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Brotherband Chronicles #3
De jagers
In deel 3 van de Broederband-serie van John Flanagan, de auteur van de uiterst succesvolle De Grijze Jager-serie, hebben Hal en zijn makkers maar één ding aan hun hoofd: de Andomal, de waardevolle schat van de Skandiërs, terughalen. De jacht op de bloeddorstige piraat Zavac, die de Andomal in zijn bezit heeft, leidt
hen via woeste rivieren en duizelingwekkende stroomversnellingen uiteindelijk naar de onafhankelijke vesting Raguza, waar de ontknoping plaats zal vinden. Als Hal wil slagen in zijn missie zal hij tot het uiterste moeten gaan. Hij zal Zavac moeten uitdagen tot een een-op-een-gevecht, met de wetenschap dat maar een van hen het zal overleven.
hen via woeste rivieren en duizelingwekkende stroomversnellingen uiteindelijk naar de onafhankelijke vesting Raguza, waar de ontknoping plaats zal vinden. Als Hal wil slagen in zijn missie zal hij tot het uiterste moeten gaan. Hij zal Zavac moeten uitdagen tot een een-op-een-gevecht, met de wetenschap dat maar een van hen het zal overleven.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
626 people are currently reading
6110 people want to read
About the author
John Flanagan
111 books9,211 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
For mysteries by this same author, see John A. Flanagan.
John Flanagan grew up in Sydney, Australia, hoping to be a writer. It wasn't until he wrote a highly uncomplimentary poem about a senior executive at the agency where he worked, however, that his talent was revealed. It turned out one of the company directors agreed with John's assessment of the executive, and happily agreed to train John in copywriting.
After writing advertising copy for the next two decades, John teamed with an old friend to develop a television sitcom, Hey Dad!, which went on to air for eight years.
John began writing Ranger's Apprentice for his son, Michael, ten years ago, and is still hard at work on the series.
He currently lives in a suburb of Manly, Australia, with his wife. In addition to their son, they have two grown daughters and four grandsons.
For mysteries by this same author, see John A. Flanagan.
John Flanagan grew up in Sydney, Australia, hoping to be a writer. It wasn't until he wrote a highly uncomplimentary poem about a senior executive at the agency where he worked, however, that his talent was revealed. It turned out one of the company directors agreed with John's assessment of the executive, and happily agreed to train John in copywriting.
After writing advertising copy for the next two decades, John teamed with an old friend to develop a television sitcom, Hey Dad!, which went on to air for eight years.
John began writing Ranger's Apprentice for his son, Michael, ten years ago, and is still hard at work on the series.
He currently lives in a suburb of Manly, Australia, with his wife. In addition to their son, they have two grown daughters and four grandsons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 669 reviews
April 24, 2022
Skończyłam ten tom z bananem na buzi.
April 16, 2013
The Hunters is a typical John Flanagan adventure: mature children's fiction with a light-hearted nature, interesting characters, well handled plots, educational information and most of all a rollicking good time. Those familiar with The Rangers Apprentice series may know that Flanagan wrote this series (so far a trilogy) as a spin-off set in the world of Will, Horace and Halt. And yet, despite being a spin-off title, it is no less appealing.
The Hunters is the conclusion to the tale of the young band of vikingesque Skandian warriors led by Hal who set out in book one, The Outcasts, to rescue a Skandian treasure. One of the excellent things about this series, like Rangers Apprentice, is the ability John Flanagan has to create honest character development. He may not be a skilled aesthetic writer but he has a great skill (like Michael Sullivan in Theft of Swords) of being able to create a taut plot with likeable characters. In other words he has incredible storytelling power and it is this power that makes these novels readable for both the young and the old.
As a conclusion to a plot arc The Hunters was both satisfying and intriguing. Though some plot twists could be identified - and being a juvenile targeted novel there were moments of melodramatic silliness - it was on the whole a well executed novel. A novel that leaves the reader desiring more in the series, if only to see the characters develop further. It also is a novel that leaves one wishing that more storytellers could learn to develop characters in such a fashion, in a way that is not forcefully built around a love triangle or what the reader or author wants, but in a way that suits the story. That is what narrative writing is essentially about - not flashy gimmicks, not beautiful prose, but honesty in a way that is beautiful in its essence.
October 2, 2013
This book was AMAZING! This series has become one of my all-time favorite series. The characters are so well written that they win you over immediately, and the plot is so engaging that you don't want to put the book down. This series also keeps its excitement throughout the gap between the second and third book; usually your excitement dies down, but it stayed all the way. I also loved that characters from the Ranger Apprentice series are included, because they were loved then and are well appreciated again now. It makes you wonder how much forethought goes into the series because things said a lot earlier are very significant later on. Though it isn't that really a spoiler, it just emphasizes the intricate details that are woven into the stories.
March 31, 2015
If you know me, you may know I'm a big fan of the Ranger's Apprentice series.
Even still, when I first heard about this series I had mixed feelings. I liked the Skandians well enough in the RA universe, but I wasn't sure about a whole story/series from that angle. And then, after reading the first two books, they didn't quite compare to my beloved RA.
Well, this book changes that.
I'm not saying it surpasses my love, because it's still not quite the same... but I will say that the ending of this book was pretty damn awesome. It completes the arc that started in the first book - Flanagan seems rather fond of these multi-book arcs. I figure it goes back to his TV heritage - and it does it in an exciting and suspensful finale.
The characters continue to develop and come to life - with the exception of Stefan, who felt mostly shunted to the side for most of this book. Hal, Thorn, Ingvar and Lydia stand out as exceptional characters, and even the twins are growing on me (though they kind remind me a bit much of the twins in How to Train Your Dragon).
With this book, even though it completes the arc, the series has gone from "when I get around to it" to "really looking forward to the next". I'm really glad, too, because I was a bit worried about the upcoming crossover with characters from both the RA and Brotherband series - but now I'm really excited for it. :>
My only real gripe is that I could do without the love triangle thing. I do appreciate that it's not a main focus, as is often the case with far too many YA books, but, honestly, I could live without it entirely.
Even still, when I first heard about this series I had mixed feelings. I liked the Skandians well enough in the RA universe, but I wasn't sure about a whole story/series from that angle. And then, after reading the first two books, they didn't quite compare to my beloved RA.
Well, this book changes that.
I'm not saying it surpasses my love, because it's still not quite the same... but I will say that the ending of this book was pretty damn awesome. It completes the arc that started in the first book - Flanagan seems rather fond of these multi-book arcs. I figure it goes back to his TV heritage - and it does it in an exciting and suspensful finale.
The characters continue to develop and come to life - with the exception of Stefan, who felt mostly shunted to the side for most of this book. Hal, Thorn, Ingvar and Lydia stand out as exceptional characters, and even the twins are growing on me (though they kind remind me a bit much of the twins in How to Train Your Dragon).
With this book, even though it completes the arc, the series has gone from "when I get around to it" to "really looking forward to the next". I'm really glad, too, because I was a bit worried about the upcoming crossover with characters from both the RA and Brotherband series - but now I'm really excited for it. :>
My only real gripe is that I could do without the love triangle thing. I do appreciate that it's not a main focus, as is often the case with far too many YA books, but, honestly, I could live without it entirely.
January 8, 2019
Ook bij dit deel heb ik ervoor gekozen om te luisteren naar het luisterboek. Het boek wordt ingesproken door Dieuwertje Blok. Soms vind ik haar uitspraak wat aan de harde kant maar over het algemeen is het prettig om naar te luisteren. Zoals de voorgaande delen is ook dit deel vertellend geschreven. Dit zorgt ervoor dat het fijn is om naar te luisteren. Ondanks dat ik geen verstand heb van zeilen snap ik wat er in de boeken staat en gebeurd. Het scheelt dat elk boek begint met een overzicht van belangrijke zeil termen zodat je kennis weer even opgefrist wordt.
In tegenstelling tot zijn voorganger zit er een rap tempo in dit deel. De ene na de andere gebeurtenis vindt plaats waardoor de Reigers langzaam hun doel lijken te bereiken. De gevolgen van de karakter ontwikkelingen uit deel 2 komen tijdens het verhaal duidelijk naar voren. De Reigers weten goed wat ze van elkaar kunnen verwachten en waar iedereen zijn sterke punten liggen. Dit versterkt hun onderlinge relaties enorm. Inmiddels zijn mijn ergernissen wegens de tweeling wel bekend en wederom kwam het weer een veelvoud voor in het boek. Aan dit soort dingen merk je toch duidelijk dat het voor een jonger publiek is geschreven.
De liefdes driehoek is nog altijd aanwezig maar er wordt niet veel aandacht aan besteed gedurende dit deel. Er is ook maar weinig tijd om je daarmee bezig te houden als je jaagt en in gevecht bent met piraten. Ik geniet altijd van de scenes waarin Lydia en Thorn samen voorkomen. Ze dagen elkaar voortdurend uit maar diep van binnen bewonderen ze elkaar.
Wat mij trekt aan deze boeken is dat het zich weer eens in een andere setting afspeelt dan de meeste andere boeken. Doordat het boek zo levendig is geschreven zie ik tijdens het lezen de wereld van de Skandiërs helemaal voor mij in gedachten. Ondanks het feit dat ik smul van zwijmel verhalen is het ook fijn om eens een boek te lezen waarin de relaties binnen een groep erg belangrijk zijn en hoe die zich ontwikkeld.
Een belangrijke les die je kan leren uit de Broederband boeken is dat iedereen zijn sterke kanten heeft zolang je ze maar de kans geeft deze te gebruiken en te ontwikkelen.
In tegenstelling tot zijn voorganger zit er een rap tempo in dit deel. De ene na de andere gebeurtenis vindt plaats waardoor de Reigers langzaam hun doel lijken te bereiken. De gevolgen van de karakter ontwikkelingen uit deel 2 komen tijdens het verhaal duidelijk naar voren. De Reigers weten goed wat ze van elkaar kunnen verwachten en waar iedereen zijn sterke punten liggen. Dit versterkt hun onderlinge relaties enorm. Inmiddels zijn mijn ergernissen wegens de tweeling wel bekend en wederom kwam het weer een veelvoud voor in het boek. Aan dit soort dingen merk je toch duidelijk dat het voor een jonger publiek is geschreven.
De liefdes driehoek is nog altijd aanwezig maar er wordt niet veel aandacht aan besteed gedurende dit deel. Er is ook maar weinig tijd om je daarmee bezig te houden als je jaagt en in gevecht bent met piraten. Ik geniet altijd van de scenes waarin Lydia en Thorn samen voorkomen. Ze dagen elkaar voortdurend uit maar diep van binnen bewonderen ze elkaar.
Wat mij trekt aan deze boeken is dat het zich weer eens in een andere setting afspeelt dan de meeste andere boeken. Doordat het boek zo levendig is geschreven zie ik tijdens het lezen de wereld van de Skandiërs helemaal voor mij in gedachten. Ondanks het feit dat ik smul van zwijmel verhalen is het ook fijn om eens een boek te lezen waarin de relaties binnen een groep erg belangrijk zijn en hoe die zich ontwikkeld.
Een belangrijke les die je kan leren uit de Broederband boeken is dat iedereen zijn sterke kanten heeft zolang je ze maar de kans geeft deze te gebruiken en te ontwikkelen.
November 15, 2012
At first, I felt like this book was a little too contrived. Don't get me wrong, I really like the Ranger's Apprentice series and how Mr. Flanagan spins his stories so that they have good moral lessons, but the beginning of this one (Brotherband series) was well---too forced. I liked the story. I like the characters. At the middle of the book, the story picked up a little and I loved the ending. I could really visualize the two ships fighting and how people would be impressed by the youthful group and their abilities. I especially like how the author includes competent,strong, girls in his books. Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice books are better than the Brotherband books. They teach many good lessons of loyalty, determination, friendship and they aren't as forced as these books are, but still these are good reads and good lesson builders for boys. In this series, we read about Thorn, who feels less of a person since he lost his hand and how he gains purpose again directing this group of boys--there is a good lesson. We also see how good leadership can bring a group together and work together. The funny part of this book was how one of the crewmen decided to knit and at first they thought less of him and then when they saw his hats, they all wanted one. (Good lesson there too) so if you want your son to read a good rollicking story with moral lessons intertwined within it, these are the books for your son 10-12 years old. They will be hooked.
August 4, 2013
The third instalment in the Brotherband Chronicles is, I think the best. Fast-paced, great plot movement and battle scenes (particularly the epic battle between the Heron and Zavac's pirate ship, Raven near the end) are brilliant. I could really picture the action in my head and at one point it got so exciting I could not turn the pages fast enough!
Hal and his crew, including Thorn and the newest member, Lydia, are in hot pursuit of the Raven and Zavac's, whose band of pirates stole the Andomal (an important Skandian relic) form their village. Lydia is out for Zavac's blood because of the death and destruction he brought to her village, Limmat. This story really sees us getting to know the characters and their quirks much better. There is suspense, drama, comedy and emotion throughout, and all done with aplomb. Many reviewers seem to thinks this is the last in the series, but I am pretty sure there will be more and the final pages certainly leave room for it. I will be very surprised if it stops at number 3!
In any case, this is a great read and I recommend it for anyone from 8 to 80. Flanagan's humour and eye for details is evident in spades and will win over the most reluctant reader. I look forward to many more adventures with the Heron and her crew - and if it is not to be, I will just re-read the three I have!
Hal and his crew, including Thorn and the newest member, Lydia, are in hot pursuit of the Raven and Zavac's, whose band of pirates stole the Andomal (an important Skandian relic) form their village. Lydia is out for Zavac's blood because of the death and destruction he brought to her village, Limmat. This story really sees us getting to know the characters and their quirks much better. There is suspense, drama, comedy and emotion throughout, and all done with aplomb. Many reviewers seem to thinks this is the last in the series, but I am pretty sure there will be more and the final pages certainly leave room for it. I will be very surprised if it stops at number 3!
In any case, this is a great read and I recommend it for anyone from 8 to 80. Flanagan's humour and eye for details is evident in spades and will win over the most reluctant reader. I look forward to many more adventures with the Heron and her crew - and if it is not to be, I will just re-read the three I have!
December 24, 2012
Third in the Brotherband Chronicles urban fantasy series for young adults. It is an offshoot from Flanagan's Ranger Apprentice series.
My Take
This was great! Again. I haven't yet read a bad book from John Flanagan. And it keeps amazing me that we're only three books into the series. I feel as though I know the characters so well and been on so many adventures with them, that there must be more than just three books!??
I do love how Flanagan creates such a positive role model with the crew of the Heron and how inventive they all are. I particularly enjoyed the shock various adults received when they realized that Hal was the actual captain of the Heron!
Oh, the knitting! I love it. From ridicule to begging as the boys discover the benefits of Edvin's labors. I do feel a degree of skepticism about the effects of the willow bark, but I also appreciate the idea behind Flanagan including it. A nice bit of medicinal lore. Hee-hee-hee, Zavac has hoist himself with his own petard! I love it. Oh, then there's the duel. Oh, yeah!
It takes teamwork and trust for the boys to get as far as they do; a bond they began building at the beginning in Outcasts .
It's adventure without horror and lots of laughter to be had at the expense of the opposition.
The Story
With Rikard's help, the Heron follows the Raven to the Dan River. Unfortunately for them, Zavac has left a man behind to pick up an order of rope. And Vargas thinks quickly and acts even quicker, setting all sorts of traps for the boys.
A corrupt mayor who jails them and thinks to steal their ship while planning to enslave Lydia. A whitewater raceway no ship can sail. A pirate haven they cannot enter.
The Characters
Hal leads this merry band of teens as their skirl. The rest of the runaway crew includes Stig, who is Hal's second-in-command; Stefan; Edvin is their medic and crew cook (Hal intends to train him in steering); Jesper is skilled at thieving and sneaking about; Ingvar is terribly nearsighted and was badly wounded; and, Ulf and Wulf are the argumentative twins who excel at handling the sails. Lydia Demarek is the girl they took on board after the battle in Invaders . She's quite skilled with her chosen weapons and tracking ability...as Thorn is forced to admit! Old Thorn may be crippled without a hand, but he has more than made up for it. His knowledge and skills don't require a hand. Besides, Hal's inventive skills creates all sorts of specialized tools.
Erak is Oberjarl of the Skandians; Svengal is his old friend; and, Karina is Hal's mother. Tursgud is the former leader of the Sharks brotherband.
Rickard is the Magyaran pirate Thorn captured in Invaders . Vargas is one of Zacar's men, who stayed behind to pick up an order of rope. He hasn't any conscience and is quite tricky. Zacar is the captain of the Raven, and the thief who stole the Andomal that the boys were supposed to be guarding. It's a matter of honor now. The boys have to retrieve it if they ever want to go home.
The Gatmeister is the mayor of Bayrath and Doutro is quite willing to do anything if he's paid enough. Pedr is a fellow inmate, jailed for winning from Doutro. Dana is Doutro's cook; Milo is the senior servant; Erlic is the idiot they set to guard Lydia. Mihaly is the Korpaljo of the the pirate haven of Raguza. A former pirate himself, he knows all their tricks and doesn't tolerate betrayal.
Mannoc is the skipper of the Seahawk, which is guarding a trader convoy. Algon, Freyth, and Crenna are the trader captains.
The Cover
The cover is awash in a churning sea as, I'm assuming, Hal braces himself on the deck of his ship with one knee raised while taking aim with a crossbow. It's all blue-green seas, the brown of the ship and the wooden arch overhead as well as the brown leathers in which Hal is wrapped. Except for the watch cap on his head, Edvin's work. I'd've been more impressed if the cover artist had Hal getting ready to shoot the Mangler, though.
The title is what this series has been about so far: The Hunters tracking down Zavac and his Raven.
My Take
This was great! Again. I haven't yet read a bad book from John Flanagan. And it keeps amazing me that we're only three books into the series. I feel as though I know the characters so well and been on so many adventures with them, that there must be more than just three books!??
I do love how Flanagan creates such a positive role model with the crew of the Heron and how inventive they all are. I particularly enjoyed the shock various adults received when they realized that Hal was the actual captain of the Heron!
"Must admit, I had a few sleepless moments."
Thorn raised an eyebrow. "Only a few?"
"Two, actually. One lasted for the first two days. The other for the next two."
Oh, the knitting! I love it. From ridicule to begging as the boys discover the benefits of Edvin's labors. I do feel a degree of skepticism about the effects of the willow bark, but I also appreciate the idea behind Flanagan including it. A nice bit of medicinal lore. Hee-hee-hee, Zavac has hoist himself with his own petard! I love it. Oh, then there's the duel. Oh, yeah!
It takes teamwork and trust for the boys to get as far as they do; a bond they began building at the beginning in Outcasts .
It's adventure without horror and lots of laughter to be had at the expense of the opposition.
The Story
With Rikard's help, the Heron follows the Raven to the Dan River. Unfortunately for them, Zavac has left a man behind to pick up an order of rope. And Vargas thinks quickly and acts even quicker, setting all sorts of traps for the boys.
A corrupt mayor who jails them and thinks to steal their ship while planning to enslave Lydia. A whitewater raceway no ship can sail. A pirate haven they cannot enter.
The Characters
Hal leads this merry band of teens as their skirl. The rest of the runaway crew includes Stig, who is Hal's second-in-command; Stefan; Edvin is their medic and crew cook (Hal intends to train him in steering); Jesper is skilled at thieving and sneaking about; Ingvar is terribly nearsighted and was badly wounded; and, Ulf and Wulf are the argumentative twins who excel at handling the sails. Lydia Demarek is the girl they took on board after the battle in Invaders . She's quite skilled with her chosen weapons and tracking ability...as Thorn is forced to admit! Old Thorn may be crippled without a hand, but he has more than made up for it. His knowledge and skills don't require a hand. Besides, Hal's inventive skills creates all sorts of specialized tools.
Erak is Oberjarl of the Skandians; Svengal is his old friend; and, Karina is Hal's mother. Tursgud is the former leader of the Sharks brotherband.
Rickard is the Magyaran pirate Thorn captured in Invaders . Vargas is one of Zacar's men, who stayed behind to pick up an order of rope. He hasn't any conscience and is quite tricky. Zacar is the captain of the Raven, and the thief who stole the Andomal that the boys were supposed to be guarding. It's a matter of honor now. The boys have to retrieve it if they ever want to go home.
The Gatmeister is the mayor of Bayrath and Doutro is quite willing to do anything if he's paid enough. Pedr is a fellow inmate, jailed for winning from Doutro. Dana is Doutro's cook; Milo is the senior servant; Erlic is the idiot they set to guard Lydia. Mihaly is the Korpaljo of the the pirate haven of Raguza. A former pirate himself, he knows all their tricks and doesn't tolerate betrayal.
Mannoc is the skipper of the Seahawk, which is guarding a trader convoy. Algon, Freyth, and Crenna are the trader captains.
The Cover
The cover is awash in a churning sea as, I'm assuming, Hal braces himself on the deck of his ship with one knee raised while taking aim with a crossbow. It's all blue-green seas, the brown of the ship and the wooden arch overhead as well as the brown leathers in which Hal is wrapped. Except for the watch cap on his head, Edvin's work. I'd've been more impressed if the cover artist had Hal getting ready to shoot the Mangler, though.
The title is what this series has been about so far: The Hunters tracking down Zavac and his Raven.
March 14, 2020
This book jumped right in where book two left off. Now I must say one thing I love about John’s writing is that he makes his fight scenes accurate, but not gory. He can describe a tortured man yet keep me interested and not disgusted. Like I can visualize it being gross but it isn’t gory. I know I repeated myself but I don’t know the best way to word that. Can’t wait for the next book!
Happy Reading 📖
Happy Reading 📖
June 27, 2024
The series might be starting to grow on me. It’s still a bit too slow and methodical for me to love, but it’s moved up a notch. The action is picking up and the ending of book 3 was quite solid.
That said, I’m not a fan of love triangles, so don’t like seeing this one in the works. Hopefully it doesn’t get too drawn out.
Content:
The language is clean. There is no real romance to date and no magic. They have a number of Norse-like gods, but religion doesn’t play much part in the story.
That said, I’m not a fan of love triangles, so don’t like seeing this one in the works. Hopefully it doesn’t get too drawn out.
Content:
The language is clean. There is no real romance to date and no magic. They have a number of Norse-like gods, but religion doesn’t play much part in the story.
November 30, 2012
Thoughts on the Overall Book: Whereas the last book tended to drag a little, I think this was was properly more fast-paced and exciting and I'm glad it ended the way it did. I really enjoyed it a lot. It had all the great character moments, adventure and humor that I have come to expect in John Flanagan's books. I've come to like the Brotherband Chronicles just as much as the Ranger's Apprentice series.
Characters: As always, I loved the Heron Brotherband, plus Thorn. They are totally awesome. I'm also glad we kind of had more of a chance to get to know some of the other boys in this one too like Ingvar and Edvin, both of whom I have come to like quite a bit. Lydia, I still kind of feel was just thrown into the story to have a female character. She had her moments, but there was only one instance where she really did anything that the others couldn't have done, and even then, it still could have been accomplished just with the boys. I just can't seem to get to know her or care for her as much as I did for Alyss in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I know John Flanagan can write good female characters, but Lydia just kind of falls flat for me. I am totally glad there was no stupid love triangle between her, Hal and Stig though which was what I was really afraid would happen in this book. In fact, I'm kind of rooting for her and Ingvar ;) As for the villains, I still love Zavak, again, he's a great pirate character. I also liked Doutro because he was interesting and really nasty, though I kind of wish there had been more of him and that he had played more into the plot.
Writing Style: As always, I love John Flanagan's writing style. This book was no different than any of the others.
Problems/What bothered me: Nothing really bothered me, except I still think Lydia wasn't nessessary, and then there was that one part at the place with Doutro that almost seemed like a lose end, but it's easily overlooked and doesn't take away from the story.
Conclusion: 4 Stars. Really liked this installment, and I'm totally excited to see what will happen next. Apart from the duel, I think the epilogue was my favorite part of the book. It was so perfect in so many ways =)
Recommended Audience: Long time John Flanagan fans, of course. And if you haven't read Brotherband yet, do so! They're just as good as Ranger's Apprentice!
Characters: As always, I loved the Heron Brotherband, plus Thorn. They are totally awesome. I'm also glad we kind of had more of a chance to get to know some of the other boys in this one too like Ingvar and Edvin, both of whom I have come to like quite a bit. Lydia, I still kind of feel was just thrown into the story to have a female character. She had her moments, but there was only one instance where she really did anything that the others couldn't have done, and even then, it still could have been accomplished just with the boys. I just can't seem to get to know her or care for her as much as I did for Alyss in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I know John Flanagan can write good female characters, but Lydia just kind of falls flat for me. I am totally glad there was no stupid love triangle between her, Hal and Stig though which was what I was really afraid would happen in this book. In fact, I'm kind of rooting for her and Ingvar ;) As for the villains, I still love Zavak, again, he's a great pirate character. I also liked Doutro because he was interesting and really nasty, though I kind of wish there had been more of him and that he had played more into the plot.
Writing Style: As always, I love John Flanagan's writing style. This book was no different than any of the others.
Problems/What bothered me: Nothing really bothered me, except I still think Lydia wasn't nessessary, and then there was that one part at the place with Doutro that almost seemed like a lose end, but it's easily overlooked and doesn't take away from the story.
Conclusion: 4 Stars. Really liked this installment, and I'm totally excited to see what will happen next. Apart from the duel, I think the epilogue was my favorite part of the book. It was so perfect in so many ways =)
Recommended Audience: Long time John Flanagan fans, of course. And if you haven't read Brotherband yet, do so! They're just as good as Ranger's Apprentice!
October 14, 2012
The Hunters opens as the Heron has crossed the Stormwhite Sea heading for Raguza, a pirate stronghold on the Schuyt River. On board are the eight original members of the Brotherband including one who was injured during the battle, and also Lydia the Limmatan hunter, Thorn the Seawolf, and a captured Magyaran pirate.
Lydia has made a commitment as the only female involved in the hazardous venture ahead. She proved her effectiveness at killing pirates in the Limmatan battle and will follow that now with additional strategic skills she alone in this group has. Thorn comes to admire her abilities, expanding his own parameters and the boys accept her, in spite of some reservations about having a team member who is female. She has an active role in the harrowing conflicts that ensue and is gradually recognized as a full member of the crew, signified by her being given the new Brotherband insignia to wear. Her problem solving skills and fighting abilities are on a par with that of the boys. Her presence injects moments of light romantic competition, although these are appropriately not major factors in the story.
One of the boys takes up a craft normally thought of as women’s work during the era of the story’s setting and initially receives ridicule for it until it proves to be of practical value and eventually becomes symbolic of unity. As with The Outcasts and The Invaders, in The Hunters the tense conflict-laden moments in the story are offset by interjected humor. Characters banter, sparring hilariously with non sequiturs, withering looks, puns and sarcasm. They sound like a real bunch of guys (and gal).
Pivotal parts of The Hunters seriously challenge Hal’s abilities and decision-making skills as the Brotherband get themselves deep into the pirates’ treacherous snakepit. Each time he is faced with potentially deadly choices, Hal is sleepless while turning every option over in his mind to be sure the strategy he takes is the most propitious. One of these involves a natural obstacle that requires supreme effort and cooperation from everyone on board for them to survive. Another requires psychological strategy and insight into the minds of devious people. Hal takes risks, always including everyone else in the group to achieve consensus, elicit additional ideas, and factor out problems he has not foreseen. He is a wise and fair leader of this deadly group of pirate hunters. Hal and crew work on their skills and strategies constantly to improve their chances. However, like the River Dan, this plot has many surprising twists and turns.
By page 315 this reader was convinced that Zavak had taken the all-important goal of the Brotherband’s pursuit from where Hal thought it was to secrete it somewhere new, and that Zavac in the Raven would escape yet again, that elusive snake. At that moment the local Korpaljo made a declaration that will make the Brotherband’s goals impossible to achieve – even for them. So Hal surprises everyone by suggesting what seems like a truly foolhardy move. Everyone is suitably shocked and his own crew doubt this decision. He adds a caveat that slightly narrows the odds, but it will be a fight to the death and most bets are with the Magyarans.
Since the Brotherband Chronicles is about teens who have trained to be warriors, the violence aspect is embedded. In The Outcasts it is mild – they are still in training – and this part of the story could be for kids 10 and up. Once the Brotherband members have graduated and head out on their risky mission, the violence becomes more overt. There are accounts of the murderous behavior of Zavak and his men in torturing the doomed captive ship captain, even going beyond the pain they need to inflict to get the information they want. During the battle in Limmat many pirates are killed by Heron crew members and their allies using swords, arrows, fire, and other weapons. One of the Heron crew is wounded with an arrow and nearly dies. The purpose of the fighting at Limmat is to save the townspeople from the pirates, so the violence is not gratuitous, but perhaps the readership of this volume should be 12 and up. Then in The Hunters, Hal and his crew are actively going after the pirates in order to retrieve the object of their quest and thereby clear their names back in Hallsholm. Lydia’s purpose is revenge. These are not defensive or altruistic motives and the actions of Hal and his crew result in many deaths, some of which are hand-to-hand. Although the pirates have been a deadly scourge and needed to be dealt with, they are still humans. There is no savoring of blood and gore on the part of the Brotherband, but there is also no mercy, making this more appropriate for older kids – perhaps 14 and up. Parents should decide.
Is this story educational? The sailing and ship handling certainly make seafaring skills more understandable and exciting and the author has provided a glossary of nautical terms at the beginning, a good take-away. The changing relationships and growing social strategies between the characters will give young readers good insights into personal dynamics. Advanced vocabulary throughout – diffidently, supercilious, placatory, denouement, e.g. - is paired with humor, faux expletives like “Orlog’s toenails!” along with contemporary expressions like “slow on the uptake”.
Is it fun to read? Oh, yes. The Brotherband Chronicles series is compelling, dramatic, entertaining and suspenseful.
Lydia has made a commitment as the only female involved in the hazardous venture ahead. She proved her effectiveness at killing pirates in the Limmatan battle and will follow that now with additional strategic skills she alone in this group has. Thorn comes to admire her abilities, expanding his own parameters and the boys accept her, in spite of some reservations about having a team member who is female. She has an active role in the harrowing conflicts that ensue and is gradually recognized as a full member of the crew, signified by her being given the new Brotherband insignia to wear. Her problem solving skills and fighting abilities are on a par with that of the boys. Her presence injects moments of light romantic competition, although these are appropriately not major factors in the story.
One of the boys takes up a craft normally thought of as women’s work during the era of the story’s setting and initially receives ridicule for it until it proves to be of practical value and eventually becomes symbolic of unity. As with The Outcasts and The Invaders, in The Hunters the tense conflict-laden moments in the story are offset by interjected humor. Characters banter, sparring hilariously with non sequiturs, withering looks, puns and sarcasm. They sound like a real bunch of guys (and gal).
Pivotal parts of The Hunters seriously challenge Hal’s abilities and decision-making skills as the Brotherband get themselves deep into the pirates’ treacherous snakepit. Each time he is faced with potentially deadly choices, Hal is sleepless while turning every option over in his mind to be sure the strategy he takes is the most propitious. One of these involves a natural obstacle that requires supreme effort and cooperation from everyone on board for them to survive. Another requires psychological strategy and insight into the minds of devious people. Hal takes risks, always including everyone else in the group to achieve consensus, elicit additional ideas, and factor out problems he has not foreseen. He is a wise and fair leader of this deadly group of pirate hunters. Hal and crew work on their skills and strategies constantly to improve their chances. However, like the River Dan, this plot has many surprising twists and turns.
By page 315 this reader was convinced that Zavak had taken the all-important goal of the Brotherband’s pursuit from where Hal thought it was to secrete it somewhere new, and that Zavac in the Raven would escape yet again, that elusive snake. At that moment the local Korpaljo made a declaration that will make the Brotherband’s goals impossible to achieve – even for them. So Hal surprises everyone by suggesting what seems like a truly foolhardy move. Everyone is suitably shocked and his own crew doubt this decision. He adds a caveat that slightly narrows the odds, but it will be a fight to the death and most bets are with the Magyarans.
Since the Brotherband Chronicles is about teens who have trained to be warriors, the violence aspect is embedded. In The Outcasts it is mild – they are still in training – and this part of the story could be for kids 10 and up. Once the Brotherband members have graduated and head out on their risky mission, the violence becomes more overt. There are accounts of the murderous behavior of Zavak and his men in torturing the doomed captive ship captain, even going beyond the pain they need to inflict to get the information they want. During the battle in Limmat many pirates are killed by Heron crew members and their allies using swords, arrows, fire, and other weapons. One of the Heron crew is wounded with an arrow and nearly dies. The purpose of the fighting at Limmat is to save the townspeople from the pirates, so the violence is not gratuitous, but perhaps the readership of this volume should be 12 and up. Then in The Hunters, Hal and his crew are actively going after the pirates in order to retrieve the object of their quest and thereby clear their names back in Hallsholm. Lydia’s purpose is revenge. These are not defensive or altruistic motives and the actions of Hal and his crew result in many deaths, some of which are hand-to-hand. Although the pirates have been a deadly scourge and needed to be dealt with, they are still humans. There is no savoring of blood and gore on the part of the Brotherband, but there is also no mercy, making this more appropriate for older kids – perhaps 14 and up. Parents should decide.
Is this story educational? The sailing and ship handling certainly make seafaring skills more understandable and exciting and the author has provided a glossary of nautical terms at the beginning, a good take-away. The changing relationships and growing social strategies between the characters will give young readers good insights into personal dynamics. Advanced vocabulary throughout – diffidently, supercilious, placatory, denouement, e.g. - is paired with humor, faux expletives like “Orlog’s toenails!” along with contemporary expressions like “slow on the uptake”.
Is it fun to read? Oh, yes. The Brotherband Chronicles series is compelling, dramatic, entertaining and suspenseful.
July 9, 2023
4.5 lydia marry me
October 21, 2014
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? Yes. Despite the fact that there is a “character impersonator” on the front, his face is not defined all that much, so I’m okay with it. I do love the cover art for this series; it’s exciting, and I love how each picture refers to some specific part in the corresponding book.
Characters: All of the Herons remain really good characters. Hal is a great protagonist, Stig a wonderful “second,” Ulf and Wulf and all the others great in all their roles. Thorn is a character who continually grows on me. My initial impression of him at the beginning of the series was a sad Halt wanna-be. But something about him really clicked with me in this latest installment, and I no longer think of him as a Halt substitute. Zavac continued to be a really good villain for this series; he was a believable pirate, ruthless, cunning. While still not my absolute favorite villain out of all of Flanagan’s books, he fit this particular story. Now for Lydia, the girl character. I’ll admit, she proves her usefulness in this one, but there is absolutely no reason why she couldn’t have been a twelve-year-old boy. She doesn’t have The Attitude, but she didn’t seem to be able to take a joke and her continual sassing of Thorn got on my nerves. I’m okay with characters who show their friendly affection through sarcastic banter, but when Lydia said something, it felt more disrespectful than affectionate, and it did bring her perilously close to having an Attitude.
The Romance: The potential love triangle between Hal, Lydia, and Stig does not get much of an opportunity to surface in this installment, for which I am eternally grateful. But it’s hovering there in the background, threatening to ruin future books. I don’t want to see Stig and Hal be at odds with each other over a girl, least of all Lydia, who honestly doesn’t seem worth it.
Plot: This is what makes me say that out of the three books so far, this is the best one. The other two books spent a lot of time on the Herons training themselves, and while it allowed the Reader to see their camaraderie strengthen into an unbreakable bond, it also got boring after a while. For a brief second, The Hunters threatened to sink into yet more brotherband training, but the Author thankfully only devotes not even a whole chapter to it, and that’s the last we hear of it. The rest of the book is spent with the Herons actually hunting Zavac down, running into obstacles, and outsmarting Zavac’s allies. It was exciting! There’s a jail break and sneaking away in the dead of night; false murder accusations and disguises, and as a grand finale, a duel. The Herons’ ruse for getting into Raguza was genuinely clever; I really enjoyed it.
Believability: Flanagan has always been good at presenting Readers with battle strategies and plans that are plausible, and he has always written realistic battles, with realistic wounds. Lydia realistically doesn’t engage any pirates in a hand-to-hand fight, but relies on a long-range weapon, since she doesn’t have the strength to hold her own in a close-quarters fight. The one thing that struck me as incorrect was the rapidity which willow bark tea clears up one of the character’s fever. Willowbark works well, but considering how bad of a temperature the boy has, it wouldn’t clear the fever completely up in less than an hour.
Writing Style: At times, the Author tries a little too hard to be funny, like with the knitting scene and the Heron ballad at the end. I found those two scenes to just be silly. He also uses a dialogue ploy which I absolutely hate. I really don’t like bits of dialogue where a character asks a question that the Reader just might be wondering, for the sole purpose of having another character provide the answer. It’s a very choppy method of putting the Reader’s questions to rest, and often disrupts the story’s flow. Apart from that, Flanagan’s writing is as it has always been: entertaining. He shows his prowess at writing sea battles in this book, which is amazingly good.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The end was exciting, fast-paced, and not dragged out. It got to the point. I’m usually not okay with the villain and hero having a one-on-one showdown during a big battle because it’s so unlikely, but in this case I was fine with it, because a ship is significantly smaller than a battlefield, so if someone is actively seeking out another, it’s plausible. As a whole, I really liked The Hunters. It was definitely the best out of the three.
Recommended Audience: John Flanagan fans, even those who gave up on the Ranger’s Apprentice series. Girl-and-guy read, any age.
Characters: All of the Herons remain really good characters. Hal is a great protagonist, Stig a wonderful “second,” Ulf and Wulf and all the others great in all their roles. Thorn is a character who continually grows on me. My initial impression of him at the beginning of the series was a sad Halt wanna-be. But something about him really clicked with me in this latest installment, and I no longer think of him as a Halt substitute. Zavac continued to be a really good villain for this series; he was a believable pirate, ruthless, cunning. While still not my absolute favorite villain out of all of Flanagan’s books, he fit this particular story. Now for Lydia, the girl character. I’ll admit, she proves her usefulness in this one, but there is absolutely no reason why she couldn’t have been a twelve-year-old boy. She doesn’t have The Attitude, but she didn’t seem to be able to take a joke and her continual sassing of Thorn got on my nerves. I’m okay with characters who show their friendly affection through sarcastic banter, but when Lydia said something, it felt more disrespectful than affectionate, and it did bring her perilously close to having an Attitude.
The Romance: The potential love triangle between Hal, Lydia, and Stig does not get much of an opportunity to surface in this installment, for which I am eternally grateful. But it’s hovering there in the background, threatening to ruin future books. I don’t want to see Stig and Hal be at odds with each other over a girl, least of all Lydia, who honestly doesn’t seem worth it.
Plot: This is what makes me say that out of the three books so far, this is the best one. The other two books spent a lot of time on the Herons training themselves, and while it allowed the Reader to see their camaraderie strengthen into an unbreakable bond, it also got boring after a while. For a brief second, The Hunters threatened to sink into yet more brotherband training, but the Author thankfully only devotes not even a whole chapter to it, and that’s the last we hear of it. The rest of the book is spent with the Herons actually hunting Zavac down, running into obstacles, and outsmarting Zavac’s allies. It was exciting! There’s a jail break and sneaking away in the dead of night; false murder accusations and disguises, and as a grand finale, a duel. The Herons’ ruse for getting into Raguza was genuinely clever; I really enjoyed it.
Believability: Flanagan has always been good at presenting Readers with battle strategies and plans that are plausible, and he has always written realistic battles, with realistic wounds. Lydia realistically doesn’t engage any pirates in a hand-to-hand fight, but relies on a long-range weapon, since she doesn’t have the strength to hold her own in a close-quarters fight. The one thing that struck me as incorrect was the rapidity which willow bark tea clears up one of the character’s fever. Willowbark works well, but considering how bad of a temperature the boy has, it wouldn’t clear the fever completely up in less than an hour.
Writing Style: At times, the Author tries a little too hard to be funny, like with the knitting scene and the Heron ballad at the end. I found those two scenes to just be silly. He also uses a dialogue ploy which I absolutely hate. I really don’t like bits of dialogue where a character asks a question that the Reader just might be wondering, for the sole purpose of having another character provide the answer. It’s a very choppy method of putting the Reader’s questions to rest, and often disrupts the story’s flow. Apart from that, Flanagan’s writing is as it has always been: entertaining. He shows his prowess at writing sea battles in this book, which is amazingly good.
Content: None.
Conclusion: The end was exciting, fast-paced, and not dragged out. It got to the point. I’m usually not okay with the villain and hero having a one-on-one showdown during a big battle because it’s so unlikely, but in this case I was fine with it, because a ship is significantly smaller than a battlefield, so if someone is actively seeking out another, it’s plausible. As a whole, I really liked The Hunters. It was definitely the best out of the three.
Recommended Audience: John Flanagan fans, even those who gave up on the Ranger’s Apprentice series. Girl-and-guy read, any age.
May 4, 2014
1.I decided to read 'The Hunters' by John Flanagan Because I had already read a series by him and I was given it by my ICT teacher in year 8 as a prize in ICT at Graduation. I had also read the first two books in the series and was addicted to his novels.
2.One of the characters I found interesting in 'The Hunters' was Hal who is the Helmsman and Builder of the Heron. In the first book, Hal was also made Leader and skirl (Captain) of his brotherband, the Heron brotherband. I found him interesting because he took control of the brotherband situation in a matter of seconds and lead his team to victory even though his team was out numbered. He then Designed a battle plan at the age of 16 to besiege a town that had nothing to do with him and saved the people inside from the Pirates who had taken control of the town of Limmat.
3.My favourite quote in the novel was said said by Thorn who is the Trainer of the Brotherband. he said "This Brotherband has fire within!" but this was countered by a crew member saying "Herons would die if they had fire inside them." I thought this was funny because they called the crew members 'Herons' named after the ship 'The Heron'.
4.Something I thought deeply about in the book was when Hal decided to go after a prisoner who had escaped even though one of his crew members was wounded and unconscious. In a situation like this I would have taken the crew member to get immediate help by a healer or Apothecary. I thought it was brave but reckless what Hal did.
2.One of the characters I found interesting in 'The Hunters' was Hal who is the Helmsman and Builder of the Heron. In the first book, Hal was also made Leader and skirl (Captain) of his brotherband, the Heron brotherband. I found him interesting because he took control of the brotherband situation in a matter of seconds and lead his team to victory even though his team was out numbered. He then Designed a battle plan at the age of 16 to besiege a town that had nothing to do with him and saved the people inside from the Pirates who had taken control of the town of Limmat.
3.My favourite quote in the novel was said said by Thorn who is the Trainer of the Brotherband. he said "This Brotherband has fire within!" but this was countered by a crew member saying "Herons would die if they had fire inside them." I thought this was funny because they called the crew members 'Herons' named after the ship 'The Heron'.
4.Something I thought deeply about in the book was when Hal decided to go after a prisoner who had escaped even though one of his crew members was wounded and unconscious. In a situation like this I would have taken the crew member to get immediate help by a healer or Apothecary. I thought it was brave but reckless what Hal did.
November 8, 2013
I read this book after the previous two in the series, The Outcasts and the The Invaders. And I read those after I had finished the Ranger's Apprentice. Ranger's apprentice was recommended to me by one of my friends who has read almost every book in our library, so naturally I ask him for book recommendations. I dived right in to Ranger's Apprentice and was really eager to read Brotherband once it came out. I think this book was really good and you should read it if you love books about the Medieval Ages. And guess what? You can count this book as a historical fiction! So it was really fun to read it for a section of homework that would otherwise be boring.
April 30, 2015
This book has 403 pages to read all the time. ok lets go back 2 books in the 1st book they where traing to become a brotherband, one night they had a job to do put they lost the thing. so now to the next book where there they got kicked out from there homes so they ran away from there home to get back the thing but have to save a twoan from the same people that took there thing but they had to make a tauff chose to save the people and have the die or fowwle the pratits. so they saved the people from fire. So in this book the main chater is hal and he is going to get reving on the parits. so they get the thing back .
July 13, 2022
TO JEST PO PROSTU CUDOWNE❤️
Read
March 29, 2017I am seriously falling in love with this series! No question in my mind that The Brotherband Chronicles series is better than The Ranger's Apprentice. I would never have guessed it.
This book was much better than The Invaders. In fact, I was totally engaged from the very beginning. It surely isn't difficult reading and is very much a late elementary, early junior high level reading. However, anyone can enjoy this series, no matter the age. I have been talking about both these series with any and all of my contacts and especially if they have kids in this age group.
Good, clean reading!
This book was much better than The Invaders. In fact, I was totally engaged from the very beginning. It surely isn't difficult reading and is very much a late elementary, early junior high level reading. However, anyone can enjoy this series, no matter the age. I have been talking about both these series with any and all of my contacts and especially if they have kids in this age group.
Good, clean reading!
September 3, 2019
This book is easily the best paced of the three, and probably the most satisfying. My biggest issue with the previous book was how it didn’t seem to get much accomplished for the overarching plot, but it did set up for some very interesting scenes in this book. The book has three major parts to it, each taking place in a different city, and as the boys worked their way from city to city, I kept thinking to myself “these stories are so unique”. The plots that twist throughout this book are so much more interesting than what you would normally find in a young adult novel. Each city was more interesting than the last.
This book closes out the story spanning the previous two books and I’m excited to see where it goes next.
This book closes out the story spanning the previous two books and I’m excited to see where it goes next.
January 4, 2024
After the cliffhanger in the last book, I rushed to read the next one. It was everything I hoped for and more. I marvel at how John Flannagan keeps making these unbelievably good and realistic battle scenes. I loved that we finally got a bit of a reality check to the Herons when they realize that one of their brothers can actually die. I think it subconciously brang them more together. They grow more close and more competent as a brotherband but they don't let them stop their jokes and snarkish remarks that have me heaving with laughter.
March 28, 2018
Hal and his crew are still fast on the trail of Zavac, in their attempt to rescue the Andomal, their stolen artifact. Unfortunately, it seems like there is bad luck around every turn to keep them from catching the pirate. But if they keep their wits about them, they may still be able to not only find Zavac, but perhaps can win the day.
A great installment of the Brotherband series, and I loved seeing even more character growth. Fun adventure, and a great read.
A great installment of the Brotherband series, and I loved seeing even more character growth. Fun adventure, and a great read.
April 12, 2017
Mám pořád neustálou potřebu srovnávat Bratrstvo a Hraničářova učně. HU je mojí srdeční záležitostí, ale Bratrstvo se na takovou příčku zatím nevyšvihlo, a kdo ví, jestli kdy vyšvihne. Po uzavřeném ději jsem ale opravdu zvědavá, jaká bude další kniha. Doufám, že se autor konečně trochu více zaměří zase na vztahy a vezme nás jinam.
January 30, 2020
The ending really makes me wonder what happens next.
March 29, 2021
Fantastic!!! whoa, Zarac does really make me smile...
This is even better than the first one...
This is even better than the first one...
July 3, 2022
Leve de Skandiërs en de broederband De Reigers! Lekker veel actie, spanning en droge humor. Kortom; goed boek en snel naar deel vier.
February 15, 2024
Jak wszystkie z kolekcji, bardzo dobre fantasy, trochę inne niż "Zwiadowcy" jednak wciąż na wysokim poziomie
November 27, 2024
I loved this book it's hilarious 😂
October 26, 2025
Weer ouderwets genieten en ik weet nu eindelijk hoe het avontuur is afgelopen :)
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