Review: Oakleaf Bearers by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #4)

Publisher - Corgi Yearling
Publication Date - 5th June 2008
Paperback - 352 pages
Genre - YA Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Just as spring approaches and Will and Evanlyn can finally escape Skandia, Evanlyn is carried off by mysterious horsemen. Will sets out after them, but one boy against six fierce Temujai warriors is impossible odds - even for a Ranger's apprentice. Halt and Horace arrive just in time. But the happiness of their reunion is cut short when Halt realizes these Temujai are only scouts for a massive invasion force. The four Araluans must work together with the Skandians to defeat their invaders - if the Oberjarl will accept their help.

My Thoughts - This is the fourth book that I have read in the Ranger's Apprentice series and, although I am enjoying the series as a whole, this one has been the least enjoyable for me so far. My main problem was that it was just far too focused on war for my liking. I'm not a big fan of books about war and this book is full of talk about strategy and preparation and then, later on in the book, the actual war itself. I found myself getting quite bored with it all and skimming through several pages. However, I noticed that the next book in the series seems to go off in a very different direction so I will still be continuing with the series.

As usual, Flanagan has created a cast of loveable characters who I am really enjoying getting to know as they are growing up and developing their skills. Will went through some tough times in the previous book in the series and Oakleaf Bearers show him getting his strength back and regaining the skills that he learnt previously under Halt's direction before he was held hostage by the Skandians. By the end of the book Will reaches Hero proportions again and I loved seeing his confidence grow along with his abilities as a Ranger.

I love Halt and Horace, and their interactions provide some light relief in an otherwise serious book. Halt loves to tease Horace and, as he is quite innocent and niave, Horace never even realises what Halt is doing. However, I didn't much like Evanlyn in this book. She comes across as spoiled and likes having the attention of both Will and Horace and at times plays them off against each other. This is a new side of Evanlyn that the reader hasn't seen before and I hope that she has matured a little more in the next book in the series.

Summary - This is a book full of great characters but the plot was far too war-orientated for my liking. Not a book for people who, like me, finds war talk boring.

Other books in this series:
1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land
4. Oakleaf Bearers
5. The Sorcerer in the North
6. The Siege of Macindaw
7. Erak's Ransom
8. The Kings of Clonmel
9. Halt's Peril
10. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
11. The Lost Stories

Other reviews of this book:
Medieval Bookworm / The Book Reviewer

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #26 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: The Icebound Land by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #3)

Publisher - Corgi Yearling
Publication Date - 7th February 2008
Paperback - 320 pages
Genre - YA Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it.

Book Info - Will and Evanlyn are bound for Skandia as the captives of the fearsome Skandian wolfship captain, Erak. Halt has sworn to rescue Will, and he will do anything to keep his promise - even defy his King. Expelled from the Rangers, Halt is joined by Horace as he travels through Gallica towards Skandia. On their way they are constantly challenged by freelance knights - otherwise known as thieving thugs. Horace knows a thing or two about combat, though, and he soon begins to attract the attention of knights and warlords for miles around with his uncanny skill. But will they be in time to rescue Will from a life of slavery?

My Thoughts - The first thing I would like to say about this book is that it states on the back that these stories do not need to be read in order as each book is a separate adventure. However, I do not agree with this. There is a strong plot arc throughout this series that I think would make it difficult to read them out of order. The Icebound Land carries on directly from book two with little explanation of past events. I think I would have found it difficult to really understand what was going on if I hadn't already read the first two books in the series and I recommend that they be read in order.

Anyway, now onto the review. Once again, Mr Flanagan has written an engaging adventure story that I think a lot of young boys will love. Will and Evanlyn have been kidnapped by the Skandians and this book tells of their sea voyage to Skandia and how they are sold into slavery once they arrive. I really enjoyed seeing a new mature Will as he is away from Halt and has to try and get himself out of the predicament that he has found himself in. But he never gives up, no matter how desperate the situation seems. I love this aspect of his character and I am sure this will be inspiration to any boys who read this series.

But there are certain things that happen to Will in the second part of this novel that absolutely broke my heart. I just wanted to reach into the pages of the book and give him a big hug. It upset me to think of a young boy being put into such a position and the ending did bring a little tear to my eye. However, this part of the storyline seemed a lot more mature than the rest of the series so far and it makes me wonder if the author is trying to reach out to older readers too. I will be interested to see where the author goes with this as the series continues.

The Icebound Land also details the travels of Halt and Horace as they go in pursuit of Will and Evanlyn in an attempt to get them back. I really started to like Halt in this novel. Up until now I have felt pretty indifferent towards him but, for me, he really shone in this book. He will, literally, go to the ends of the earth to help his apprentice and this really endeared him to me. And I really noticed his sense of humour as he travels with Horace. I felt as though we were finally seeing the human side of the legendary Ranger and I hope to learn even more about him as the series continues.

Summary - An engaging adventure story that had me hooked from the start. But for me, the real strength of The Icebound Land is its lovable and realistic characters. I can't wait to read more about this fascinating group of people.

Other books in this series:
1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land
4. Oakleaf Bearers
5. The Sorcerer in the North
6. The Siege of Macindaw
7. Erak's Ransom
8. The Kings of Clonmel
9. Halt's Peril
10. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
11. The Lost Stories

Other reviews of this book:
Eclectic/Eccentric / Kids Reads

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #2 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #2)

Publisher - Corgi Yearling
Publication Date - 2nd August 2007
Paperback - 288 pages
Genre - YA Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it.

Book Info - Will, you are learning well, but you are soon to be tested...

For years the Kingdom has lived in peace, while the evil lord Morgarath has lived beyond the impassable mountains. But he has not been idle...

Now you must embark on your most dangerous mission yet. The King's army has been deceived, and are headed for a brutal ambush. And you are the only one who can save them...

My Thoughts - I really enjoyed the first book of this series so when I was offered the rest of the series for review I jumped at the chance. But I have to admit that I did not like The Burning Bridge quite as much as I did The Ruins of Gorlan.

A lot of the same aspects that I enjoyed from the first novel were there - intrigue, mystery, suspense and adventure. The story finds Will still as Halt's apprentice and once again I enjoyed reading about his learning as he picks up the skills required to become a ranger. A short way into the novel though, Will is told that he is going on a journey to deliver an important message about the upcoming war with Morgarath with a young Ranger and his friend Horace, who is an apprentice at the Battleschool. I really liked seeing Will interact with his friends during this time. By the end of The Ruins of Gorlan it is easy to forget that he is just a fifteen year-old boy and it was nice to see more of his personality come to light as he spent time with people his own age, rather than the super-serious Halt.

Also, a new character came into the story - a young girl called Evanlyn - and I think I'm going to really like her. She is brave and intelligent, with a very caring side. There is an air of mystery around her which made her a very interesting character to read about. I look forward to finding out more about her in the rest of the series.

What made this book less enjoyable than the first one was the amount of strategising there is about the war with Morgarath. This is just a personal thing, but that type of information has never held my interest. As a result of this I felt that some parts of the story moved along at a slower pace than I would have liked and my attention kept on wavering. But I am very hopeful that this will not be the case in book three.

There is a big cliffhanger at the end of The Burning Bridge that has made me very excited about reading The Icebound Land, and I am just very grateful that I already have a copy of it so that I don't have to wait to find out what happens!

Summary - A good addition to the series although, for me, it was let down by the amount of war talk involved. But an amazing ending did go a long way to ensuring that I continue with the series.

Other books in the series:
1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land
4. Oakleaf Bearers
5. The Sorcerer in the North
6. The Siege of Macindaw
7. Erak's Ransom
8. The Kings of Clonmel
9. Halt's Peril
10. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
11. The Lost Stories

Other reviews of this book:
Eclectic/Eccentric / Kids Reads
(If you would like your review of The Burning Bridge included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)

Review: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)

Publisher - Gorgi Yearling
Publication Date - 5th April 2007
Paperback - 304 pages
Genre - YA Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.

Book Info - Will, you have been chosen.

You and you alone. You will become the eyes and ears of the kingdom, learning to move silent as a shadow. Your arrow will fly true and your sword will be swift, risking your life to protect your people.

You are the Ranger's Apprentice. Are you ready?

My Thoughts - When this book arrived in the post I wasn't really sure what to make of it. I don't normally read fantasy novels but as it looked like a quick and light read I thought I would at least give it a try. And I'm really glad that I did as it was a fun book that did grip me right from the first page (in fact I almost finished it in just one sitting!)

Will is a young boy who is an orphan. He really wants to attend Battleschool and become a brave and strong knight, but he is turned down because he is too small. But the Ranger notices Will and takes him on as his apprentice. It is a Ranger's job to be a spy of sorts for his Kingdom and to put a stop to any attacks that may happen. At first Will isn't happy as not a lot is known about Ranger's, but he soon comes to appreciate the amount of skill it takes to become a good Ranger.

In a short interview with the author in the back of the book, Mr Flanagan tells the reader that he started writing this series as a way to get his young son interested in reading, and also to prove to his son (who was smaller than other boys his age at the time) that 'heroes can come in all shapes and sizes'. And I really do believe that the author has done this perfectly. He created a world that I believe a lot of young boys would be interested in reading about - monsters, heroes, learning to move around in shadows so as not to be noticed by the enemy, protecting an entire kingdom from threat. I can imagine a lot of young boys wanting to be just like Will.

As well as Will, there is another character that I really enjoyed reading about. This is Horace - another orphan who is friends with Will at the start of the book. He is accepted to Battleschool and shows a lot of natural talent but he is being bullied in a big way by three older pupils. I found his story absolutely heartbreaking to read at some points and I just fell in love with him. I can't wait to read more about Horace in future books in the series.

The storyline moves along at a good pace with a nice balance between Will learning the skills that he needs to become a Ranger (I particularly liked these scenes due to the amount of information given) and action as Will and his trainer, Halt, learn of a threat to the King and have to tackle the problem together. There is even a lovely twist at the end that brought a little tear of happiness to my eye.

Summary - A fun and interesting read that grabbed my attention from the first page. I think fans of YA fantasy (in particular, a series about a certain young wizard!) would enjoy this series, and I urge you to get yourself a copy as soon as you can!

Other books in the series:
1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land
4. Oakleaf Bearers
5. The Sorcerer in the North
6. The Siege of Macindaw
7. Erak's Ransom
8. The Kings of Clonmel
9. Halt's Peril
10. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
11. The Lost Stories

Other reviews of this book:
Blog Critics / Eclectic/Eccentric / Kids Reads / Literary Odyssey
(If you would like your review of The Ruins of Gorlan included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)