The Ruins of Gorlan
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The Ruins of Gorlan is Book One of the Ranger's Apprentice series written by John Flanagan. Published in 2005, the story revolves around Will, a boy who is small for his age, but agile and energetic. All his life, he has longed to be a warrior and to follow in the footsteps of the father he never knew, so he is devastated when he is rejected as an apprentice to Castle Redmont's Battleschool. He is no happier when he is assigned instead to the Ranger Corps, the Kingdom's secret service, as the Rangers are a mysterious group whose uncanny ability to move about unseen is thought by many to be the result of black magic. Will begins training under the dour and enigmatic Halt, and reluctantly learns all the fieldcraft and archery he will need to become a fully fledged Ranger. But Will soon finds himself needing all his newfound skills as he and Halt set off on a desperate mission to prevent the assassination of the King, though Will realizes it is Halt who must be saved. He must also team up with his rival Horace to save the kingdom. Will ends up saving Halt, who was attacked by evil minions of Morgarath, the story's antagonist. In the events that follow Will finds out Halt was saved by his father, a sergeant, in a battle, before being killed. The Baron then offers him a chance to become a knight, which he turns down. Will also receives an official symbol of the Rangers, a bronze oakleaf neckalace. Here is a basic summary of the book: Will has always been interested in following in the footsteps of his unknown father who supposedly died a hero. Will being a small and timed boy is not accepted to Castel Redmont’s battle school, and instead becomes a Ranger. The Rangers Corps are the equivalent to the secret service, the have the uncanny abilities to move undetected, a skill Will possess. After learning more about and eventually accepting being a Ranger Will sets off with his master, Halt a grim faced man without a sense of humor, to attend the Gathering of Rangers. When Halt gets word of a war about to happen between the kingdom and Morgath, the main enemy of the series who does not make an appearance until the 2nd book, Halt and Will set off on a journey along with Halt’s former apprentice Gilan to destroy Morgath’s assassins’ known as the Kalkara. When Will realizes that Halt has been captured by the Kalkara Will attempts to save Halt along with Gilan. When they do eventually save Halt Will receives a bronze leaf indicating that he is no longer an apprentice, but a full fledged member of the Ranger’s Corps.
