didn't bother me at all. I really enjoyed the fact that even the horses, as well as some of the monsters, had thoughts that we were privy to, and I think this added some depth to the tale without being overwhelming or difficult to follow.

There are some really great themes throughout this story that I think are great for kids to read about. There's the aforementioned bullying and teasing that eventually gets resolved, there's emphasis on hard work and discipline, and there's the stress placed on following your gut and doing what's right. There are also monsters, archery, sword fighting, learning to sneak around unseen like an assassin, and all sorts of fun stuff that boys (and some girls) enjoy reading about. I think this would be a great book for reluctant readers since it's action-packed, suspenseful, and heartwarming as well. It's the type of book you can't put down because you need to know what happens next.

I really loved this book and I had no idea the wonderful story that it contained. This is a middle grade epic fantasy that I think people of all ages can enjoy, and I highly recommend you give it a shot.(less)

41 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2011 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, audiobook, ya, fantasy, 2000-2005, kings-and-queens

3.5 stars. Yippee…Hooray.....EXCELSIOR…. I found a quality YA fantasy story that I really liked. Before reading this, I had been in a bit of a slump with this sub-genre and had been considering a permanent separation. Thank goodness my literary guidance counselor asked me to give it one more try and recommended this book. I am very happy I stuck with it. I really liked this story and was surprised with how quickly and effortlessly, I go sucked into the narrative.

Now, granted, this book is incredibly “derivative” of all of the fantasy that has come before it and there is nothing here that I could point to and say, “ah, now that is a very unique concept.” In fact, before reading this story, I thought that this lack of newness might have been my problem with the whole sub-genre. I was wrong. Turns out I was just looking for a well-told story with an engaging cast of characters.

I found them both here. I really liked the tone of the narrative and the pace was absolutely perfect. It never felt rushed and yet moved along without a dull moment despite having to introduce the world of the series to the reader (something that often hampers pacing in a “first” book). I also genuinely liked the characters from Will and Horace and the Ranger Halt and the Baron, Sir Rodney. Finally, I found the fantasy elements to be well-done if standard.

This book proved to me that I wasn’t necessarily burned out on YA fantasy books but that I just wasn’t enjoying the one’s I was reading. While I don’t think I will immediately read the next book in the series, I will certainly buy it and keep it on the short-list for the next time I reach for this kind of story.

I hearty well done and thank you to the author John Flanagan. You have restored my faith in an entire genre.

P.S. I listened to the audio of this book read by John Keating and he did an absolutely PERFECT job. His tone and voice added a significant about of enjoyment to the story. I highly recommend it for fans of audio books.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fantasy lovers, history fans, fans of stories with real characters

Shelves: own, favourite-series, fantasy, australian, favourites

As I've almost reached eighteen years of age I've tended to drift away from reading YA fiction. I read mostly classics or more adult fiction nowadays. And yet there are some series which are capable of bridging age gaps despite having been written for a younger audience. I believe the best stories can cover all age brackets making them accessible to a wide audience. This novel is one of those books in my opinion. Or at least the development of the series is.

I could spend time reviewing the entir...more As I've almost reached eighteen years of age I've tended to drift away from reading YA fiction. I read mostly classics or more adult fiction nowadays. And yet there are some series which are capable of bridging age gaps despite having been written for a younger audience. I believe the best stories can cover all age brackets making them accessible to a wide audience. This novel is one of those books in my opinion. Or at least the development of the series is.

I could spend time reviewing the entire series but I'll stick to reviewing the first novel from the perspective of the series. The Ruins of Gorlan is a good novel but it does draw very strongly on other fantasy novels such as Lord of the Rings in the creation of its Warguls and Morgarath. Yet what is most impressive about the series is that it develops from then on. From the third book onwards the series branches out into a world of its own that draws upon our history to establish its own thrilling tales.

The world of the Ranger's Apprentice books becomes not dissimilar from a middle-ages version of our own. There is an England replacement, a Japan replacement, a French replacement, a land of viking like people and a whole load more of exotic races and lands. There is no magic really in the series strictly. Although I must state that Morgarath uses a sort of psychic link with his Wargul forces to control them. The lack of magic makes for a refreshingly different fantasy read.

I enjoy the world John Flanagan has created but what really keeps me buying the books is the characters he's created. Each individual has his or her own personality. The women are not weak or mindless characters either which is a refreshing change. But back on that you have: Will who is basically more of a trickster and uses lots of words; Horace who's a laconic kind of character and tends to be a methodical thinker; Alys the quick thinking and astute woman; Halt the grizzled old ranger who is perhaps my favourite character with his wry wit and grimmer attitude; and a whole ton of characters I can't describe without ruining the story. I'd read these books for the characters and their interactions alone because they are stellar.

These are books I believe adults and youth can read. My mum's a fan of them and I've been a fan ever since I picked up the first novel in grade eight. I would have been about thirteen...

So if you haven't read this series begin because even though there is ten or so books each can easily be read in a day. Actually each can easily be read in a day because they are simply so engrossing.

14th June 2012 Note: I have to feel a sense of glee over the fact that I got my sister, who reads very few series in a row - in fact she rarely reads many series or many books - hooked on this series. She's reading her fifth one right now and she's been racing through them. The next stage of the plan will be to introduce her to Lord of the Rings hehehe and then maybe one day she'll read as much as I do and as much as my mother does.(less)

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Nov 20, 2008 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

"No! Ashley! Put the book away!"
"But Mooooom! I'm at the part where he kills-"
"I don't care! It's two in the morning! Go to sleep!" She snatched the book one of Rangers Apprentice, The Ruins of Gorlan right out of my hands. She told me goodnight and slammed the door behind her.
Snap. That's the third time this week she took it from me. I was at the good part too! Well, it's all good. The action, the adventure, the surprises. My favorite part, especially, when the boys got in a fight. Will and Hor...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Callista rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-all-ages

Sometimes, when I'm looking for a break from the intense complexity of adult life and literature, I like to give YA books a try. This one definitely worked as a little escape.
While there is definitely strife, violence, and tension in the story, I still want to call this a nice book--not in a negative or dismissive sense. Overall, its message is positive; but it isn't cloying. I expected a shameless rip-off of The Lord of the Rings, but it isn't that. While a few things about Halt reminded me of...more Sometimes, when I'm looking for a break from the intense complexity of adult life and literature, I like to give YA books a try. This one definitely worked as a little escape.
While there is definitely strife, violence, and tension in the story, I still want to call this a nice book--not in a negative or dismissive sense. Overall, its message is positive; but it isn't cloying. I expected a shameless rip-off of The Lord of the Rings, but it isn't that. While a few things about Halt reminded me of Aragorn, he really isn't a shorter, older (-looking), commoner version of Aragorn (at least in book 1).
I'd definitely recommend it to families with children, unless the children are of the highly sensitive sort who might be disturbed by the descriptions of the fierce monsters.
The Ranger's apprentice himself, Will, is 15 years old, but I'm not sure that the book would appeal to a lot of contemporary 15-year-olds. Late bloomers do certainly exist; but in the alternate medieval Europe setting of the book, in which men are considered pretty old at 42, and given that in real life, medieval 15-year-olds were starting families, Will often seems more like a 12-year-old. The book often seems as if it's written with the 9-to-12-year-old bracket in mind. If I'd read this when I was 10 or 11, I probably would've considered it a 5-star book.
Reading as an adult, I still found plenty to like. Other than seeming too young, Will--the main protagonist--is a good and likeable kid. I liked Halt the Ranger very much, with his dry sense of humour and impressive skill set. Halt's strategy when dealing with the Battleschool bullies is one of the best I've ever seen. I loved it. (Parents with a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence will not approve; but those parents will no doubt keep this book out of their children's hands just based on its synopsis.) I appreciated the attention to detail regarding ranger and martial skills, especially archery. The action sequences were zingy, with a couple of "woo-hoo!" moments. I liked Horace's story arc and the changes that happened within him.
As with quite a few other kids' and YA books, this one has a shifting point view that bugged me a bit, but that's a pet peeve of mine. J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan are both better writers stylistically than Flanagan.
I'm not sure I want to read 10 or more books of this series, as such a long storyline may stretch things a bit thin, but I think I'll try the second book at some point and see how it goes.

(less)

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Apr 09, 2011 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, 2011, reviewed, challenge-1010

This book came with a very high recommendation from a friend of mine, and I can see why. I really enjoyed this one. There are aspects of the typical fantasy coming-of-age story, and details that reminded me of Lord of the Rings, but mostly, this book stood on its own two feet.

I really liked all of the characters in this one. I actually liked a secondary character, Horace, more than the main character, Will, but I think that's because I generally feel more for those placed in an underdog role. W...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Colleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade, action-adventure, fantasy, loved

After the fourth re-read I've noticed some hiccups and glitches that I hadn't noticed before, but I still thoroughly enjoy the characters, their interaction, and the wit and humor of the dialogue.

***

Oct. 13, 2008

A pseudo-medieval adventure, sort of along the lines of Robin Hood, but following the life of a young apprentice Ranger...

I admit, the thing that first attracted me to this series was because I love the concept of Rangers thanks for Stryder in LotR. (Note I say Stryder. I always thought...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Karen Kaiser rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-2012, fiction, fantasy, reread, i-can-die-happy, five-stars, rangers-apprentice, action-adventure

I love this entire series. This is a reread for me, but I feel the need to rant about how much I love it.

One thing that pleases me is how detailed yet succinct Flanagan is in his descriptions of Araluen's history and politics and such. He gives you all the info you need, but doesn't overload you with unnecessary trivia.

Also, the writing is excellent. It never bored me, ever, even throughout all ten books, as far as I can remember. The characters are all distinct, and yet each maintains a level...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Jason Yee rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was searching for a book that doesn't have any magic like in Eragon. So i began searching and came stumbling across this book. Hmm, rnager's apprentice. Catchy title. I began reading it. It was soooo good and exciting! All the emotions and action felt so real when you read it. I couldn't put down the book until either it was done or i was too sllepy to continue reading. SO far what happened was that Will (the main character) gets declined from being a warrior/knight because of his height. SO H...more

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Mar 13, 2009 Karin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008-caudill-nominees, books-for-boys, fantasy, orphans, rangers, audio-edition, borrowed-from-the-library

Will, an orphan, has always dreamed of attending Battle School, so that he can be a knight and warrior. His dreams are dashed when he is instead chosen to be an apprentice to the Ranger Halt. There are strange stories about rangers, and common people find their company vaguely unsettling. Will, too, thinks that there’s something supernatural about them. He soon discovers, however, that Halt is quite human, and that rangers’ skills are something that he, too, is quite capable of mastering. As his...more Will, an orphan, has always dreamed of attending Battle School, so that he can be a knight and warrior. His dreams are dashed when he is instead chosen to be an apprentice to the Ranger Halt. There are strange stories about rangers, and common people find their company vaguely unsettling. Will, too, thinks that there’s something supernatural about them. He soon discovers, however, that Halt is quite human, and that rangers’ skills are something that he, too, is quite capable of mastering. As his training progresses, Will finds that he enjoys being an apprentice ranger. Later, when the Baron offers him a position among the other Battle School trainees, Will refuses – graciously – because he now wants to be a ranger more than anything.

There’s great danger ahead for Will (and his land). Morgarath (the wicked, bad, naughty, EVIL personage in this particular fantasy series) is once again becoming powerful and wants to take back what she sees as hers. She sends some creatures against Will and his people – the Kulkara (sp?) – which they are only just able to defeat. As this is a series, we can probably expect more of the same.

This book has so much potential appeal. I grew up with The Lord of the Rings stories, and Aragorn (the ranger) in particular, has always been a mysterious and intriguing character. Therefore, it should have been easy to grab and keep my interest with this kind of story. Instead, it was a bit of a struggle. I listened to the audiobook production of this novel, and did not get caught up in the story until the second disc (around chapter 6), when there were more descriptions of what Will was learning as a ranger’s apprentice. There are more engaging adult fantasy series that cover similar ground (like Raymond Feist’s Riftwar saga, for instance) – unexpected apprenticeships, discovery of personal power, and then the ultimate fight against some evil forces. It’s possible that this just wasn’t as sophisticated as it could have been – it is, after all, written for children (but I still think you can have phenomenal children’s books, and this was only ok). (less)

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May 02, 2013 Julian P rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have finished reading Rangers Apprentice, The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan. The book is about a boy named Will who had a lifelong dream about becoming a knight. That dream was ruined on picking day by the battle school not accepting him into it. Will was devistated by the news but then he spotted a mysterious ranger named Halt. Halt seemed to like Will and thought he would be a good ranger so he accepted Will into the Ranger Corps. Will trained and trained for a large meeting when all of...more

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Aug 19, 2010 Lana Krumwiede added it

Shelves: ya-fantasy, favorites

I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to this, but I'm glad I did. What a great book! Now I have to find the others.

6 likes · like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Shehreyar Khan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, favorites, master-apprentice, young-adult

The story follows Will (a fifteen-year-old) who’s always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a knight. He feels that he owes it to his dead father. Almost as soon as the story begins, we see his dream ruined when the head of the battle school (some knight whose name I forgot) picks Will’s best friend instead of him. Will is short (a late bloomer) and clearly unsuited to becoming a knight.

But, by a stroke of luck, Will is taken as an apprentice to a grim veteran and legendary Ra...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Kristine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-scifi, young-adult

I don't know what happened to make me such a fantasy fan - but it happened. I'm hooked! I have had several friends read through this whole series in the last 6 months and rate it pretty highly. So I was looking forward to some fun

Will is one of the 'wards' (orphans that are taken care of by the local baron). There are 5 in his group who have reached the age of 15 where their are apprenticed out among the village's craftsmen. At first it seems like he is the only one of the wardmates who doesn't...more

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Jun 29, 2009 Angelic Zaizai rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Will yang pengen jadi ksatria ternyata malah dipilih jadi murid magang sang Ranger.
Kalo pernah baca Spook's Apprentice, novel ini setipe-lah.. Tom dan Will sama2 jadi murid magang, harus nurut sama gurunya.
Ranger dan Spook juga sama-sama "ditakuti masyarakat.
Bedanya kalo Spook lebih ngurusin hal2 seperti makhluk gaib, Ranger disini digambarkan lebih mirip jadi mata-mata, mengawasi apakah ada hal2 yang bisa membahayakan negara dan berurusan dengan monster bukan penyihir hehehe.
Musuh utamanya Morg...more

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Oct 03, 2008 Jmorlie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jmorlie by: bookshore person

In this book you meet up with Will. Will is an orphan in the casles Ward. Will had lived there his whole life, not much was known about him only that his name is Will.Now, he and the other four ward mates must now face a choice. This is one of the most imporant choices they will ever make. It's a choice of what to do with the rest of their lives. What Will really wants is to get into battle school and become a great knight. Unfortunately, when he asks to join battel school he is turned down. But...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Megan Esch Fox rated it 4 of 5 stars

A lot of kids ask about this series at my library so I thought I should read at least the first book. Fast paced, likeable characters and adventures. I was drawn in quickly and wanted to find out what happens to all the characters that I've already read three in the series. Definitely a book/series to recommend to a child that likes adventure stories.

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Sep 03, 2008 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jane by: YABC

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, home-library, yabc, autographed, high-fantasy, middle-grade

I’m a big fan of fantastical worlds, especially if there’s bows and arrows involved. Flanagan weaved a really impressionable story using both fantastical and historical elements. Of course, the historical parts are actually history inspired rather than actual re-imaginations of history. Reminds me of LOTR sometimes, yet far less complicated and definitely easier to read.

The first book seemed cliche at times, but not overly so that it bothered me too much. The books build with each installment, i...more

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Apr 23, 2008 Smaileh rated it 4 of 5 stars

The characters are what makes this series so enjoyable. Will, the apprentice of the series title, is instantly likeable, but I really liked the treatment of Horace. Instead of making him a rival and a thorn in Will's side for the entire series, he develops from a braggart and a bully to Will's true friend before the novel is half over. I also liked the adult characters. Halt, the ranger who takes Will in, is a bit of an Aragorn figure, outwardly stern but inwardly caring. Baron Arald, the man wh...more

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Nov 30, 2008 Chandler rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-books

this was just o.k. It was definatley a book for a younger person. I thought a few times while I was reading it that Cody or Brigham would like this book. I won't read the others, just because I think it was too young for me. Sometimes these Young Adult books are pretty good, but this was not it for me.

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Jan 15, 2013 Sergio Molina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: f

this is a great book and the rest are better or just as good.I recomend it to any adnenture book lovers.

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Dec 29, 2011 Ellie (a.k.a. QE3) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Argh. What a stupid cover. Who wants to stare at some hooded figure's chin, anyways?!

*UPDATE: Finished*

3.5

So it was fairly good. The writing itself was a bit....not my style sometimes, like...just little bits of the text inexplicably annoyed me. But it was good writing; I can't deny that. And it was pretty slow at times. I had extra incentive which involved a guy, which was probably how I finished the dratted book, but I'm starting the sequel, which is faster-paced so far, and I'm actually fairl...more

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Apr 30, 2008 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-discarded

I got about a quarter through this book and then had to put the thing down. The story itself has some promise but the writing is too clunky for me. The point of view rockets between characters and much of the story is in passive voice, told to the reader rather than shown. It makes for a slower pace, long blocks of text and major, major info dump on almost every page. Rather annoying. I appreciate the author has put a lot of time and effort into his world building - I just don't want to read an...more

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Oct 25, 2011 El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 06-eltemplo, reseñas

"Acaban de aterrizar en las librerías dos títulos muy recomendables para los jóvenes amantes de las historias de aventuras y acción: Estirpe Salvaje, de Espasa y Montaraces, de Alfaguara. El primero se desarrolla en Slavamir, una tierra asolada por cruentas guerras y despiadados bárbaros en la que viven pacíficamente Ruslan y su hermana pequeña Yvanka. Un día, sin previo aviso, un batallón del reino de guerreros de Mordvin irrumpe en la aldea, asesinando a cuantos hombres y mujeres encuentran a...more "Acaban de aterrizar en las librerías dos títulos muy recomendables para los jóvenes amantes de las historias de aventuras y acción: Estirpe Salvaje, de Espasa y Montaraces, de Alfaguara. El primero se desarrolla en Slavamir, una tierra asolada por cruentas guerras y despiadados bárbaros en la que viven pacíficamente Ruslan y su hermana pequeña Yvanka. Un día, sin previo aviso, un batallón del reino de guerreros de Mordvin irrumpe en la aldea, asesinando a cuantos hombres y mujeres encuentran a su paso y haciéndose con todas las provisiones acumuladas para el invierno. Durante el asedio, los dos niños quedan huérfanos y sin hogar, y se ven obligados a casi mendigar para poder sobrevivir. Pero su suerte cambia cuando otro escuadrón, esta vez del reino contrario, llega al pueblo para recuperar fuerzas y después seguir su camino. Es entonces cuando Ruslan toma la decisión que cambiará por completo el transcurso de su vida y la de su hermana: unirse a ellos ocultando la verdadera identidad de Yvanka haciéndola pasar por un chico. A partir de ese momento, la ferocidad, el valor y la lealtad serán sus únicas armas para mantenerse con vida y vengar la muerte de su familia. Montaraces, por el contrario, transcurre en el reino de Araluen, más concretamente en el castillo de Redmont. Allí, Will, un joven bajito, delgado y propenso a recibir las burlas de todos, aguarda junto a sus compañeros a que el rey y sus consejeros les asignen las Escuelas donde pasarán los próximos años entrenándose para ser caballeros, escribanos, cocineros o diplomáticos. Will, por supuesto, desea fervientemente entrar a la Escuela de Combate, pero de igual modo sabe que ni su estatura ni sus endebles músculos se lo permitirán. Y así sucede: el joven se queda a las puertas de su sueño. Un sueño que deja de ser tan atrayente cuando descubre que hay una quinta escuela de la que no había oído hablar: la de los montaraces. Hombres tan ágiles como el viento y tan silenciosos como una sombra. Guerreros invisibles que acechan, espían y aguardan entre los árboles. Personas capaces de trepar, deslizarse por el suelo y escurrirse entre el gentío sin llamar la atención. Y Will tendrá que aprender a hacer todo eso y mucho más de la mano de su mentor, Halt, mientras una terrible conspiración se fragua en las lejanas tierras de Gorlan. --> Sigue leyendo la reseña en http://www.eltemplodelasmilpuertas.com"(less)

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Nov 21, 2008 Janeen-san rated it 2 of 5 stars

Will is fifteen, the fifteen means the biggest day of his life his coming up: The Choosing.
He will choose what to do with his life, and who to be aprentticed too. The Cook, Seamtress and Scribe all seem unlikely, as Will is not very strong, but he is fast and good at blending in with his sruroundings.
Then, someone else apears: the Ranger, Halt.

Will knows about the Rangers. They are men and women always armed to the teeth with bows, arrows, and swords. They serve the King.
Halt asks if Will would...more

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May 19, 2013 Bata123 rated it 5 of 5 stars

What is your opinion of the book and why?
This book had become my new favorite book of all time. I couldn't put it down. The Ranger’s Apprentice is full of excitement and suspense to keep the reader locked in. it also has enough description so I wasn’t confused, but it didn’t prolong more than needed. I could vividly picture every scene as I read throughout the book. There were also many conflicts that kept the story interesting.

How can you currently relate the book to your life?
In the story, th...more

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May 14, 2013 Lindsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: english-430, young-adult-lit-books

My little sister recommended that I read this book as one of my required YAL books for the semester. I'm really glad that I did. I thought that the characters were accessible and intriguing especially for reluctant readers. This book is a series and I plan on having the first 2 or 3 in my classroom library.

This story covers a lot of themes that I think are particularly relevant to middle school and early high school aged kids. One of the main ones being the need to belong somewhere and the fear...more

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May 12, 2013 Josh rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the series of The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan. It tells the story of Will no one. He has no last name and doesn't think he will ever belong anywhere until one day he meets Halt. One of the Kings Rangers and soon to be Will's mentor. Halt takes will under his wing to teach him how to become a Ranger for the king. Will has his work cut out for him though because Halt is the best Ranger there is and pushes Will hard because something is wrong in the kingdom. Halt...more

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May 05, 2013 Leon Ngo added it

The Ruins Of Gorlan is a book in the Rangers Apprentice series, which is written by the author Bill Flanagan. This book starts off in a fictional place named Araluen. Where Will, an orphan who had lost his parents in war, had been recruited into the ward, where he then stays until the Choosing. Unfortunately for Will, his preference to become a warrior was rejected solely on the reason that he was too lanky. The only person to have shown interest in him, was the mysterious 'Halt' who's legendary...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Alyssa Finnegan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: young readers.

Shelves: favorites

These books, as far as I can remember, were absolutely fantastic. I read this book when I was much younger, probably around age 14 or 15. I'm now 20 and I can still recall how fond I was of them. They were some of my first introductions into the fantasy genre, a genre that is my favorite to this day, and for that I am eternally grateful. I can clearly remember the characters and their relationships even though I haven't read them in years, which truly is a feat considering how many books I read...more

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Favourite Book in the series?	16	52	May 02, 2013 05:26pm
Who do you think should be in the new Ranger's Apprentice and who they should play?	3	24	Apr 14, 2013 11:05am
Ranger's Apprenti...: I challenge you to get 100% of my quiz without cheating :P (Book 1)	32	22	Apr 07, 2013 07:03pm
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About John Flanagan

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

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 where he worked, however, that his talent was revealed. It turned out one of the company directors agreed with Joh...more

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Books by John Flanagan

The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice, #2)

The Battle for Skandia (Ranger's Apprentice, #4)

The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice, #3)

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

The Sorcerer in the North (Ranger's Apprentice, #5)

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Trivia About The Ruins of Gorlan

16 trivia questions
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Quotes from The Ruins of Gorlan

“...at the time, King Herbert felt that to remain safe, the kingdom needed an effective intelligence force."

"An intelligent force?" said Will.

"Not intelligent. Intelligence. Although it does help if your intelligence force was also intelligent.” — 322 people liked it

“People will think what they want to," he said quietly. Never take too much notice of it.” — 147 people liked it

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The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)

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