Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge ~ Review

Format: Ebook (.mobi)

Size: 938 KB
Publication date: 01 Jan 2005
Language: English

Publisher: Penguin Books LLC

Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom's allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn - the Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush the king's army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord's plans.They have shown great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face of true evil?

With bigger battles and higher stakes, John Flanagan's epic adventure charges ahead with this rousing follow-up to The Ruins of Gorlan.

★★★★★

In this book we are introduced to another character Gilan, who becomes the inseparatable part of Will's life. His sense of humor is  self-explanatory, as all rangers apprantely have this special dry-type of humor which is funny at times. There are few passages which I would like to share with you that I found quite funny:

" 'That's the question, isn't it?' said the Ranger. 'I suppose I could hang them. I do have the authority. After all, tehy did try to interfere with officers on the King's business. And they're looting in time of war. They're both capital offenses.' He cast his gaze around the rocky hills surrounding them. 'The question is whether I can actually do that here,' he murmured. 

'You mean,' said Will, not liking the way his friend was thinking, 'you may not have the authority to hang them now that we're not in the kingdom itself?' Gilan grinned at him. 'I hadn't considered that. I was actually thinking that it'd be a bit difficult when there isn't a tree over a meter high within a hundred kilometers.' "

And then there is this thing when Halt finally shows that he cares for the boy, which really tugged at my heartstrings: 

" 'Gilan, do you think for one moment that I don't want to tear that plateau apart stone by stone until I find him?' "

Beside the funny attitude and heartwrenching moments I almost at all times reading through this book felt the surges of fangirliness. (resulting in me kicking my legs,  hugging my pillow and everything because I simply love this series and characters in it - no...DOn'T LOOK AT ME THAT WAY! I know that you know what I mean.). This series and me, one true love. And to add thanks to these books I found my soulmate :P.

Ranger's Apprentice: Ruins of Gorlan ~ review

Format: Ebook (.mobi)

Size: 701 KB
Publication date: 08 June 2006
Language: English

Publisher: Penguin Books LLC

hey 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 trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied.... 

★★★★★

This book is book from 'my childhood' in a way. I've read it on elementary school and it became my istant love. The way it's written, the characters the dialogues the describtions.

This was the third time I've read through the book and it didn't take me long to flip through the pages. It's a literall page turner, action is behind every corner and you want to either know what will happen next or more about the characters that are travelling along the journey through the kingdom.
To add it 'added gas to the fire' you could say, of my love for middle ages and all that. I wanted to become a part of the Rangers and everything you could possibly think off.

As for the technical side of things the book was an excellent debut for the author and it wasn't lacking anything. There was humour, non-confusing dialogues between the characters even development. And despite it being in third POV narrative when the character was confused so were you. Very, very well written and would recommend to kids from 6th grade to any adult. It's interesting to say the least because despite having the setting in a 'real world' with all working components of middle aged society with parts where magic fits in.