Description:

SUMMARY: Several years have passed since the apprentice and his master, Will and Halt, first met, and Will is finally a full-fledged Ranger with his own fief to look after. The fief seems sleepyĀ-boring, evenĀ-until Lord Syron, master of a castle far in the north, is struck down by a mysterious illness. Joined by his friend Alyss, Will is suddenly thrown headfirst into an extraordinary adventure, investigating fears of sorcery and trying to determine who is loyal to Lord Syron. As Will battles growing hysteria, traitors, and most of all, time, Alyss is taken hostage, and Will is forced to make a desperate choice between his mission and his friend.

From

Will is just settling into his first post as a brand-new, just-commissioned Ranger when he is dispatched to deal with problems on the kingdom’s northern border. Though his keen senses and uncanny expertise with his knives and his bow are vital, Will’s success often hinges on his ability to assess the skills and intentions of those around him. The scenes involving Will, his mentor, Halt, and Halt’s mentor, Crowley, work beautifully to fill in background information, dramatize Will’s growing maturity, and entertain readers with clever dialogue. The Sorcerer of the North is a must-have volume for fans of the popular Ranger’s Apprentice series. Grades 5-8. --Carolyn Phelan

Review

The last few years have seen the publication of many fantasies, but few have the appeal of this original story. -_Booklist_, starred review, for The Ruins of Gorlan