The Tournament at Gorlan
(Ranger's Apprentice: The Early Years #1)

Gr 5 Up--Before becoming a full-fledged Ranger, Halt O'Carrick teams up with Crowley, a fellow protege of master teacher, Pritchard. They hear that a dozen Rangers across Gorlan have been dismissed from their posts on trumped-up charges of disloyalty to King Oswald. It is a ruse by the evil Baron Morgarath to weaken the Rangers' stronghold in the land and overtake the throne. He has locked up the King and his successor Duncan and sent out an obnoxious imposter to raise havoc among the people, in hopes they will beg the Baron to step in as their leader. Halt and Crowley know they must press the 12 former Rangers back into service and free King Oswald and Duncan from their respective prisons before Morgarath declares himself king at the tournament of Gorlan. The mission drives the story, as the team rides covertly from village to village collecting their enlistees and having close calls with Morgarath's henchmen. As each Ranger is added to the mix, they display unique skills and character quirks that help bring energy to the narrative, allowing readers to relish the campfire antics as much as the final action-driven jousting scenes. Challenging vocabulary with context clues broadens the reading interest range. Those who can't get enough of the "Ranger's Apprentice" series (Philomel) will discover more layers to Halt, the steadfast and humble hero, especially the day he meets Pauline for the first time in this prequel. VERDICT Flanagan's familiar mix of action, humor, and cliff-hanger endings will have fans and newbies hooked.--Vicki Reutter, State University of New York at Cortland