The Sorcerer of the North
Ranger’s Apprentice, Book 5
By John Flanagan
Five years after helping the Skandians defeat the Temujai, Will is a full-fledged Ranger, newly assigned to Seacliff Fief. A few months into his assignment, Alyss arrives at Seacliff with a message for Will to meet with Halt and Crowley for a secret assignment: to masquerade as a jongleur in an attempt to uncover the truth behind rumors of a sorcerer near Castle Macindaw.
Alyss soon arrives at Macindaw, posing as a naive noblewoman, and the two investigate a nearby forest. They soon learn that all is not as it appears when a castle coup forces Will to flee, leaving Alyss to be taken captive.
The Sorcerer of the North is the first book without Halt or Horace as major characters. It’s nice to see Will’s interactions with others without Halt’s direct influence, and I enjoyed getting to know Alyss better. Since Alyss and Will’s kiss at the end of Book 1, I’ve wanted to see more of their relationship, although now I’m a little curious about their interactions in the five years since the last book.
Will’s adventures near Macindaw are a little predictable, but the book is written well, and like the other books in the series is difficult to put down. I would definitely recommend it to fans of the series.
This review originally appeared 18 August 2012 on fantasyreviewer.com