A beginner's guide to Ranger's Apprentice

by Amelia Dumesny

17 Jul 2024

Ranger’s Apprentice is one of my all-time favourite book series. When I was 9, I made myself a mottled green cloak, I fashioned a longbow out of bamboo and liked to think I was a Ranger myself. When I don’t know what to read or listen to, I still inevitably fall back to Ranger’s. I love the excitement when author, John Flanagan, releases a new book and couldn’t wait to get my hands on his latest: Ambush at Sorato.

Ranger’s is a perfect blend of reality and fantasy, set in the world of Araluen (based on a medieval type England) and its surrounding countries. There are battles, friendships, love, loss, adventure, heroes, villains and even a few monsters. The first Ranger’s Apprentice book came out in 2009, but there are now several series that weave in and out of each other, with overlapping timelines, locations and characters. There are many more books than when I started reading, and it can be confusing to work out which book goes where. So, here is my beginner’s guide to Ranger’s Apprentice!

I would recommend reading the books by series, starting with the Ranger’s Apprentice main series, followed by The Early Years, The Royal Ranger, then Brotherband.

Ranger’s Apprentice

Ranger’s Apprentice is an 11 book series that follows Will in his apprenticeship and subsequent appointment into the Ranger Core – an elite group who are tasked with protecting the Kingdom. Join him as he learns what it means to be a Ranger, and stand by his side as he faces all the challenges that brings.

Ranger’s Apprentice: The Early Years

The Early Years is a two book prequel series to Ranger’s Apprentice, going into the backstories of some important figures in Ranger’s Apprentice. The Early Years goes into detail about Will’s mentor, Halt, and his journey into the Ranger Core many years before. You don’t need to read these books first, but as a big fan I found it very worthwhile learning more about Halt.

Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger

In this series, we follow Maddie on her journey as the first female Ranger in a male oriented world. Perfect for those who love a strong female lead!

I would recommend reading this series after Ranger’s Apprentice, as there is a lot about the plot and lead characters that wouldn’t make sense without the information provided in the main series. It's currently 7 books long – the latest, Ambush at Sorato, just came out in June.

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Brotherband

Brotherband is a separate 9 book series to Ranger’s Apprentice, taking place in Skandia (based on Scandinavia), but it does link into events and characters from the rest of the Ranger’s Apprentice series. It is a strong and enthralling tale of friendship, adventure and loyalty. Join this gang of Skandian outcasts as they attempt to become the best Brotherband in history. Go on a ride (or should I say sail?) with Stig, Thorn and Hal, and feel what it may have been like to be a Viking.

Another option is to read them in timeline order, switching between the different series to read about events in the order they happen. To do that, this is the order you would read them: