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magsisreading's review against another edition
3.0
collection of short stories. enjoyed pretty much all of them.
grzybowykrasnal's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lucaruit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
saraaaa_statistik's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
justjeanettelee's review against another edition
4.0
I read this instalment by each short story. I then wrote small, individual reviews for each of them and gave them a score out of 5. The only two that got 5/5 were "The Bridal Dance" and "The Hibernian". The worst were the "Foreward" and "Purple Prose". I then decided to average the overall reviews and it came to 3.45, so I decided to round up to 4 stars, purely because I did enjoy reading this book compiled of short stories answering fan questions. I cried, I laughed. I wish that Tug didn't have to meet the end of his career that way. I can't believe Evanlyn (I'm like Will - she'll never be Cassandra to me) is expecting, can't believe Evanlyn and Horace, as well as Will and Alyss got married! Gosh, everything I hoped to happen ever in the series - like Gilan and Jenny getting together, learning more about Halt's past - I got it in this novel and I'm truly grateful for it. John Flanagan is a master of his craft and I couldn't be prouder to say that "The Ranger's Apprentice" was one of the first fandoms I ever joined. In fact, in pretty sure it was the third, after Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Now it's on to the final book, and to meet the end of my favourite characters *sad face*.
PS: Would totally love a series completely devoted from the time Halt left Hibernian until he took on Will as his apprentice! I would buy that, and read it again and again!
PS: Would totally love a series completely devoted from the time Halt left Hibernian until he took on Will as his apprentice! I would buy that, and read it again and again!
kellyrenea's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve enjoyed reading all the Rangers Apprentice stories. This one was not one of my favorites but it did fill in a lot of gaps the earlier stories left in the storyline.
smorrison4's review against another edition
4.0
A great collection of short stories within the Ranger's Apprentice world. I loved the story about Tug that was inspired by a reader's question. Looking forward to reading the Royal Ranger series.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
An omnibus of ten stories revolving around the Ranger Corps in the Kingdom of Araluen.
Flanagan takes an unique approach introducing this collection of short stories he has written around the Ranger's Apprentice by having an archeology professor in 1896 dig up a chest full of reports at a dig site. He ends with a fragment/afterword that introduces his new series, The Brotherband Chronicles.
All are in the Ranger's Apprentice series
"Hibernian", 0.25
"Death of a Hero", 0.5
"Inkwell and the Dagger", 3.5
"Roamers", 7.5??
"Purple Prose", 10.5
"Dinner for Five", 10.6
"Bridal Dance", 10.7
"And About Time, Too...", 10.8
"Wolf", 10.9
The Stories
"Death of a Hero" tells the story of Will Treaty's father and his heroic death on Hackham Heath along with how Will ended up at Redmont Castle in the Ward.
"Inkwell and the Dagger" begins with Ranger Gilan watching Halt ride off after being banished from the kingdom for 12 months and "stripped of his position in the Ranger Corps". Crowley decides Gilan needs something to distract them from the loss of their friend Halt and assigns Gilan to an investigation of a killer by the name of Foldar.
"Roamers" find Halt and Will capturing river pirates but only to arrive home and discover that gypsies stole Ebony. Alyss feels responsible and insists on going with Will to retrieve Will's still-young dog.
"Purple Prose" is a few months before Horace and Cassandra's wedding and Will is struggling to create a memorable speech in his role as Horace's best man. Unfortunately, the only copy is along for the ride when Will and Halt work to foil a moondarkers' plot to wreck ships. Truly, "Purple Prose" in the verbal and physical forms!
"Dinner for Five" results in a foodless dinner for Gilan when Jenny foils the silver thieves.
"Bridal Dance" finds Will suspicious of a pair of Toscan strangers and what their plans may be during Horace and Cassandra's wedding festivities. The wedding guests are a who's who of the series: Erak, the Oberjarl of the Skandians; Gundar Hardstriker brings the Emperor of Nihon-Ja, Shigeru, on his "Wolfwill"; and, the Arridi, Selethen.
"Hibernian" provides the back history on who first trained Halt and how he came to be a Ranger. It's also a fascinating early history on how low the Ranger Corps fell before Duncan became King.
"Wolf" is so sad. It takes place after Will has been a Ranger for 15 years and tells of how Tug is retired from the Ranger Corps.
"And About Time, Too..." is of Will and Alyss' wedding with Horace and Cassandra as best man and matron of honor, Tug and Ebony as best horse and best dog, Halt and Pauline, Jenny and Gilan, Baron Arald to marry them and Lady Sandra, and Malcolm and Trobar with Shadow.
The Cover and Title
The cover includes the embossed black arch across the top of the cover framing a highly-decorated round wooden shield with the Rangers' black oakleaf centered on it and a sword piercing it from top to bottom against a blue-green background of forest.
The title, The Lost Stories, refers to Professor Giles MacFarlane finding a lost cache of Ranger chronicles
Flanagan takes an unique approach introducing this collection of short stories he has written around the Ranger's Apprentice by having an archeology professor in 1896 dig up a chest full of reports at a dig site. He ends with a fragment/afterword that introduces his new series, The Brotherband Chronicles.
All are in the Ranger's Apprentice series
"Hibernian", 0.25
"Death of a Hero", 0.5
"Inkwell and the Dagger", 3.5
"Roamers", 7.5??
"Purple Prose", 10.5
"Dinner for Five", 10.6
"Bridal Dance", 10.7
"And About Time, Too...", 10.8
"Wolf", 10.9
The Stories
"Death of a Hero" tells the story of Will Treaty's father and his heroic death on Hackham Heath along with how Will ended up at Redmont Castle in the Ward.
"Inkwell and the Dagger" begins with Ranger Gilan watching Halt ride off after being banished from the kingdom for 12 months and "stripped of his position in the Ranger Corps". Crowley decides Gilan needs something to distract them from the loss of their friend Halt and assigns Gilan to an investigation of a killer by the name of Foldar.
"Roamers" find Halt and Will capturing river pirates but only to arrive home and discover that gypsies stole Ebony. Alyss feels responsible and insists on going with Will to retrieve Will's still-young dog.
"Purple Prose" is a few months before Horace and Cassandra's wedding and Will is struggling to create a memorable speech in his role as Horace's best man. Unfortunately, the only copy is along for the ride when Will and Halt work to foil a moondarkers' plot to wreck ships. Truly, "Purple Prose" in the verbal and physical forms!
"Dinner for Five" results in a foodless dinner for Gilan when Jenny foils the silver thieves.
"Bridal Dance" finds Will suspicious of a pair of Toscan strangers and what their plans may be during Horace and Cassandra's wedding festivities. The wedding guests are a who's who of the series: Erak, the Oberjarl of the Skandians; Gundar Hardstriker brings the Emperor of Nihon-Ja, Shigeru, on his "Wolfwill"; and, the Arridi, Selethen.
"Hibernian" provides the back history on who first trained Halt and how he came to be a Ranger. It's also a fascinating early history on how low the Ranger Corps fell before Duncan became King.
"Wolf" is so sad. It takes place after Will has been a Ranger for 15 years and tells of how Tug is retired from the Ranger Corps.
"And About Time, Too..." is of Will and Alyss' wedding with Horace and Cassandra as best man and matron of honor, Tug and Ebony as best horse and best dog, Halt and Pauline, Jenny and Gilan, Baron Arald to marry them and Lady Sandra, and Malcolm and Trobar with Shadow.
The Cover and Title
The cover includes the embossed black arch across the top of the cover framing a highly-decorated round wooden shield with the Rangers' black oakleaf centered on it and a sword piercing it from top to bottom against a blue-green background of forest.
The title, The Lost Stories, refers to Professor Giles MacFarlane finding a lost cache of Ranger chronicles