The Ruins of Gorlan by John FlanaganDescription
In John Flanagan's The Ruins of Gorlan Will has been a ward of the kingdom since his birth, keeping him separated from most children his age. He was told his father died a hero, and he clung to the hope that he, too, would become a knight. But Will does not have the brawn a knight needs, and instead is invited to become the apprentice to a ranger.
Will is devastated. The rangers do not carry the same honor as knights, though they are feared, and rumored to be sorcerers. One of his wardmates—a constant tormentor—is sent to battle school, furthering Will’s upset. Since he does not have much say in the matter, he decides to do his best as the ranger’s apprentice.
As it turns out, the rangers gather intelligence and help in battles. They are the defense before war—and no one is eager to tread back into war. They hide in the shadows and make it their business to know the movements of enemies.
Soon, Will finds out that there is a lot more to being a ranger than scrubbing the floor—though his master has him do that, too.
Will is devastated. The rangers do not carry the same honor as knights, though they are feared, and rumored to be sorcerers. One of his wardmates—a constant tormentor—is sent to battle school, furthering Will’s upset. Since he does not have much say in the matter, he decides to do his best as the ranger’s apprentice.
As it turns out, the rangers gather intelligence and help in battles. They are the defense before war—and no one is eager to tread back into war. They hide in the shadows and make it their business to know the movements of enemies.
Soon, Will finds out that there is a lot more to being a ranger than scrubbing the floor—though his master has him do that, too.
Would I teach this book?
The Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan is the first in a middle grade series. Many educators seek to get their students into series, with the thought that they will read their way through. If I were giving students a few choices of books, I might consider including it in a unit. There is action, and Will is a strong character, as is Horace, who has a parallel story line while he is in battle school. I was not blown over by the premise—the setting is a medieval-ish land that seems to follow the rules of reality, with the exception of some monsters. It reminded me a lot of Blackthorn Key, but I was more interested in the background of Blackthorn Key. It did come highly recommended from one student, so it may pique the interest of others. Definitely a good choice for a classroom or child’s library.
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