Here, you will find out how to read Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Order.
Ranger’s Apprentice is a series written by Australian author John Flanagan. Flanagan decided to turn the twenty short stories he had written for his children into a book, which became the first novel in the series, The Ruins of Gorlan.
The series follows the adventures of Will, an orphan who is chosen as an apprentice Ranger.
Accompanied by his friends and allies, including the brave knight Horace, the resourceful diplomat Alyss, and the witty Ranger Gilan, Will embarks on perilous missions to protect the kingdom and its people.
Together, they navigate treacherous landscapes, engage in epic battles, and uncover hidden truths that shape the fate of Araluen.
As the series progresses, Will grows from a novice apprentice into a formidable Ranger, embodying the values of courage, loyalty, and resilience.
Alongside his personal development, the books explore themes of friendship, honor, sacrifice, and the enduring power of good in the face of evil.
Each book in the series offers a thrilling adventure filled with action, suspense, and richly developed characters.
Who is the Main Protagonist of the Ranger’s Apprentice Book Series?
The main protagonist of the Ranger’s Apprentice book series is a character named Will Treaty. Will Treaty’s parents are deceased and Will grows up as an orphan in the Ward of Castle Redmont along with Alyss, Horace, George, and Jenny.
Throughout the series, Will trains to become a skilled Ranger, a secretive and highly skilled group of archers and spies.
The books follow Will’s adventures as he faces various challenges and threats in the medieval fantasy world created by author John Flanagan.
Some notable supporting characters in the Ranger’s Apprentice book series:
- Alyss Mainwaring- Alyss Mainwaring is a longtime friend of Will. She has a diplomatic nature and carries herself with poise and grace.
- Halt O’Carrick- Halt is a highly skilled Ranger and the mentor to the protagonist, Will Treaty. He is known for being intelligent, having extensive knowledge of tracking and surveillance, and exceptional archery skills.
- Horace Altman- Horace and Will are best friends. He is a straightforward young man who displays the strong ethics brought on by Battleschool training.
John Flanagan’s Biography
John Flanagan is an Australian fantasy author best known for his medieval fantasy series, the Ranger’s Apprentice series.
Flanagan worked at an advertising agency before working as a full-time writer. His early novels were mainly thrillers. He started working in the 1990s on the Ranger’s Apprentice series.
Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Order
Ranger’s Apprentice Series
1) The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1)
Published in 2004, the Ruins of Gorlan is the first novel in the Ranger’s Apprentice series written by Australian author John Flanagan. The Ruins of Gorlan was originally a set of short stories written by author John Flanagan for his son Michael to encourage him to read. Flanagan wrote one story each week for thirty weeks and then ten years later decided to write them into a full-length novel.
The series begins with Will Treaty, a young orphan, being chosen as the apprentice to the mysterious and skilled Ranger, Halt. Set in the Kingdom of Araluen, this book follows Will’s training and his first mission to protect the kingdom from an ancient evil that threatens to return.
2) The Burning Bridge (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 2)
Published in 2005, The Burning Bridge is the second book of the Ranger’s Apprentice series written by John Flanagan.
In this book, Will and his friend Horace are on a special mission for the Rangers. Upon reaching their destination, they realize that all of the villagers are gone.
Will and Horace wonder if all the villagers have been slain or captured, but Gilan thinks that the evil Lord Morgarath finally devised a plan to cross the mountain pass.
Gilan goes to warn the King, and Will and Horace begin to follow a straggling Wargal force. They face treacherous landscapes, and dangerous battles, and learn valuable lessons about friendship and loyalty.
3) The Icebound Land (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 3)
The Icebound Land is the third book in the Ranger’s Apprentice book series. The book was published in 2005.
In this book, Will, Halt, and Horace set out on a perilous journey to rescue Will’s friend, Evanlyn (also known as Cassandra), who has been taken captive by the Skandians.
The story focuses on their struggle to survive in the icy wastelands and their efforts to outwit their captors.
4) Oakleaf Bearers or Battle for Skandia (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 4)
Published in 2006, the Oakleaf Bearers or the Battle for Skandia is the fourth novel in the Ranger’s Apprentice book series.
This book was a finalist for the 2006 Aurealis Award for Best Children’s Novel. Will and Evanlyn, with the help of the Skandians, work together to free themselves from captivity and uncover a plot to overthrow the Skandian leader.
The book explores themes of trust, honor, and resilience in the face of adversity.
5) The Sorcerer of the North: Book Five (Ranger’s Apprentice 5)
The Sorcerer of the North is the fifth book in the Ranger’s Apprentice book series. The book was released in 2006.
Five years have passed since the Skandians and the Araluans made their treaty, and Will has finally become a ranger, with his own fief to look after.
Soon, Will and his old friend Alyss are thrown into a terrifying new adventure, investigating the truth behind rumours of sorcery in a remote northern fief.
6) The Siege of Macindaw: Book Six (Ranger’s Apprentice 6)
The sixth book in the Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan is The Siege of Macindaw, which was released in 2006.
Will, Halt, and their allies defend the strategic fortress of Macindaw from an impending invasion by the treacherous Keren and his forces.
The book is filled with action, suspense, and the development of new alliances.
7) Erak’s Ransom (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 7)
This book, published in 2007, takes a detour from Will’s perspective and focuses on his friend Gilan, a fellow Ranger. Gilan embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue the Skandian Oberjarl, Erak, who has been captured by a ruthless desert tribe. The story showcases Gilan’s skills, bravery, and determination.
8) The Kings of Clonmel (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 8)
The Kings of Clonmel is the eighth novel in the Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan published in 2008.
Will is assigned to investigate the unsettling activities of a cult-like group known as the Outsiders, who pose a threat to the stability of the kingdom.
As he delves deeper into their secrets, Will finds himself facing a formidable enemy that tests his abilities and courage.
9) Halt’s Peril (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 9)
Published in 2009, Halt’s Peril is the ninth novel in the Ranger’s Apprentice series. In this novel, Halt, Horace, and Will follow Tennyson’s trail to Picta. They’re determined to stop the Outsider prophet and his remaining followers before the outlaws make their way across the border to Araluen.
10) The Emperor of Nihon-Ja (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 10)
The Emperor of Nihon-Ja is the tenth instalment of the Ranger’s Apprentice book series by John Flanagan. The book was published in 2010.
In this book, Horace is missing for months ever since he was sent out on a military mission to the court of the Emperor Nihon-Ja but he has failed to return.
11) The Lost Stories (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 11)
Published in 2011, the Lost Stories is the penultimate book in the Ranger’s Apprentice book series. This collection of short stories provides insights into the past, present, and future of the characters in the series. It fills in gaps, reveals untold tales, and ties up loose ends, offering fans a deeper understanding of the Ranger’s Apprentice world.
The Royal Ranger Series
1) A New Beginning (Ranger’s Apprentice: Royal Ranger Book 1)
A New Beginning or the Royal Ranger, is the twelfth and final novel in the Ranger’s Apprentice book series published in 2013. This series continues the story of Will Treaty as a fully-fledged Ranger and introduces a new generation of characters.
It follows the adventures of Will’s apprentice, Princess Madelyn (Maddie), as she becomes a skilled Ranger and faces her own challenges.
2) The Red Fox Clan (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger Book 2)
Picking up where The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning left off, this next installment continues the story arc featuring young apprentice Maddie and the student-turned-master, Will Treaty. The time has come for the next generation to assume the mantle and become protectors of the kingdom of Araluen. The Red Fox Clan was published in 2018.
3) Duel at Araluen (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger Book 3)
Duel at Araluen was published in 2018. King Duncan and Princess Cassandra are trapped in the south tower of Castle Araluen and under near-constant attack from the Red Fox Clan. Sir Horace and Ranger Commandant Gilan are holed up in an old hill fort, surrounded by the enemy. And Ranger’s apprentice Maddie is the only one who can save them all.
With the help of Hal, Thorn, and the rest of the Heron brotherband, Maddie will have to break her father and his men out of the hill fort, but will they reach Castle Araluen in time?
4) The Missing Prince (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger Book 4)
Will Treaty and his apprentice, Maddie have been urgently summoned to Castle Araluen. When they arrive they learn a shocking truth: the Prince of Gallica is missing–and the King of Gallica has asked for help. All reports suggest that the young prince has been taken prisoner by the dangerous and powerful Baron Joubert de Lassigny. King Duncan knows that sending troops to Gallica to rescue the prince could start a war, as could openly helping Gallica resolve internal convict. But there’s another way to save the prince: the Ranger Corps. The Missing Prince was published in 2020.
5) Escape from Falaise (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger Book 5)
Escape from Falaise was published in 2021. After their plan to rescue the prince of Gallica has gone horribly wrong, Will Treaty and his apprentice, Maddie, are being held captive at the Chateau des Falaises in Gallica. The dangerous baron Lassigny is intent on keeping them—and the prince—no matter what. But Will and Maddie are determined to escape.
If they ever want to return to their home, they’ll have to find ways to outwit the baron and get outside the locked tower. When friends from home endeavor to find their own way to help it seems escape is closer than ever. But the dirty tricks of the baron are no laughing matter.
Facing dangerous threats, battles with knights, and a new and risky plot to save the prince—the odds are stacked against them. But the Rangers will use all the tools of their trade to save themselves and save the day.
6) Arazan’s Wolves (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger Book 6)
This book was published in 2022. Will and Maddie are sent to the neighbouring kingdom of Celtica to investigate reports of terrifying direwolves, an ancient species thought to be extinct. What they discover is even more of a threat – a sorceress who has brought direwolves and Wargals under her control and is building an army of creatures both living and supernatural. Arazan must be stopped before she becomes too powerful – but first Will and Maddie need to find her.
Brotherband Chronicles
1) The Outcasts (Brotherband Book 1)
There is only one way to become a warrior. Boys are chosen for teams called Brotherbands and must endure months of gruelling battles in the treacherous sea.
Hal finds himself the unwilling leader of a band of outcasts, the boys that no one wants. They are small and wiry but what they lack in size, they make up with skill and courage.
Now they must battle against the other bands in the ultimate race where there can only be one winner.
The Outcasts is the first book in the Brotherband series published in 2011, from the author of the internationally bestselling Ranger’s Apprentice.
2) The Invaders (Brotherband Book 2)
Hal and the Herons have done the impossible. This group of outsiders has beaten out the strongest, most skilled young warriors in all of Skandia to win the Brotherband competition. But their celebration comes to an abrupt end when the Skandians’ most sacred artifact, the Andomal, is stolen–and the Herons are to blame.
The Invaders was published in 2012.
3) The Hunters (Brotherband Book 3)
Hal and his brotherband crew are hot on the trail of the pirate Zavac and they have one thing only on their minds: Stopping the bloodthirsty thief before he can do more damage.
Of course, they also know Zavac has the Andomal, the priceless Skandian artifact stolen when the brotherband let down their guard.
The chase leads down mighty rivers, terrifying rapids, to the lawless fortress of Ragusa. The Hunters was published in 2012.
4) Slaves of Socorro (Brotherband Book 4)
Hal and his fellow Herons have returned home to Skandia after defeating the pirate captain Zavac and reclaiming Skandia’s most prized artifact, the Andomal.
With their honor restored, the Herons turn to a new mission: tracking down an old rival turned bitter enemy. Tursgud—leader of the Shark Brotherband and Hal’s constant opponent—has turned from a bullying youth into a pirate and slave trader. Slaves of Socorro was published in 2014.
5) Scorpion Mountain (Brotherband Book 5)
Hal, his Brotherband crew, and the Ranger Gilan have freed the twelve Araluens sold into slavery. Returning to Araluen, Gilan is given a new mission by King Duncan: protect his daughter’s life.
Princess Cassandra has survived one attempt on her life already, and now whispers of a second attempt have reached the kingdom. A deadly sect known as the Scorpion Cult is thought to be behind the assassination threat.
The fifth book in the Brotherband Chronicles was published in 2014.
6) The Ghostfaces (Brotherband Book 6)
When the Brotherband crew are caught in a massive storm at sea, they’re blown far off course and wash up on the shores of a land so far west that Hal can’t recognize it from any of his maps.
Eerily, the locals are nowhere in sight, yet the Herons have a creeping feeling they are being watched. Suddenly the silence is broken when a massive, marauding bear appears, advancing on two children. The Ghostfaces was published in 2016.
7) The Caldera (Brotherband Book 7)
In Hallasholm, Stig is contesting the annual Maktig competition to decide Skandia’s greatest warrior. But a late-night knock on the door brings someone Stig never expected to see again, along with a request the Herons are hard-pressed to refuse: a rescue mission of epic proportions. This book was published in 2017.
8) Return of the Temujai (Brotherband Book 8)
The Herons are home in Skandia, but the usually peaceful country is in danger. The Temujai–ruthless warriors from the Eastern Steppes–have never given up on their ambition to claim Skandia for their own…and now they’re on the move. Hal and his crew will have to brave the treacherous icy river and rapids to stop them, no matter the cost.
The eight book of the Brotherband Chronicles series was published in 2019.
9) The Stern Chase (Brotherband Book 9)
The Herons are home in Skandia—preparing to celebrate two of their own and working on sea trials in the newly constructed Heron. But during a short excursion, they encounter an Iberian pirate ship raiding the coast of Sonderland, so Hal and his crew take action. The ninth edition was published in 2022.
Ranger’s Apprentice The Early Years
1) The Tournament at Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Early Years Book 1)
When Halt and Crowley discover that the ambitious Morgarath has been infiltrating the Rangers in order to corrupt the Corps, the young Rangers travel north to find Prince Duncan, seeking a royal warrant to stop Morgarath before it is too late.
By weakening the Rangers, the most powerful force in support of the King, Morgarath plans to steal the throne. The Tournament at Gorlan was published in 2015.
2) The Battle of Hackham Heath (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Early Years Book 2)
When the former Baron Morgarath escaped to avoid punishment for treason, an uneasy peace fell on Araluen. But Morgarath, now in hiding, is already planning his next move, recruiting an army of savage, overpowering beasts known as Wargals. Newly crowned King Duncan knows he must assemble his troops for battle. The second book was published in 2016.
Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Chronological Order
Here are John Flanagan books in chronological order.
- The Ruins of Gorlan (2004)
- The Burning Bridge (2005)
- The Icebound Land (2005)
- Oakleaf Bearers (2006)
- The Sorcerer in the North (2006)
- The Siege of Macindaw (2007)
- Erak’s Ransom (2007)
- The Kings of Clonmel (2008)
- Halt’s Peril (2009)
- The Emperor of Nihon-Ja (2010)
- The Lost Stories (2011)
- The Outcasts (2011)
- The Invaders (2012)
- The Hunters (2012)
- A New Beginning (2013)
- Slaves of Socorro (2014)
- Scorpion Mountain (2014)
- The Ghostfaces (2016)
- The Caldera (2017)
- The Red Fox Clan (2018)
- Duel at Araluen (2018)
- Return of the Temujai (2019)
- The Missing Prince (2020)
- Escape from Falaise (2021)
- The Stern Chase (2022)
- The Wolves of Arazan (2022)
Also read: Lord of the Rings books in order
