The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice Book 1 )

John Flanagan

Oct 2011 · Ranger's Apprentice Book 1 · Random House

About this ebook

The Ruins of Gorlan is the first thrilling book in John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice series – over eight million sold worldwide.

They have always scared him in the past – the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practise 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 . . .

Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, T.H. White’s The Sword in the Stone, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series and Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series.

Ratings and reviews

The Rangers Apprentice delivers a surprising well written Young Adult series with mostly deep, albeit often pretty stereotypical, characters. The story arcs are varied and interesting, which makes seeing the main characters growth and development through each one a pleasant experience. The action is well written as well, unlike much of the competition. It does, however, have a tendency to jump between the inner monologues of the characters in a scene, which can get fairly confusing if you read too lazily.

I'm half way through the first book and I love it it's a book you have to concentrate whilst reading else you won't know what's going on I'm gonna read all 12!

This book forms a story arc with the 1st 4 Ranger books, each book stands on its own but together make suspenseful story. Recommended. Aimed at teens, but is a good read for adults too.

About the author

John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband adventure series have sold more than eight million copies worldwide. His books are available in more than one hundred countries, are regularly on the New York Times bestseller lists, and have had multiple award shortlistings and wins in Australia and overseas. John, a former television and advertising writer, lives with his wife in a Sydney beachside suburb.