The Ranger's Apprentice: Erak's Ransom (The Ranger's Apprentice Series7)

The Ranger’s Apprentice : Erak’s Ransom

By John Flanagan

  This, is going to trace back to the last few month before Will graduate as an apprentice. Apparently, readers aren’t satisfied when the fifth book suddenly skips so many years. So, the author decided to write an adventure just right before he graduated! And there are also some dilemma inside Will and his worry. What’s best, all the friends are going to unite again and more—Halt was getting marry!!! Can you believe it? Halt, the old, stubborn ranger was going to have a wedding!!! And his wife was extremely beautiful!!! No way!!! I don’t believe it!!!

  In the wake of Araluen's uneasy truce with the raiding Skandians comes word that the Skandian leader has been captured by a dangerous desert tribe. The Rangers - and Will - are sent to free him. But the desert is like nothing these warriors have seen before. Strangers in a strange land, they are brutalized by sandstorms, beaten by the unrelenting heat, tricked by one tribe that plays by its own rules, and surprisingly befriended by another. Like a desert mirage, nothing is as it seems. Yet one thing is constant: the bravery of the Rangers.

  I believe there is needless to say how good this book is, after all, the entire series is awesome and worth reading for a thousand time. This time, not only are we going to be introduce with new people, but also a completely different country, races and environment, which will challenge Will to his best. After the treaty between Araluen and Skandia, Erak forbade his people to…raid the fief in Araluen. (Not exactly forbade…it was more of…dislike and prevent…however, no one will like to against Erak’s will, after all, he was the Oberjarl. But when he was about to make his last raid, he was captured by Seleyel’then, Wakir of the Arridi province of Al Shabah. (Please, don’t ask me how to pronounce the entire sentence.) Arridi was the nation that lived in the desert, well trained as a warrior. In order to save Erak, Will and Halt set of a journey, including Gilan and Horace, in order to protect Princess Cassandra, as we all know, Evanlyn. They left on Woftwind to rescue Erak…however, when the deal was ready, Erak was already sent away. So to finish the mission earlier, the group went to find Erak. But then…they were attack by Tualaghi, and were all captured. Oh! Instead Will. Why could he escape? Because during their ride, they met a sandstorm…and Tug was lost. Will left alone to find him back…as you might guess, he met his own problem. He had never gotten to desert before and soon ran out of water, what’s worse, he was misled by the compass. Thankfully, when he was about to die, he was rescue by another tribe, the Bedullin. There, he was treated well by the head of the tribe, Umar, and he also earned their friendship. Besides, Tug was also rescued by one of his tribesman. Unfortunately, there were rule, Will couldn’t just appear out of nowhere and took back his horse. And of course you know, smart as he was, he had manage a way to win Tug back…but would it success? I don’t know. (Hahahaha! Laughing evilly.) At the same time, Halt, Cassandra, Horace, Gilan were all captured by Yusal, the chief of Tualaghi, there, they met Erak. To save his mentor, Will must have every help and of course, wisdom. But what they didn’t know, there were more about the kidnapping, and evil scheme was all behind all of this. Well…I love to be introduce new country, it makes the series bigger and more fun, especially they will all once again unite in the future!!!

  Now…what about information about those tribes? Seleyel’then, Wakir of the Arridi province of Al Shabah. When he was first present, he was described as a powerful, cunning person, especially compared with the Skandian…who mostly have actions better than words. (No offense, Erak.) Then when the group came, he was disguised as the captain, and the Wakir was pretended by other. But his natural scene of warrior couldn’t be hiden from him, both Horace and Selethen knew that they were both dangerous opponent. As their journey to Erak, he showed his skilled of being a great leader and showed his wisdom, aside from his warrior side. What’s more…his country sold excellent coffee…which made Halt, Will, and Gorlan wanted to stay there forever. Then the Bedullin tribe, they wandering tribe in the desert. They moved from place to place, and also, great warrior. They saved Will from thirst and brought him back to tend his wound. Their chief, Umar, was also a successful leader that leaded his tribe to flourish, bigger and stronger. Also he was sometime misjudge and overacted…he accepted his fault and changed it, which made him a better leader, who listen to his men, protect the women and the elderly, and made himself better. The last tribe, the Tualaghi. The evil of the desert. They were dangerous as viper, heartless as one, and dreadful as one. The Tualaghi was all the tribes’ troble, they robbed, attacked and destroyed everything. What’s worst, they were incredibly skilled warriors, hard to defeat. Now..are you interesting with those tribes that we’ve never heard? If Araluen could be regarded as the ancient Europe, than the tribes could be refer as the Persia. (Well…I now, not exactly the same time…but they were similar, just like Skandia could also be think as the Viking.) Prepare your horse, you’re going to a journey into the desert, and I hereby wish you good luck…because you’ll only be dragged into the story more and more as you read.