In Swick's Bookbag : The Ruins of Gorlan

I have a love-hate relationship with series. The series that I do love, I love very much and I'm glad that there are multiple books. The series that I don't love or simply haven't read yet... well, they can be a pain because I have to label them all so that they are easier to find for kiddos.

Surprisingly! - just kiddo books. Adults don't seem to mind giving me the title of the second book in the series, or in some cases, the series name. Kids and teens on the other hand just say "I'm looking for Twilight #2 or Diary of a Wimpy Kid #2" .... doesn't matter if that isn't the name of the series... never know the title of the sequel so I'm constantly having to look series order up.... sometimes if it doesn't even have a sequel, they ask about the sequel because EVERY book lately (I'm looking at you YA section) seems to be part of a series.

The Ranger's Apprentice is one of those series that's been popular, long, and one I hadn't read yet. Since I've been putting the numbers on these books recently, I thought it was about time I introduced myself. The series STILL seems to be going on. It began in 2004 and the latest (#12) was published last year. Plus, boys seem to really like it, and I tend to dig guys' reads a lot.

I can't say that I've fallen in love with the series yet, but I am enjoying what I have read so far and already plan to check out the second volume called 'The Burning Bridge.' The Ranger's Apprentice is a medieval fantasy drama centered around Will, an orphan boy, who becomes apprenticed to Ranger Halt (duh, that's where the series name comes from!) and trained in the art of hunting, assassin arts, and espionage. The blurbs that I have read about the other titles suggest that there is a long epic storyline spanning years over Will's life as a Ranger and the lives of his orphan friends and their apprenticeships. I've been looking for a 'Game of Thrones'esque readalike that wasn't quite so complicated to get me in the mood to read high fantasy, and I think that I have found it. There's plenty of action, and all the characters- particularly the main ones : Will, Halt, and Horace are developing nicely.

Reminds me a lot of the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series.