Rangers Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw (60 to about 72)

Not much reading time in this week because of my project and EL&EC. but I did manage to get 12 pages in. What has happened in these 12 pages is the Will, a ranger, and Hoarce, A knight have reunited to take down the Macindaw. This quote is in a side conversation about naming Will's dog.

"Blackie! Stay, girl!"
Instantly, the dog stopped her questioning and turned to face him, one fore paw raised, her head tilted inquisitively. Hoarce made a triumphant gesture in Will's direction. Will snorted in derision."That doesn't prove anything," he protested. " She heard the whistle, that's all! You could have called out... Bread and Butter Pudding, and she would have stopped. (Flanagan Loc. 674)

Both Will and Hoarce are relatively mature adults, and this quotation shows just how well they know each other. You can tell that they can be their selves around each other and that they can also act immaturely, but it's all in good fun.

Flanagan, John. Ranger's Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw: Book 6. New York: Philomel, 2008.

The One-Eyed Giant 1-105

I have been wiped out recently. With this Stop Motion I am making, it has been taking up all of my free time. So I have found a way to incorporate my reading with my project. I read The One-Eyed Giant, by Mary Pope Osborne. It is pretty mush a five book series of the Odyssey, written in very understandable english as opposed to Homers Odyssey, which can be hard to understand. This book takes place from the end of Troy, through the land of the Cyclops, and ending after the bag of winds.

Odysseus moved quickly. He jammed the sharpened end of the stake into the burning embers. He beckoned to his men to stand near him. Them he pulled the stake from the fire.

"Help us, O Zeus!" Odysseus prayed.

The mighty god finally deemed to hear his prayer. As Odysseus took a deep breath, he felt a surge of strength and power.

Odysseus gave a sign. Then all together, the men raised the stake and rammed its burning point into the giant's huge, bulging eye.

The Cyclops let out a piercing howl. The eye hissed and sizzled. (62)

This Quote shows how the text of this book keeps the same tone of the original Odyssey, but it takes it into a much more understandable context, without making it a children's book. This passage shows the simplicity of the book, while keeping it towards the main message, without talking down to you.

Osborne, Mary. The One-Eyed Giant. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks, 2003.

Rangers Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw (1 to about 60)

First of all, I would like to apologize for the page numbers. This is my first book read on my Kindel, and instead of pages, it does locations. Their are 3737 locations in this book, and their are 320 pages. so their are about 13 locations per page. I am 757 locations in, so I am about 60 page in.

Wow, I love this series. I have been reading the ranger's apprentice series since the first book came out in 2006. John Flanagan originally wrote books 5-8 of this series, like in star wars, but those only had a limited release in Australia. When he released his first book in the United States, he wrote book one, so we got the books in order. He has now released his 6th book from his original series in the United States, and it is just as amazing as all the other books he has written. The Rangers apprentice series is about a boy called Will, and he was taken up to be a Ranger, which like a mix between a spy and a knight, who works for their king. The rangers are also masters at combat, archery and magic. In this book, Will is trying to take down a city which has been taken over by thiefs. This passage, which I have taken from the book, will show you just how cool a ranger is.

There was a strange figure, wrapped in an odd black-and-white-mottled cloak, sitting on a log a few meters behind him. As Gundar said the word devil, his hand hesitated, sword half drawn, and he peered more closely at the apparition. This was an ancient forest, dark and forbidding. Maybe this was a spirit or a wraith that protected the area. The patterns on the cloak seemed to shimmer and change form as he watched and he blinked his eyes to stabilize them.[...] There was something about the cloaked, hooded figure that worried them too. ( Loc. 95)

This is a good intro to rangers for people who have never heard of them. The Ranger's cloak is designed to be perfect camouflage, and if they tried to stay still, he would be completely invisible.Will is just sitting down, and these people are stricken with fear by him, and he is just 17 years old. These group of muscular raiders are afraid of a boy, and they even fear he may be a ghost. This is a great book series, and if you haven't read them, and you are into medieval/ fantasy books, I suggest you should pick up this book, or download it on your kindle. :)

Flanagan, John. Ranger's Apprentice: The Siege of Macindaw: Book 6. New York: Philomel, 2008.