The Sorcerer of the North

Ranger's Apprentice #5

by John Flanagan, John Keating (Narrator)

Will’s first adventure as a full-fledged Ranger!

Time has passed since the apprentice and his master, Will and Halt, led the Araluens to victory against invaders, and Will is now a full-fledged Ranger with his own fief to look after. The fief seems sleepy -- boring, even -- until the Skandians show up and Will has to deal with the threat. Shortly thereafter, Will goes on a secret mission. Joined by his friend Alyss, Will is thrown headfirst into an extraordinary adventure propelled by fears of sorcery, and must determine who is trustworthy to the king and who is trying to take his throne.

Will and Alyss must battle growing hysteria, traitors, and most of all, time. The king is fading, but when Alyss is taken hostage, Will is forced to make a desperate choice between loyalty to his mission and loyalty to his friend.

Adventure abounds in this absorbing installment of the New York Times bestselling series.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Adventure, Middle Grade, Audiobook, Childrens

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Librarian 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.

Reviews

[podczytany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoko, miłe, przyjemne, ale parzyste tomy zawsze są lepsze, bo zamykają większą akcję.

Ocena: 3,5.

[rachel, x · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains mild spoilers for this book and the prequels.

The Sorcerer in the North was, unfortunately, my least favourite of the series and probably the weakest sequel too. I was a little irritated by the beginning as it was set an entire five years after the events of The Battle for Skandia. but once I got used to an older will and the surrpisngly obvious lack of both Halt and Horace, it wasn't so bad... until we got pulled away from the new situation - again - and thrust into this new world of cloak & dagger (literally) espionage. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy this part - I did - but it was little too rushed. I just wished we had more time to adapt to the new circumstances.

Anyway, the first two thirds kept me entertained as usual. I loved seeing this other side to Will, one where he got to be his usual open, friendly self and enjoy himself in public. The last third, however, was what I had a problem with.

It was boring. There, I said. I didn't want to have to ever say that with this series but John Flanagan managed to write four solid books so I'll give him that. I found the mysteries' conclusion unsatisfying and even a little anticlimactic. But I did like the fact that there was an escape attempt made that didn't work - it is nice to know that even the best Rangers cannot be perfect every time.

I also just missed Halt, Horace, Evanlynn and even Erak.

This series remains a favourite of mine, and I really did njoy this book. It just wasn't as good as the last four. Now, as always I'll end by saying that I am excited to go pick up The Siege of Macindaw.

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a five year time skip, Will’s now a true ranger and he quickly finds out he’s got his work cut out for him. It’s a shame this time skip comes so soon in the series as, even after his first big mission, there was still room for another perhaps more lighthearted adventure as an apprentice. Maybe his first adventure was a little too high stakes to settle for a smaller scaled adventure here, which might explain the time skip. But it might have been a bit more interesting if Will could slowly continue to grow as both a character and as a ranger over at least one or two more books.

[Brianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know maybe I've outgrown them, but this series doesn't have the same feel it used to.

Part of it might be this time there's a more serious tone, and it seems all the trouble Will got into he got into by himself, plus they had to spend time introducing new places and characters. There was almost no Halt and he's my favorite character.

There was also no major fight scene as there was in all the other books, it ended in the middle, come on, I'm not afraid of athick book.

Don't take me too seriously I like all the other books in the series and I definitely going to buy the next one in the series.

[Markéta Forejtová · Rating 4 out of 5]

S každým dalším dílem mě Hraničářův učeň pořád baví. Tenhle díl byl trochu výplň, ale i tak se těším na další. Zvlášť v audioknižní formě vyprávění Matouše Rumla.
4/5*

Recenzi s obsáhlejším názorem na (audio)knihu najdete na blogu.

[Cat Carstairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that was bold of you, John Flanagan.

What has he done, you may ask? Something gutsy. Something unexpected. Something like making this book take place 5-6 years after the last one without warning.

You're probably thinking, so what's the problem? It's not exactly a problem, per se. It is simply that this series has managed to punch me in the nose with feels more than I had ever expected it to, and as a consequence has left my heart and all of its emotions strung about like mindless henchmen totally at the mercy of our dear Mr. Flanagan.

So what's the big deal?

Call me sentimental. Call me melodramatic. But gosh darn it, I can't help myself. Our little child Will is all grown up.



In this book, Will is officially done with his apprenticeship under Halt and has finally become a full-fledged Ranger, assigned to tend to his own fief. But when trouble in the north begins to brew, Will is called upon to go undercover and investigate. With the help of his childhood friend Alyss, the two uncover a suspicious tale of a malevolent sorcerer and a plan to overthrow the fief- and soon, all of Araluen. To stop it, they must play their roles perfectly...because if anyone finds out their true identities, their lives are at stake.

Honestly, the large time gap between the last book and this one felt a bit weird at first. Going into this series, I had assumed the books would chronologically age with the characters, as we see in other popular chronicles like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.

But it's always an exciting twist when books don't turn out as you expect them to, especially when you enjoy them more than you thought you would. I ended up being pretty fascinated reading about Will's first solo adventure as an official Ranger. It's like all his choices and character development led up to this quest, and seeing him thrive in that element, abounding in the skills he's trained in, was altogether a refreshing addition to his story.



I also liked the more spooky characteristics to this book. Each installment in the Ranger's Apprentice series explores a distinct constituent, allowing a well-rounded burgeoning of this crafted world that feels natural and real. I've loved exploring the various places these characters have ventured to and the compelling people they met along the way.

I will say, I was glad to see the romance become a bigger part of the story, even if I'm not exactly happy with how it developed. I mean, we got one paragraph of explanation as to the romantic beginnings that happened between Will and Alyss after the Battle for Skandia, and we were expected to just go along with it. I think these two could have had a really great childhood best friends-turned-lovers situation if it weren't so hastily construed. While I know Will couldn't have realistically ended up with Evanlyn/Cassandra, at least the two of them had a solid history. They went through so much together, saved each other's lives multiple times, and had much more chemistry than Will and Alyss, if you ask me. But oh well. That's just my opinion. I think the romance between Will and Alyss could still have a fighting chance if done well in the next few books.

Overall, I had such a fun time reading The Sorcerer of the North, though let's be real, there hasn't been a Ranger's Apprentice book that I haven't had fun reading. This series has been a wild ride and I'm living for every second of it.

Another shoutout to my boyfriend to recommending me the series! <3

Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: The Icebound Land HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: Erak's Ransom HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: The Kings of Clonmel HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: Halt's Peril HERE!
Read my review of The Ranger's Apprentice: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja HERE!

[Braden Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of this series, but I felt that Flanagan started doing some great things in this book. It's Will's first adventure alone, and I was happy to see an increased role for Alyss. Flanagan has found a way, in my opinion, to credibly give his female characters important things to do in the context of a medieval world.

This book had some themes I think are especially important for adolescents to read--being popular vs. being good, the idea of appearances and making judgments on those appearances, and the throes and challenges of young love.

I really think these books are great for young men especially. They are heroic and action packed. They demonstrate concepts of traditional masculinity that are disappearing: strength, honor, bravery. But the heroes are as likely to carry the day through their wits and intelligence as brawn and skill. They are also respectful of women, and there are good female characters as well (although the books tend a little more towards the male point of view)

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

wielka przyjemność z czytania

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. One of the best in the series. Audio is superbly narrated by William Zappa, but I didn't care for the musical intrusions after each chapter.

However, the story is good. Moving at a fast pace, it feels like an adventurous alternative history set in a re-named England (Araluen), in the days of kings, knights, castles, and fiefdoms. No elves. No dragons.

Recurring key characters from prior series include Will the ranger and Alyss the courier diplomat (both are now adults, not apprentices, about 21 years old). We also see the master rangers again, Crawley and Halt.

Important new characters include an injured dog, a traveling minstrel dubbed Berigan, Baron Urgal of Seacliff (an island fief), and some Skandians (Vikings) led by Gunda Hardstriker. And let's not forget the nasty John Buttle, and all the frightened — and frightening — inhabitants of Norgate fiefdom, and an ugly fortress on the border of Picta (Scotland). Let's not forget the strange beings in Grimsdal Wood.

Be warned — it ends on a cliff. This particular plot is completed in the sequel, The Siege of Macindaw.

Map here: http://www.worldofjohnflanagan.com/ra...

[Elizabeth Dragina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart!! 💔

Where's the next stink'n book?!

*sobs* *wails* HORACE WHERE WERE YOU???!

Content ~ A lot of cuss words - just like in every John Flanagan book - and some rather unruly scenes.

I never can bring myself to give a GOOD review to John Flanagan, I'm just always so speechless. So this is the best I got. 😭

[Reese Songbird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in this series! I really enjoyed the music elements to this one, I loved how he described it and really drew you in. It felt like I could hear the music and feel the story of it, as if I could actually hear it. Never had that happen from a book before, and as a music lover, it was an awesome thing to experience.
Even if the title concerns you, there is no magic in this book. Just old tricks and scams, no actual witchcraft or evil things.

Content:
Violence, a brief mention of a kiss, poison

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better and better. I was a little nervous when there was a several years jump in-between this book and the last, and there were a few things that were glossed over in this jump (romance) that I wish I had gotten to explore with the characters, but I still enjoyed this book very much.

Will is finally a full Ranger, and is out on his own. While most of his growth happened in books 1-4, it is easy to see how much more he has improved in the skip of a few years, and his heightened skills are shown very well through his actions, and he is no longer expecting others such as Halt to come and save him. Will has to solve his own problems, and I really enjoyed seeing how much he had grown up.

The humor, as always was great, and I loved that his childhood friend Alyss was finally given a bigger role, and how she was able to grow into more of an actual character, instead of just feeling like stock.

The ending was as intense as ever, and left me wanting more.

[Weronika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ta końcówka to prawdziwy cliffhanger, ale gdyby ją pominąć, to bardzo powoli w tej części rozwija się akcja. Czułam, że miło mi się czyta, ale to tyle, niż nadzwyczajnego. Niemniej ostatnie 30% książki - świetnie

3.75/5 🪄

[Tamora Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

warning: cliff-hanger ending!

[ZaczytAga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utwierdzam się w przekonaniu, że historia z tej (i kolejnej) części „Zwiadowców” należy do jednych z moich ulubionych.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable.

[tentremxoxo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uważam za bardzo wciągającą tę część akurat.
Podoba mi się że pojawiła się Aliss, lubię babeczkę i cieszę się że to ją akurat wkręcono do tej całej tajnej misji. Razem z Willem tworzą idealny duet😻 tylko mam wrażenie że w tej części will delikatnie mocno był ciapą XDD taki trochę sraki, ale ujdzie. Przyczepie się do tego że znów dali tu Horace'a xd jakby po co go do tego wciskają? Uważam że poradziliby sobie idealnie sami will i aliss to nie, oczywiście Horace XD naprawdę lepszy byłby Gilan, więc na maxa nie rozumiem tego.
Mało bardzo Halta było, a serio uwielbiam go okej🫡

[Dani Kline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The banter in this book was IMMACULATE, especially between Halt, Crowley, and Will. Apart from this, though, I didn't find the dynamics between the other characters very compelling. I appreciated the return of Alyss but her relationship with Will feels very forced as the books so far have not spent much time exploring it and they lack a strong emotional connection unlike Will and Evanlyn. The cliffhanger ending was unexpected as normally the books wrap up in a somewhat neat looking bow by the end. I also found this a little frustrating because the plot of this book was definitely one of my least favorites so far, but maybe that stems from the lack of good character relationships. However, I'm still looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here, and hoping that once Horace arrives things will get better! (I love Horace so so much)

Playlist🧙‍♂️
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1t1...

Moodboard
https://pin.it/5twkqtVYL

Quotes
"Anxiety over a missed shot all too often rewarded itself with the very result that it sought to avoid"

"You'd be surprised what people will believe. Usually, the bigger and the more improbable the lie, the more willing they are to believe it."

"It's a lot easier to heal an injured body than a damaged soul."

[Kasia (kasikowykurz) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ogólnie rzecz biorąc trochę nijaki ten tom, przez większość czasu sie nic nie dzieje. Nudziłam się i wielokrotnie zastanawiałam się, czemu ta seria jest taka popularna i wciąż nie umiej odnaleźć tej ekscytacji, jaka towarzyszyła mi przy pierwszym tomie. Mam wrażenie, że jest przeciągnięte i strasznie nierówne, bo końcówka - jak już akcja ruszyła - była świetna i podobał mi się wątek z czarnoksiężnikiem.

Zawsze jest takie 50/50 - nudno i ekscytująco jednocześnie, a ja bym chciała się jednak nie nudzić. I tak sobie myślę, że sam pomysł jest mega, ale fajnie by było, jakby pisał to ktoś inny.

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book, but not as much as some of the others ones. Maybe because Halt isn't in it as much? All he does is bum around with Crowley (as far as the reader can tell). Which probably got terribly annoying to Crowley.

But it is neat to see Will learn to do things on his own.

[Wiktoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

chyba się zakochuję w tej serii, i love it!

[Pani Bibliotekarka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moja ulubiona jak dotąd <3
Kocham Willa jako minstrela :)

[majra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gah I forgot this arc happens across 2 books, I adoreeee Will tho and omgh he's my age now🥰 my boy's all grown up and I love him.

[Ashrakat Deyab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once you're really into this book, you can't stop reading. The only problem was that, for me at least, the first half didn't really grab my interest. It was quite boring, what with all the details and half of the book talking solely about Will's to-be mission. I wanted to get to the mission and once I did, I couldn't put the book down.

What I liked most about the novel was the element of mystery. In most of Flanagan's other books, the antagonist and protagonist are both clear as daylight, but in The Sorcerer of the North, the reader, along with the characters, tries to put the clues together to discover who's who, which was pretty fun. The conclusion to the mystery wasn't unexpected but it was pretty reasonable.

"I'm getting Alyss out of your damned castle- if I have to take it apart stone by stone to do it."



YES!! You tell 'em Will! xD

I'd say this was my favorite book out of the series but I can tell the next book will be better. The Siege of Macindaw.. Hmmm.. Sounds like a major battle is coming up.

[❃ Julka ❃ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

Bałam się, że ta część nie utrzyma poziomu, ale z przyjemnością stwierdzam, że to bezpodstawne obawy. Początkowo, nieco zirytował mnie ten przeskok o 5 lat i choć wciaz uwazam, że mogliśmy dostać przynajmniej dwa tomy z przygód Willa jako ucznia to jestem skłonna przyznać, że ten zabieg rozumiem i widzę jego cel. Will dostaje specjalną misję. Po raz pierwszy to jego samodzielna wyprawa. Już nie ma Halta, który sprawuje piecze nad sytuacją. Jest tylko Will, który musi poradzić sobie sam i robi to rewelacyjnie. Jestem zachwycona rozwojem jego postaci, która od pierwszego tomu nonstop się rozwija i ciągle zyskuje w oczach. Bardzo lubię fakt, że Alyss w tym tomie dostaje więcej czasu i dzięki niej jest całkiem ciekawie. Oczywiście brakowało mi Halta, jednak cieszę się, że pojawił się chociaż chwilami. Rzeczą, która urzeka mnie za każdym razem jest przesłanie tych historii. w tym wypadku autor przemyca to jak krzywdzące mogą być stereotypy i błędne założenia o ludziach, a także kwestia odmienności i reakcje innych na nią. Długo bym się mogła rozwodzić nad tym, co uwielbiam w tym tomie, ale jest tego zbyt wiele.
Will prowadzi mnie przez piękna przygodę i nie chce się zatrzymywać. Chcę podążać za nim, by odkryć resztę jego przygód. Zwłaszcza, po tym zakończeniu!

[C.B. Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a note: I'm updating my progress in this series, but since I'm behind and it's been a while since I've read these, I'm not going to do a review of each book. After I finish 7/8 I might do a review of those. :)

[Daan Nys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben ondertussen zo'n grote fan dat ik zelf in de tuin aan het boogschieten ben.

[ilka · Rating 5 out of 5]

jest poziom❤️

[Klaudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

kocham kocham kocham kocham

ok ta część była nieco słabsza niż poprzednie ale still

zakończenie 💔💔 epilog ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹
damn damn damn
serio i comeback alyss 🥺🥺