The King's Ranger

The King's Ranger #1

by A.C. Cobble

Rew, the king’s ranger, accepted a role on the far edge of the realm to avoid the morass of intrigue and betrayal that bleeds from the heart of the kingdom. His only desire is to shoulder the burden he’s taken, to protect the village of Eastwatch, and to monitor the wilderness beyond.

When three youths are arrested for petty theft in the village and beg for his help, Rew’s oldest friend insists he take responsibility for them. By ties stronger than steel, Rew is forced onto a path he knows leads to chaos and death. Through a resurgence of monsters summoned in ages prior, war between the royal line, and back-stabbing treachery, the king’s ranger will battle to grant the youths a life he never had a chance of.

But as they venture farther from the wilderness he calls home, Rew can feel the magical pull at the center of the kingdom, demanding he return to face his past and his family’s terrible legacy. Only he knows the secret of the king, and the risk it poses to the entire realm.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure, Audiobook, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2020

About the author

AC Cobble is the author of Wahrheit, The King's Ranger, Benjamin Ashwood, and The Cartographer series. Signed print copies of all of his books are available at Merrick Bookshop:

https://merrickbookshop.com/collectio...

Wahrheit is a classic epic fantasy adventure. It is packed full of political intrigue, epic battles, spies & assassins, ancient magic, a little humor, a young man and woman against impossible odds, and dragons. If you liked AC Cobble's other books, you will love this series.

The King's Ranger is a clean, action-packed adventure. Rew, the titular ranger, wants only to manage the wilderness he is responsible for, but the arrival of three youths in his jail cell force him to embark on an epic journey. To protect the youths, he's forced to confront a darkness in his past and join a swirling conflict that will envelope the entire kingdom.

Benjamin Ashwood is AC's take on the classic farm boy with a sword fantasy story. It starts much like they all do, but in Ben's world like the real world, heroes are made not born, and the good guys don't always win. Try it today and find out why this series has sold hundreds of thousands of copies!

The Cartographer is a little sexier and a little darker, but has the same sense of fun and adventure as Benjamin Ashwood. Think world spanning travel and exploration, occult rituals, dark seductresses, bodies dropping like flies, and bar fights. Fans of Rhys will love Oliver and Sam. Join the adventure today!

For series artwork, maps, the newsletter signup, the blog, and more, head over to: https://accobble.com/.

Reviews

[CygnusCrux · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot; As delivered by a literary jackhammer

I usually research new authors before I purchase a novel from an unknown. The Benjamin Ashwood novels were highly praised and well reviewed, so I figured that perhaps I could take a chance without reading a free sample beforehand. I now regret that decision.

The Ashwood novels didn't really speak to me since YA is not my preferred genre, so I figured that the tale of a veteran ranger would be more up my alley. What I did not realize was that this veteran ranger has the mental faculties of a YA protagonist. The depths of this character's naivete and inability to make good decisions drastically reduced my ability to enjoy this tale. Furthermore, plot is not really shown through clever exposition as much as shoved into your eyes with a hammer through repetition. I lost count of how many times I heard the words "swirling maelstrom" and "I won't get involved" only to find that at every single juncture, involvement was to be had by all. Either everyday is opposite day, or characters in this world have no ability to abide by their decisions. The unfathomably poor decisions and lack of insight by any and every character have closed the door for me on any future entry and luckily for me, no day is opposite day and I choose to not continue reading this series. And mean it.

[Kemery Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Stars

For the full review: essentialreadingsandreviews.blogspot....

What's the story about: The King's Ranger is a simple story of a grizzled ranger who takes up the calling to help a crew of young people in a quest to solve a mystery of the realm. Originally he doesn't want to take up the call, but does and peril ensues. I really wanted to enjoy The King's Ranger. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Simon Vance, who does an admirable job. I was excited for the setting, synopsis, and story about a ranger.

Great potential, just poor execution. The King's Ranger possessed everything in it to make for a good story: a grizzled ranger in Rew, an intriguing side companion/love interest in Anne, and several younger characters who could experience significant growth and character arcs. Yet none of these things turned out to yield any results of merit. The "journey/quest" plot could've been utilized to greater degree as well.

[Emma of Themiscyra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, guys, I don't know when I'll learn that free books on Amazon Prime are almost always terrible, but here we are. I don't know how this book has such glowing, 4-5 star reviews. Are people simple nowadays? Are we bored? Do we need help? This review might be a little unorganized because I've been busy and couldn't immediately write down my thoughts, so I'll just kind of bullet point things I didn't like and why they made this book a 1 star read for me.

-The repetition. When authors describe something in one paragraph and then say the same shit in the next, it gets really annoying and I can't help but think that the author must believe all his readers are stupid. I wish I had highlighted some examples, but at the time I was annoyed and really couldn't have been bothered. But essentially, something would be described on one page, and then completely reiterated (sometimes with almost the same words) on the next page.

-The first couple chapters reiterating that our MC is "The King's Ranger, after all." Literally. At least once in the chapter and then at the end of every chapter, we got some "Rew's the King's Ranger". He either tells characters WHO KNOW HE IS (like Anne. Buddy, she heckin' knows already), or it's hammered into our stupid little heads in descriptions. Again, it was another one of those 'does this author think we're stupid, or does he not realize he's doing it, or how did his editor (if he had one) think this was a good idea???'

-Rew. I would rather eat cardboard than read about another stale character like him. I could see the character he was trying to be, but it all just kind of flopped. Tying back into how much I hated the constant repetition, I also really hated how many times the reader was told he would not get roped into the Investiture, or how many times Rew would say it aloud. Bruh. We get it. You don't want to get roped into it, but we know you're going to anyway.
Also, how many times did he go up against seemingly overwhelming odds, only to come out victorious and unscathed? (except towards the end. He gets minorly hurt or something. It was all very unrealistic to me.) He'd have little battles against 7 or more creatures and would totally overpower them like the Gary Stu he is.

The dialogue and characters. They all felt kind of the same to me, because they all had the same voice/way of speaking. It was all copy-paste to me. No one really stood out from the others. I feel if the author spent a little more time on making them unique, and took more time with how they interacted and built their relationships, the death of a certain character in the end would have hit a little harder. But again, said character had little page time and didn't really interact with anyone, so it was easy to just shrug it off.

-The world/lore dumping. I get that, as an author creating a fantasy world, that you absolutely have to get your ideas into the story somehow, but there's a better way to do it than just dumping everything into character's dialogue. It's extremely unrealistic for two characters who have long been established in the world, to have to describe to one another things they should definitely know just because the reader wouldn't know. That just takes me out of the story.

-Zaine.... Zaine.... You could have been a good character, but in the end you were SO HECKIN STUPID. She trusted shady people, got multiple people killed, and not a single person batted an eye. I just can't even.

-The whole entire brothel scene. I cringed so hard. It was awful. Truly, terribly, awful. I never want to relive a scene like this again.

-There were some really weird descriptions in this book. An example: "but her eyes looked like short bits of broken glass". What even? I can't even begin to know what that means. It's just odd.

[ShannaBanana✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I held off on reading this series because it revolves around these kids and I’m sooo tired of reading about coming of age and all that all the time. Well, I finally decided to check it out with the hopes I wouldn’t be disappointed and I am surprised to say I wasn’t. I’m so glad I chose to read it. I didn’t like the Benjamin Ashwood series so I was worried I wouldn’t like this either. The characters are well fleshed out and the world building is great. Our main protagonist is Rew, the King’s Ranger who is tasked to seeing these teenagers to safety. He is such a likable character and I hope to see him Anne become a “thing.”😉 The three kids are Cinda, Zaine and Raife. They are tolerable and not so bad cause I was really worried I’d hate them.🤷🏻‍♀️

So, now I’m off to start the second installment!

[Daedalus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy Comforting Read for an Uncomfortable Time

Very good book but with very little surprise. It was enjoyable and had a fair amount of action with a fairly simple storyline.

In this age, reading a book that isn't chock full of propaganda and social engineering is refreshing. All of the characters were very relatable outside of their fantastical abilities. Also, they were genuinely relatable. Its a low bar to cross but a bar that most fantasy books fail at.

If you want an easy read that doesn't take that much out of you to just enjoy, I would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to the author for the comfort it brought.

[A Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. The premise of the story was exciting but nothing else was. The characters were flat and weren't really developed aside from Rew, the protagonist. But even then, hints were just dropped about his mysterious backstory - so many hints that it became repetitive and didn't create any interest. There were also many instances of worldbuilding/lore drops throughout in the form of monologues that really slowed down the story. Again, the premise was fascinating, as was the magic and monsters, but it wasn't enough to save the story for me.

[Blaise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story that is well written but I just didn’t love it. Will look to start the other series by this author soon

[Pranav Lal · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the interest of full disclosure, I recieved a review copy of the book.
It was close to the weekend and I was looking for a plot heavy story to read so I got the book at the right time. I spent an entire Saturday starting from the afternoon and Sunday morning reading.
The book started very nicely with just the right bit of grounding. We do not much about Rew but his tracking skills shine through. The fight scene is nicely done but the sense of wrongness is palpable given the information we get.
The plot advances quickly and the pacing is wonderful once the 3 teenagers are found. I felt tired just reading about what Rew did. I wonder where he gets the energy.
There is little romance, I don't think we even have a kiss in the entire book which is nice. Rew's relation with Anne is most interesting. I cannot tell if something will happen but she is a strange sort of conscience for Rew and yes, gets him into trouble.
Zaine is another interesting character. Her story is the class, "it seemed a good idea at the time and of course, no one will get hurt." I don't know if I am sorry for her or not but am watching to see what she does.
If you were looking for an exact description of magic, you will not get it but it has limitations which are shown up time and time again. I like the fact that spell casters are not all powerrfull.
The book is a telling reminder of what leaders will do for power. No means is too extreme. Yes, we are in a world of Mr. Cobble's construction but I cannot help drawing parallels to ours especially when I see the behaviour of some of the princes and map it to our world.
I am not going to say more. The book is an excellent read and do try to finish it in one go else you will have random bits of the world and book distracting you at the oddest of times.

I am looking forward to book 2.

[Dan Inwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy for an honest review. For fans of Ben Ashwood this will definitely be a series you will enjoy. It starts out like a book centered around a ranger like you'd expect. Rew, the main character, alone in the woods, silent, enjoying nature which leads to finding something not quite right...and that leads to the story kicking off with some amazing battle scenes and descriptions to keep you flipping the pages. The story building is excellent with solid character development. The main story line is heavy on the political side of how the royals plan out and execute their deception, intrigue and the "do whatever it takes" to get what they want. Rew certainly seems to be a man that just wants to be living in his quiet area of the kingdom and doing his ranger stuff but unfortunately, gets pulled into the coming mess and eventual battle the seems to be enveloping the kingdom to find the next new king. The subtle humor in Rew's interaction with the young teen companions he is helping is fun as a father of two teenage boys myself, I can appreciate a lot of Rew's reactions to them. There are a lot of twists and turns to keep you reading and needing to know what comes next. This is definitely another fantastic book by A.C. Cobble.

[Netta Pressman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was able to finish it and it was "largly" interesting. It also anoyed me quite a bit. Some of it was just too repetitive. Same things said over and over and oveagain... I was fastforwarding (audio book) quite a few bits by the end. Not sure if to get book 2. I might...

[Jan Mc · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good sword-and-sorcery fantasy story with some interesting characters. Nasty dark creatures make for some nice bad guys, but there are plenty of nasty humans, too.

[Matthew · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a charitable 3-star rating until you get to the end. For some ungodly unknown reason, the MC has an entire character flip that if you were to describe it as a character arc it would be more accurate to describe a suicide jumper doing a backflip.
1)A hardened man living in the furthest parts of the wilds who has turned his back on the world, suddenly decides to play sherlock holmes at 80% end of the book???
2)This MC, a ranger, has a tiny close-knit crew working for him and he doesn't bat an eye when on the first clue he decides to chase down gets his man killed????
3) A woman who lets in assassins and immediately gets people killed is surprised that her assassin friends would ever do such a thing????
4) She gets the MC youngest member killed, her own traveling party's parents murdered and nearly wipes out the town....and the MC calls her lass......seriously????

I have never stopped reading a book at 88% but my ghad even Netflix and StarTrek would say: Woah, too much crazy!
The dreadful ending to a sub-par book.
This scribbler has no idea who his MC is.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good book, and I have a sneaking suspicion that there will be more that will be revealed in the next book.

One weak point for me is that for such a strong character, our main character almost always seems to 'give in' to other people's pression, even when it is clear (even to them) that he knows more than them about what is going on.
It seems to be used to further the plot several times, which is something the author should avoid in next instalments, because, even if that is an easy solution, it quickly became repetitive.

[RSmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was so looking forward to the series after reading and liking Ben Ashwood. The book and the series to date is a bit underwhelming. The characters are rather flat and boring with little real action in the story. Rew is likable enough a bit bland. The rest of the characters are a bit cartoonish with the solid Anne and the clueless kids who are tough to embrace. I'll finish the series, but was disappointed.

[Candie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m definitely among the minority here! I found this book extremely slow and quite boring. It’s a shame because I quite enjoyed the author’s previous series’s.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME Fantasy Story You Need to Read! This is a mix between Ben Ashwood and Cartographer. BA was fast-paced, humorous, fun but light on character building. Cartographer was intense, deep, and heavy on character building but lacked the pace and was dark (a bit too dark for me at times). AC combined the BEST of both series into the King's Ranger.

Spoiler Alert! Below I attempt to be vague but will explain part of the story.

Our hero is a ranger called Rew, most likely in his 40's living on the edge the wilderness, protecting the kingdom in a remote town. Keeping peace from rogues and foul creatures from another world is his primary role - working with other rangers. This is where the book starts - Rew tracking these creatures. He soon realizes something is wrong, very wrong. These creatures (Narjags) should have been pushed far north but are now gathering in numbers he's never seen.

As we learn more about Rew - he has many different layers AC slowly explains. Even at the conclusion, we still don't have a full understanding who Rew truly is and what he's done in his past. This character development is straight out of Cartographer. Rew's history is built on public service anchored with integrity - a true Knight(?) He chose this remote town to leave behind the intrigue of the Crown to better serve the people, where 'right' and 'wrong' were simple and easy to comprehend. Kings Ranger is the story about Rew being drawn back into the life he strove to leave behind.

When Rew arrives back in the frontier town, he learns a group of young adults were caught stealing. We soon learn they were on a quest. SPOILER ALERT. They are young Nobels looking to get to their father (a duke) but are being hunted due to a crown plot. The only path is through the wilderness - a very dangerous journey only Rangers can take. Rew reluctantly agrees, taking them through amazing lands, while encountering more and more beasts from another world, known as the Dark Kind. During their travels, Rew learns of a socerer involved. The action in this section is right out of Ben Ashwood - don't try reading before bed! You won't be able to put the book down.

Along the way he encounters the sorcerer whom he knew from his past life. We also learn of an upheaval taking place in the Kingdom known as the Investiture. This is when a new King is chosen among the Kings' heirs. Simplified - the last heir alive assumes the crown. During each Investiture, the kingdom goes through horrible wars between allies and enemies alike. No one can be trusted. We learn this is is the reason Rew became a ranger. Rew experienced the investiture earlier in his life and wants nothing to do with it again. These young adults are being thrust into the middle of a Kingdom fight, they cannot escape. This style is straight out of the Cartographer.

I'm stopping here to avoid spoiling the storyline. In my opinion, this is AC's best work with a perfect mix of action, character development, solid storyline and outstanding world building. My only regret, I need to wait until January for the next book!

Enjoy - I hope this review was helpful

[Rue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The King's Ranger was a book I found on my recommended page and decided to give it a try on a whim. I wasn't looking for a book to read (especially with my never-ending TBR) but I came across this and decided on a whim to just pick it up (yes in the middle of final exams season. And OMG I devoured this book in a day. And I'm done the second book and currently reading the third book as I write this review. This review however, will focus on the first book of the series.

This novel has two of my all time favorite tropes: found family & the journey over nature. The found family element is strong as we have our main character Rew trying to protect his three charges that he came across when they ended up in his ranger prison. Rew is extremely talented when it comes to all things wilderness, tracking, monsters ("The Dark Kind"), fighting, and even politics. We also have Anne who is like a mother figure to these three charges. Then we have the siblings: Raif & Cinda and also Zaine. All of these characters are well fleshed out and develop so much as characters throughout this entire book. Each character has an interesting back story which explains why they act the way they do, and why they make some of the rash actions too. Rew especially is slowly growing to become one of my all time favorite fantasy characters. No matter how hesitant he is to leave the comfort of the town he has escaped too, you can still see obvious moral compass he has which is why he decides to help out the youth.

I loved the way the author went into detail regarding their journey across the wilderness while explaining so much about the political intrigue and magic of the world. Never once did it feel like a info dump and there is still so much we don't know about the magic and history, and this is what kept me glued to each page. The author is not afraid to have our characters go through pain and hurt, and this is what made the entire novel so suspenseful.

Throughout the novel we get bits and pieces of this big secret that is related to all characters, but one character more so in specific who is also very aware of it. Just wanting to have this secret unravel completely was the reason I read two and half books in this series in less than 3 days. The author does an excellent job of dropping bits and pieces of information here and there which answer one question but will raise another.

Honestly really enjoyed this book and I think my final rating would be a 4.5/5

[Nance Roepke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me explain my rating system first. A 1 means that it was awful and that I couldn't finish it. A 2 means it was awful but that I managed to finish it. A 3 means it was okay and, in a pinch, I would read another book like that. 4 means the book was very good and I'd enjoy reading another one like it. And 5 means I loved it and I'm going to hunt up some more just like it.

So this book got a two. That means it was terrible but I finished it. I'll get into why it was terrible later but the reason that I finished it was because I kept thinking that something was going to happen that would make me look like the characters. Obviously, that didn't happen for me.

One of my pet peeves is heroes who battle multiple people or creatures, killing them all, but never getting a scratch. This book is full of monsters and the hero will successfully take on 15 or 20 monsters. The only time that he couldn't knock off 15 or 20 without injury was when those foes were human beings. Come on now. How do you no even get a scratch. Creatures who bite and have multiple arms and legs all coming at you at once?

Then there's his repeated statement that he is not going to get involved with the investiture. He says it at least once a chapter, sometimes more. He says it's so often that you know that of course he's going to do it. Who is he kidding?

There's Anne, the Miss Kitty type, who has way more smarts than our hero. Someone should just knock him off and give her the lead. And they seem to have a thing for each other but it's all very hush-hush for the author. At the same time, he seems to have a thing for a young woman who they should be sending to jail. She's just a loser. No, the author's a loser in the way that he portrays her because at one moment she's a ditz and at the next moment she's really smart.
And then there are the 2 young Nobles. I guess we can forgive them for being clueless. Their parents and everyone else they know has been keeping secrets from them. They're where we could see some real growth but instead, even when confronted with the truth, they remain Clueless.

The best character is the cousin. He is good at being evil. But it's not enough to save this book.

I'm done with the series and done with the author. I can't waste my time hoping that something positive will come out of one of these books. Count me out.

[Marc Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Despite the sometimes perceived bias in situations like this, I am 100% honest about loving this book! I first discovered AC in the Benjamin Ashwood series and was hooked immediately. This series is similar for me; not in the storyline or characters, but in the style and grip that it held on me throughout. I honestly could not put it down once I started, and I was even lectured by my wife for falling asleep very late at night with my Kindle in the bed while trying to push through another chapter despite being tired from the day.

The characters in this book are relatable, which is one of the things I love about AC's characters. Despite the magical and fantasy setting, I still felt like the characters could potentially be real. Each has his/her own personality that is explored in the story. Each has his/her weaknesses which are integral to the story. I felt most connected to Rew. Of course, he is the protagonist in the story, but his struggles and commitment to duty just rang true to me.

Toward the beginning, I felt that it was a little slow as AC was building the world and getting started. About 1/3 of the way in, I felt that it gained steam, then by the end, things were careening so fast into the Investiture it ticked me off to end it, knowing that I had to wait until book 2 was released. In hindsight, I see why he took his time in the beginning, but I think that will become apparent to the reader when you get into it.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book! AC in engaging highly values his readers and commits to writing great fantasy that honestly is appropriate for a large age group. His last series tended to be a bit more adult-focused, but this one I would gladly give to my 14-year-old daughter and encourage her to read. READ THE BOOK, YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!

[Clint · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read Mr. Cobble's Benjamin Ashwood series and enjoyed it. I do think the first book in that series was probably the best out of the six, but each book was interesting. I will say after reading the first book in the Ranger series I think the Ashwood series had more interesting characters to get invested in. I would have loved to have read a series based solely on Rhys's adventures as a prequel. (still throwing that idea out there if the author happens to browse reviews)
Having only read one book so far in the Ranger series I don't know if it's quite a fair comparison yet...Rew seems to be who I would be most interested in so it's aptly titled. Jon would have been my second but (blank blank blank spoiler alert)
This is similar to the Ashwood series as it includes creatures from the evil realm (or dimension?) that keep popping up to battle. Magicians, wizards, healers...etc. Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but this one seems to be more focused on the scheming, plotting, and backstabbing ways of the royals where the other series seemed more focused on impending demon battle. So I had to pay more attention to figure out how all the characters related to one another.
My favorite books of this kind always seem to involve a quest where a group of people get thrown together and have to travel through the wilderness to reach their goal. So this definitely checked that box.
Overall I found it interesting and will continue on in the series.

[Reading Hag · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was one of the privileged that received an advance reader copy to review. I have been waiting for this book with great anticipation. I think it’s another MUST READ from A.C. Fans of Ben Ashwood will love this new series. Adventure, intrigue, monsters, and battles aplenty. I enjoyed that our main character, Rew, is more mature. I could relate to his desire for peace and quiet. Living his own life outside of the typical societal requirements. In spite of his best efforts he still managed to get himself entangled in the goings-on of his world. A good guy, trying to do the right thing, amidst corruption and selfish rulers seeking more and more power. I was hoping to pace myself, spread the book out over a week. I utterly failed. I finished the book in two days. The storyline moved nicely and kept my interest. I just could not put it down. I had to know what was going to happen next. Enough humor and plot twists to keep me fully engaged. And clean enough that I will recommend it to my teenager to read. It is always great to find a book that we can all read and enjoy! I look forward to the next book. My only disappointment is that I have to wait until January to see what happens next.

[TK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems like this one is gearing up to be an interesting series, but this first book got off to a rough start, and didn't cover enough ground in my opinion. I like the characters, but the story itself is rather exceptionally straightforward. Also, Rew's abilities are... well, I mean, come on. When he went up against 60+ narjags, killed something like 30, and sent the rest fleeing, it was a bit hard to swallow. Despite the characters going "oh no, don't do it, you could die!" I never felt any particular tension with regard to the dangers faced, and it seemed like Rew would always come out of any situation unscathed. The book starts with him fighting a dozen of the things with no problem.

Also, it's a bit frustrating that the narjags were not clearly described in the book at all. My assumption is they're something akin to kobolds or something, minus the fur, but the author doesn't describe them at all, and the ayres also don't get much other than they're blue and lean with strong haunches and wolf-like paws.

I'll likely check out the next book, but I hope the rough edges in this one were just the author getting his feet under him with a new series.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like a TTRPG (D&D) campaign in book form and I loved it for that. Rew is basically Aragorn from LotR, which was fine and I can't hate on it. He likes his privacy and wants to be far from the politics of the realm. Something is going on with him, because he really, REALLY doesn't want to be involved in politics at all and doesn't want to go anywhere near the capital. There's a bunch of books in this series, so I can only assume we find out what his deal is in due time. Is he secretly a royal bastard or something?

Dark forces are gathering, and a trio of youths have uncovered a murder plot. Rew is tasked with accompanying them across the country and the dangerous wilds so they can get home. During this trek, they keep running into beasts that Rew is able to fight single handedly. It's a bit much how good he is at fighting off a hundred of these beasties at a time. He's like a level 20 ranger who put a lot of points into his constitution and strength abilities.

Otherwise, I enjoyed the crap out of this first book.

[Jason T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy in return for an honest review of A.C.’s most recent book.

I am admittedly a big fan of The Cartographer, but welcomed A.C.’s turn to more traditional fantasy tropes with TKR. It’s fast paced and a comfortable read and I think it will appeal to a large and diverse audience who are seeking a new series into which they can immerse themselves, with little emotional cost, as it is neither overly dark nor morally ambiguous. In these challenging times, TKR is a welcome place that A.C has provided us to venture. There are some things you will find a bit predictable here, but also some mysteries to be explored in future books. And Rew is definitely a likable lead. The youngins may take a bit more to grow on you, but that sort of seems to be the author’s objective. Enjoy this fun romp in one go if you can, or perhaps an enjoyable weekend of escapism. Highly recommended for just about all but the most cynical.

[Tony Hinde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is almost bog-standard high fantasy but instead of following the traditional hero's journey, we stay with the mentor figure for the whole thing. Imagine Lord of the Rings if we only followed Aragorn.

It's well-executed although, unrealistically, Rew has the patience of a saint. He's got ten times the experience of those in his care and has demonstrated master-level expertise... regardless, the "children" continue to question and outright ignore his instructions at every turn, even during life-threatening situations. I find this frustrating, especially as he doesn't address their stupidity after the fact.

I like the magical world-building. High and low magics - being drawn toward a dynastic contest... that's good stuff. However, I didn't like the heavy-handed way information was withheld from the reader simply to build up the mystery.

Despite the flaws, I enjoyed the read and will be continuing with the series.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Overall it was well written and an engaging story. I have already obtained the second book and plan to read it. I would have given it 4 and a half stars if possible. Why I could not give it 5 stars--There was a section of maybe 50 pages where the author had the characters winking at each other...you know...a character makes a comment and then winks. Once or twice ok....but repeatedly. Stop the winking. Near the end the Ranger is sitting and listening to a story and he "grimaces", and then a few paragraphs later he "grimaces" again. C'mon, use another word...this story is too good to be lazy with the language. Where was the editor? I blame him more than the author. The author is consumed with telling a story, the editor is supposed to clean it up.

If you're a fan of fantasy (the traveling group trying to beat the odds) I would read this, just a few minor details needed fixing, and it could be a 5 star read.

[Rhonda Cummins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarely give my opinion on a book because, well let's be honest, we each have one and all that matters is your own.

I wanted to love this series because I love epic reads (even slightly boring ones) - but, I am on book four in this series and just have almost no feelings for any of the characters. Normally, even if a book does not draw you to the character/s right away, throughout the journey you can't help but become emotionally tied (love, like, hate, loath, etc.) in some way. But, not so far. I really like the story line and most of the situations are interesting, the characters are not. They have potential and could have been spectacular! I will finish this series because I love to read and am hoping for an inkling of "root for the hero" by book five. This is probably the only written review I will give unless the remaining books change drastically.

[Jkane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is "OK." My problem(s) with the novel is not easily definable. The main character is compelling, and the mystery is intriguing. I'd probably say that I am influenced by other reviewers because I now know that this novel is either 1/3 of the story or 1/5 of the story, depending on which reviewer one reads. I am a firm believer in the idea that every novel should stand on its own merits and act as a stand-alone novel, despite the fact that it is an installment in a larger tale. Fantasy books break this cardinal rule of mine quite often. It often appears as though the author writes a 1000 page story, and then breaks it up into 3 novels to increase profits. This certainly had that feel.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

In the first book of AC Cobble's new series The King's Ranger, we are introduced to a world that builds on the very best elements of Cobble's previous series Benjamin Ashwood and The Cartographer, and as a result that world immediately feels both fresh and familiar to readers.

This novel provides an exciting adventure while doing the heavy lifting in terms of table-setting, and is enjoyable throughout. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy, and I am very much looking forward to the future books in the series.

[Jordan Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of The King’s Ranger in exchange for my honest review, and honestly, I really enjoyed it! This is a super fun book the very much sets the table for the rest of the series. The characters are easy to route for and have layers that continue to get peeled back little by little. The foreshadowing is occasionally heavy handed, but it’s put in all the right spots to build up future installments. The world building does a great job of taking familiar tropes and putting different spins on them. The major book mechanics build a believable and urgent world that really helps drive the suspense and action. Very excited for the rest of the series!