The Ruins of Gorlan, Ranger's Apprentice Book 1

The Ruins of Gorlan, (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1) by John Flanagan

ISBN:  9780142406632
New York : Philomel Books, 2005

Plot -Will has no last name and no parents, though he has been raised as a ward of the Castle in this medieval-inspired fantasy novel.  He is 15 now and hoping desperately to join the Warriors on Choosing Day, the day on which craftspeople choose their apprentices from among the eligible boys.  Will is passed over, though, by the Warriors and is utterly crushed. To make matters worse, his friend and rival from the Castle orphans, Horace, is chosen to be a Warrior.  Then, a mysterious possible black magic sorcerer, Halt, a member of the Rangers, offers to take Will on as his apprentice.  Halt is none too forthcoming with praise or warmth at first, but trains Will completely and thoroughly, working with Will's already developed skills of stealth and wile.  Rangers, Will comes to learn, are the King's intelligence arm--keeping out of sight and only fighting so as to assure battles are short and final, keeping them far from the Castle and the town's people.  Halt andWill learn that Morgorath, an exiled lord, is planning a fresh attack, beginning with a brutal assassination of the King.  Will joins the search and the eventual fight, bringing down the very monster who has been ordered to assassinate the King, and is invited to join the Warriors at last.  He refuses, deciding to remain a Ranger.

Critical Evaluation - This story is a fun read, not a literary masterpiece but well worth the time.  The plot moves quickly and keeps readers engaged, even if some of the twists are rather easy to predict.  Will's training is a bit slow until the reader realizes that its elements come into play very distinctly when put to the test.  Most of all, the story is a reassuring tale of fulfilled destiny.  Will saves the life of the very friend, Horace, who has been rude and dismissive of him.  He becomes a hero within the craft for which he is perfectly suited, and to his surprise and satisfaction it turns out it was his own dead father who asked that he be taken on as a Ranger. 

Reader's annotation - Will's dreams have just come to a crashing, awful end, but he is about to embark on an adventure of training and death-defying action that bring him face to face with his true destiny as a member of an elite group of protector spies.

Information about the author - John Flanagan, from Sydney, Austrailia, began writing early in life and soon found work as a writer for an ad agency.  He went on to co-write a very successful Australian TV sitcom, "Hey Dad...!" which ran from 1987-1994.  Just before this time, he wrote 20 chapters of stories loosely based on his son, Michael, and his son's best friend, who became Horace in the Ranger's books.  Through the years of his work on "Hey Dad....," though, Flanagan let the stories languish.  Finally when the sitcom was over he went back to Will's story and found himself fleshing it out into four books right away.  In an interview with a New Zealand publication called, Pulse, Flanagan comments at length and humorously on the process of naming his characters.  Some came easily, many others, though, he had to alter when he son or editors pointed out their similarity to those in other works of fantasy, particularly Lord of the Rings.
Genre - YA fantasy
Curriculum Ties - None that stand out immediately
Booktalk ideas - 

1. Will is about to be passed over for his dream position in life, which is established at 15 and stays with a person for his whole life.  Instead of being chosen as a Warrior, he's taken away by a hooded man thought to practice black magic in the woods.  Should he run, or, being an orphan, should he take his chances and see what lies ahead in the hidden recesses of his new hidden life?
2. Read a teaser from the scene in which Halt forces Byrn to fight Horace one-on-one.  Begin with Halt's line, "I take it these are the three who gave you these bruises?" on pg. 159, and end with "We'll note your protest," he said cheerfully.  "Now continue, please" on pg. 160.

Reading level - 10+, according to School Library Journal and Booklist.  The stories were written originally for the author's 12 year old son, though, and the hero is 15 when the series begins.  I strongly recommend including this series in the YA/teen section for reluctant readers or over-worked young adult readers looking for an easy and pleasurable escape.  The language and story move lightning fast and are satisfying with no sense of being intended for  elementary or tweens.

Challenge issues - none of any significance; some fantasy violence but not identified as troublesome by the conservative website, Thriving Family, sponsored by Focus on the Family. Typically, if this site does not identify objectionable issues, challenges are not likely.

Why I included this book - This story, as stated in the Critical Evaluation, is not an example of literary genius, but it is a fun, fast-paced read that is engaging because of the characters and the author's ability to keep the plot moving over so many books.  It is a valuable addition to the YA collection particularly for today's fantasy fans who are struggling through balancing AP classes, athletics, extra-curriculars, and college applications.  It's a fun read that offers the satisfaction of moving through a story with ease and pleasure.