Rangers Apprentice

There are 12 books in this series by John Flanagan.  Each book is very interesting, and different from the others, giving all of them a unique feel.  In this series, there are some “mini series,” like the 1st and 2nd books are continuations, the 3rd and 4th, the 5th and 6th, 8th and 9th, etc.  Those also make the series really good.  As of now, it is my favorite series, and I have read it countless times.

In the 1st and 2nd books, Morgarath, a former baron of Araluen rebelled 16 years ago and fought a war against the Araluen army with his ferocious beasts, the wargals.  In the first book, Morgarath releases 2 creatures, called the Kalkara, and it’s stare can simply kill you instantly.  A trio of rangers are tasked with hunting, and killing the kalkara.  In the second, Morgarath finally releases his army, but with the help of Skandians, a race from the north.  However, with a tactic developed by the Araluens, he is killed and defeated, as well as his Wargal army.  The series continues like that, with Araluen, or the Rangers fighting battles all across the world, from their home country to a country weeks away on the fastest ship.

I really like the writing style of the author, because it gives so many details, without it being so much you don’t understand.  I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars, and I would recommend this for ages 8+, because it has a ton of action and adventure that isn't super violent or graphic while being easy to understand and suitable for younger ages.  The genre is fantasy, and all in all, this is an amazing series.  Also, I feel like the moral of this series is that no matter how smart or cunning you are, you should always have the backup of your friends and mentors.