Rangers Apprentice: Norgate Fief by John Flanagan review by Bret A.

Do you have a favorite book? Some might say they like realistic books or sport books. Both of those are great, but one of my true favorites is the medieval genre. It incorporates all kinds of things such as action and sometimes even a bit of romance.
The story takes place in the kingdom of Arulean in a fief called Norgate, a northern section of the kingdom always covered in snow. It is a beautiful place with majestic mountains and white frosty tree tops reaching up toward the sky. John Flanagan, the author of the book, puts you in the story right next to the main characters. He is great at giving you a mental picture of what surrounds the characters.
Will, once a rangers apprentice, has recently been added to the Ranger Corps and assigned to his own fief at the age of seventeen. He is very wise and well trained but also has a humorous teenage side to him. His mentor Halt, the one who guided him to becoming a Ranger, also appears in the book when Will is assigned to his new mission. Halt, a man of about fifty, is quite a mystery among the people of the kingdom and is actually feared amongst the people for being known as some kind of mystical sorcerer. Alyss, a girl that Will grew up with in an orphanage, is a tall, beautiful girl who Will has always kind of had the sweets for.
Rumors have been being aroused about the great sorcerer, Malkallam, returning to wreak havoc to the royal family of Norgate fief. Their leader, lord Syron, has been poisoned and of course people believe that this is the evil work of the mysterious sorcerer that lives in the woods outside of the castle. When Will arrives and figures out that all of this is the fault of lord Syron’s nephew Sir Keren, who also has poisoned the son of Syron, the only person they can turn to is the great Malkallam the supposed sorcerer who resides in the mysterious woods outside of the castle.
This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and has all kinds of weird twists and turns. It is definitely a book I would recommend, especially if you’re into medieval themes.