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The Ruins of Gorlan

(Ranger's Apprentice #1)

John Flanagan

4.21 · Rating details · 130,113 ratings · 7,792 reviews

They have always scared him in the past — the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and 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 ...more

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Paperback, 249 pages

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

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Nov 07, 2013 Rick Riordan rated it really liked it

It’s been a while since I read a classic sword and sorcery fantasy novel, but I enjoyed this one a lot. In fact, it had no sorcery at all, which was kind of refreshing. It was a believable, well-grounded alternate medieval earth. In Flanagan’s world, young wards of the state have to choose professions, and Will is reluctantly recruited to become a ranger. The relationship between Will and his Battleschool rival is particularly well portrayed, and Will’s training as a ranger makes for great readi ...more

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Nov 15, 2008 Ashley rated it it was amazing

"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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Jun 26, 2010 Stephen rated it liked it

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

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. ...more

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Jun 20, 2010 Shannon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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

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 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. ...more

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Oct 04, 2013 Argona rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, magic, medieval-fantasy, all-time-favorites, favorite-fantasy-series, reviewed, high-fantasy

I wrote this review quite some time ago but I had to come back and improve it a little after reading several other books of this wonderful series. I am officially a big fan!

I read many positive reviews before picking up this book and I was afraid that I might be too old for actually enjoying this. I was WRONG! This book was such a pleasant surprise and definitely deserves all the positive reviews.

I didn't find the beginning of this story very original but my opinion changed very quickly as the s I wrote this review quite some time ago but I had to come back and improve it a little after reading several other books of this wonderful series. I am officially a big fan!

I read many positive reviews before picking up this book and I was afraid that I might be too old for actually enjoying this. I was WRONG! This book was such a pleasant surprise and definitely deserves all the positive reviews.

I didn't find the beginning of this story very original but my opinion changed very quickly as the story developed. This book begins the story of Will, an orphaned boy with his own dreams and insecurities who struggles with who he is and who he wants to be. The entire series is a tale of his growth into a young confidant man, finding his right place in the world.

I have to say that the author does a brilliant job with his young characters' gradual growth. Many characters are slowly added to the story as the series progresses and it's quite wonderful to see them all change and help each other grow, from young ones to grownup adults. There are many memorable characters that I have come to really like!

Back to the story of this book, the most pleasant surprise for me was when the book switched from Will's point of view to Horace's. I did not expect that at all! The story immediately became very different and unique and showed great potential for improvement. It was quite wonderful to read about such realistic characters in a well-thought fantasy world. Thanks to the POVs, we get to see that Will, while a very lovely and pleasant boy, isn't really an angel. He too can be mean or selfish. We also find out that the boy he doesn't like is not the devil himself. Life isn't exactly black and white and it moved me that this book managed to show that with such a simple but fascinating story. It's nice that we also get to know what's in other characters' heads which definitely makes the story much more pleasant and easier to follow. I did not find the story rushed and characters grow the way they should. The main characters are children after all and it's nice that they stay as one while growing considerably and they don't end up taking missions to save the world single-handedly. I am always annoyed when that happens and there isn't a single adult in the big picture!

What I loved the most while reading this book was the relationship between Will and Horace AND how it gradually changed and matured, becoming something very special at the end.

The Master-Apprentice relationship between Will and Halt is also very adorable and I have come to really like this gloomy ranger who never smiles!XD

The ending scene was perfect for this story. I find it very beautiful when young individuals come to see the truth of their existence and choose it over their childish dreams or who they think they should be to find any acceptance or approval. I recommend this book to those who are looking for a fun and light fantasy book with beautiful concepts such as true friendship and honor hidden in the pages of it. ...more

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Jul 22, 2013 Lois Bujold rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: young readers and those old enough to not give a damn

I kept picking up mentions of these books here and there, so finally got a copy from my library. Also, I have a soft spot for Rangers. Blame Professor T.

It was a bit cruel to this book to read it in the middle of a reread of Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief series, because the contrasts in quality rather jumped out at one. I was inclined to spot it a few points because it was its author's first book, till I reflected that so was The Thief. On the other hand, while Turner's book is classified YA, ...more

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May 25, 2013 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, 21th-century, childrens-young-readers, british, literature

The ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1), John Flanagan
The Ruins of Gorlan is the first novel in the Ranger's Apprentice series written by Australian author John Flanagan. Flanagan first conceived the world of the novel in a series of short stories he wrote for his son to incite his interest in reading. Ten years later, he decided to turn them into The Ruins of Gorlan, the first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیست و هفتم ماه دسامبر سال 2012 میلادی
عنوان: ویرانه ها The ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1), John Flanagan
The Ruins of Gorlan is the first novel in the Ranger's Apprentice series written by Australian author John Flanagan. Flanagan first conceived the world of the novel in a series of short stories he wrote for his son to incite his interest in reading. Ten years later, he decided to turn them into The Ruins of Gorlan, the first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیست و هفتم ماه دسامبر سال 2012 میلادی
عنوان: ویرانه های گورلان - جنگاوران جوان کتاب اول؛ نویسنده: جان آنتونی فلانیگان (فلناگان)؛ مترجم: مسعود ملک یاری؛ تهران، افق، 1391؛ در 372 ص؛ مجموعه جنگاوران جوان کتاب 1؛ موضوع: رمان نوجوانان و داستانهای کودکان از نویسندگان انگلیسی قرن 21 م
ویرانه‌های گورلان نام نخستین کتاب از سری داستان‌های شاگرد رنجر یا همان جنگاوران جوان اثر: جان آنتونی فلنگن نویسنده استرالیایی است. چاپ نخست این کتاب در اول نوامبر سال 2004 میلادی در استرالیا منتشر شد. جنگاوران یا رنجرها با رفتارهای مرموزشان همیشه ویل را عصبانی کرده‌ اند. از قضا، ویل پانزده ساله برای شاگردی رنجر پذیرفته می‌شود. او هنوز نمی‌داند که رنجرها نگهبانان واقعی سرزمینش هستند و تا رسیدن ارتش با دشمنان می‌جنگند. نبرد بزرگی در پیش است. مورگاراث فرمانروای کوهستان باران و ظلمت، نیروهایش را جمع کرده تا به سرزمین پادشاهی حمله کند. او عزم کرده که این بار از جنگ دست خالی برنگردد.... ا. شربیانی ...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Jonathan Terrington rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: fantasy lovers, history fans, fans of stories with real characters

Shelves: favourite-series, should-have-a-film, fantasy, australian, favourites, own

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 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. ...more

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Apr 08, 2015 Rachel Reads Ravenously rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Rachel Reads Ravenously by: Lady Vigilante (Feifei)

Shelves: middle-grade-or-childrens, fantasy, paperback, young-adult, 3-stars-aint-the-devil

3.5 stars rounded down

Will, a fifteen year old orphan, has been raised among other orphans his entire life. Will was found on a doorstep as a baby with nothing but a note with his first name and that his father was a hero. All of Will’s life he holds onto this fact and hopes one day to join the Battleschool in order to become a great warrior like his father.

On the day that all of the skilled masters choose their apprentices, Will applies for and is rejected by the Battleschool. But he passes 3.5 stars rounded down

Will, a fifteen year old orphan, has been raised among other orphans his entire life. Will was found on a doorstep as a baby with nothing but a note with his first name and that his father was a hero. All of Will’s life he holds onto this fact and hopes one day to join the Battleschool in order to become a great warrior like his father.

On the day that all of the skilled masters choose their apprentices, Will applies for and is rejected by the Battleschool. But he passes a test he was unaware of, and becomes and apprentice to the local Ranger, Halt. Will goes to live with Halt and learns a myriad of new skills from archery to cooking to being stealthy. But soon, a threat faces the kingdom Will lives in and he must accompany Halt to fight a returned evil.

This is a fantastic book for tween boys. Will and the other characters spend the beginning of the book feeling like they do not belong where they are, a struggle for many young tweens. There is a lot of detail on fighting and weapons, all things that young Rangers and warriors would need to know and that young boys are interested in. S

ometimes, the time lapses were very strange, such as some events were written in great detail, just for the author to elapse time very quickly after. But the plot was good, the story of a young boy who faces his self doubts and becomes a strong and confident young man. It teaches the reader that if they work hard and tell the truth that good things will come to them and that they will have honor.

The character development of Will and Horace is one of the best parts of the book, Will finds his confidence, and Horace discovers the importance of perseverance and loyal friendship. The villain was not present for much of the book, but he is a strong one and obviously is the Voldemort equivalent of this series. This book is a strong start to a series, and it is clear that the following books in the series will only get better.

***Just a small note, this review is geared toward my tween advisory project, so it will written a bit differently than my normal reviews. If you are a friend and would like to see the tween advisory blog, please pm me. Thanks!*** ...more

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May 09, 2016 ambsreads rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016-re-reads, fantasy, young-adult

3.5

Ruins of Gorlan was a book I read when I first started high school, which was in 2010, I think. I graduated last year so I refuse to acknowledge maths. It's a book I've hunted for a while now, and I'm so glad to have my hands on it that it's ridiculous.

I did have problems with this book during my re-read though. Maybe because it's a middle grade book, probably not. However, this book reads like an introductory novel. We barely get much action but are instead introduced to the world of the st ...more

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Jan 31, 2018 Deborah O'Carroll rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fam-library, 2018-reads, 5-stars-awesome, ya, reviewed, recommended-by-friends, best-of-year, fantasy, epic-character-i-love

Review-ish-but-not-really thing I wrote.

Originally a blog post on my book blog, here: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...

On the surface, it’s just a fun, YA fantasy book about fifteen-year-old Will and a sort of coming-of-age tale with swords and bows and rangers in a medieval-esque world, and a much more straightforward, less-convoluted story.

And it is all of that.

But beneath the surface there are other things going on (at least to this reader) which I’ll get to later.

It’s very funny, in ...more

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Jul 17, 2016 C.B. Cook rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, own, favorites, pure-awesomeness, ohmygravy, need-sequel-now

Re-read review:

Just as good the second time!!!! I've missed these characters so much.

Original:
This was soooo good. I was enjoying it plenty, and then PLOT TWIST. And then that ending. Four words, one sentence... I would have been happy crying if I hadn't been on the airplane. Needless to say, when I saw the sequel at HPB, I snatched it up. Halt was the best, Will was so... good? Amazing? He was a very good MC, to be sure. And then Horace... And Alyss and the other wards... Loved. It. So. Much.

On ...more

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Jan 23, 2017 Sarah Grace Grzy rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: 13+ for mild language and some minor violence

Shelves: adventure, young-adult, my-favorites, fantasy

I really enjoyed this book! I was hooked from the very start. The premise is very unique, and the story is awesome! I wasn't a huge fan of Flanagan's writing style; there was a bit too much description for me. And he totally did what my sister and her writing friends refer to as 'the backstory dump'. *shudders* My only other issue was the amount of language. I wasn't expecting there to be any, so it was rather disappointing. There wasn't a ton, thankfully, and they were all pretty mild. But enou ...more

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Apr 06, 2018 Catherine Hawthorn rated it really liked it

My sis and my spy have both been PESTERING me to read this series. I finally found the first book at the library....and now I completely understand why they love it so much. And why the books make everyone hungry...lol.

I dearly love strong and silent hero types....and Halt fit that bill wonderfully. Will and Horace showed excellent character development. I really want to shadow a Ranger now...

RW Ratings:

Language: 4 stars. 5 instances of d*** and 1 instance of h***. All of which were very unnec ...more

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Oct 06, 2018 Elizabeth Dragina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: memorable

Ack!!! Such an amazing book!! I would give a review but I don't have a lot of time so I will say.... basically it's amazing and everyone who loves action, fighting, and growing characters needs to read this!!

I also will hate the covers as much as the next person because they could be so much better. ...more

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May 02, 2019 Josiah rated it liked it · review of another edition

Wow, what a start to the series. Ranger's Apprentice can be compared to Brian Jacques's Redwall novels and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but forges its own identity in an intriguing fantasy world. The Kingdom of Araluen has experienced trying times ever since Lord Morgarath's violent grab for power. The inscrutable Rangers thwarted his attempt to use mind control of animals called Wargals to attack the kingdom, and now Morgarath is exiled to the Mountains of Rain and Night, whe Wow, what a start to the series. Ranger's Apprentice can be compared to Brian Jacques's Redwall novels and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but forges its own identity in an intriguing fantasy world. The Kingdom of Araluen has experienced trying times ever since Lord Morgarath's violent grab for power. The inscrutable Rangers thwarted his attempt to use mind control of animals called Wargals to attack the kingdom, and now Morgarath is exiled to the Mountains of Rain and Night, where he obsesses over destroying the barons of Araluen and uniting their fifty fiefs under his own rule. A decade and a half has passed since Morgarath lost the war, and he's ready to make his next move. Araluen will rue the day it cast him out.

Fifteen years after the war, its orphans are adolescents. Baron Arald, Lord of Redmont Fief and chief benefactor of the orphans, is preparing to host the annual Choosing Day, when all fifteen-year-olds announce what career they want to apprentice into and are accepted or declined by the Craftmaster in that profession. Parents usually strike a deal with the Craftmaster in advance, but orphaned wards must rise and fall on their own merits. Will, Horace, George, Alyss, and Jenny are among this year's wards. Like Horace, Will is desperate to go to Battleschool and become a knight, guarding Araluen from threats foreign and domestic. Horace is a shoe-in for selection: he's big, strong, and speedy, but Will is a borderline candidate. Rumor has it that Will's father—who remains unidentified—was a war hero, a rumor Will chooses to believe despite having no evidence, but the boy lacks the physique of a warrior. Will Sir Rodney the Battlemaster overlook this in light of Will's eagerness to follow in his father's footsteps?

"People will think what they want to...Never take too much notice of it."

—Halt, The Ruins of Gorlan, P. 147

Choosing Day goes as Horace, George, Alyss, and Jenny desire. Horace proudly enters Battleschool, well-spoken George is apprenticed to the Scribemaster, Alyss is taken into the Diplomatic Service, and Jenny will study with Master Chubb, the cook. Will is not so readily matched with a Craftmaster. He's too small for Battleschool, Sir Rodney insists, and Ulf the Horsemaster denies him admittance to Horseschool for the same reason. Anyone rejected by every Craftmaster is assigned to learn farming, which couldn't be further from the legacy of Will's father. Yet Will is disconcerted when Halt, a Ranger, steps in to speak with Baron Arald privately. No outright offer is made, but would Will accept an apprenticeship with Halt? Rangers are feared by every youth in the kingdom, who have only a vague idea of the profession, but surely it's closer to being a warrior than farming could be. Entrusting his future to Halt is a leap of faith, but Will is ready.

Settling in at Halt's cottage in the woods is a rough adjustment. Will's inquisitive nature exasperates Halt, who assigns the boy menial household chores to keep him busy and quiet. But though Horace, who engaged Will more as a rival than a friend during their teen years, was admitted to Battleschool as he wanted, his transition is more stressful than Will's. The cadets are pushed to the limits of endurance, hardening them for war should it return to Araluen. Academic standards are high. But it's the sophomores who make Battleschool miserable for Horace. Three of them—Alda, Bryn, and Jerome—leverage their seniority to demean and make outrageous demands of him, all out of earshot of Sir Rodney. Horace despises the bullies, but doesn't want to draw attention to himself as a cadet who can't handle Battleschool. Recognizing Horace's exceptional talent for weapons combat, Sir Rodney considers him for special training in the future, but the boy seems to lack the discipline to even graduate. Sir Rodney senses there's a hidden dimension to Horace's problems, which is why he hasn't expelled him, but he can't wait much longer for the ill-tempered teen to bloom.

Will thrives under Halt's strict instruction. The Ranger systematically dispels his misconceptions about their profession, letting Will make mistakes when he acts rashly, and teaching the boy more gently when he humbly listens. The horse Halt has chosen for Will, named Tug, is nothing like the ones knights ride. Tug is closer to the size of a large dog than a battle steed, but Halt reminds Will that he knows how it feels to be misjudged because of size. A small horse is just right for a Ranger, whose priority is stealth. Ranger weaponry is also a far cry from the broadswords that knights carry. A sturdy bow and quiver of arrows is better at a distance than a sword, and a throwing knife has multiple uses to stop an enemy. Will develops into a deadeye archer, and hones his natural ability to move around undetected until it resembles a superpower. The Kingdom of Araluen relies on Rangers to deal with burgeoning threats before the populace is impacted, and every day Will trains to do that. But can he be effective when the peril is real?

There's tension the next time Will and Horace see each other, but they're both committed to defense of Araluen. That shared loyalty won't let them stay enemies. A sinister threat looms: Morgarath's Wargals are on the move for the first time in years. Is the evil lord just stirring up trouble at the border, or plotting something worse? Morgarath once controlled a horde of creatures called Kalkara, and though only two are left alive, they're as deadly as any foes in the kingdom or beyond. The half-bear, half-ape beasts are capable of killing several knights in full armor simultaneously, and their hypnotic gaze paralyzes opponents. Halt and Will must hunt down and slay the two Kalkara before they pick off Araluen's best knights one by one, leaving the kingdom vulnerable to a military coup by Morgarath. It's Will chance to prove he can be as indispensable to king and country as any Battleschool knight. But will he survive his encounter with a bitter enemy whose power almost exceeds the bounds of imagination?

The Ruins of Gorlan is a delight to the imagination, but also tactfully imparts timeless lessons. Halt repeatedly demonstrates to Will that mastery of a craft means prioritizing function over flash. The uninitiated are awed by a warrior who skillfully wields a sword, but a Ranger has failed if the enemy gets that close. Use your bow and supply of arrows judiciously and you may never need to fight an enemy at close range. A Ranger who wins every battle at long distance survives to soak up more knowledge and experience, and serves the kingdom better for it. If arrows don't stop your foe, a knife thrown with precision can pierce their heart before they get their hands on you. Only when both options fail does a Ranger resort to proximal combat, where a stubby knife is better suited for a quick plunge into the heart than a showy sword could possibly be. His entire life Will has imagined being a warrior, but had no concept of his own ignorance; now he's learning how one who earnestly wishes to defend the kingdom goes about it. Will has the potential to be more important than any knight, and he could have no finer instructor than Halt.

A Ranger's apprentice has a variety of lessons to learn. Halt is gruff and hardly a socialite, but shows Will by example how to treat people. Courtesy and decency lay the groundwork for future alliances, and that means behaving diplomatically toward rivals. "Once you best a man, never gloat. Be generous and find something in his actions to praise. He won't enjoy being bested, but he'll make a good face of it. Show him you appreciate it. Praise can win you a friend. Gloating will only ever make enemies." Halt takes seriously his responsibility to shepherd Will toward becoming a good man, and Will learns to accept correction and let it improve him. An aura of mystique surrounds the Rangers because being one is about more than reconnaissance work. Regardless, many share Will's early instinct to value knights higher. Alda, Bryn, and Jerome, Horace's tormentors at Battleschool, can't square themselves with Will looking like more of a hero than a Battleschool cadet, and lash out as a result. Only over time will good Rangers prove their indispensable contribution to Araluen. Still, Will has lingering doubts about his future as a Ranger when his father excelled on the battlefield, and Halt acknowledges this uncertainty. "It is possible, of course...to want to do two different things at the same time. Then it just becomes a choice of knowing which one you want most." Life offers more choices than any person could follow up on, and there's regret to choosing one path to the exclusion of others. What might have been if you put your passion into something else? Is one life enough to quench the soul's thirst for more? But choosing a path and sticking with it allows you to discover what you're capable of with a lifetime's devotion to a single discipline, and that's Will's future in the Rangers if he wants it. There's more learning, growing, and adventure in the novels to come, and I'll be there enjoying every step of Will's journey.

I love this book. John Flanagan is a gifted storyteller, Will is a good-hearted main character, and Halt is a wise teacher that any reader can learn from. The story has scarcely begun, but I'm captivated by the exciting action, personal drama, and political intrigue that will determine the fate of Araluen, which is caught between compelling forces of virtue and villainy. I'd rate this book three and a half stars, and considered rounding up to four. I'm pleased to say this is a prodigious start to a series my hopes are higher for than ever. ...more

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Feb 13, 2009 Wealhtheow rated it did not like it

Shelves: fantasy, didn-t_finish

This was amazingly bad. The writing itself is basically readable, but every single detail, phrase, made-up-name and plot point is the most cliched cliche ever written. Oh no! The evil Morgarath is trying to take over the generically Medieval Europe! Only young Will, an orphaned apprentice to the mysterious Rangers, can possibly save the kingdom! Le sigh.

Can be freely read online here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/10330799/Ra... ...more

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Dec 31, 2009 Mike (the Paladin) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Unabridged audio.

Will and all the other wards are waiting to be chosen for the apprenticeship that will shape their life, they have turned 15. All Will's friends are chosen for the apprenticeship they wanted...Will isn't.

That night Will basically risks his life to get into the baron's office and find out more about his past...he is an orphan after all. In doing this he passes the Ranger Halt's test and he is chosen as the Ranger's apprentice.

An excellent book I enjoyed it...I find there are a lo ...more

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Mar 06, 2017 Odette Brethouwer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017

How that I'm working in a bookshop, I need to be familiar with books that we sell often, like this series. And my coworker and friend told me they were fun. And oh boy, she was right. I highly enjoyed this!

It is a fun series with adventure and a bit of a fantasy element, like LOTR junior but with a completely different setting and much more speed and events and adventures. It is 12+, but suitable and fun for any age. (Technically, my age of 27 is 12+, of course :P) very suitable for boys, but of ...more

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Dec 23, 2019 Maria ☾ ⋆ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks

This book was different from the other books I had read so far and it was better than I thought. It was such a fun and exciting journey that I was glad to experience with this book and enjoyed it as much as possible. I liked the world building, plot and the idea of this book and I loved the writing style and characters development "specially how will got stronger and found his true self" throughout the story. ...more

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Jan 10, 2015 Jessica rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grade, library

An excellent fantasy for middle readers. I can see why this gets rave reviews. The characters were instantly likable, the world was simple and well-built, and the action was exciting! I am actually interested in the rest of the series, which is unusual for me these days.

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Feb 25, 2016 Celine Lindeskov rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

This is how you ruin a good story with poor writing, obvious plot holes and weak characters. What a waste.

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Mar 31, 2017 Johanna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

Many years ago (let's not talk about just how many years) after finishing school I spent a year as an au-pair in New Zealand. What do you do while the kids play and everything is already cleaned? You read! So the library became one of my most regular appointments. Since my English back then wasn't nearly as good as it is now I stuck mostly to YA literature. One of the first series I stumbled upon was the 'Ranger's Apprentice' Series by John Flanagan. I remember enjoying them a great deal even if Many years ago (let's not talk about just how many years) after finishing school I spent a year as an au-pair in New Zealand. What do you do while the kids play and everything is already cleaned? You read! So the library became one of my most regular appointments. Since my English back then wasn't nearly as good as it is now I stuck mostly to YA literature. One of the first series I stumbled upon was the 'Ranger's Apprentice' Series by John Flanagan. I remember enjoying them a great deal even if I don't exactly remember how many books were already out (not many, as I mentioned, it's been a long time :P). Recently, I stumbled upon the first book at the local library here in Germany and decided to give it another try to see if I still enjoy it.
And I do! I still had fun reading it! And I'd likely continue it once my library has the others back.
The first book in the series 'The Ruins of Gorlan' introduces as to Will, the MC and spoiler The Ranger's Apprentice :P. He's an orphan and grew up at the castle together with other orphans whose fathers had fallen serving the kingdom. Now, at fifteen, the orphans will be send to learn a profession. Will, a scrawny guy, hopes to become a knight just like his father was, but given his stature that doesn't work out. Instead he is chosen by Halt, the local Ranger, to become his apprentice. The book mostly deals with Will (and in parts the other orphans) settling into their new lives. Another layer of story that begins to come into play towards the end of the story and will likely become more important in the following books, is an impending war.
What makes or breaks this book is if you are able to identify with the characters. I enjoyed them a great deal. I liked Will, I liked Halt, I had special soft spot for the Baron who was always depressed because nobody understood his jokes xD, I even liked Horace. Most importantly I enjoyed the relationships those characters had with each other and all the background informations about the Rangers we got.
One weakness I did find was the slightly lackluster world building when it came to the bad guys. It felt a bit like he was being evil for the sake of being evil, but since his role in this book was very minor that might change in the later books. Also the monsters seemed a bit monsters for the sake of being monsters. Scary but with no motivation of their own, basically just creepy looking weapons. But then again, this is clearly not a adult fantasy series. I'd put it somewhere between middle grade and YA.
All in all it was a quick easy read that made me smile and sniff and sweat (I call that three important 's' :P).
One more tiny thing. This book clearly inspired me a lot when I first read it. I found notes on an epic fantasy story I made years ago and there are some strong strong similarities. What better compliment could I make a book than that it inspired me to design my own world (even if it never went anywhere :P). ...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Nicole rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-for-kids

Sometimes, when I'm looking for a break from the gratuitous aspects of adult life and literature, I like to give YA books a try. This one definitely worked as a little escape.
While there are 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 an imitation of The Lord of the Rings, but it isn't that. While a few things about Halt reminded me of Aragor Sometimes, when I'm looking for a break from the gratuitous aspects of adult life and literature, I like to give YA books a try. This one definitely worked as a little escape.
While there are 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 an imitation of The Lord of the Rings, but it isn't that. While a few things about Halt reminded me of Aragorn, he 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 of view that bugged me a bit, but that's a pet peeve of mine.
I'm not sure I want to read 10 or more books of this series, but I think I'll try the second book at some point and see how it goes. ...more

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Mar 08, 2010 Jason Yee rated it it was amazing

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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Feb 04, 2011 Becky rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 2011, reviewed

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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Jan 11, 2019 Franci rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, fantasy, owned-books, part-of-series, 4-stars

5th book of 2019.

This was such a wonderful tale of the apprentice, Will. The whole Ranger thing is very interesting.

Does not contain any magic, only monsters so far.

I will definitely continue with the series.

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Feb 10, 2015 Karis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, friendships, mentors

John Flanagan is a well known author of several different genres, but probably some of his best known books are the Ranger’s Apprentice series. They have definitely caused millions of readers to sigh wistfully and wish themselves Rangers. I know I have, and I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to review The Ruins of Gorlan, the first book in the RA series.

Will is worried. Tomorrow is Choosing Day, the day when the wards at Redmont Castle were chosen by the Craftmasters as apprentices. He’s John Flanagan is a well known author of several different genres, but probably some of his best known books are the Ranger’s Apprentice series. They have definitely caused millions of readers to sigh wistfully and wish themselves Rangers. I know I have, and I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to review The Ruins of Gorlan, the first book in the RA series.

Will is worried. Tomorrow is Choosing Day, the day when the wards at Redmont Castle were chosen by the Craftmasters as apprentices. He’s thoughts go to his four fellow ward mates. George is quiet but smart with neat handwriting and destined for the Scribeschool. Jenny is a sweet bubbly girl with a love for cooking- destined for the kitchen under Master Chubb. Alyss, always a diplomat, destined to train under Lady Pauline in the Diplomat Services. Horace with his large form destined for Battleschool. That left Will, not gifted with any of the talents of his friends or with the height needed for Battleschool.

His fears are justified the next day when his friends are apprenticed but he isn’t accepted by the any of the Craftmasters. However, the ever silent and grim Ranger Halt, steps out of the shadows and address the Baron. He hands a piece of paper to Baron Arald saying that there was something the Baron needed to know about Will.

Will spends the rest of the day in misery, despite the jovial and festive attitude of his friends. The only prospect he can see is spending his life as a field hand in the village. Will’s curiosity is kindled about what Halt could possibility know about him and he decides to climb one of Redmount’s towers to get to Baron’s personal offices to the piece of paper. “The sheet of paper, bright white with the reflected moonlight, was within reach…. His fingers touched it. And a hand shot out of nowhere and seized him by the wrist! Will shouted aloud in fright. His heart leaped into his mouth and he found himself looking up into the cold eyes of Halt the Ranger.” (page 37)

Halt brings Will before the Baron and when Will is given the paper to read this is what it says: The boy Will has the potential to be trained as a Ranger. I will accept him as my apprentice. Little does Will know that those words will change his life forever and become the start of an epic adventure.

The book is mainly from Will’s POV but some of the later chapters are from Horace’s perspective. I was a little inpatient to get back to Will. However, I realized that those chapters were important as well as written well. If you haven’t read the Ranger’s Apprentice series yet I really recommend you start soon. The series is full of clean humor and has some really descriptive details that are quite fascinating, not to mention the gripping plot line.

P.S. If you are interested in joining a Goodreads fan group for the RA series. Join here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... I would really appreciate it. ...more

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Mar 13, 2009 Arminzerella rated it it was ok

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

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 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). ...more

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Sep 07, 2012 C.G. Drews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy, aussie-authors, middle-grade, ya-male-narrators

The novel easily grabs your attention--and keeps it. It's written in an easy-to-read style, full of adventure, excitement, and a good dash of humour. I enjoyed it from beginning to end (with plenty of pauses for a good laugh.) As the series progresses, both the author's writing and his character development improves. The first book is typical -- bullies, evil villain ruling strange creations (wargals), and a life-changing choice. But even so, it's a fresh look on the common story-line.

While the ...more

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About John Flanagan

John Flanagan

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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

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“...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.” — 632 likes

“People will think what they want to," he said quietly. Never take too much notice of it.” — 326 likes

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