The Lost Stories (Book Eleven, Ranger's Apprentice)

WARNING:  MAJOR SPOILER ALERT

Have you ever wondered what happened to Will, Horace, Alyss, Halt, and Evanlyn after book ten? Ever pondered how Halt became a Ranger or the truth about Will's Parents? All of these questions, and much more, are answered in The Lost Stories. "Found" by a group of archaeologists in the prologue, this collection of stories features nine untold tales of the Ranger's Apprentice Series and fills in most of the gaps of the earlier books. The first, Death of a Hero, for example, details the truth of Will's parentage. The Inkwell and the Dagger tells of how Gilan, Halt's former apprentice, managed to find and kill the criminal Foldar. My favorite of the nine is The Wolf, the story of Tug's fate after he is attacked by a Wolf. If you don't want to cry, do not read this tale. The Lost Stories also includes a passage from Flanagan's new spin-off series, The Brotherband Chronicles. All in all, it is a perfect finale to the series we all know and love, and a fitting farewell to the characters we love and love to hate (Morgarath).

I loved The Lost Stories. It was filled with action, suspense, humor and lots of Halt. There were a few moments in the last story that really surprised me. I can't wait to read Flanagan's new series, The Brotherband Chronicles. For those of you who haven't read any of Flanagan's work, start reading. You'll love it!

The Emperor of Nihon-Ja (Book Ten, Ranger's Apprentice)

The final battle is finally here! Horace, a member of the Araluen Royal Guard, has traveled to the distant land of Nihon-Ja to learn the secret fighting technique of the Senshi warriors. He is about to return to Araluen when one of the Senshi warlords, Arisaka, revolts against the Emperor, Shigeru, and storms the capital. Horace, realizing that Arisaka must be stopped, joins Shigeru and his rag-tag group of survivors. They plan to find the legendary fortress of Ran-Koshi and seek refuge there. Meanwhile, Will and Halt are in the land of Toscana (Ancient Italy) to view the fighting style of the Toscan Legion. Alyss has joined them to speak with the Toscan and Arridi diplomats to settle on a price for coffee. Suddenly, Princess Cassandra, under the guise of Evanlyn, appears and notifies the group that Horace has been missing for months now and that her father sent her to take them to Nihon-Ja to find Horace. Back on Nihon-Ja, the situation has become dire. The Emperor has no real army except for a few common woodworkers, while Arisaka has thousands of men. If Will, Halt, Alyss, and Evanlyn don't reach Horace in time, this may well become Horace's final adventure.

The Emperor of Nihon-Ja is the last book in the Ranger's Apprentice Series. Although it is the final installment, it is not necessarily the last adventure. All of the characters you love and love to hate (Morgarath) are featured in The Lost Stories.

Halt's Peril (Book Nine, Ranger's Apprentice)

Halt, Will, and Horace have managed to force The Outsiders Cult from Clonmel, the sixth Kingdom of Hibernia. The leader of the Cult, Tennyson, has hired three Genovesan assassins to kill anyone who crosses his path. During Horace's duel in book eight, one of the Genovesans was killed by Will, shot by an arrow in public display. King Ferris, Halt's brother, is dead, killed by the Genovesans. His nephew, Sean, has ascended the throne of Clonmel. Tennyson and his followers have fled to Picta, the land bordering Araluen, with all the gold they can carry. Tennyson, feeling that he is safe for the moment, decides to begin building the Cult anew in Araluen and orders the remaining Genovesans to kill Will, Halt or Horace should they see them. Halt, Will, and Horace are hot on the trail of the Cult when they are ambushed by Tennyson's assassins. Halt sustains a minor scratch from one of the crossbow bolts, but aside from this the group is unfazed. Slowed slightly, they continue on their pursuit. As time drags on, Halt's condition worsens and his wound begins to fester. Will realizes that the crossbow bolt must have been poisoned and the only man that can heal Halt is days away, in Grimsdale Wood, near Macindaw. Will Will be able to bring Malcolm to Halt in time, or will the Ranger die, from the merest of scratches?

Halt's Peril is the last book, thankfully, in which we see the Outsiders. Personally, they are my least favorite of the antagonists in the series because they know that what they are doing is wrong, yet they cheat, murder, swindle and con people to get whatever they want anyway.

The Kings of Clonmel (Book Eight, Ranger's Apprentice)

The Outsiders, a mysterious cult that appeared many decades ago, convert people to their belief that worships a fake "Golden God," and con them out of their valuables then disappear. Years ago, they were supposedly destroyed and forced from Araluen. Now, however, they are beginning to resurface. The Ranger Corps has discovered that this Cult has overthrown five of the six kingdoms of Hibernia, and that the sixth will fall soon. That is, unless Will, Halt and Horace have a say in the matter. Sent to Clonmel, the sixth kingdom, the trio must stop the Cult before it envelops all of Hibernia in it's yolk and sets it's eyes on Araluen once more. However, the matter becomes personal when Halt reveals his past and informs Will and Horace that he is the rightful King of Clonmel.  Halt's younger brother, King Ferris, tried to kill him, and believed he had succeeded. Instead, Halt fled to Araluen and began a new life, as a Ranger. As they travel across the Hibernian countryside, Halt realizes that there is only one way to defeat the Golden God of the Outsiders, through the Legendary Sunrise Warrior of Hibernian myth.

The Kings of Clonmel is the first of the Outsiders appearance in the Ranger's Apprentice Series. I noticed that the series is divided into twos: The Morgarath arc (Books 1, 2), The Skandia arc (3, 4), The Macindaw arc (5, 6), The Outsiders arc (8, 9). Books seven and ten stand alone.

Erak's Ransom (Book Seven, Ranger's Apprentice)

The Silver Oakleaf, symbol of the Ranger: To earn it, one must endure five long years of grueling training, and pass the final exam. Now ending his fifth year as an apprentice, Will doesn't feel that he is ready for the honor. However, it is not the time to be thinking about such things. It should be a joyous occasion. After  many long years, Halt and Lady Pauline, Head of Redmont's Couriers, are getting married. All is going well, that is until Svengal, Oberjarl Erak's former first mate, comes bursting through the doorway bloodied and brused. He tells a shocking tale about how Erak, a Skandian, tired of paperwork, left for one final raid to Arridia, the desert land to the south. Once there, the Skandians were met by no guards, but were captured in a fierce ambush. The Arridi demand eighty thousand reels of silver for the Oberjarl's return. After Halt's wedding, Svengal pleads with King Duncan and the Araluens to split the ransom. King Duncan, being the great man that he is, accepts and also promises to sent an envoy to Arridia to assist Svengal. Duncan sends Will, Horace, Halt, Gilan, and, after much argument, Princess Cassandra. Once in Arridia, the group finds that Erak's guards have been slaughtered and Erak captured. Will they find him or will he rot in this desolate land? Find out in Erak's Ransom!

This book was originally my favorite, until I read the tenth and final book. Erak's Ransom is filled with treachery and betrayal, but also hope. There are numerous characters that are introduced in this book that play large roles later on in the series.

The Siege of Macindaw (Book Six, Ranger's Apprentice)

In the sixth stunning installment of Ranger's Apprentice, Orman, Lord of Castle Macindaw, gateway to the northern land of Picta, his been deposed. His cousin, renegade knight Sir Keren, has taken control and disbanded the garrison. He plans to allow the Scotti, the natives of Picta, to pass the fortress and raid the surrounding lands with impunity. Will's cover as a joungleur has been blown. He has fled into Grimsdale Wood, home of the healer Malcolm (Mallakam). Alyss' true identity has also been discovered by Sir Keren. She is being held hostage in the keep of Macindaw. Will knows he must take the castle and stop Keren, the question is how. When the newly-appointed Ranger finds the Skandian's from book five stranded on the shore, he has his fighting force. Now all he needs is a general. When Halt and Crowley, the Ranger Commandant, send Horace, now a member of the Royal Guard, to assist Will, Will knows that he is ready to stop Keren. But will he be able to save Alyss or will the darkness, and her imprisonment, overwhelm her?

The Siege of Macindaw is one of my favorite installments in the series, my favorite being the last. Malcolm also plays a major role in book nine, Halt's Peril. I won't tell what he does, you'll just have to read and find out!