Book Review: Erak's Ransom by John Flanagan

Erak's Ransom returns us to the time just before Will became a fully-fledged ranger (between book 4 and book 5).  Will and Halt are each dealing with the fears and sadness that come with this impending change in their lives.  But, they don't have long to stew, because Erak, their Skandian friend, is captured by the Arridi, desert-dwelling warriors, who are holding him for ransom.  Setting off to provide that ransom, Will and several of his old friends meet with many unexpected adventures and face death before they can bring Erak home again.

Things I Liked:
Flanagan has created another fantastic adventure, complete with humor, some romance, and plenty of action.  I continue to enjoy the humor that is sometimes so dry and sometimes so obvious that kids and adults both will find something to laugh about.  I find it hard to put down the books until I know just what happens next, so it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.  A great series for reluctant readers and fantasy fans.

Things I Didn't Like:
A few times I found myself thinking how impossibly ridiculous the situations the characters manage to get into.  How many times can Will defy death?  Also, I wondered how characters from different countries and cultures would all be speaking the same language.  It was a very convenient thing for the story, but mars its authenticity just a bit.  And honestly, going back to an earlier part of the story really threw me off.  He should have just waited until he'd finished the whole series.

Read-alikes:
Fans of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings might enjoy the series
Read the rest of the Ranger's Apprentice series

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe a few

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
plenty of action, not overly descriptive

Overall rating: ****

What books do you enjoy that are obviously not written for your demographic?

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