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

Book Synopsis:

They 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....

My Review:

4.5/5 stars. This series has kind of been on my radar for years, but I only just now got around to reading it after a friend raved about it enough. It was super charming and funny, and I really enjoyed it! The characters were my favorite part. The ending was great. My only critique is the writing, which had some issues.

There was a lot of wit in this book, both from the narrator and the characters themselves. I was laughing out loud many times at funny lines of dialogue, descriptions, and interactions. Halt especially was hilarious with his gruff, grumpy exterior but secret soft side. There were also a lot of funny little quips from the narrator about certain characters or events. The humor was great, but also the right amount that didn't take away from the more serious aspects of the story.

Speaking of that, while the story has some darker moments, especially toward the end, it was a very easy, lighthearted read. It was mostly just a charming story about boys growing into who they're meant to be and developing relationships with people.

The characters are the heart of this story. While the plot wasn't the most thrilling and dramatic all the way through, I was still never uninterested because of the characters. They are the kind of people you quickly root for and love. Early on, I was more invested in Horace's story, but then Will took the forefront. My favorite aspect was the dynamic between Will and Halt. They had such a great bond, and I loved how loyal they were to each other. Their relationship had me smiling so many times.

I loved the ending of this book. It got really intense and action-packed, and then everything worked out in the end. It was a satisfying conclusion to this book, but also nicely set up the rest of the series. Warning, this next part will have spoilers: I loved how the thing that finally got Halt to smile at the end was Will firmly declaring he is a ranger and choosing to stick with it! It was so adorable!

My only complaint is that writing had some issues. There were some grammatical errors that distracted me from the narrative at times. It was also generally very heavy on telling instead of showing, which lends itself to lower quality writing overall. I understand that it's a middle grade and that usually means simpler writing, but I wasn't the biggest fan.

Content:

Language: D*mn, h*ll

Sexual Content: A kiss not detailed

Violence/Gore: Mentions of deaths caused by dangerous creatures that aren't shown or described much; injuries, wounds, blood but not graphic at all

Drugs/Alcohol: None