John Flanagan set this book in the medieval times, this means that characters will act, talk and react differently than they would in modern times. Flanagan does not use a lot of figurative language or metaphors. Most of what he writes is literal and to the point. Seeing his descriptions has helped me understand how to interject details without constantly making comparisons to other things that may take the reader out of the story.
“Take one more step and I'll put an arrow through you." Will tried to model his voice on the quiet, threatening tone Halt had used. He had retrieved several of his arrows from the nearest target and now he had one of them ready, laid on the bowstring. Halt glanced around approvingly. "Good idea," he said. "Aim for the left calf. It's a very painful wound.” (pg. 161)
The characters in the book change throughout. Will begins as a physically weak but intelligent kid and Horace is a peer that pushes him around a lot. However these characters eventually end up working together and as they do, they begin to become friends. Each making up for the other's weaknesses.
"Will looked up angrily, shaking his head in disbelief. 'Will you shut up?' he said tautly. Horace shrugged in apology. 'I'm sorry,' he said. 'I sneezed. A person can't help it when they sneeze.' 'Perhaps not. But you could try to make it sound a little less like an elephant trumpeting in agony,' Will told him." (forgot page; closed book; too late to find it -- too tired)
Halt is the mentor to Will in the book. Flanagan writes it so that almost everything Halt does, Will comes to emulate (or tries to). I have never written a mentor in a story before and it was interesting to see the different dynamic between Will and Halt, and Will and Horace. Watching the relationship change and evolve gave me insight on how to write a character relationship such as Halt and Will.
"I'd forgotten how much fun having an apprentice can be." (pg. 51)
“Take one more step and I'll put an arrow through you."
Will tried to model his voice on the quiet, threatening tone Halt had used. He had retrieved several of his arrows from the nearest target and now he had one of them ready, laid on the bowstring. Halt glanced around approvingly.
"Good idea," he said. "Aim for the left calf. It's a very painful wound.”
(pg. 161)
The characters in the book change throughout. Will begins as a physically weak but intelligent kid and Horace is a peer that pushes him around a lot. However these characters eventually end up working together and as they do, they begin to become friends. Each making up for the other's weaknesses.
"Will looked up angrily, shaking his head in disbelief. 'Will you shut up?' he said tautly. Horace shrugged in apology. 'I'm sorry,' he said. 'I sneezed. A person can't help it when they sneeze.' 'Perhaps not. But you could try to make it sound a little less like an elephant trumpeting in agony,' Will told him." (forgot page; closed book; too late to find it -- too tired)
Halt is the mentor to Will in the book. Flanagan writes it so that almost everything Halt does, Will comes to emulate (or tries to). I have never written a mentor in a story before and it was interesting to see the different dynamic between Will and Halt, and Will and Horace. Watching the relationship change and evolve gave me insight on how to write a character relationship such as Halt and Will.
"I'd forgotten how much fun having an apprentice can be." (pg. 51)