Bookworm Speaks!- Halt's Peril Review

Bookworm Speaks!

Halt’s Peril

Ranger’s Apprentice Book 9

by John Flanagan

****

The Story: The renegade outlaw group known as the Outsiders has journeyed from kingdom to kingdom, conning the innocent out of their few valuables. Will and Halt, his mentor, are ambushed by the cult's deadly assassins when Halt is pierced by a poisoned arrow. Now Will must travel day and night in search of the one person with the power to cure Halt: Malkallam the Sorcerer.

The Good: This is one of the most perilous books in the entire series. It really does take the most risks. 

The Book’s previous were about Will and Horace coming into their own as warriors but this is their real trial. Will is now a full-blown Ranger and Horace is now a full-blown knight, but even then, they have always had Halt with them, providing support. He was always there beside them or behind the scenes. This time though, Halt is not there for them. He is the one who needs saving. This is a step for full independence for them. 

This book also deals with the theme of loss quite well. Halt has been pretty much the only father-figure that Will has ever known. He is family. The thought of losing a father is overwhelming to Will and he is forced to think, work, and fight harder than ever before if he is to save Halt. 

Horace too, must grow up as well. Like Will, he could always depend on Halt. He too was an orphan and while he perhaps does not view Halt as a father, he undoubtably shares a deep bond with Halt and since he is charged with caring for the stricken Halt, Horace is brought to tears at the thought of losing him. Both characters are well and truly on their own. 

The emotional weight of the whole arc feels very tangible and may hit close to home for a lot of readers. It quite literally attacks the heart of the whole series and makes the reader quite eager to finish the story and witness the resolution. 

One of the best things about this book though is not the peril of Halt but a sequence that occurs just before that arc begins: The Trial in the Dead Forest.

Minor Spoilers Ahead:

While pursuing the Genovesan assassins, they make their stand in a forest that had been submerged by a lake. The forest is dead, drowned by the water. 

The author’s work is know for having a, not simple but accessible, writing style, which makes it so beloved by a wide age-range. So it is very fascinating to see him use such poetic tones when depicting the trial in the dead forest. This is one of the most poetic of the Ranger’s Apprentice books, and demonstrates the writers skill with prose. It is good to see him stretch his poetical muscle. The atmosphere seems to radiate from the pages and it seems like for the first time, we get a real look into the mind of a King’s Ranger. 

The Flaws: The main problem with this book is the pacing. It takes a while for the story to reach its nominal arc and the journey to that point is lacking. The first few chapters are spent talking. If we want books about long conversations we would go and read a few political thrillers. Thankfully, this does not last long but as many writers and publishers would say…the first chapter is the most critical of any book. 

This pattern continues throughout the rest of the first part of the book, when Will, Horace, and Halt are pursuing Tennyson across the countryside. This passage feels very plodding and tedious. Even the banter between the trio feels forced. Its as if they too are aware of the boredom being experienced by the reader and are making half-hearted attempts to lighten the mood. It gets a little action packed here and there but it only makes the dragging tone of the previous passages stand out more starkly. 

Finally: the way the leader of the Outsiders is dealt with in the end feels rather anticlimactic and frankly a bit cliched, and finally…a little ambiguous. Overall…a letdown. 

Final Verdict: Halt’s Peril is not to best book and it concludes a rather lackluster story arc, but the sheer emotional weight of the story and the ‘close to home’ crisis makes it much more epic. 

Four out Five Stars 

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