What do you think?
Rate this book
Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #3
Pojedynek w Araluenie
King Duncan and Princess Cassandra are trapped high in the south tower of Castle Araluen.
In the north, Sir Horace and Ranger Commandant Gilan are besieged in an old hill fort, as they wait for the Red Fox Clan's next attack.
Ranger's apprentice Maddie must find the Heron brotherband and convince them to join her, so she can give her father the help he needs to break out from the hill fort and ride to confront the traitor.
Will they reach Castle Araluen in time? And when the battles have been fought and the dust has settled, who will rule the Kingdom of Araluen?
THE ROYAL RANGER IS BACK AND THE STAKES ARE HIGHER THAN EVER IN THE WORLD OF RANGER'S APPRENTICE.
FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING RANGER'S APPRENTICE AND BROTHERBAND SERIES THAT HAVE SOLD A MASSIVE 15 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE.
In the north, Sir Horace and Ranger Commandant Gilan are besieged in an old hill fort, as they wait for the Red Fox Clan's next attack.
Ranger's apprentice Maddie must find the Heron brotherband and convince them to join her, so she can give her father the help he needs to break out from the hill fort and ride to confront the traitor.
Will they reach Castle Araluen in time? And when the battles have been fought and the dust has settled, who will rule the Kingdom of Araluen?
THE ROYAL RANGER IS BACK AND THE STAKES ARE HIGHER THAN EVER IN THE WORLD OF RANGER'S APPRENTICE.
FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING RANGER'S APPRENTICE AND BROTHERBAND SERIES THAT HAVE SOLD A MASSIVE 15 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE.
372 pages, Hardcover
First published December 3, 2018
705 people are currently reading
6328 people want to read
About the author
John Flanagan
111 books9,207 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews
July 1, 2019
Atleast this one is not to be continue...
This book is a continuation of the red fox clan. Don't read this one if you haven't read book 2 of the royal ranger series.
This book has a lot of excitement going on. The first few chapters are boring to read given that it's a continuation of the second book. But as you progresses in reading you will see that it's becoming exciting. The thing with this book is there are lots of happening in different parts in Araulen that's why the author made snippets of each. And sometimes it cause jumbling in the mind. Anyway still it's a great read. Special mention with the sword fight of Lady Cassandra and Dimon, its a great mind blowing and experience.
Why 3stars? My love for the series began long, long time ago. But through the years of reading John Flanagan I came to a point that it didn't excite me whenever he has a new book released. Actually I have the books of the brotherband series but never finish one. The most is, I read the first few chapters. But why 3 stars??? Because it falls in my average read. I could say it is good but I'm not recommending it anymore. I wish I could tell how proud I am to read the book but still I am pissed with the "to be continue" thing of the last book. Life's journey is to move on but still when your publisher tells you that your book is going to be publish please tell them its released date should be the same date in any part of the world. (Para hindi lang sila, sana all...)
This book is a continuation of the red fox clan. Don't read this one if you haven't read book 2 of the royal ranger series.
This book has a lot of excitement going on. The first few chapters are boring to read given that it's a continuation of the second book. But as you progresses in reading you will see that it's becoming exciting. The thing with this book is there are lots of happening in different parts in Araulen that's why the author made snippets of each. And sometimes it cause jumbling in the mind. Anyway still it's a great read. Special mention with the sword fight of Lady Cassandra and Dimon, its a great mind blowing and experience.
Why 3stars? My love for the series began long, long time ago. But through the years of reading John Flanagan I came to a point that it didn't excite me whenever he has a new book released. Actually I have the books of the brotherband series but never finish one. The most is, I read the first few chapters. But why 3 stars??? Because it falls in my average read. I could say it is good but I'm not recommending it anymore. I wish I could tell how proud I am to read the book but still I am pissed with the "to be continue" thing of the last book. Life's journey is to move on but still when your publisher tells you that your book is going to be publish please tell them its released date should be the same date in any part of the world. (Para hindi lang sila, sana all...)
June 1, 2019
*happy sigh* If there's one series that hits all my sweet spots, it is the Ranger's Apprentice series.
This book wasn't perfect, but it was still good. Better than some of the recent Brotherband Chronicles, though not quite up to the pinnacle of perfection that books 8 & 9 were. But they are hard to match.
Likes:
- Horace and Gilan together. Gilan is a favorite, and he gets lots of screen time in this and the previous book.
- the Herons. This has an epic crossover between the Rangers Apprentice series and the Brotherband Chronicles. I did miss the fact that Lydia wasn't with them (for an unexplained reason besides just that she stayed behind in Skandia for some reason?).
- Maddie - she really comes into her own in this book
- realistic female warriors - John Flanagan is one of the best writers for realistic female warriors. Sometimes he strays into making them too flat and sometimes too awesome. But a lot of times he is very good at having his female characters fight like women. Repeatedly in the fight scenes with the women in this book, they think about how they are smaller, have less muscle mass, have less strength, and thus have to come up with their own way to fight.
Not as thrilled:
- Really missing Will and Halt. This set of books felt a lot like books 5 & 6 where Will is sent on his first mission without Halt. And those books aren't my favorite because of it.
- Some of the tension seemed lacking. But that could have been just me.
Overall, I have enjoyed the new Royal Ranger series and it re-awakened my love of John Flanagan's books. I hope there will be more books in the Royal Ranger series!
This book wasn't perfect, but it was still good. Better than some of the recent Brotherband Chronicles, though not quite up to the pinnacle of perfection that books 8 & 9 were. But they are hard to match.
Likes:
- Horace and Gilan together. Gilan is a favorite, and he gets lots of screen time in this and the previous book.
- the Herons. This has an epic crossover between the Rangers Apprentice series and the Brotherband Chronicles. I did miss the fact that Lydia wasn't with them (for an unexplained reason besides just that she stayed behind in Skandia for some reason?).
- Maddie - she really comes into her own in this book
- realistic female warriors - John Flanagan is one of the best writers for realistic female warriors. Sometimes he strays into making them too flat and sometimes too awesome. But a lot of times he is very good at having his female characters fight like women. Repeatedly in the fight scenes with the women in this book, they think about how they are smaller, have less muscle mass, have less strength, and thus have to come up with their own way to fight.
Not as thrilled:
- Really missing Will and Halt. This set of books felt a lot like books 5 & 6 where Will is sent on his first mission without Halt. And those books aren't my favorite because of it.
- Some of the tension seemed lacking. But that could have been just me.
Overall, I have enjoyed the new Royal Ranger series and it re-awakened my love of John Flanagan's books. I hope there will be more books in the Royal Ranger series!
June 4, 2019
It would have been better if Halt had been in it and if Will had been in more than just the very end, but it was still good. Maddie's come a long way since the beginning of the first Royal Ranger, and she's learned to stay silent when someone steps on her hand. ;) Horace and Gilan are still awesome and the Heron brotherband was a nice addition. I just hope Will's a bigger part of the next one. At least, I'm assuming there's going to be a next one. There'd better be.
March 15, 2019
I didn’t even know that this one had came out, but hey, it did and I’m not complaining. I will begin saying that the original Ranger’s Apprentice series, especially the earlier books were some of my favourite middle-grade books alongside Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. I’m also Australian, so maybe it is because I like reading books by Australian authors. Either way, I did greatly enjoy this latest book set in Araluen.
This book is by far one of the more serious books in the series, being a continuation of the last book of this civil war involving the Red Fox Clan. One thing to note is that I have read a lot of adult fantasy, and also have learnt quite a lot about history since I first began reading the first book, so here are some of my pointers. The scale of the world is actually quite small to what the real world is, though I completely understand this as it is for younger readers and world building, scope and scale from something like Malazan would have been ridiculous. Maybe this is my history side of my brain, but having an army of one hundred and fifty soldiers seem like a lot is really strange in my view as generally, medieval battles had a few thousand men on the field. Still, this does not ruin any of the storytelling.
Sometimes, I am also kind of struggling to see that characters from the original series are all middle-aged now since I had gotten so used to their teenage and later young-adult selves and I still need to wrap my brain around the time changes, though I understand why, as this tells the tale of Maddie and no longer Will.
Despite it being aimed for younger readers, there is lots of killing and death of ‘normal soldiers’ as often in books they are not valued like real people, though Flanagan does try as there is so few people to begin with. I also found the book to be really predictable and I wasn’t all that surprised or that excited with the ending, though I did like the epilogue.
I did like this book, though I will say that I did not like it as much as the original series, which is by far my favourite over the Brotherband series and this. I have also read the Early Years which comes before the original series. Overall, a wonderful new instalment with both newer and older characters alike. 8/10
This book is by far one of the more serious books in the series, being a continuation of the last book of this civil war involving the Red Fox Clan. One thing to note is that I have read a lot of adult fantasy, and also have learnt quite a lot about history since I first began reading the first book, so here are some of my pointers. The scale of the world is actually quite small to what the real world is, though I completely understand this as it is for younger readers and world building, scope and scale from something like Malazan would have been ridiculous. Maybe this is my history side of my brain, but having an army of one hundred and fifty soldiers seem like a lot is really strange in my view as generally, medieval battles had a few thousand men on the field. Still, this does not ruin any of the storytelling.
Sometimes, I am also kind of struggling to see that characters from the original series are all middle-aged now since I had gotten so used to their teenage and later young-adult selves and I still need to wrap my brain around the time changes, though I understand why, as this tells the tale of Maddie and no longer Will.
Despite it being aimed for younger readers, there is lots of killing and death of ‘normal soldiers’ as often in books they are not valued like real people, though Flanagan does try as there is so few people to begin with. I also found the book to be really predictable and I wasn’t all that surprised or that excited with the ending, though I did like the epilogue.
I did like this book, though I will say that I did not like it as much as the original series, which is by far my favourite over the Brotherband series and this. I have also read the Early Years which comes before the original series. Overall, a wonderful new instalment with both newer and older characters alike. 8/10
May 23, 2019
I really don't know what to rate this one. Out of all of the Flanagan books that I have read, this book and it's previous installment have been my least favorite. I like Maddie as a character, but the books have been too short too really get to know her or understand her. She's also an apprentice as shown by the title, but we didn't get a lot of teaching moments because Will is absent for the cast majority of this book and it's predecessor.
I also kind of feel like Maddie seems overly skilled in this book and I think that is because I haven't seen her practice and grow like Will did.
There were some parts that I loved about this book though.The epilogue was fantastic, the duel between Cassandra and the villain was intense and well written. I'm also a sucker for any time the Skandians show up.
However, most or this book was too slow. I love descriptive writing as much as the next person and I love how indepth Flanagan gets in his descriptions. With that being said he overdid that in this book. There was too many descriptions and not enough characterization.
I would like this series to be continued because I want more interaction between Will and Maddie like we got in the first book.
3/5 stars. It's Ranger's Apprentice, and I can't give it less than that...I just wish I was giving it more.
I also kind of feel like Maddie seems overly skilled in this book and I think that is because I haven't seen her practice and grow like Will did.
There were some parts that I loved about this book though.The epilogue was fantastic, the duel between Cassandra and the villain was intense and well written. I'm also a sucker for any time the Skandians show up.
However, most or this book was too slow. I love descriptive writing as much as the next person and I love how indepth Flanagan gets in his descriptions. With that being said he overdid that in this book. There was too many descriptions and not enough characterization.
I would like this series to be continued because I want more interaction between Will and Maddie like we got in the first book.
3/5 stars. It's Ranger's Apprentice, and I can't give it less than that...I just wish I was giving it more.
November 26, 2023
این جلد ادامه جلد قبلی هست.
حدود ۷۰ درصد این جلد مبارزه و تکنیکهای جنگی بود. درکل موضوع و جریانات این دوره از آرالوئن رو دوست داشتم. مدلاین عالیه :))
خب، جدا به این نتیجه رسیدم که ۵۰ درصد علاقهام به این مجموعه بخاطر ویل و هالت هست و توی این جلد نبودن😭
اما شاهد حضور درخشان گیلن، هوراس، کاساندرا و مدلاین بودیم. وووو صد البته اسکاندیان.
و اینم بگم که توی این جلد brotherband بودن که برای شناخت بهترشون لازمه مجموعه مربوط بهشون رو بخونیم.
|تکه کتاب|
*هوراس به مدلاین: میتونی توی چادر من دراز بکشی. یک تخت خوب و نرم داره.
گیلان: البته شنلش برای خوابیدن روی زمین سفت، کاملاً راحت هست. او میتونه بعنوان یک رنجر، خودش رو با شنلش بپوشونه.
.
.
هوراس گفت: من توی چادر تو میخوابم. تو میتونی خودتو با شنلت بپوشونی و روی زمین سفت بخوابی. بالاخره تو یک رنجر هستی😂
*هوراس به او یادآوری کرد: "من اولین شوالیه تو هستم."
او در زمان ازدواج آنها به طور رسمی اولین شوالیه کاساندرا نامیده شد. به این ترتیب، اگر او در یک دوئل به چالش کشیده می شد، می توانست به جای او بجنگد.
❤️❤️
*هال: "دیدن خانوادهای که اینقدر خوب با هم کنار میآیند، خیلی خوب است."
سپس با اشاره به مجموعه سلاحهایی که همه آنها حمل میکردند، افزود:
_و همینطور که هست، خوب است.
*ویل: اتفاقا او هم می گوید که باید به شما خیلی افتخار کنم.
مدلاین: پس تو افتخار میکنی؟
ویل: اوه، افتخار میکنم. من واقعاً به شما افتخار می کنم!
حدود ۷۰ درصد این جلد مبارزه و تکنیکهای جنگی بود. درکل موضوع و جریانات این دوره از آرالوئن رو دوست داشتم. مدلاین عالیه :))
خب، جدا به این نتیجه رسیدم که ۵۰ درصد علاقهام به این مجموعه بخاطر ویل و هالت هست و توی این جلد نبودن😭
اما شاهد حضور درخشان گیلن، هوراس، کاساندرا و مدلاین بودیم. وووو صد البته اسکاندیان.
و اینم بگم که توی این جلد brotherband بودن که برای شناخت بهترشون لازمه مجموعه مربوط بهشون رو بخونیم.
|تکه کتاب|
*هوراس به مدلاین: میتونی توی چادر من دراز بکشی. یک تخت خوب و نرم داره.
گیلان: البته شنلش برای خوابیدن روی زمین سفت، کاملاً راحت هست. او میتونه بعنوان یک رنجر، خودش رو با شنلش بپوشونه.
.
.
هوراس گفت: من توی چادر تو میخوابم. تو میتونی خودتو با شنلت بپوشونی و روی زمین سفت بخوابی. بالاخره تو یک رنجر هستی😂
*هوراس به او یادآوری کرد: "من اولین شوالیه تو هستم."
او در زمان ازدواج آنها به طور رسمی اولین شوالیه کاساندرا نامیده شد. به این ترتیب، اگر او در یک دوئل به چالش کشیده می شد، می توانست به جای او بجنگد.
❤️❤️
*هال: "دیدن خانوادهای که اینقدر خوب با هم کنار میآیند، خیلی خوب است."
سپس با اشاره به مجموعه سلاحهایی که همه آنها حمل میکردند، افزود:
_و همینطور که هست، خوب است.
*ویل: اتفاقا او هم می گوید که باید به شما خیلی افتخار کنم.
مدلاین: پس تو افتخار میکنی؟
ویل: اوه، افتخار میکنم. من واقعاً به شما افتخار می کنم!
June 18, 2019
Picking up exactly where The Red Fox Clan ended, Regent Cassandra and King Duncan are besieged on the 8th/9th floor of a tower at Castle Araluen by the treacherous Dimon while Ranger Gilan and Knight Horace are besieged in a fort elsewhere by a much larger force. Only Princess Maddie, a fourth year Ranger apprentice, seems to be able to accomplish anything by sneaking out of the Castle to enlist the help of ... the Heron brotherband; by spying on the enemy to learn their attack plans; and by passing along those plans to Gilan and Horace with a message arrow. Good action, I liked Cassandra's unwavering leadership under attack (with Duncan's help when needed), the camaraderie of the brotherband, and the unwavering Skandian support for their allies. Maddie seems a bit overdeveloped, at least to me.
December 25, 2023
"Han skrev oxå att ja ska känna mig mkt stolt över dig."
...
"Är du det, då?" Frågade hon trevande.
Will log mot henne. "Ja, det är jag verkligen."
Will va me i på rikgotg tre sidor o ja älksar honom så mycket <3333
...
"Är du det, då?" Frågade hon trevande.
Will log mot henne. "Ja, det är jag verkligen."
Will va me i på rikgotg tre sidor o ja älksar honom så mycket <3333
April 7, 2021
Ik heb genoten van deze jeugd serie over de Grijze Jagers, hun wereld en avonturen. Ik moest denken aan wat Ilja Pfeijffer zei tijdens zijn interview in het programma Zomergasten. Zijn vraag aan de interviewster was: ‘Weet u wat het geheim is van een goede roman? Het decor.’ In de afgelopen 14 delen van deze serie heb ik me door Flanagans beschrijvingen van ‘de decors’ in de wereld van Araluen, Skandia, Nihon-Ja, Arrida en vele andere landen en streken gewaand. Ik voelde de ijskoude wind van Skandia snijden, de brute hitte van de woestijn van Arrida branden, zag de lieflijke groen- en bruintinten van de bossen waarin de Grijze Jagers wonen en het grijs van de oude forten waarin de helden zich soms moesten verschansen in afwachting van de vijand.
Wat mij betreft is deze serie een aanrader voor jong en oud en alles wat daar tussenin zit. Laat je meevoeren naar de wereld van Will en Halt en al die andere personages, en geniet!
Wat mij betreft is deze serie een aanrader voor jong en oud en alles wat daar tussenin zit. Laat je meevoeren naar de wereld van Will en Halt en al die andere personages, en geniet!
September 2, 2025
Nuotykiai: 5/5
Tekstas: 3/5
Tai, kad jau antroje knygoje iš eilės praktiškai nėra nei Vilio, nei Holto: 2/5
Man patiko gerai "susuktas" siužetas - apgultys, taktinės gudrybės, mūšiai.
Tiems, kas skaitė "Brolijos" seriją, turbūt knygą skaityti dar smagiau, nes Garnių brolijai tenka svarbus vaidmuo. Aš tos "papildomos serijos" neskaičiau ir neplanuoju, nes sūnui apdairiai pasižadėjau perskaityti tik "Žvalgo mokinio" seriją.
Keista, bet skaitant "Dvikovą Araluene" labai kliuvo tekstas. Daug pasikartojančių aprašymų, be reikalo vis įterpiamų epitetų ir pan. Jų pasitaikydavo ir anksčiau, bet būtent šioje knygoje jie tiesiog akis badė. Atrodė, kad tekstas parašytas paskubomis. Redagavimas būtų labai pravertęs.
Vaikams/paaugliukams tai turbūt nesvarbu - gi veiksmas veja veiksmą, vos spėk sekti. Bet mane erzino visi tie sakiniai, kurie papildomai aiškina skaitytojui, kas čia vyksta, vis primena, kas įvyko anksčiau ir t.t. ir t.p.
Tekstas: 3/5
Tai, kad jau antroje knygoje iš eilės praktiškai nėra nei Vilio, nei Holto: 2/5
Man patiko gerai "susuktas" siužetas - apgultys, taktinės gudrybės, mūšiai.
Tiems, kas skaitė "Brolijos" seriją, turbūt knygą skaityti dar smagiau, nes Garnių brolijai tenka svarbus vaidmuo. Aš tos "papildomos serijos" neskaičiau ir neplanuoju, nes sūnui apdairiai pasižadėjau perskaityti tik "Žvalgo mokinio" seriją.
Keista, bet skaitant "Dvikovą Araluene" labai kliuvo tekstas. Daug pasikartojančių aprašymų, be reikalo vis įterpiamų epitetų ir pan. Jų pasitaikydavo ir anksčiau, bet būtent šioje knygoje jie tiesiog akis badė. Atrodė, kad tekstas parašytas paskubomis. Redagavimas būtų labai pravertęs.
Vaikams/paaugliukams tai turbūt nesvarbu - gi veiksmas veja veiksmą, vos spėk sekti. Bet mane erzino visi tie sakiniai, kurie papildomai aiškina skaitytojui, kas čia vyksta, vis primena, kas įvyko anksčiau ir t.t. ir t.p.
November 29, 2021
****DNF/skimmed to the end****
I’ve decided I prefer the original series and am not very fond of this one. Maddie I’m not attached to and everything in this book just drags. The humor and banter of the previous books isn’t really there and while the fight/battle scenes are good, I don’t find them riveting or exciting. Some of the charm and danger is missing from these books, and I’m not fond of it and sadly won’t be continuing this series.
I’ve decided I prefer the original series and am not very fond of this one. Maddie I’m not attached to and everything in this book just drags. The humor and banter of the previous books isn’t really there and while the fight/battle scenes are good, I don’t find them riveting or exciting. Some of the charm and danger is missing from these books, and I’m not fond of it and sadly won’t be continuing this series.
December 11, 2018
I first started reading the Ranger's Apprentice series with my son when he was 9 years old.
Nearly 5 years have passed since then and he still eagerly awaits each new release.
This installment did not disappoint!
Nearly 5 years have passed since then and he still eagerly awaits each new release.
This installment did not disappoint!
March 19, 2022
Het volgende geweldige deel in een geweldige serie!!
May 23, 2024
Dialogi i powtarzające się frazesy to nieśmieszny żart w tej części.
February 8, 2023
There it is! My first four stars for The Royal Ranger series! 👏
Part of me did not expect that, because I never had been fond of Maddie as a character (especially as a main character). Another part of me wanted to finally give it a high rating, because I am a big fan of the Ranger's Apprentice series and it really hurt my heart to give three stars to these books.
Maddie had positively surprised me in this book and the story was really engaging, so I could finally proudly give it a higher rating ☺️ My favorite characters, Will and Halt, are not in this book and I missed them dearly while reading, but at the same time I was glad that other characters got their time to shine, especially Maddie and Cassandra. They had been the ones in charge of the defense against Dimon and the Red Fox Clan. Girl power! Yay! 😁👏 I also loved to read about Horace and Gilan, I really like them together ☺️
Another positive surprise came in the form of the characters from the author's other series. I haven't read all the books from Brotherband, but I have a fond memory of the main crew 😉
As usual, I had a great time with the Rangers', so I am diving immediately into the next book. My boy finally came back home, so I'm super excited to read The Missing Prince ☺️
Ranger's Apprentice series - my rating:
book 1: The Ruins of Gorlan: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 2: The Burning Bridge: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 3: The Icebound Land: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 4: The Battle of Skandia: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 5: The Sorcerer of the North: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 6: The Siege of Macindaw: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 7: Erak's Ransom: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 8: The Kings of Clonmel: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 9: Halt's Peril: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 10: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 11: The Lost Stories: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger:
book 12: The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
book 13: The Red Fox Clan: ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5/5)
book 14: Duel at Araluen: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Part of me did not expect that, because I never had been fond of Maddie as a character (especially as a main character). Another part of me wanted to finally give it a high rating, because I am a big fan of the Ranger's Apprentice series and it really hurt my heart to give three stars to these books.
Maddie had positively surprised me in this book and the story was really engaging, so I could finally proudly give it a higher rating ☺️ My favorite characters, Will and Halt, are not in this book and I missed them dearly while reading, but at the same time I was glad that other characters got their time to shine, especially Maddie and Cassandra. They had been the ones in charge of the defense against Dimon and the Red Fox Clan. Girl power! Yay! 😁👏 I also loved to read about Horace and Gilan, I really like them together ☺️
Another positive surprise came in the form of the characters from the author's other series. I haven't read all the books from Brotherband, but I have a fond memory of the main crew 😉
As usual, I had a great time with the Rangers', so I am diving immediately into the next book. My boy finally came back home, so I'm super excited to read The Missing Prince ☺️
Ranger's Apprentice series - my rating:
book 1: The Ruins of Gorlan: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 2: The Burning Bridge: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 3: The Icebound Land: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 4: The Battle of Skandia: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 5: The Sorcerer of the North: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 6: The Siege of Macindaw: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 7: Erak's Ransom: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
book 8: The Kings of Clonmel: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 9: Halt's Peril: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 10: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
book 11: The Lost Stories: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger:
book 12: The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
book 13: The Red Fox Clan: ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5/5)
book 14: Duel at Araluen: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
April 10, 2025
Mocne 3 XD
Dlaczego? Otóż mnie nudzą opisy bitwy, było ich za dużo. Tam na górze w forcie jak uwięziły lisy horace’a i gilana to szczerze mówiąc, bardzo mało pamiętam z tego XD przeskakiwałam trochę te zdania bo stypa niesamowita. To na minus dla tej historii.
Dimon cool ziomo, doceniam że to on tutaj robił zwroty akcji, fajnym jest bohaterem i coś chociaż wnosi.
Oblężenie zamku akurat fajne fajne, taktyka, to jak toczy się akcja, tu akurat mimo że nie lubię takich głupot też za bardzo, to czytałam z przyjemnością.
Nie wiem czy tylko ja skandian wyobrażam sobie jako wielkich takich gorylow czy co XDDD ale są tacy zajebisci, że naprawdę liczę na jakiś ship z którymś z nich i Madeline.
Dlaczego? Otóż mnie nudzą opisy bitwy, było ich za dużo. Tam na górze w forcie jak uwięziły lisy horace’a i gilana to szczerze mówiąc, bardzo mało pamiętam z tego XD przeskakiwałam trochę te zdania bo stypa niesamowita. To na minus dla tej historii.
Dimon cool ziomo, doceniam że to on tutaj robił zwroty akcji, fajnym jest bohaterem i coś chociaż wnosi.
Oblężenie zamku akurat fajne fajne, taktyka, to jak toczy się akcja, tu akurat mimo że nie lubię takich głupot też za bardzo, to czytałam z przyjemnością.
Nie wiem czy tylko ja skandian wyobrażam sobie jako wielkich takich gorylow czy co XDDD ale są tacy zajebisci, że naprawdę liczę na jakiś ship z którymś z nich i Madeline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2020
This was, what I thought to be, the final Royal Ranger book. Have just found out that a 4th one was published this year - we have put a reserve on the audio version at the library and have to wait until February.
But happy to do that
But happy to do that
April 26, 2023
[26.04.2023]
2,5/5✨
To chyba była najsłabsza część jaką czytałam.
To była kontynuacja ataku i akcji z części wcześniej możliwe że to też powód.
Długo to czytałam przez długa przerwę też po prostu trochę nie czułam akcji i byłam wybitna z rytmu.
Gdyby akcja była inna i nie w dwóch miejscach tych samych tylko to myślę że mogło być ciekawie.
Wątek z ukrytymi tajnymi przejściami idzie na plus.
2,5/5✨
To chyba była najsłabsza część jaką czytałam.
To była kontynuacja ataku i akcji z części wcześniej możliwe że to też powód.
Długo to czytałam przez długa przerwę też po prostu trochę nie czułam akcji i byłam wybitna z rytmu.
Gdyby akcja była inna i nie w dwóch miejscach tych samych tylko to myślę że mogło być ciekawie.
Wątek z ukrytymi tajnymi przejściami idzie na plus.
July 24, 2025
Nawet obecność Willa nie jest w staniu uratować upadku tej serii 😭 Z tomu na tom przekonuje się, że Falangan wyczerpał pomysły na tę serię, bo to wszystko już było. Może ubrane w nieco inne szaty, ale to nadal ten sam koncept, tylko bohaterowie, prócz mojego słoneczka, jakoś nudniejsi, ale będę kontynuować, skoro już zostało mi tak niewiele
June 7, 2019
DUEL AT ARALUEN is another exciting and satisfying addition to the Royal Ranger series. Full of beloved characters, danger, adventure, and a triumphant ending that is sure to delight readers. Highly recommended!
I was so excited to start this book after finishing THE RED FOX CLAN, which ended on quite a cliffhanger. This story picked right up from where it had left off. Maddie gets to test her skills and really comes into her own in this story. She also gets some help from some old friends of her parents, blending three series (this one, Ranger's Apprentice, and Brotherband) all together. I couldn't help outright grinning during parts when Maddie and her allies triumph and when their enemies make mistakes and get frustrated. It was a fun, entertaining, heartfelt read. I'm looking forward to more from this series and hopefully more with Will Treaty (who I missed in this story).
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was another fabulous adventure in this series. Readers will be turning the pages as fast as they can as they cheer on Maddie and the other characters in defeating their foes. Recommended to fans of the series and fantasy readers in general.
Content: Some violence, but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.
I was so excited to start this book after finishing THE RED FOX CLAN, which ended on quite a cliffhanger. This story picked right up from where it had left off. Maddie gets to test her skills and really comes into her own in this story. She also gets some help from some old friends of her parents, blending three series (this one, Ranger's Apprentice, and Brotherband) all together. I couldn't help outright grinning during parts when Maddie and her allies triumph and when their enemies make mistakes and get frustrated. It was a fun, entertaining, heartfelt read. I'm looking forward to more from this series and hopefully more with Will Treaty (who I missed in this story).
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was another fabulous adventure in this series. Readers will be turning the pages as fast as they can as they cheer on Maddie and the other characters in defeating their foes. Recommended to fans of the series and fantasy readers in general.
Content: Some violence, but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.
August 11, 2022
2.75
Zdecydowanie za mało dialogów, zwrotów akcji czy niepokoju o losy bohaterów. Zamiast tego mamy duuużo opisów walki na kilka stron i nastawienie, że "przecież wszystko się uda", przez co ten tom czytałam prawie tydzień, bo jakoś nie mogłem się za niego zabrać :<<
No i Will występuje tylko w ostatnim rozdziale, A ON JEST TYM CO NAJLEPSZE W TYCH KSIĄŻKACH
Ale daję 3 gwiazdki, no bo Zwiadowcy to moja ulubiona seria od kilkunastu lat (to się już chyba nazywa syndrom sztokholmski)
Zdecydowanie za mało dialogów, zwrotów akcji czy niepokoju o losy bohaterów. Zamiast tego mamy duuużo opisów walki na kilka stron i nastawienie, że "przecież wszystko się uda", przez co ten tom czytałam prawie tydzień, bo jakoś nie mogłem się za niego zabrać :<<
No i Will występuje tylko w ostatnim rozdziale, A ON JEST TYM CO NAJLEPSZE W TYCH KSIĄŻKACH
Ale daję 3 gwiazdki, no bo Zwiadowcy to moja ulubiona seria od kilkunastu lat (to się już chyba nazywa syndrom sztokholmski)
June 24, 2019
After the way the last book ended I was more then happy to get my hands on this one. I was not disappointed in the slightest as we quickly catch back up with Maddie and all the rest of them as they try to figure things out in time to save the day. Flanagan is just fantastic when it comes to his story telling. It was great fun to catch back up with characters we know and love from the other series. I am not usually a fan of fighting style type books but I just cannot put these down once I get started. Perfect for younger readers that are looking for a slight challenge with an engaging story that will want to finish. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
July 2, 2022
This continues directly from where the last book ended with the Red Clan getting ready to continue their attack and Maddie trying to get help and enable everyone to be freed.
Lots of battles and good continuation of the story and the character development.
It’s always nice to come back to these books as an easy read where good eventually triumphs.
Lots of battles and good continuation of the story and the character development.
It’s always nice to come back to these books as an easy read where good eventually triumphs.
June 3, 2019
Flanagan never disappoints. Literally never. 23 books in and I've yet to find one I didn't love. I'm glad these books come out every six months (ish), because just as I start craving rereads, there's new content. These books keep me alive and keep my mood from destroying me--each new infusion of Rangers and Skandians to my bloodstream keeps me going until the next one.
This new one is right on track; it's got all the best things that keep coming back in each Flanagan installment. My boys are so good, my girls are beyond amazing, my coffee jokes are still funny. My heart is very full and I am content.
This new one is right on track; it's got all the best things that keep coming back in each Flanagan installment. My boys are so good, my girls are beyond amazing, my coffee jokes are still funny. My heart is very full and I am content.
March 7, 2022
Já tyto audioknihy prostě miluji ❤️
January 14, 2024
This should've been part of the previous book.
A fun, fitting but expected ending to a story that had more potential than was realised.
A fun, fitting but expected ending to a story that had more potential than was realised.
July 1, 2019
Another standard Flanagan romp around the world of Araluen. As usual, the Rangers are smart, the Skanadians are fierce, and much coffee is drunk.
While this book serves as a nice crossover between the worlds of the Rangers and the Brotherband, at its heart is a long siege. As with most sieges, it's slow. This book is a little more plodding than most of his stuff, but the Mary Sues win in the end and you feel good about them doing so.
While this book serves as a nice crossover between the worlds of the Rangers and the Brotherband, at its heart is a long siege. As with most sieges, it's slow. This book is a little more plodding than most of his stuff, but the Mary Sues win in the end and you feel good about them doing so.
January 25, 2023
Absolutely loved this one!
July 21, 2019
Third in The Royal Ranger series (and fourteenth in the overall Ranger's Apprentice series) for middle-grade readers and revolving around Princess Madelyn who is apprenticing as Maddie, a Ranger. The Skandians from the Brotherband Chronicles also appear.
My Take
Duel at Araluen continues on from where The Red Fox Clan , 2, left off.
I did enjoy the conclusion of the events that started in book 2. I do wish, however, that Flanagan had made the action more exciting. It was rather ho-hum. I don't know if it was because the action was so spread out or if the fewer pages prevented Flanagan from digging in. I know I would have liked more of a sense of the suffering Horace, Cassandra, and Maddie were going through. Worries about each other, difficulties in penetrating their siege forces, a lack of food, the fear...
Nor did we get much interaction with the characters with Flanagan barely touching on any of the minor characters in any group. And this includes barely touching on the brotherbands!
Instead it was all just too easy and uninformative.
It's always such a shock for one's parents when they discover just how good you are. Maddie shocks the Skandians as well with her skills. It helps that Flanagan uses third-person global subjective point-of-view, as it allows us to peek in on everyone and hear their thoughts, their plans, and "participate" in their scenes without requiring Maddie's presence.
I also appreciate Maddie's practicality. She takes pride in her skills but is humble enough to know when to step back. A good point to discuss with your kids, lol.
Flanagan is always good for the moral lessons, including why a Ranger should not accept free gifts and why Cassandra is so beloved — just the opposite of Vikor Trask. Oy. There's a touch on bullying here, making this a trifecta of discussion points.
I do enjoy the tactics and strategy that each group — Cassandra in the tower at the castle, Horace and Gilan at the hill fort, Dimon who has taken the castle, and Maddie with the Skandians — plan out and employ, making it personal, albeit too easy.
And everyone learns that Maddie is an apprentice Ranger.
The Story
With her family trapped in two separate camps, Maddie has her work cut out for her. Neither her father nor her mother will escape the Red Fox Clan sieges without her help.
Even Maddie will need help, and lucky for her, the Heron brotherband and their friends are eager to leap into the fray.
But will they be able to help her father break out...? Will they reach Castle Araluen before the traitor kills her mother?
The Characters
Princess Madelyn is also Ranger's apprentice Maddie in her fourth year. Bumper is her psychic, practical-joke-loving Ranger horse. Ingrid is Princess Madelyn's maid, although she really takes to the tasks of quartermaster while they're under siege.
Princess Cassandra, a.k.a., Evanlyn, is her father's heir, the ailing King Duncan "Bandylegs". Sir Horace is Cassandra's husband, the commander of the army with expertise as a strategist and tactician, and the paramount knight of the realm. Stamper is Sir Horace's battlehorse.
Sergeant Merlon is in charge of the palace guards who include Proctor as a cook, the archers — the senior Thomas, the young Dermott, and Simon — Jeremy, and Jerrod. Maikeru, a Nihon-Jan master swordsman and Cassandra's instructor, held Dimon and his men at bay in The Red Fox Clan . He didn't survive. Uldred is the head librarian who helped Maddie. Timothy is one of Cassandra's senior retainers in charge of the dining room.
Castle Araluen is the primary seat of government while Castle Redmont is home for the retired Halt and his Lady Pauline and near Will Treaty's home. Baron Hexel is in charge in the northwest.
The hill fort near Harnel Village is...
...where Horace, Gilan, and his men are trapped. Sergeant Nilson is one of Horace's men.
The Rangers is...
...an elite special forces unit with Ranger Gilan as the commandant, having taken over from Halt. Blaze is Gilan's Ranger horse. Other Rangers include the barely there Will Treaty (Ranger's Apprentice) who is mentoring Maddie. Sable is Will's border shepherd.
The Skandians are...
...allies of Duncan and Cassandra (with their own spin-off series, the Brotherband Chronicles) and led by Oberjarl Erak.
Hal Mikkelson, young but an experienced shipwright, is the skirl of the Heron and his crew includes his best friend and first mate, Stig; Ingvar, who is a huge and strong warrior with bad eyesight; Thorn; Edvin who is their healer and cook; Jesper is a bit too jokey; Lydia normally watches Ingvar's back but she stayed in Skandia this trip; Stefan; and, the twins, Ulf and Wulf.
Wolfbiter , the assigned duty ship, is damaged and captained by Jern. Sten Engleson is his first mate with Lars and Blorst Knucklewhite among the eighteen crewmen.
The Red Fox Clan is...
...a subversive organization that wants to rollback Cassandra's grandfather's decree that the oldest child, regardless of sex, inherits the throne. Sir Dimon, a distant relative of Cassandra's, infiltrated and rose to become their leader even as he acted as the commander of the Palace Guard. Ronald is an engineer.
The Sonderland mercenaries are...
...notorious and allied with the Red Fox Clan. Their leader is a cowardly clueless fighter, Vikor Trask. Ruka Bel is a young officer and good tactician.
The Cover and Title
The cover is the end with Maddie in her Ranger's cloak and leather pants and shirt, concentrating on her target, bow ready and arrow cocked. The long-haired Princess Cassandra, her mother, is in the background, whirling in the two-storied room with its arched windows on both floors, her katana in hand, in a duel for her life. The double series information is at the very top. The overall series is in an embossed and antiqued silver, fading into the roof while the information for this particular series is much tinier beneath it in an embossed copper that doesn't fade quite as badly. The title is an embossed hammered silver just above Maddie's knees with an info blurb in white below the title. The author's name is in a hammered gold below that.
The title is the final Duel at Araluen between Cassandra and Dimon.
My Take
Duel at Araluen continues on from where The Red Fox Clan , 2, left off.
I did enjoy the conclusion of the events that started in book 2. I do wish, however, that Flanagan had made the action more exciting. It was rather ho-hum. I don't know if it was because the action was so spread out or if the fewer pages prevented Flanagan from digging in. I know I would have liked more of a sense of the suffering Horace, Cassandra, and Maddie were going through. Worries about each other, difficulties in penetrating their siege forces, a lack of food, the fear...
Nor did we get much interaction with the characters with Flanagan barely touching on any of the minor characters in any group. And this includes barely touching on the brotherbands!
Instead it was all just too easy and uninformative.
It's always such a shock for one's parents when they discover just how good you are. Maddie shocks the Skandians as well with her skills. It helps that Flanagan uses third-person global subjective point-of-view, as it allows us to peek in on everyone and hear their thoughts, their plans, and "participate" in their scenes without requiring Maddie's presence.
I also appreciate Maddie's practicality. She takes pride in her skills but is humble enough to know when to step back. A good point to discuss with your kids, lol.
Flanagan is always good for the moral lessons, including why a Ranger should not accept free gifts and why Cassandra is so beloved — just the opposite of Vikor Trask. Oy. There's a touch on bullying here, making this a trifecta of discussion points.
I do enjoy the tactics and strategy that each group — Cassandra in the tower at the castle, Horace and Gilan at the hill fort, Dimon who has taken the castle, and Maddie with the Skandians — plan out and employ, making it personal, albeit too easy.
And everyone learns that Maddie is an apprentice Ranger.
The Story
With her family trapped in two separate camps, Maddie has her work cut out for her. Neither her father nor her mother will escape the Red Fox Clan sieges without her help.
Even Maddie will need help, and lucky for her, the Heron brotherband and their friends are eager to leap into the fray.
But will they be able to help her father break out...? Will they reach Castle Araluen before the traitor kills her mother?
The Characters
Princess Madelyn is also Ranger's apprentice Maddie in her fourth year. Bumper is her psychic, practical-joke-loving Ranger horse. Ingrid is Princess Madelyn's maid, although she really takes to the tasks of quartermaster while they're under siege.
Princess Cassandra, a.k.a., Evanlyn, is her father's heir, the ailing King Duncan "Bandylegs". Sir Horace is Cassandra's husband, the commander of the army with expertise as a strategist and tactician, and the paramount knight of the realm. Stamper is Sir Horace's battlehorse.
Sergeant Merlon is in charge of the palace guards who include Proctor as a cook, the archers — the senior Thomas, the young Dermott, and Simon — Jeremy, and Jerrod. Maikeru, a Nihon-Jan master swordsman and Cassandra's instructor, held Dimon and his men at bay in The Red Fox Clan . He didn't survive. Uldred is the head librarian who helped Maddie. Timothy is one of Cassandra's senior retainers in charge of the dining room.
Castle Araluen is the primary seat of government while Castle Redmont is home for the retired Halt and his Lady Pauline and near Will Treaty's home. Baron Hexel is in charge in the northwest.
The hill fort near Harnel Village is...
...where Horace, Gilan, and his men are trapped. Sergeant Nilson is one of Horace's men.
The Rangers is...
...an elite special forces unit with Ranger Gilan as the commandant, having taken over from Halt. Blaze is Gilan's Ranger horse. Other Rangers include the barely there Will Treaty (Ranger's Apprentice) who is mentoring Maddie. Sable is Will's border shepherd.
The Skandians are...
...allies of Duncan and Cassandra (with their own spin-off series, the Brotherband Chronicles) and led by Oberjarl Erak.
Hal Mikkelson, young but an experienced shipwright, is the skirl of the Heron and his crew includes his best friend and first mate, Stig; Ingvar, who is a huge and strong warrior with bad eyesight; Thorn; Edvin who is their healer and cook; Jesper is a bit too jokey; Lydia normally watches Ingvar's back but she stayed in Skandia this trip; Stefan; and, the twins, Ulf and Wulf.
Wolfbiter , the assigned duty ship, is damaged and captained by Jern. Sten Engleson is his first mate with Lars and Blorst Knucklewhite among the eighteen crewmen.
The Red Fox Clan is...
...a subversive organization that wants to rollback Cassandra's grandfather's decree that the oldest child, regardless of sex, inherits the throne. Sir Dimon, a distant relative of Cassandra's, infiltrated and rose to become their leader even as he acted as the commander of the Palace Guard. Ronald is an engineer.
The Sonderland mercenaries are...
...notorious and allied with the Red Fox Clan. Their leader is a cowardly clueless fighter, Vikor Trask. Ruka Bel is a young officer and good tactician.
The Cover and Title
The cover is the end with Maddie in her Ranger's cloak and leather pants and shirt, concentrating on her target, bow ready and arrow cocked. The long-haired Princess Cassandra, her mother, is in the background, whirling in the two-storied room with its arched windows on both floors, her katana in hand, in a duel for her life. The double series information is at the very top. The overall series is in an embossed and antiqued silver, fading into the roof while the information for this particular series is much tinier beneath it in an embossed copper that doesn't fade quite as badly. The title is an embossed hammered silver just above Maddie's knees with an info blurb in white below the title. The author's name is in a hammered gold below that.
The title is the final Duel at Araluen between Cassandra and Dimon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews