Kings of Clonmel: Book Eight (Ranger's Apprentice)

I very much enjoyed this book (as I heve the others in this series). It is an easy read with plenty of adventure. As a result, I am looking forward to reading the next installment (Halt's Peril) & hope that John Flannagan continues to add more adventures for Will, Halt, Horace & the others.

John Flanagan hasn't let up the pace with his Ranger's Apprentice series, and Book 8 is sure to keep you reading! The pages seem to turn themselves as the story progresses, drawing you in with shocking discoveries and laugh-out-loud situations. I can't wait for Book 9!

Reader thoughts: I wish JF would tell us how old Will is. 19? 20? 21? Something like that. I'm glad JF brought Jenny back into the picture. Also glad he set up the book for a sequel.

The scene with Will and the apprentice rangers? Geniously hilarious.

Still funny throughout, still outwitting the enemy instead of using brute force, and even side characters seem real in these books. I was a bit annoyed at the final climax. Does Will have to solve everything with archery??

The ranger's horses can't possibly be real horses. They're too smart.

I think we'll see Will as a Jongleur quite a bit from now on. Too bad Alys has stayed out of the fighting/action, and what about Evelyn/Cassandra? I'd like to see more of them.

Writer thoughts:
There are a few reasons why I think JF chose to put Will and Halt together again. 1st, because it is familiar to his readers. 2nd, it makes readers feel like Will is an apprentice again, which is something the audience (10-14 year olds) will be familiar with. If JF makes Will sound too old, he won't be as relatable.

Bookworm Speaks!

Ranger’s Apprentice Book 8

The Kings of Clonmel

by John Flanagan

****
The Story: When a cult springs up in neighboring Clonmel, promising to quell the recent attacks by lawless marauders, people flock from all over to offer gold in exchange for protection. But Halt is all too familiar with this particular group, and he knows they have a less than charitable agenda. Secrets will be unveiled and battles fought to the death as Will and Horace help Halt in ridding the land of a dangerous enemy.

The Good: This is where we see Halt’s story. This series has always been about Will, ever since the beginning. Halt is such a good character, though, that the readers have grown to love him as much as Will and Horace. To finally see where he came from and what he’s connected to is a real treat. The truth of his origins will stun many readers. On the other hand…perhaps it will lend an explanation to a lot about Halt.

We also get into what this series does best…the Power Team. Horace, Halt, and Will, going off on a grand adventure. What makes this particular adventure so great is how it is the first one where everyone has truly blossomed. Will is a fully fledged Ranger, Horace is a full-grown Knight of the Realm, and even Halt has changed…no longer is he the babysitter to inexperienced youths, he can work on equal terms with his allies and friends. This is perhaps best illustrated in the first few chapters of the book where Will returns to Redmont and they formulate their adventure for the rest of the book. It is a very nice for two reasons. One, in books that involve epic heroes, its is very refreshing to see our favorite be normal for change and enjoying simple situations, such as having a meal. The second reason is how is shows that they have grown. We see glimpses of how far Will, Alyss, Jenny, and even George from the first book and how they have come into their own. Halt and Crowley are able to talk to them as equals now and after watching Will stumble in the preceding books, we finally see him fully fledged.

It shows a bit of courage on the part of the author to display religion and cults in such as manners as that described in the book. In fiction, Religion, in its myriad of forms, is usually portrayed in one of three ways: It is force for good, a antagonistic force, or simply part of the background.

The Flaws: This book suffers the same way as the previous two-parter in the series, The Sorcerer in the North and the Siege of Macindaw, in that they are not very memorable. Perhaps the author is a more concise writer and does not do longer stories very well. This volume is one of the longest in the series and the author spends too much time filling it up with details that may or may not be relevant in the next half of the two-parter. The author may have become a bit overconfident by this volume after all of his success and more of the flaws in his writing style are becoming more apparent.

Horace is one of the main victims of this. Horace has indeed grown in his aptitude for combat, but to be completely honest…not much else. Horace was a source of comedy in previous books in how his open and honest nature contrasted with Will and Halt’s broody and reclusive temperaments. This time around, the reader feels Halt’s pain when Horace teases him. He is a little too innocent and honorable to be entertaining. He gets annoying in some places. His obsession with food is understandable, again it’s a little annoying.

While the cult is a fun enemy, its not the most well thought out. The villain seems to have no real plan other than getting lots of gold. That’s fine for a bunch of bad guys but there is all this talk of how the King of Hibernia is weak and the the cult plans to seize power. It never goes into a great deal of detail on how exactly this will be accomplished. Really, the only reason is because: “We’re greedy, bad guys. Didn’t you read the script?” That, in of itself, is not a bad motive but only for books and media for young children. The Ranger’s Apprentice sells itself as a young adult series and young adults need goals that are a little more sophisticated than just for evils.

Final Verdict: The previous book is a classic, but this kind of the point where the other is starting to lose steam. What carries the book through is the characters and the interesting backstory but the book as a whole is lacking.

Three out of Five Stars

thecultureworm.blogspot.com

The ranger Halt's past has always been a mystery, even to his apprentice Will. We know he was born in Hibernia, and that's it.

But his past is revealed in "Ranger's Apprentice: The Kings of Clonmel," the eighth fantasy novel about the skilled and elusive Rangers and the land of Araluen. John Flanagan's smooth solid writing is in top form here, and he neatly weaves together two fascinating subplots -- one about Halt's past and background, and the other about a toxic cult.

While Will attends the Gathering, Halt is off investigating a cult that has recently popped up -- the Outsiders, a warm'n'fuzzy religion that uses psychology and hired bandits to fleece believers of all their gold. And though Halt is able to save the village in question, he finds that the Outsiders' next target is the kingdom of Hibernia, his own homeland. Unfortunately, King Ferris is a weak and cowardly king... and he's got a very special connection to Halt.

It doesn't take long for Will, Horace and Halt to find the Outsiders and their charismatic leader Tennyson, who are rapidly converting the Hibernian populace to his false religion. But Tennyson doesn't realize that he's being stealthily sabotaged by the Rangers, who plan to use an ancient Hibernian legend -- the Sunrise Warrior -- against the con-man prophet and his false god. But they can only do it with Ferris' help.

John Flanagan seems to be revving up the Ranger's Apprentice series for a whole new arc, this one centering on Tennyson and the insidious gold-leeching cult -- while "The Kings of Clonmel" is wrapped up tidily at the end, Flanagan leaves the door open for the next book or two to deal with them further. But the big draw of this particular book is the revelation of who Halt was before he became a Ranger -- and it comes as a bit of a shock.

Along the way, Flanagan weaves together a complex plot that drips with lots of tautly-written action, political manipulation, clever deceptions, and quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor ("You're certainly not going to shave me in tea!"). The first few chapters are a bit on the slow side, but once our heroes head to Hibernia it becomes a brilliant adventure tale... with a subtle message on how easily people are swayed into doing terrible things. And it culminates in a brilliant double duel that shows Horace's skill and cleverness.

Will and Horace have come a long way from the unsure, naive boys they were at the series' beginning. Will is now a confident, skilled Ranger who is teaching the younger apprentices, and is offered a special new job that draws on his expertise. The only flaw is that Alyss is still kind of a pale, 2-D love interest. And Horace is equally confident and skilled as a young knight who must fight for the fate of an entire kingdom.

On the flipside, Flanagan has you wishing a meteor would fall and squash the devious Tennyson and paranoid, pathetic Ferris. As for Halt... well, he's been a mystery for far too long, and Flanagan finally reveals where he came from, who his family is/was, and the reason he left. And as we're often reminded, he's not as young as he once was.

"The Kings of Clonmel" is a thoroughly entertaining fantasy adventure, which is all tied up in the long-hidden past of the Ranger Halt. And it leaves you eagerly waiting for the next installment.

All praise to this healthy and fine addition to the ranger's apprentice series, and it was not a long ago in the storyline, that Halt revealed his true identity as the rightful heir to the throne of the country Clonmel. Although it was taken as a joke at the time, during the circumstances they now are in, it was vitally important for Halt to set out to help his brother to protect the country of Clonmel. Now he ventures out to face his destiny and to remove any further activities from the cult which has once again struck back, after their defeat on Araluen.

This "cult" also mentioned as a religion through the 5 countries that fell to its power already, is known as the Outsiders. It has a complicated history with them, and last time it went on the road, Araluen was in a danger of falling as well. However, the rangers managed to stop their progress and drive the leaders out of the land. However, the cult still remained, and it is a round 2 for the rangers.

As the Outsiders rounds more people to join their cause and to "contribute" money to the foundation, Will, Horace, and Halt sets out to the unstable kingdom undercover, in hope of stopping the progression. As they realize that the cult had already progressed too far for the rangers to kill the leaders to be done with, but have to instead, discredit them to stop further interruptions of them in the land.

This book end in a cliffhanger, to indicate a book following right up, but it rounds up the remaining story in the country Clonmel quite well. It is action packed and exciting story to read, and I really liked it (five stars:). I hope the story continues on forever, and I would really find it impressive if it did. Enjoy!

This is the eighth book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. There are ten books total in the series. If you have enjoyed the previous books in this series, then you will enjoy this one as well.

When Will arrives at the yearly Ranger's Gathering he finds that Halt is missing. Halt is in the west investigating a mysterious religious cult called the Outsiders that is affecting the stability of the kingdom of Clonmel. Will and Horace are asked to go and assist Halt in dealing with the threat.

This book was very much like all the previous books in this series. It was a solid and well done fantasy with humorous banter between the characters. Will, Halt, and Horace are fun to read about.

The plot is very much like other plots in this series. This is a problem in a kingdom that needs to be dealt with; our trio goes and deals with it. Along the way there are some twists and turns that put them in tough situations and they need to use their wits and talents to figure out a solution.

There is one additional thing in this book that makes things a bit more interesting. In this story we learn a lot about Halt's history, where he comes from, and who his family is. It was fun to learn about Halt's past and get some more background on him. Although I found the background as to why Halt left his family to be a bit unrealistic when you consider who Halt is and how he normally acts.

I was a bit disappointed that none of the girls feature in this story. I have enjoyed having Alyss or Cassandra as part of the story. I also thought that there really wasn't as much character development in this book as in previous books. Will is grown and seems a bit stagnant. Horace was more witty than in previous books but outside of that he was the same old Horace. Even Halt seems a bit tired throughout the story.

This book is the first half of a story that will be continued into book 9. As with previous books, this is a well written but not super creative story.

Overall another solid addition to this series. It was great to learn about Halt's past. The witty banter between the characters is highly entertaining. I didn't think there was as much character development as in previous books. In general this is a solid traditional adventure fantasy that should appeal to a middle grade and older audience.

The Kings of Clonmel wasn't my favourite book of the series, but I still, obviously, really enjoyed it. It certainly had me engaged, but I'll admit that the second half lacked the urgency and addictive quality the first half had. The first half just threw mind-blowing plot twists at me again and again, and I was a little overwhelmed - in a good way - with all the new information, especially about Halt's history.

I also really loved seeing more of Halt and Horace together. They have such an adorable and hilarious relationship, and I loved seeing that blossom. Also Horace just really grew as a character in this book. He has matured so much!

Overall,this was another fantastic sequel but I don't expect any less of John Flanagan now. I look forward to Halt's Peril and seeing more of Clonmel.

The ranger Halt's past has always been a mystery, even to his apprentice Will. We know he was born in Hibernia, and that's it.

But his past is revealed in "Ranger's Apprentice: The Kings of Clonmel," the eighth fantasy novel about the skilled and elusive Rangers and the land of Araluen. John Flanagan's smooth solid writing is in top form here, and he neatly weaves together two fascinating subplots -- one about Halt's past and background, and the other about a toxic cult.

While Will attends the Gathering, Halt is off investigating a cult that has recently popped up -- the Outsiders, a warm'n'fuzzy religion that uses psychology and hired bandits to fleece believers of all their gold. And though Halt is able to save the village in question, he finds that the Outsiders' next target is the kingdom of Hibernia, his own homeland. Unfortunately, King Ferris is a weak and cowardly king... and he's got a very special connection to Halt.

It doesn't take long for Will, Horace and Halt to find the Outsiders and their charismatic leader Tennyson, who are rapidly converting the Hibernian populace to his false religion. But Tennyson doesn't realize that he's being stealthily sabotaged by the Rangers, who plan to use an ancient Hibernian legend -- the Sunrise Warrior -- against the con-man prophet and his false god. But they can only do it with Ferris' help.

John Flanagan seems to be revving up the Ranger's Apprentice series for a whole new arc, this one centering on Tennyson and the insidious gold-leeching cult -- while "The Kings of Clonmel" is wrapped up tidily at the end, Flanagan leaves the door open for the next book or two to deal with them further. But the big draw of this particular book is the revelation of who Halt was before he became a Ranger -- and it comes as a bit of a shock.

Along the way, Flanagan weaves together a complex plot that drips with lots of tautly-written action, political manipulation, clever deceptions, and quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor ("You're certainly not going to shave me in tea!"). The first few chapters are a bit on the slow side, but once our heroes head to Hibernia it becomes a brilliant adventure tale... with a subtle message on how easily people are swayed into doing terrible things. And it culminates in a brilliant double duel that shows Horace's skill and cleverness.

Will and Horace have come a long way from the unsure, naive boys they were at the series' beginning. Will is now a confident, skilled Ranger who is teaching the younger apprentices, and is offered a special new job that draws on his expertise. The only flaw is that Alyss is still kind of a pale, 2-D love interest. And Horace is equally confident and skilled as a young knight who must fight for the fate of an entire kingdom.

On the flipside, Flanagan has you wishing a meteor would fall and squash the devious Tennyson and paranoid, pathetic Ferris. As for Halt... well, he's been a mystery for far too long, and Flanagan finally reveals where he came from, who his family is/was, and the reason he left. And as we're often reminded, he's not as young as he once was.

"The Kings of Clonmel" is a thoroughly entertaining fantasy adventure, which is all tied up in the long-hidden past of the Ranger Halt. And it leaves you eagerly waiting for the next installment.

The ranger Halt's past has always been a mystery, even to his apprentice Will. We know he was born in Hibernia, and that's it.

But his past is revealed in "Ranger's Apprentice: The Kings of Clonmel," the eighth fantasy novel about the skilled and elusive Rangers and the land of Araluen. John Flanagan's smooth solid writing is in top form here, and he neatly weaves together two fascinating subplots -- one about Halt's past and background, and the other about a toxic cult.

While Will attends the Gathering, Halt is off investigating a cult that has recently popped up -- the Outsiders, a warm'n'fuzzy religion that uses psychology and hired bandits to fleece believers of all their gold. And though Halt is able to save the village in question, he finds that the Outsiders' next target is the kingdom of Hibernia, his own homeland. Unfortunately, King Ferris is a weak and cowardly king... and he's got a very special connection to Halt.

It doesn't take long for Will, Horace and Halt to find the Outsiders and their charismatic leader Tennyson, who are rapidly converting the Hibernian populace to his false religion. But Tennyson doesn't realize that he's being stealthily sabotaged by the Rangers, who plan to use an ancient Hibernian legend -- the Sunrise Warrior -- against the con-man prophet and his false god. But they can only do it with Ferris' help.

John Flanagan seems to be revving up the Ranger's Apprentice series for a whole new arc, this one centering on Tennyson and the insidious gold-leeching cult -- while "The Kings of Clonmel" is wrapped up tidily at the end, Flanagan leaves the door open for the next book or two to deal with them further. But the big draw of this particular book is the revelation of who Halt was before he became a Ranger -- and it comes as a bit of a shock.

Along the way, Flanagan weaves together a complex plot that drips with lots of tautly-written action, political manipulation, clever deceptions, and quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor ("You're certainly not going to shave me in tea!"). The first few chapters are a bit on the slow side, but once our heroes head to Hibernia it becomes a brilliant adventure tale... with a subtle message on how easily people are swayed into doing terrible things. And it culminates in a brilliant double duel that shows Horace's skill and cleverness.

Will and Horace have come a long way from the unsure, naive boys they were at the series' beginning. Will is now a confident, skilled Ranger who is teaching the younger apprentices, and is offered a special new job that draws on his expertise. The only flaw is that Alyss is still kind of a pale, 2-D love interest. And Horace is equally confident and skilled as a young knight who must fight for the fate of an entire kingdom.

On the flipside, Flanagan has you wishing a meteor would fall and squash the devious Tennyson and paranoid, pathetic Ferris. As for Halt... well, he's been a mystery for far too long, and Flanagan finally reveals where he came from, who his family is/was, and the reason he left. And as we're often reminded, he's not as young as he once was.

"The Kings of Clonmel" is a thoroughly entertaining fantasy adventure, which is all tied up in the long-hidden past of the Ranger Halt. And it leaves you eagerly waiting for the next installment.

"The Kings of Clonmel" is book 8 in John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series. This is one of the most incredible series I've read in a long time. Flanagan has an uncanny ability to make his characters come alive. So much so that I've found myself wondering what they were up to while I'm driving to and from work. Halt, Will and Horace have traveled to Hibernia to help discredit The Outsiders, a group of people preaching about a false god for their own gains. I don't want to ruin the plot, but one of the best things about this particular book is it delves into the mysterious Halt's past, providing us with more information then ever about where he comes from and who he really is. The battles sequence at the end created vivid images that were awesome, and the plot was intense. Even if you're not a fan of this genre of writing, you will truly love this book in particular and the entire series in general. I would recommend it to anyone!

Finally. At last. At long last we understand a tiny bit of Halt's past. Sure he serves the king of Araluen, but his birth is Hibernian. Not just any birth. A ROYAL HIBERNIAN BIRTH. This book gives us a satisfying explanation of why Halt, a prince destined to become the King of Hibernia, chose to become an elite soldier in another king's army. Flanagan's flexible style seamlessly blends in a past and a future all while keeping up with the present, which has something to do with a scam-artist-type prophet inviting people to worship a fake god. Then it evolves into something more malicious, with mercenaries and massacres, assassins and insurrections. Oh, and the King of Hibernia? He's Halt's twin brother.

Add a little one-on-one fighting to the mix, and you've got a novel a lot more worth the nine bucks you can buy it for (but nine bucks is just fine).

VBG

The Kings of Clonmel is the 8th book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I think it is the best book in the series because they have battles and two brothers who fought over the crown.
As an example of a battle, "As the horse came back to all fours, another outlaw was already moving forward, a long-handled mace in both hands, drawn back for a killing blow. But Horace's reactions were lightning fast and his thrusting sword took the man in the shoulder, outside his chain mail vest. The outlaw staggered back, the mace dropping as he tried to stem the gush of blood from the wound."
Another great part in the book is "The final time was a year after the roof incident, when my father was close to death. Ferris knew he had to act quickly. We were salmon fishing and I leaned over the side of our boat to untangle my line. Next thing, I felt a shove in the back and I was in the water. When I came up, Ferris was trying to reach me with an oar. At first I thought he was trying to help. Then, when the oar hit me, I knew what he was really doing."
I would recommend this book to a friend because it was thrilling and adventerous throughout the book.

"The Kings of Clonmel" is book 8 in John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series. This is one of the most incredible series I've read in a long time. Flanagan has an uncanny ability to make his characters come alive. So much so that I've found myself wondering what they were up to while I'm driving to and from work. Halt, Will and Horace have traveled to Hibernia to help discredit The Outsiders, a group of people preaching about a false god for their own gains. I don't want to ruin the plot, but one of the best things about this particular book is it delves into the mysterious Halt's past, providing us with more information then ever about where he comes from and who he really is. The battles sequence at the end created vivid images that were awesome, and the plot was intense. Even if you're not a fan of this genre of writing, you will truly love this book in particular and the entire series in general. I would recommend it to anyone!

The ranger Halt's past has always been a mystery, even to his apprentice Will. We know he was born in Hibernia, and that's it.

But his past is revealed in "Ranger's Apprentice: The Kings of Clonmel," the eighth fantasy novel about the skilled and elusive Rangers and the land of Araluen. John Flanagan's smooth solid writing is in top form here, and he neatly weaves together two fascinating subplots -- one about Halt's past and background, and the other about a toxic cult.

While Will attends the Gathering, Halt is off investigating a cult that has recently popped up -- the Outsiders, a warm'n'fuzzy religion that uses psychology and hired bandits to fleece believers of all their gold. And though Halt is able to save the village in question, he finds that the Outsiders' next target is the kingdom of Hibernia, his own homeland. Unfortunately, King Ferris is a weak and cowardly king... and he's got a very special connection to Halt.

It doesn't take long for Will, Horace and Halt to find the Outsiders and their charismatic leader Tennyson, who are rapidly converting the Hibernian populace to his false religion. But Tennyson doesn't realize that he's being stealthily sabotaged by the Rangers, who plan to use an ancient Hibernian legend -- the Sunrise Warrior -- against the con-man prophet and his false god. But they can only do it with Ferris' help.

John Flanagan seems to be revving up the Ranger's Apprentice series for a whole new arc, this one centering on Tennyson and the insidious gold-leeching cult -- while "The Kings of Clonmel" is wrapped up tidily at the end, Flanagan leaves the door open for the next book or two to deal with them further. But the big draw of this particular book is the revelation of who Halt was before he became a Ranger -- and it comes as a bit of a shock.

Along the way, Flanagan weaves together a complex plot that drips with lots of tautly-written action, political manipulation, clever deceptions, and quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor ("You're certainly not going to shave me in tea!"). The first few chapters are a bit on the slow side, but once our heroes head to Hibernia it becomes a brilliant adventure tale... with a subtle message on how easily people are swayed into doing terrible things. And it culminates in a brilliant double duel that shows Horace's skill and cleverness.

Will and Horace have come a long way from the unsure, naive boys they were at the series' beginning. Will is now a confident, skilled Ranger who is teaching the younger apprentices, and is offered a special new job that draws on his expertise. The only flaw is that Alyss is still kind of a pale, 2-D love interest. And Horace is equally confident and skilled as a young knight who must fight for the fate of an entire kingdom.

On the flipside, Flanagan has you wishing a meteor would fall and squash the devious Tennyson and paranoid, pathetic Ferris. As for Halt... well, he's been a mystery for far too long, and Flanagan finally reveals where he came from, who his family is/was, and the reason he left. And as we're often reminded, he's not as young as he once was.

"The Kings of Clonmel" is a thoroughly entertaining fantasy adventure, which is all tied up in the long-hidden past of the Ranger Halt. And it leaves you eagerly waiting for the next installment.

The Kings of Clonmel (2010) is the eighth Fantasy novel in the Ranger Apprentice series, following The Siege of Macindaw. In the previous volume, the Skandians went over the wall into the castle. Horace finally met Buttle in open combat. Keren fell out of a tower window.

While Alyss was in a trance, Will expressed his love for her. Then he was worried that she would reject him and she was not sure of what he said. So neither spoke of love at the time. But then Will received a letter from Alyss after returning to Seacliff fief.

In this novel, Will Treaty is a full Ranger of Araluen stationed in Seacliff fief. He and Alyss have fallen in love.

Alyss Mainwaring is a Courier. She was raised with Will and loves the Ranger.

Halt is Will's mentor. Although Will now has his own fief, he still considers himself as Halt's apprentice.

Horace is the Oakleaf Knight, a prodigal with a sword. He has known Will and Alyss since early childhood. He has also assisted Halt in several missions.

In this story, Will and Gilan are going to the annual Gathering. They are among the first to arrive, but Halt is not there. Crowley tells them that Halt has another mission.

After the Gathering, Crowley tells Will about plans to start a Special Task Group under Halt. Will would transfer back to Redmont Fief and become Halt's assistant. And Horace would be part of the Group. Gilan -- recently transferred to Whitby fief nearby -- would take care of both fiefs if Halt and Will went elsewhere on a mission.

Naturally, Will accepts the reassignment. The chance to be near Alyss is too good to refuse. And Will has definitely enjoyed missions with Halt and Horace.

Meanwhile, Halt has left Araluen to go to Selsey, a nearby fishermen's village on the sea coast. A religious organization has appeared there and Halt thinks them to be very much like the Outsiders group he has encountered in the past. They had pretended to be priests and acolytes of the god Alseiass and had solicited gold and other valuables to turn aside threats from another god.

Sure enough, the religious group is from the Outsiders. Some of them are staying in the background and committing crimes against property and persons. Then their leader is offering to drive away the bandits if their god is sufficiently awarded.

Hurt foils that plan and takes a prisoner back to Redmont. There he joins Will and Crowley for dinner at the inn. After dining, Halt tells them what he had learned and the first mission of the Special Task Group begins.

Halt now knows that the main organization is working in Hibernia. They have already taken control of five of the six kingdoms and are working in Clonmel. It just happens that the King of Clonmel is Halt's twin brother.

Halt, Will and Horace travel to Selsey and get a lift on a fishing boat to the Hibernian coast. After unloading their horses and gear, they head toward Dun Kilty, the King's castle. They pass through Craikennis and learn of a raid in nearby Duffy's Ford.

They also learn of a religious group at Mountshannon that is probably Outsiders. Halt sends Will to Duffy's Ford to track the raiders to their hideout. Halt and Horace go toward Mountshannon.

This tale involves the Rangers and Horace in political maneuvering in Clonmel. The Outsiders have turned most of the populace against their king. So Halt plans to restore their loyalty to the throne.

This story has many surprises. The next installment is Halt's Peril. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Flanagan fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of high adventure, political intrigue, and personal courage.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The annual Ranger Gathering brings together all the rangers across Araluen for information swapping, testing of apprentices, and other festivities. Will Treaty has come to enjoy such gatherings, as they are an opportunity to escape the listlessness of his sleepy fife and catch up with his old mentor, Halt. Will usually learns what is happening around the kingdom and even manages to crack jokes at Halt's expense. Except this time Halt is nowhere to be found, and Will is about to have his position in the Rangers changed --- forever.

Will learns that he and Halt have been reassigned to form a Special Task Group to handle special circumstances that may arise from time to time. He is eager at the thought of working with Halt again and his good friend Horace, the knight, and is plunged right into an adventure when Halt returns with some troubling news. The Outsiders, a religious fanatical group, have popped up in the southern kingdom of Hibernia and threaten to overtake all six kingdoms located there. Once Hibernia is conquered, the Outsiders will stop at nothing to take over Araluen.

The Outsiders profess to serving the god Alseiass, who draws its strength from precious metal, especially gold. Most people do not give up gold easily, so the Outsiders have devised a scheme to manipulate villages into giving up its riches. The Outsiders claim that Alseiass will provide protection to a village as long as they provide gold. When villages refuse, the Outsiders' secret army attacks and destroys everything in its path. Stories spread from village to village, and eventually people become scared, desperate, or loyal followers of Alseiass.

Halt, Horace and Will have their work cut out for them as they discover that five of the six kingdoms have been conquered by the Outsiders. All that is left is the kingdom of Clonmel, which so happens to be Halt's birthplace, and it is on the brink of collapse. Tennyson, the leader of the Outsiders, has already manipulated King Ferris and is on the cusp of taking control of the kingdom. Tennyson believes he has thought of everything, but he has never come up against the skill and wisdom of a Ranger.

As Horace, Will and Halt prepare to battle against the Outsiders, Halt reveals a secret hidden deep in his past that could potentially change everything. In the midst of sword fights, assassination attempts and Ranger cunningness is an ending that will leave the reader clamoring for more.

John Flanagan always does an excellent job focusing on the heart of the entire series: the relationship among Will, Halt and Horace. While all three have been on numerous adventures together, it is the bond of friendship that holds them all together. Flanagan hints in the book that these characters are growing older and therefore their roles are changing. It will be interesting to see how these relationships are ultimately defined as the series heads for its ninth installment in October.

This book, along with the others in this series, make up one of the best young adult fantasy series I've ever encountered. John Flanagan creates characters that you ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT! (Hear that Suzanne Collins?) This is one of the few series that has actually made me laugh out loud.

* Believable, interesting characters that you care about.
* Interesting story lines that will have you finish a 500 page book in a weekend.
* Great varied locations that enhance each adventure.
* Amazing long-term history with the characters.
* Clean reading for children and young adults

The stories are set in a medieval European world of Flanagan's design. These books are a must read for any LOTR, GOT or WOT fans. Although much simpler reads, the satisfaction is the same.

such good very wow lots wowing in the wow full book of wow and it is much book and much good while maintaining its wowability throught the wowing book and ther is lots arrows and sword camping in this book that keeps its literal sleeves full of literal book

Another solid read in the Ranger's Apprentice series. This book doesn't quite end but it was a better ending than book 5. A few surprises that I really enjoyed. The camaraderie between Will, Halt, and Horace is just lots of fun. I want some more romance! Not what target audiences are looking for though, I'm sure.

This new installment to the series was very suspenseful and hard to put down. In this book, it's about a neighboring kingdom of Araluen, where a mysterious cult, called the "Outsiders", has sprung up. It promises protection and defense, from their so-called god "Alseiass" against the evil followers of "Balsennis", to villages. The only thing they ask for is gold in return. This cult draws lots of attention and even to the trio, Halt, Will and Horace. The trio has heard of these cults before and try to find the dark side of this cult. Later on in the book you find the devious plot of the cult and very deep secrets about some seclusive characters are revealed that are quite interesting. A funny part of the story is when they fight fire with fire. They use Horace as a mythical character to counter the plan of the cult.
It was very intense and gripping. At the end it leaves you hanging, because trio doesn't completely do away with the cult at the end of the story. It will make you look forward to the next book in the series.

In the search for a cult of thieves acting as prophits worshing a false god, Halt faces a King and a decision that may or may not change his future forever.

The imagination in the book really worked well in this series and brought insight into Halts past. Another 5 stars.

When a dangerous cult threatens the safety of Araluan, Halt must return to his roots, and confront the king hidden in his past.

The Kings of Clonmel provides background on how and why Halt came to be a ranger in a thrilling, but inconclusive tale. The reader should be aware that the story contains cold blooded killing with an increased level of description, and a slightly higher level of intensity.

(I'm 10 so I probably have different opinions then the adults about the book.) This book is great as all the others and definitely one of the best. (2nd best in my opinion.) I don't want so spoil anything so I won't say much.
Since book 7 was when will was an apprentice, as you probably expect, Alyss and Will are in a romantic relationship.
I have already read book 9 Halt's Peril, and that is number 1 on my list. But now dying in waiting for book 10!

When a dangerous cult threatens the safety of Araluan, Halt must return to his roots, and confront the king hidden in his past.

The Kings of Clonmel provides background on how and why Halt came to be a ranger in a thrilling, but inconclusive tale. The reader should be aware that the story contains cold blooded killing with an increased level of description, and a slightly higher level of intensity.

For the last 7 books, the picture of Will in my head was of a boy--young and fresh faced and ready to ask questions and annoy Halt. Even when he became a full Ranger, I pictured him like that! But in this book, Flanagan uses amazing imagery, an endearing plot, suspense and more to really change the picture in my head. Will is all grown up now, and I couldn't be happier.
This book is extremely creative, in my opinion. The characters are one of a kind, the plot synopsis is clear and original. I love it so much.
I've been an avid reader of young adult books, like Vladimir Tod, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and this really stands out among them all.

I eagerly awaited this as it arrived from Abbeys Book in Australia. It took less than a day to devour it. True to the rest of the series, Mr. Flanagan belts out another amazing edition to the Ranger's Apprentice.
This time, Will and friends find themselves in Ireland (Hibernia) chasing after religious wackos. The dialogue between Horace, Will and Halt are hilarious. This is by far the funniest book of the series.
John Flanagan covers the story well, brings out the personalities nicely, and wraps the whole story into a wonderful and enchanting end.
I look forward to book 9!

The premise of Halt's brother is little far fetched, but the value of courage and leadership are strongly emphasized. An insightful look at political manipulation & how groups are influenced by needs.

For anyone who has read the rest of the books, you will understand that most of the other stories are about Will and you might be thinking that there isn't too much more that he can do but this book in the series is more about the mentor Halt and his history. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure in this story. It meant learning more of Halt and not only his backstory but also about his way of gathering information about how he thinks through situations.
I thought it was a good idea to give Will a bit of a backseat in this story to encourage more interest in all of the characters within the series.

I'm enjoying the 're-read of this Flanagan/Apprentice series so much. Love the links to kindle dictionary because the vocabulary is rich with new meanings. I'm sorry the book about China is not available for Kindle.

It was a really good book just like the others in this amazing series the only thing I won't like about this series is when it ends =) so get this book now!!! I thought I said now why are u still reading this read the book instead seriously like now!!!!

The Kings of Clonmel offers action packed adventure and many secrets of the past. This book changes the theme of the Rangers apprentice series as it talks about the characters history and other elements not mentioned in the previous book. I would recommend this to teens and young adults as they usually reach for the action packed books with a little bit of a mystery element to it. I enjoyed this book a lot.

I really liked this one. The first part is not as exciting, but it gets a lot better in the end. Even though some other people thought the flipping back and forth between characters was horrible, I thought it was the best way to tell the story. If it was just all Will or Halt you wouldn't know what the other characters were doing. I like this one a lot, not my number one in the series, but one of the top three.

This book is fantastic and I would recommend it to anybody who loves a good medieval/ fiction book. The reason why I didnt give it 5 stars is because I think this tennyson character should have grabbed more towns to rebel against the king.

My family and I love the Ranger's Apprentice/Brotherband books. Great stories, well written and brilliant dialogues between characters(including the animals, love that Tug and Abelard are main characters).

He's done it again! Loved the continuing story of Will, Halt and Horace. This tale revealed a bit more about Halt then I ever thought we would learn. Read it so fast I am reading it again. If you have loved the first seven Ranger's Apprentices, this one will NOT disappoint!

When parents can share edge-of-the-seat excitement in a book with their 11 and 14 year old children, you know you have a good story. Such is the case with John Flanagan's new novel, The Kings of Clonmel, 8th in the Ranger's Apprentice series. Building on the background set up in earlier books in the series, friends Will, Halt, and Horace are once again off on a dangerous mission, this time to undermine the efforts of a sinister group on an unknown island. Mixing fun and humor with chilling suspense, Mr. Flanagan once again weaves a tale you won't want to put down!

Another great read in this author's Ranger's Apprentice series. I felt that the series had started to go a bit downhill but this one was most definetly back on par with the high adventure and the drama of the earlier titles.

I'm shocked to see how well rated this book is. I've read all the books in the series and can unequivocally say this was the worst.

I had to struggle to read through the first 300 pages. There was too many unnecessary details, so much banter between Will, Halt and Horace that was supposed to be funny but fell flat. To top it all off, my disbelief refused to be suspended. I know that this is a YA book but come on, kids are smarter than you think! There are these two identical twin brothers that look similar enough for a man to mistake one for the other in the beginning. In the middle of the book the twins have no resemblance since one walks around without being recognized as the other even though the other is a *very* prominent member of society. In the end they look alike again. (I'm being vague since I don't want to reveal spoilers.)Please make up your mind? There were many other things like that...

I suppose I am so dissapointed because I enjoyed all the other books so much. This one, I hope, is a fluke.

The Kings of Clonmel is great! You finally learn about Halt's past and family. Not only this, but you also see Will as more of a full fledged Ranger than just the apprentice. Horace kicks butt as usual, and even shows new insight to his character. I can't wait for book nine: Halt's Peril! (The title says it all)

This is a great book man just like the rest of the series so if you liked the rest of the series you'll like this one. pretty much Halt is out hunting a religious group called the outsiders who warn people by saying bad things will happen if you don't give them money for their religion and bad things do happen. That's what halt was out to stop them and find out whats really going on. and not to tell you what happens or anything but Crowley un-assigned will from sea cliff and recruited him to a new special ops team of rangers that he just created.
and not go give anything away but...
Halt has a brother!
overall i thought this was a great book and a wonderful addition to the Ranger's Apprentice series i hope you like it too. =)

The book is great. I completely recommend it to anyone who is reluctant to read, or for anyone who is looking for a good realistic fantasy. If you are considering it, you should know that there are 7 other books before it: the ruins of Gorlan, the burning bridge, the icebound land, the battle for skandia, the sorcerer of the north, the siege of macindaw, and eraks ransom.

Like the other books in this series this book is packed with action from beginning to end. It has twists and turns that keep you guessing, and once you reach the climax it's impossible to put it down until you've finished.

This instalment of the Rangers Aprentice series is arguably the best one yet. With its between country travel seen in most books of this series, it delivers a action packed storyline with a tragic twist ending. I give this a splid 4 out of 5.

A fun read, though not as good as the preceding book in the series (Erak's Ransom). Large parts of the plot were quite transparent and predictable, but that didn't really detract from the readability of the book.

Ok if people dont like this book they are plain crazy I am a girl of 12 and I have been reading preety much since I could talk! But this series....It just blew me away! I am a huge harry potter fan to but when I read the first word on that page...I knew I would never forget that book!

i bought this book about a month after it came out at barnes & nobles and by the reviews it didnt seem to be as good as the previous books but when i read it... i found out that it was actually better then half of the other books i can not wait till halts peril comes out i plan to own all the series :)

WOW! What a story. You think you know what might be next only to be fooled. The story unfolds so well. Hoping I can get book 9 when it comes out this month. Books 7,8, and 9 not out in USA but thankfully got them from the store. My curiosity is waiting patiently. Would love to see this in a movie or tv series. Recommend for all ages. Great reading! You won't want to put it down!

I really love this series. John Flanagan has created a cast of characters that you can't help but love. Filled with adventure, action, and humor, I find these stories so hard to put down once I start them. The Kings of Clonmel is no exception. Bravo!

Has anyone else noticed the change in writing style in Book 8? Have any adults read this book? Children would most likely not necessarily notice the change in style. We have loved The Ranger's Apprentice Books 1-7. These books have a great style and the stories keep you spellbound. It is a pleasure to read these books aloud, because the writing is excellent. Our whole family has been reading them and we have been huge fans.

Book 8, however, has been a huge disappointment. The story is ok (not as good as the other books), but the writing style is terrible. From the very first paragraph, it seems obvious that a different writer, or team of writers, wrote this volume. The style is completely different than the writing in books 1-7. Mr. Flanagan must have either gotten tired of the series and hired a ghost writer, or has lost his touch between Book 7 and Book 8.

John Flanagan continues the series with this fast-paced book that has you riveted until the very end. He writes this book without skipping a beat from the previous one. the characters are still the same that you love, and of course the action is great.

I've read 8 of the 13 books in this collection n I can't seem to put them down!!! I love the way these books are written and the characters are amazing!!!! The timeline is fantastic and it's very easy to imagine yourself there watching every sword fight and each arrow as it archaic thru the sky!!! Even though these are considered young adult themed I recommend this series to everyone who loves stories of kings and nights and Rangers!!!

Overall this novel (and all of the Ranger's Apprentice novels) was extraordinary. The depiction of Horace as the Sunrise Warrior was interesting and thought-provoking, although he seemed a little obviously not fairy-tale stuff to me. Any skilled knight could paint a sun on his shield and have his friends tell people rumors. Horace earned it, though.

*Further paragraphs contain some spoilers*

The duel thing with the Genovesan was a very smart thing for Flanagan to incorporate. It proved Will's intelligence and bow skills, at the very least. I do have two minor problems with it. First, anyone could see a man sway a "meter", as this was how far Will shot to his right. The Genovesan would never get away with that. Will's intentionally askew shot was questionable, too. Yes, the Genovesan was right-hand and thus right-footed, so he may push off that side, but Will banked his life unnecessarily on that fact. Maybe that was brilliance, maybe impractical and risky. Who could know?

Halt's being the worthy heir to the crown was very interesting, too. Talk about a bombshell. Grim, subtle, and not at all ostentatious, Halt was likely one of the last people I would have thought to be a crown heir. Ferris having attempted homicide at his twin's expense provides quite the background on the paranoid, nervous, yet too-comfortable King. Oh, how seven minutes affected two kingdoms.

Halt also had absolutely no reason to be afraid of a landlady.

I kind of hate how apparently in Clonmel how good your representative is a t fighting determines how credible you and your followers' claims are. "Oh, one of us is wrong but obviously having (*being) a good fighter makes ME right, so fight me!" *Quite similar to a middle school confrontation, now that I think about it...

*End of spoiler alerts*

Don't take me wrong for focusing mostly on my beliefs on little plot holes. This book could not be put down. I kind of hate Ranger's Apprentice because the characters are so addicting and after reading Book 12 (Plus Red Fox Clan and more, and Brotherband Chronicles) you will suffer from temporary depression.

Okay, one last thing. Flanagan has a perhaps excessive tendency to take Araluen and say "Oh, here's a new cool-sounding cult group minor nation thing! New book time!" This is talking about, among others I may forget:
Genovesans (minor)
Bedullin
Arridi
Outsiders
Red Fox Clan
Ghostfaces (Brotherband)
Scotti
Temujai
Tualaghai
And more...

Once again, a masterful novel by Flanagan, overall.

This is great. It uses clichés and formulas that are common in the genre, but that's what makes for entertainment. The first two books are like Tolkien with Rangers, Wargals, and a dark lord, but then as the series progresses it goes more in an Arthurian direction. The main characters, two rangers, and a knight have to undertake varying quests when a threat is made to their persons or their kingdom. We've all seen this scenario done many, many times, but the author does it so well it's very enjoyable. There's heroes, villians, monsters, and a few laughs in-between. Good for children and adults alike.