The Siege of Macindaw: Book Six [Paperback]

 

 

Create your own review

THE SIEGE OF MACINDAW, the sixth installment in John Flanagan's best-selling RANGER'S APPRENTICE series, picks up right where THE SORCERER OF THE NORTH left off, with Alyss imprisoned in Macindaw castle at the mercy of Keren the usurper.

Will is soon united with enemy-turned-best-friend Horace, deep in Malcolm the Healer's mysterious forest. Much as it pains the two to be so close to Macindaw and yet so helpless, the two know that they do not stand a chance against Keren and his soldiers. Worst of all, Will has no idea what the traitor Keren might be up to.

The unexpected arrival of a small Skandian force, led by Gundar Hardstriker, is the ultimate blessing. While the Skandians find themselves stranded in Araluen quite by accident, Will greets them heartily and quickly turns them into his own small army, led by none other than Horace, the Oakleaf Knight.

With intelligence covertly provided by Alyss, Will and Horace learn of Keren's plans to turn Macindaw over to the Scotti tribes of Picta. All the odds are against them, but Will and Horace are not about to give up. The ranger and warrior complement each other perfectly, and the two hope that Will's agility and wit paired with Horace's strength and fighting experience will be enough to overcome Keren's forces and the fast-approaching Scotti army. Trying to take Macindaw with only thirty men is a daunting task, a feat never before achieved in Araluen history.

In other words, the perfect challenge.

It is easy to see why RANGER'S APPRENTICE has such a following with the preteen crowd. THE SIEGE OF MACINDAW is a fantasy adventure with strong characters and a fast-paced plot. Flanagan's characters have heart and his heroes are almost too virtuous to be true. While an adult audience might dismiss Will and Horace as one-dimensional, their shining courage and unwavering sense of morality will appeal to younger readers.

Araluen is an epic fantasy world reminiscent of Tamora Pierce's Tortall with a pinch of C. S. Lewis' Narnia thrown in for good measure.

Reviewed by: Amber Gibson

When we last saw Will Treaty, he was in a seemingly hopeless situation -- the knight Keren and his treacherous sidekick Buttle had taken over MacIndaw Castle, the heir has been chased off, and Alyss was a prisoner.

"The Siege of Macindaw" picks up immediately after that, and thankfully John Flanagan steers the story off in a much warmer, more hopeful direction. While the middle part of the sixth Ranger's Apprentice book is on the slow side, the gentle humor, elaborate strategies and action-packed climax keep it intricate and interesting.

Will is delighted when he hears news of a young warrior with a free-for-hire shield in the area -- it's Horace, meaning that he now has a somewhat better chance of victory. As a brigade of Scotti warriors approach, meaning that a chunk of Araluen will be lost, Will also acquires other allies: Malcolm the "sorcerer" and his followers, and a band of stranded Skandians who are all too happy to be hired.

So Will and his allies set out to capture the Scotti warriors, and somehow must find out what their battle plans are. But Malcolm's illusions and deceptions won't be enough to stop the soldiers of Macindaw -- it will take plenty of strategy and combat to infiltrate the castle. And when Will finally finds Keren, he will find someone dear to him suddenly turned against him.

"The Siege of Macindaw" is a rather slow-moving book at times -- the entire middle section is a stretch of careful strategic planning, with the occasional spurt of bloody, knife-swiping action. Fortunately, it's also very intricate and well-mapped out, and it's become clear once and for all that Will is no longer just an apprentice -- he and Horace are a strong, confident Ranger and warrior.

While things seem hopeless at the beginning, Flanagan devotes much of the plot to building up advantages for our heroes -- smoke-and-mirrors demons and monsters, a band of hardy Skandians, and their own prowess. And the last third of the novel suddenly blossoms into an emotionally intense, action-packed story that pits Horace, Will and their little band against Keren.

Flanagan also has thoroughly solid, atmospheric writing that brings to mind snow, big eerie illusions and a ghastly scene where Malcolm terrifies the Scotti with the image of a reality-bending demon. While the story is devoted to stopping Keren, he inserts some pleasant exchanges that keep the characters connected, such discussing a proper name for Will's dog, or a fun little limerick challenge ("What rhymes with Macindaw?").

But the most important focus here is Will and Horace, now confident young men who still bicker, care about each other, and fight the Scotti with wild abandon. And Will's obvious feelings for Alyss finally come out into the open, while Horace is hinted to have some feelings for another absent girl. And Flanagan's careful writing also leads to some very intricate villains -- though a bad guy, Keren is plagued by guilt and doubt; and the Scotti leader is a guy you end up feeling sorry for.

The sixth Ranger's Apprentice book "The Siege of Macindaw" nicely finishes off the story started in the previous book, and cements the maturity of an apprentice that is now a full Ranger. A good solid fantasy story.

When we last saw Will Treaty, he was in a seemingly hopeless situation -- the knight Keren and his treacherous sidekick Buttle had taken over MacIndaw Castle, the heir has been chased off, and Alyss was a prisoner.

"The Siege of Macindaw" picks up immediately after that, and thankfully John Flanagan steers the story off in a much warmer, more hopeful direction. While the middle part of the sixth Ranger's Apprentice book is on the slow side, the gentle humor, elaborate strategies and action-packed climax keep it intricate and interesting.

Will is delighted when he hears news of a young warrior with a free-for-hire shield in the area -- it's Horace, meaning that he now has a somewhat better chance of victory. As a brigade of Scotti warriors approach, meaning that a chunk of Araluen will be lost, Will also acquires other allies: Malcolm the "sorcerer" and his followers, and a band of stranded Skandians who are all too happy to be hired.

So Will and his allies set out to capture the Scotti warriors, and somehow must find out what their battle plans are. But Malcolm's illusions and deceptions won't be enough to stop the soldiers of Macindaw -- it will take plenty of strategy and combat to infiltrate the castle. And when Will finally finds Keren, he will find someone dear to him suddenly turned against him.

"The Siege of Macindaw" is a rather slow-moving book at times -- the entire middle section is a stretch of careful strategic planning, with the occasional spurt of bloody, knife-swiping action. Fortunately, it's also very intricate and well-mapped out, and it's become clear once and for all that Will is no longer just an apprentice -- he and Horace are a strong, confident Ranger and warrior.

While things seem hopeless at the beginning, Flanagan devotes much of the plot to building up advantages for our heroes -- smoke-and-mirrors demons and monsters, a band of hardy Skandians, and their own prowess. And the last third of the novel suddenly blossoms into an emotionally intense, action-packed story that pits Horace, Will and their little band against Keren.

Flanagan also has thoroughly solid, atmospheric writing that brings to mind snow, big eerie illusions and a ghastly scene where Malcolm terrifies the Scotti with the image of a reality-bending demon. While the story is devoted to stopping Keren, he inserts some pleasant exchanges that keep the characters connected, such discussing a proper name for Will's dog, or a fun little limerick challenge ("What rhymes with Macindaw?").

But the most important focus here is Will and Horace, now confident young men who still bicker, care about each other, and fight the Scotti with wild abandon. And Will's obvious feelings for Alyss finally come out into the open, while Horace is hinted to have some feelings for another absent girl. And Flanagan's careful writing also leads to some very intricate villains -- though a bad guy, Keren is plagued by guilt and doubt; and the Scotti leader is a guy you end up feeling sorry for.

The sixth Ranger's Apprentice book "The Siege of Macindaw" nicely finishes off the story started in the previous book, and cements the maturity of an apprentice that is now a full Ranger. A good solid fantasy story.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 4 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

4.0 out of 5 stars Love it!
Description: Hiding out in the woods is not a bad position for a ranger like Will to be in. It's what he's trained for, after all. Read more

Published on Oct 12 2009 by Vanessa M. Dow

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 4 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!