The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

Flanagan, John. The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1). Puffin, 2006.

Choosing Day has arrived at Castle Redmont and Will and his cohorts are anxiously awaiting their assignments. Will is hoping for a Battleschool appointment, but is passed over due to his small stature. Instead he is apprenticed to the grim and mysterious Halt, a member of the secretive cadre of Rangers. The core of the book is Will's training as a Ranger in the fields of archery, woodsmanship and knives. Will's skills are ultimately put to the test several times revealing both his character and his aptitude. While the ending is satisfying, it is a clear set-up for the rest of the series which presumably is concerned with the impending war with Lord Morgarath.

The focus of this YA novel is the characters, as opposed to a fantastical world populated by exotic creatures. Herein lies its greatest strength. The characters are given enough dimension and room to develop that readers come to identify with and care about Will, Horace, Halt, Alyss, Jenny and George. Written by the Australian Flanagan for his son, this is an enjoyable read, appropriate both for its younger target audience and adults looking for clean escapism.

Recommendations:

Foundling by D.M. Cornish

An orphan like Will, the foundling is Rossamund Bookchild, a boy with an unfortunate name. Assigned to be a lamplighter, he ventures into a world at war with monsters. This first in the Monster Blood Tattoo series (from a fellow Australian author) is darker than the Ranger's Apprentice series, but contains more detailed world-building and fantastical creatures for fans of high fantasy.

The Naming: The First Book of Pellinor by Alison Croggon

Featuring Maedra, a female heroine, this series from another Australian author is richly imagined and executed.

Beginner's Guide to Traditional Archery by Brian J. Sorrells

Bring out the Ranger in you!

Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior by Dick Couch

This book offers incredible insight into the making of a green beret. Readers who enjoyed the accounts of Will's training will marvel at the rigorous foreign language, physical, combat and cultural training that green berets endure.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. T. Doherty Associates, 1985.

Ender Wiggin must save the world. Ho-hum. Another fantasy plot of brilliant hero against aliens bent on genocide. But this would be selling this excellent novel short. Ender's Game transcends genre and like all good literature explores the human condition.

This amazing book delves into the life of genius Ender Wiggin who is drafted into Battle School for training to help defend mankind against destruction by the alien Formics ("Buggers"). Ender rapidly outpaces any of his classmates resulting in him being placed in Command School. His meteoric success causes resentment and jealousy among his peers, so Ender is seen as either a threat or as superior and leads a lonely existence save for his brief interludes with his sympathetic older sister. *Spoiler Alert*

In a harrowing climax, Ender is told he will have to pass a grueling final exam that consists of realistic war games against the Buggers. Not liking who he has become through his increasingly violent training, Ender decides to violate the rules of engagement in hopes of getting expelled from his program. What he does not realize is that the "exam" is reality and when he annihilates the Buggers, he has saved mankind.

I do not like fantasy. I mean, I used to not like fantasy. If this is what fantasy is like, then sign me up! This was a riveting, fast-paced thrill ride. But more than that this was an introspective work of tremendous skill. Ender as reluctant killer, Peter as sadist (for reasons he later reveals) and Valentine limited by her gender are brilliant, deep characters. Exploring universal themes such as loneliness, Card has created a classic.

Recommendations:

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

Ender's Game is most often compared to this classic of science fiction/fantasy. See what you think of the comparison. Follow a futuristic military recruit as he is trained to become one of the elite forces in the universe so that he can fight to save mankind.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

A juvenile title, this new novel offers a mysterious school for genius children as its setting. After passing a series of enigmatic tests, gifted children are asked to infiltrate a strange academy to discover what threat it hides.

Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
Readers interested in the plight of "innocent killers" like Ender being being pressed into war, might find this heart-rending memoir interesting.

Paid to Play: An Insider's Guide to Video Game Careers by Alice Rush

Want to see what it takes to play video games for a career, but not actually have inter-galactic consequences? Check out this gaming resource.