Reviews
okay so now that I'm done binge-reading the main series what the frick frack snickety snack in the actual universe, flanagan
[review written 2013] i was really bloody excited for this book bc i loved the previous ones so much and i had really high expectations but i was kinda disappointed???? because i feel like the book focused on maddie more than it did the other rangers i would really have loved a closing adventure with the other rangers more than i would have loved maddie growing up honestly like and al SO WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO KILL ALYSS huh huh especially offscreen maddie’s drinking scene that was hilarious oh my god though it’s unreasonable and a Do Not Drink Alcohol aesop (seriously in the middle ages alcohol was drunk by a lot of people) but hey it was funny uh let’s see there needed to be more halt wow there needed to be more halt and horace needed to be there being horace and it just seemed a lil off and i did enjoy it but there wasnt enough halt and too much maddie sorry
I first read this book in 2015, after binging the Ranger's Apprentice series for the first time. I found this series at the perfect time. I was just a little bit older than Will in Ruins of Gorlan and I quickly fell in love with the world, the Ranger Corps, and the characters. Seeing Will transform from this self-conscious twig of a boy into a confident, creative Ranger was incredibly satisfying. So, when I started this book, I was caught completely off guard by the first chapter. Will wasn't supposed to be this jaded, bitter old man bent on revenge. He's this optimistic, funny man who's constantly reevaluating what it means to be a Ranger. Throughout the book, I compared this Will to the one I knew so well. And I didn't really like this new Will. John Flanagan broke my heart. So, after finishing this book, I vowed that I would never pick up the rest of the Royal Ranger series. Then, a few months ago, I had this irresistible urge to return to Araluen. I periodically have this urge and I usually reread one of the original series (usually The Burning Bridge for some Gilan, Will, and Horace action, or The Seige of Macindaw for Will's ingenuity as a fully-fledged Ranger). But this time, I decided it was time to try The Royal Ranger again. Since I had time to dwell on what happened, I reasoned, I should be able to reread this without weeping. Thankfully, I was correct. In fact, I picked up on some things I was too salty to recognize my first go round. 1. Will actually heals during this book. I mentioned previously that I was a bit bitter about Will's changes. And yeah, at the beginning of the book he's at his lowest. But, what I failed to realize, was that, after the integration of Maddie into his life, he begins the healing process. He begins joking around again. He gradually becomes less and less depressed. He's still not over this, but he shows a lot of progress by the end of the book. 2. Maddie is a wonderful character. Sure, she's a bit spoiled at the beginning. (Actually, very spoiled.) But seeing her progress and become skilled in the many Ranger skills is so satisfying. She has a few bumps in the road, but so did Will. I loved watching her grow through this book and throughout the rest of the series. Plus, seeing the first female Ranger enter the Corps would be incredibly satisfying. 3. Seeing our favorite characters as adults is fantastic. While it was a bit weird at first, especially since I remember Will and Horace as teens, I enjoyed reading about their adult lives. They have this wisdom, compassion, and experience that we rarely saw in the original series. Sure, each character is proficient at his or her skill in the original series, but watching their skills advance through age was amazing. Also, when rereading this book, I found out that John Flanagan intended The Royal Ranger to be his last Ranger book. Look how that turned out lol. Rereading this book was definitely an example that I can change. I enjoyed reading this book immensely. And, while some of the changes Flanagan decided to make were a bit hard to take at first, I'm glad we get to see more of the characters' stories. If you've read the original series, I would encourage you to go into this book with an open mind.
Well, another amazing story has come to an end. The Royal Ranger holds up to rest of the series brilliantly, taking place years later, and beginning with on a very dark note. But it's quickly dispelled, and the final scene matches the dark with light, leaving you laughing and cheering. The only downside to this novel is there isn't going to be another one. Perhaps in Flanagan's other series from the same world, we'll see more of Maddie. And perhaps we never will. Either way, I'll gladly add this novel to my collection, to be treasured through the years and picked up again and again.
Full review on my blog, Storied Adventures Thank you to the publisher for sending me a free copy! This was so cute! It had a princess in training to be a ranger, adventure, and life threatening quests! Character development was good, writing was easy to follow! I highly recommend especially for middle school girls. BUT old fans and new alike would love this series!
