Flanagan, John. The ruins of Gorlan.

FLANAGAN, John. The ruins of Gorlan. (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1.) Read by John Keating. 7 cds. 7.75 hrs. Recorded Books. 2005/2006. 1-41939399-5. $74.75. Vinyl; plot notes. JSA *

This excellent fantasy introduces Will, an orphan raised as a ward of Castle Redmond. At 15, Will and the other wards, Alice, George, Jenny and Horace, receive their apprenticeships. Will's dream is to train for knighthood in Battle School, but he is too small. Cleverly assessing Will's talents, Baron Harold assigns the disappointed boy to Halt, a member of the famous Ranger corps, the highly honored and trusted protectors of the realm, agile in body, agile in mind, quick thinking, observant, patient, and clever. Before long Will finds that in spite of the work required, he loves the woods and being a Ranger's apprentice. Meanwhile, Horace's experiences in Battle School give the author an opportunity to explore the effects of bullying among teenagers and Halt's creative solution. Keating's vocal range and abilities allow him to produce many convincing dialects, both male and female, varying the narration skillfully. Sometimes whining, sometimes blustery, Keating shines in his sarcastic, mocking tones, especially when depicting the bullying scenes with the taunts of "baby" directed at Horace. Readers of all ages will thoroughly enjoy this, especially male teens, and will look forward to the next volume of this series, The Burning Bridge. Susan Allison, Libn. (retired), Lewiston, ME

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.