Ranger's Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw

Name: Joseph Van Duren
Class Period: A-2
Book: Ranger's Apprentice, Book Six: The Siege of Macindaw
Author: John Flanagan
Pages: 331
Rating: ****

Recommendation: This book is largely aimed at teenagers. The main character, Will, is a young man just getting started in the world of rangers. It is still, however, greatly enjoyed by many adults as well. It is a story packed with adventure as well as being quite the romance for all you young ladies out there. Beware, once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it back down. It truly keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Summary: In order to fully enjoy the richness of this novel, it is good to go back and immerse yourself in all of the previous books of the series. At the beginning, it dives right back in to where the previous book left off. Alyss, from Araluen’s Diplomatic Corps, is still being held captive in Castle Macindaw by Sir Keren who is conspiring against Araluen with the Scotti General. Will ingeniously captures the general and finds out vital information. He joins with a group of Skandians, his old friend Sir Horace, a healer named Malcolm, and the rightful baron of Norgate fief and Castle Macindaw. Together, they work together and regain the castle despite insurmountable odds. Meanwhile, Will’s and Alyss’ affection for each other grows. He ends op rescuing her after a perplexing turn of events. Neither of them is willing to make known their feelings to each other until their life long friend Horace intervenes. They end up getting together in the end through quite the romantic turn of events.

Explanation of Rating: In rating the Ranger’s Apprentice series as a whole, it would definitely receive five stars. I gave this book a four because it is one of my favorites in the series so far but not my absolute favorite. This one was unique in that it had Will working and making decisions as Ranger by himself. He did not have is mentor and friend, Halt, by his side to provide protection and reassure him in his decision. Also, more than any other of the previous books, it had quite the romantic side to it as opposed to the just the secret attractions of the past. Will and Alyss are more than just children in this book and they take things a step further.

Favorite Passage: "Will looked up angrily, shaking his head in disbelief. Will you shut up? he said tautly. Horace shrugged in apology. 'I'm sorry' he said, I sneezed. A person can't help it when they sneeze. Perhaps not. But you could try to make it sound a little less like an elephant trumpeting in agony; Will told him. "

I loved this part! They had a “Trojan Horse” kind of strategy for getting into the castle. While Will and Horace were cramped under the structure they had built waiting for the time to attack, Horace was uncomfortable and boarded out of his mind. He was starting to get on Will’s nerves. The snapping point was when Horace failed to muffle a sneeze. Only luck saved them from being discovered by the centuries on the castle wall who took the sound as being from some kind of beast in the forest!