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Book Review of The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, Bk 1)

The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice, Bk 1)
reviewed on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


As a home educator who's studied a lot of curriculum texts and recommended novels on the subject, this is my favorite tween/teen series for medieval literature! With absolutely no glorification of sorcery (Flanagan acknowledges the predisposition of people to believe in it during the time period, but any "sorcerers" in these books are exposed as extortionists), these books are engaging for the adventure as well as the little lessons about "how to grow up" that Will learns from Halt. I appreciate the historical facts and outdoor activities that act as natural trailers for extended study, and the author's online study guide (although I wish it was expanded). Note: The author's adult characters--a couple of the rougher ones--use the words d**n and h*ll as expletives 2-3 times in each of the first three books or so. After the third or fourth book, there's no cussin'.