Seven Reasons to Read a Ranger

How Australian writer John Flanagan‘s Ranger’s Apprentice series went from being stories he wrote to encourage his son to read to a global bestsellers, with two spinoffs and a movie on the way, is one for the ages.

It can be challenging to get young boys enthusiastic about reading. This was the problem Flanagan faced with his 12 year old son Michael, so he started writing him medieval fantasy tales from Araluen (named after the rural NSW town Flanagan’s own father hailed from). Soon Flanagan had twenty short stories that had not only kept his son’s interest and had him excited about books, but would become the foundation for the phenomenally popular series.

John Flanagan had a day job though, so those stories stayed in the vault for many, many years. The first book, The Ruins of Gorlan, was published in 2004, when Flanagan turned 60, and over the next decade he continued to add to his world, with twenty books currently released and more to come.

The latest is The Battle of Hackham Heath, which is set before the events of the original series. Baron Mogarath has taken a hit at Gorlan, but he’s still an imposing enemy, especially with the strength of his army of bear-like creatures known as Wargals. Halt, who readers may know as Will’s grumpy mentor, is trying to help the King by reporting back from the Mountains of Rain and Night, but finds the steep cliffs the least of his worries. With Queen Rosalind and King Duncan nervously waiting the arrival of their heir, Halt’s best friend and fellow Ranger Crowley is tasked with keeping the Queen safe, but everything comes to a head as Mogarath makes his deadly move.

There are many reasons that readers all of the world have embraced this series. If you’re looking for a Christmas present for a reluctant reader who loves fantasy, action or adventure stories, here are some of the reasons we would recommend trying a Ranger:

1. Your young reader won’t run out of books for awhile: once a child is stuck in a series, you can take away the guesswork from birthdays, Christmas, and library visits for a little while. There are 12 books in the Ranger’s Apprentice series, two prequels so far in The Early Years and six in Brotherband (which is set in the same world with different Skandian characters). And he’s working on more! Phew!
2. Read it before you see it: yes, it’s been in the pipeline for ages, but there is indeed a Ranger’s Apprentice movie on the way. Promise. We even asked Flanagan himself! Check out our interview here.
3. It stars an everyday hero: unlike Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, Will Treaty doesn’t have any mythical powers – and he’s even the shortest in his group. The character was inspired by Flanagan’s son, and is beloved by readers because they can really relate to him (amazing archery skills aside, of course). Flanagan describes Will as “brave, loyal and sometimes impulsive. Plus he has a vivid sense of humour,” and you’ll want to be along for the ride to see how Will (and his friends) will save the day.
4. Fast-paced and action-packed: A good way to keep hesitant readers going is to make sure the plot grabs them quickly, and keeps them hooked. The Ranger’s Apprentice series deals out twists, turns and mini cliffhangers in each adventure, and since all the books in the series are connected to each-other, it means you have to seek out the next one to see how the story continues to unfold.
5. Fantasy setting: While there are lots of great series for kids set in schools, sometimes you just want a bit of an escape. Flanagan has created a rich, detailed, and well researched medieval land. It may even be a stepping stone for young readers to grow into other fantasy series, or pique an interest in history.
6. Important themes: Will learns a lot about what it means to be brave in these books, and how courage can come in many forms. It also has a strong message of resilience: in The Battle at Hackham Heath, Halt is up against a task of Herculean difficulty with incredibly high stakes, but he never gives up.
7. Tongue in cheek humour: Adults will find themselves laughing out loud in these books too, with Flanagan’s wry wit coming through in full force. It’s the balance of serious storytelling with cheeky humour that has helped make the popularity of this series so enduring, and its fans so committed!

Where to begin?

The natural answer is with #1 The Ruins of Gorlan, but you could also dive into the series in either of the prequels, The Tournament at Gorlan or the newly released The Battle of Hackham Heath, both of which give insight into what Halt and Crowley were up to before they became the seasoned Rangers we meet later on.

Find out more

Check out our interview with author John Flanagan, watch the trailer for the prequels, or listen as readers tell you themselves why they love these books!