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Return of the Temujai
(Brotherband Chronicles #8)
by
The Herons take to the high seas in the action-packed eighth installment of the Brotherband Chronicles,
Brotherband: Return of the Temujai
from John Flanagan, author of the internationally bestselling Ranger's Apprentice series!
The Herons are home in Skandia, but the usually peaceful country is in danger. The Temujai--ruthless warriors from the Eastern St ...more
The Herons are home in Skandia, but the usually peaceful country is in danger. The Temujai--ruthless warriors from the Eastern St ...more
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Halt O'
I think Stig because it seemed like something was on at the end of The Caldera.
Community Reviews
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Start your review of Return of the Temujai (Brotherband Chronicles, #8)
I feel like by this point that the author is slowly running out of ideas. To be fair to him, he has published a huge amount of work, but over the last few years, from my point of view, there are slowly been a dip in quality in his books. This book reuses an old idea from two of his old books and while the plot if different, nothing really comes of at the end and there is very little pay off. Instead of being excited about what was going on, it felt a bit predictable and uninteresting in my opini
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Nov 24, 2019
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review of another edition
Shelves:
series-in-progress,
fantasy
Another exciting adventure for Hal and his brotherband. They are sent to investigate rumors that the imperialist Temujai, their warring neighbors, are seeking a way to the sea. Loyal readers of Flanagan may recall that the Skandians faced trouble with these disciplined warriors, with horseback riding, bow shooting, and curved sword wielding skills in the fourth Rangers Apprentice book, The Battle for Skandia. So, the Heron is chosen to sail upriver and portage up to a large lake to investigate.
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There are not enough stars on Goodreads to contain my love for this book. This is by far the best Brotherband or Ranger's Apprentice book to release in a long time, and this is coming from someone who likes the Royal Ranger books (the fandom is pretty heated on those).
After the last two Brotherband Chronicles books were somewhat disappointing, this book blew my expectations out of the water and then some. This book was everything that made those original Ranger's Apprentice books so beloved. It ...more
After the last two Brotherband Chronicles books were somewhat disappointing, this book blew my expectations out of the water and then some. This book was everything that made those original Ranger's Apprentice books so beloved. It ...more
This book is not as great as some reviews would make it out to be. It is also not nearly as bad as others claim. Some old jokes are repeated, but the world is expanded. As usual, the details are foggy and the distances are ridiculous. But the story was fun if a bit unbelievable for a 20-year-old woman. Other than that I just want the author to bring back more of the real fantasy aspects. He had some in his very first books, but they haen't been back and I miss them.
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The nostalgia of Flanagan’s storytelling is what brings me back each time he releases a new book. His ability to created enjoyable characters and character interactions remains one of my favorites of all time. I love the banter he is able to express in the dialogue of his characters. Overall his dialogue is superb, and perhaps is the most memorable aspect of his writing.
However, at the rate he has been releasing books (one a year for quite a while now), I’ve been afraid the day was quickly appro ...more
However, at the rate he has been releasing books (one a year for quite a while now), I’ve been afraid the day was quickly appro ...more
Eighth in the Brotherband Chronicles historical action-adventure series (a spin-off from Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series) for middle-grade readers revolving around the young Hal and his crew.
My Take
I do like the sailing terms Flanagan includes at the start. I also love that the Skandians are so practical about feeding the fort's garrison so well. It only makes sense. As does Hal and Stig learning to ride horses, lol.
Flanagan uses third person point-of-view, primarily from Hal's and Thorn's ...more
My Take
I do like the sailing terms Flanagan includes at the start. I also love that the Skandians are so practical about feeding the fort's garrison so well. It only makes sense. As does Hal and Stig learning to ride horses, lol.
Flanagan uses third person point-of-view, primarily from Hal's and Thorn's ...more
I love the Heron Brotherband - they started out misfits and runts, and they are the finest, quickest brother band in all of Skandia.
They couldn't manage it without Lydia, and Thorn. Me either - those two add so much to the Heron. And Hal faces a new challenge at the end . . . I'm confident he's up to it! ...more
They couldn't manage it without Lydia, and Thorn. Me either - those two add so much to the Heron. And Hal faces a new challenge at the end . . . I'm confident he's up to it! ...more
I look forward to and enjoy reading the Brotherband Chronicles. Considering the wait for this book and the excitement of the previous volumes. This gets an “eh”. Not so much. I’ll look forward to the next one, if there is one. Maybe Flanagan has just run out of steam?
O well, what can I say? I have a bias when it comes down to the John Flanagan books that dates almost ten years back in my bookloving life.
I really enjoyed this book, following the story and adventures of the brotherband Heron.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
Not up to par
I LOVE the Brotherband and all of Flanagan’s book, but this one was a bit of a snoozer. Nothing new really happened (until the very end) and it seemed like a tired voyage. I missed all the humor of the past books (aside from the bear impression) and am a little shocked that it fell so flat.
I LOVE the Brotherband and all of Flanagan’s book, but this one was a bit of a snoozer. Nothing new really happened (until the very end) and it seemed like a tired voyage. I missed all the humor of the past books (aside from the bear impression) and am a little shocked that it fell so flat.
Thankfully was better than the last Brotherband. I think I may have mentioned it before, but Flanagan's books are getting worse and worse as they go on. It would be entirely possible to skip the last couple of books in the series before this one, as they're never mentioned or referenced in any way, and are pretty boring. I don't know whether it's just me growing out of the targeted age group for these books or just plain bad writing (I'm going to go with bad writing, since I can still read other
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John Flanagan continues to excite, thrill and impress me with his descriptions, details, narrative and personalities in a world not so different from our own. A huge talent that I, for one, do not want to see give up the Brotherband and Ranger sagas.
I know I do not fall within the target age demographics, but I do enjoy an exciting tale of adventure, action and good people battling bad. Something John Flanagan does very well indeed.
The 'Return of the Temujal' continues the Saga -even if the c ...more
I know I do not fall within the target age demographics, but I do enjoy an exciting tale of adventure, action and good people battling bad. Something John Flanagan does very well indeed.
The 'Return of the Temujal' continues the Saga -even if the c ...more
Another fine outing from John Flanagan. As an adult, I keep craving something a shade or two darker than what the Brotherband Chronicles is about, and I have to keep reminding myself that's a middle-grades book, written for tweens. However, the lack of grimdark aside, the Brotherband's wholesome adventures are still fun to read.
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I love that John Flanagan's books encourage 8 to 14 year olds to read! ....and that adults can enjoy them too. Please don't make them 'darker', as someone suggested. They are perfect for this targeted age group.
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The book was okay. I liked how it involved stuff from Rangers Apprentice but it was not exciting and most of the book felt like it was taken up with sailing. I also felt like I'd read everything that was in it in the other books already. I did however like the ending because it was very meaningful.
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Hal and the brotherband are tasked by Erak to help defend Skandia against the Temjuai, partly because of Hal's ability to think creatively.
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It was a great ride, but I think it's time to stop, Mr. Flanagan.
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I have seriously mixed feelings about Return of the Temujai. On one hand, the return of an old enemy is always a great hook (and this is no exception) and Return of the Temujai has the kind of consequential stakes I've missed in the last couple of books. On the other hand, the nature of the stakes in Return of the Temujai brings some of my biggest issues with the latter books in the Brotherband Chronicles to the fore.
Let's start with the good: there are few hooks better than the return of an old ...more
Let's start with the good: there are few hooks better than the return of an old ...more
Review of Danish translation.
I give this book about 4½ stars in total. The action is good (once it gets going), but I do have a couple of issues with it.
My first issue is the slow start, which is essentially a very long prologue to the real story. When you boil it down the first part is not really what the book is about it's just a little side story with a bit of background information and in my opinion too long. I was close to falling asleep when I first started reading (granted, I was tired, b ...more
I give this book about 4½ stars in total. The action is good (once it gets going), but I do have a couple of issues with it.
My first issue is the slow start, which is essentially a very long prologue to the real story. When you boil it down the first part is not really what the book is about it's just a little side story with a bit of background information and in my opinion too long. I was close to falling asleep when I first started reading (granted, I was tired, b ...more
My name is Hal, and my Heron brotherband has become Erak's most trusted crew. The Temujai have been trying to find a way into Skandia, so they can conquer the surrounding lands. We've already helped to strengthen a key Skandian outpost and quelled a raid, but Erak fears the Temujai may discover another way into our country. It's unlikely they'll try crossing the icy, perilous rivers to the north, but we're not sure what secrets might be found in those barren lands. We've sailed up the river, por
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John Flanagan keeps the Brotherband series alive and well in this next edition of the series, Return of the Temujai. I have been waiting for this next story to arrive and when Amazon delivered it last Friday, I dove in. Last night I finished and was amply satisfied with the storytelling and the continuation of the characters' lives in development in the series. Hal, Thorn, Stig, Lydia, Ingvar, and the rest of the Heron's come through in saving the Skandian Nation from another menace from their h
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Great middle grade/YA adventure that is up to par with the previous works in the series.
As to the lower rated reviews, yes, Return of the Temujai does have some similar elements as its predecessors & apparently that disappointed some readers, but honestly, the characters are warriors and sailors. The books have fighting and sailing and there can only going to be so many singular events (like big rapids or storms or combat or ship repairs) before you are no longer true to the culture & character ...more
As to the lower rated reviews, yes, Return of the Temujai does have some similar elements as its predecessors & apparently that disappointed some readers, but honestly, the characters are warriors and sailors. The books have fighting and sailing and there can only going to be so many singular events (like big rapids or storms or combat or ship repairs) before you are no longer true to the culture & character ...more
Man I was so looking forward to reading this book, and I'm kinda confused that I'm saying this, but I'm a little disappointed? It's so weird, I'm pretty much never let down by John Flanagan, but I honestly am not sure what this book... was. It FLEW by so FAST that I started worrying that I had skipped stuff on accident, which kinda sounds like a good thing, but I didn't feel like I had gotten any of the stuff I loved so much about the previous books. By the end, some of that stuff had been deliv
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The brotherband is sent to Fort Ragnak to test its defenses and provide the men there with their own Mangler weapon. This fort is high in the mountains and is there for one purpose; to keep the waring Temujai people from crossing over into Skandian land and making their way to the sea. After returning from a skirmish with the Temujai on the mountain, the brotherband is again sent on a mission. This time it is to explore the Ice River, the only other way the Temujai can make their way to the sea.
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I would recommend this series of books along with the Ranger's Apprentice series to anyone -especially boys 9-13. These books are excellent examples of team work and figuring out solutions to problems and shows a great strength of character in the group of young men and Thorn.
This is the 8th book- The young men are sent to see if the invaders could somehow come down and attack the Skandians. As usual the team is under the skillful direction of the youthful leader and also under the guidance of ...more
This is the 8th book- The young men are sent to see if the invaders could somehow come down and attack the Skandians. As usual the team is under the skillful direction of the youthful leader and also under the guidance of ...more
To be blunt, this book wasn't particularly good, and that's been the case for three of the last four books in this series to the point that I'm kind of wishing that Flanagan had just stopped writing about Hal and the Herons after the original trilogy. It's not that it's bad so much as there's just not much in the way of a hook: the story borrows a lot from the earlier Battle for Skandia from the original Ranger's Apprentice series and lacks any real sense of urgency or danger. The Herons are jus
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(4.5 stars)
Not as high in action as some of the previous books, but definitely was still interesting.
You get an up close look at the Temujai and their culture.
And as always the comedic dialogue of John Flanagan was entertaining! I can't get enough of it...
I look forward to seeing where the Brotherband ventures next.
*SPOILERS*
The Temujai don't seem very smart in battle haha... They were bested by the Skandians and the Araluen archers. I can't believe they tried to get across the river! I felt ...more
Not as high in action as some of the previous books, but definitely was still interesting.
You get an up close look at the Temujai and their culture.
And as always the comedic dialogue of John Flanagan was entertaining! I can't get enough of it...
I look forward to seeing where the Brotherband ventures next.
*SPOILERS*
The Temujai don't seem very smart in battle haha... They were bested by the Skandians and the Araluen archers. I can't believe they tried to get across the river! I felt ...more
Library copy
At least two of my students read this before I did, reserving copies from the public library! I waited until the library copy came in. Brotherband has never done quite as well as Rangers Apprentice, and I'm not sure why I still think of them as fantasy books. I still enjoy reading them, but they are becoming a bit samey. The Temujai are back, and didn't particularly interest me. The crew sails, run around and fight, and fight some more. I kept thinking that Hal and Lydia were from Ra ...more
At least two of my students read this before I did, reserving copies from the public library! I waited until the library copy came in. Brotherband has never done quite as well as Rangers Apprentice, and I'm not sure why I still think of them as fantasy books. I still enjoy reading them, but they are becoming a bit samey. The Temujai are back, and didn't particularly interest me. The crew sails, run around and fight, and fight some more. I kept thinking that Hal and Lydia were from Ra ...more
As always John Flanagan has really done a good job. There were more details and more emphasis on the sailing in this book than I remember his other books to have been but that was because the Heron was really a main part of this book more than in the other books. Usually the Heron took Hal, Stig, Jesper, Stephen, Ulf, Wulf, Ingvar, Thorn and Lydia to and from their destination and also fighting with the Mangler, but in this book, they had to "carry" the Heron up and down the mountain so there we
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
For mysteries by this same author, see John A. Flanagan.
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 ...more
For mysteries by this same author, see John A. Flanagan.
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 ...more
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Brotherband Chronicles
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“En hoe weet je dat hij een slechte adem heeft?'
Hal keek haar mismoedig aan. 'Hij is een zij, en zij is de halfgod van dans en beweging,' legde hij uit.
Lydia trok een wenkbrauw op. 'Ja, van haar kun jij wel wat hulp gebruiken, te oordelen naar de manier waarop jij hier rondstrompelt.”
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Hal keek haar mismoedig aan. 'Hij is een zij, en zij is de halfgod van dans en beweging,' legde hij uit.
Lydia trok een wenkbrauw op. 'Ja, van haar kun jij wel wat hulp gebruiken, te oordelen naar de manier waarop jij hier rondstrompelt.”
“Vroeg of laat breken we daar toch door.'
'Maar dat zou jullie een hoop mensenlevens kosten,' hield Hal nogal koppig vol.
De Sha'shan glimlachte. Het was een glimlach zonder humor. 'Wij hebben een heleboel mensen. We houden er altijd genoeg over om jullie te verslaan.”
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'Maar dat zou jullie een hoop mensenlevens kosten,' hield Hal nogal koppig vol.
De Sha'shan glimlachte. Het was een glimlach zonder humor. 'Wij hebben een heleboel mensen. We houden er altijd genoeg over om jullie te verslaan.”
