The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning

Ranger's Apprentice

By: John Flanagan

Narrated by: John Keating

Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The story that brings the Ranger's Apprentice arc full-circle!

Will Treaty has come a long way from the small boy with dreams of knighthood. Life had other plans for him, and as an apprentice Ranger under Halt, he grew into a legend - the finest Ranger the kingdom has ever known. Yet Will is facing a tragic battle that has left him grim and alone. To add to his problems, the time has come to take on an apprentice of his own, and it's the last person he ever would have expected. Fighting his personal demons, Will has to win the trust and respect of his difficult new companion - a task that at times seems almost impossible.

John Flanagan returns for one final bow to the series that has conquered millions of listeners worldwide with this pulse-pounding adventure that brings one era to a close, and ushers in the next....

©2013 Jon Flanagan (P)2013 Penguin Audio

great ending and better begining

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, It gave a sense of closure to one story but left it open hopefully for another to begin.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the feeling of full circle but at the same time a new begining.

What about John Keating’s performance did you like?

Awesome , played the roles perfectly.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

I hope it's the begining to a new rangers apprentice series.

Depressing

the story should have ended after nihon ja, or at least written about different core characters. the royal ranger series just feels like the slow death of Will and friends happy ending.

From a female reader.

This is sooooo forced. this story was both annoying and down right predictable. unlike the rest of the series. disappointing.

wish this wasn't the end

I've grown close to these characters and this book was bitter sweet as I knew it was the end. throughout the series I kept dreaming of living in their world. being a ranger like Will and Halt and living a life like theirs. so I'll say this in closing if they do make the movie series it has a lot to live up to.

Lovely, Satisfying, excited about coming work

I don't want to give anything away but plan to laugh, cry, worry and in the end be satisfied with the conclusion of one generation's stories and the beginning of another. Tug and Will offer laugh out loud moments. Flanagan's wit is quick and sharp so pay attention. Keating delivers a great performance, as always.

One of my favorite lines goes something like this...Maddie said something, Will snorted, Tug broke wind... Flanagan's prose sometimes just sneaks up on you like that and you find yourself laughing out loud in the grocery store when reaching for a gallon of milk.

There are moments of angst and concern for the characters. There are moments of revenge, moments of heroism and moments of growth. I loved watching Maddie grow from a spoiled princess into a young responsible woman and the first female Ranger Apprentice.

Disappointing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I wish I had not read this story as it takes away from the ending of the original run. Compared to the initial series, Book 12 lacks the same intriguing character connection. The update regarding Will's life at the beginning derails the tale and it never quite recovers.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I hope the next Brother Band book closes the existing story loops and that the characters are not altered as drastically as those in the Apprentice series.

Have you listened to any of John Keating’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Mr. Keating did a wonderful job of story telling.

Do you think The Royal Ranger needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. The original run was an excellent adventure for boys, the role reversal in this new effort takes away from the story line. There are very few books out that I can recommend for my boys, they were so disappointed the main character has shifted to a girl.

loved it

This is the best series. Great narrator, excellent story line. My son and I love listening to all books on this series... we have listened to them repeatedly.

Best one yet

I have been a fan of the Rangers Apprentice books for a long time, and I love this RA book. The story is compelling, and even with a mostly-new cast of characters, it captures my attention easily. This is easily my favorite in the series

I love these stories

The beginning was good, but it began to drag after a while. The ending was all right. Keep them coming.

why?

why did u kill Alice? after everything her and Will went through... u had to kill her.... u could have killed Halt, that would have worked... but Alice... btw not a spoiler... it's said in the first chapter