Scorpion Mountain (Brotherband Chronicles #5)

January 27, 2016December 29, 2018 ~ Bookstooge ~ Leave a comment

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Title: Scorpion Mountain
Series: Brotherband Chronicles
Author: John Flanagan
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 465
Format: Kindle

Synopsis:

Hal and crew are sent on a mission to stop a band of killers who have sworn an oath to kill Princess Cassandra.

Said killers just happen to be living in the middle of the desert. Vikings in the desert.

Seriously.

My Thoughts:

It is getting simply ridiculous just how many things Hal invents on the spot. In this book, it is glasses for the big guy who shoots the mangler. His feelings are hurt and so he wants to leave the Heron and Hal invents glasses so he can see and participate and feel better.

Other than that, this was a carbon copy of all the other books. Especially in how the characters react and relate to each other. Flanagan obviously has a system that works for him but I think I’ll need a good 6 months between books so as to not overdose on middle grade/ ya’ness of it all.

And saying it is a carbon copy also means that the fighting and action are top notch. I do really enjoy the battles, on land and sea.

Slaves of Socorro (Brotherband Chronicles #4)

December 6, 2015December 8, 2018 ~ Bookstooge ~ Leave a comment

Title: Slaves of Socorro

Series: Brotherband Chronicles

Author: John Flanagan

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Battle Axes

Genre: SFF

Pages: 482

Format: Kindle

Synopsis:

Hal and Crew are assigned to Araluen to be at the King’s disposal. However, as soon as they arrive, they are met by Gilan, a Ranger and news that a village has been attacked by pirates and people captured.

Said pirates are some rogue Skandians and Hal feels it is their duty to end this problem once and for all.

A rescue mission is mounted to the slave town of Socorro.

My Thoughts:

I was ok with the first trilogy of the Brotherband Chronicles and was satisfied with how it ended. After my experience with Flanagan trying to continue the Ranger’s Apprentice series I wasn’t expecting much from this “second” trilogy and in many ways was kind of dreading it.

Thankfully, this stays faithful to the original trilogy and intent, ie, a boys adventure story. And this WAS an adventure story. Fights on the sea, fights in slave markets, Aruluen Rangers shooting the crap out of people, that tiniest hint of romance, it was just right. I really have to admire Flanagan for walking that line of writing about emerging adults/adults [because this series starts out with everyone being a kid] for kids and younger adults without crossing the line into inappropriate material for 10 year olds.

I still didn’t like this as much as the original Ranger’s Apprentice dekalogy, but I wasn’t expecting to and hence things were good.

The Hunters

June 22, 2013May 19, 2018 ~ Bookstooge ~ Leave a comment

The Hunters

Brotherband Chronicles #3

John Flanagan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good close to the series. The expected fight with Mista Z is predictable but still just as fun and satisfying as if the outcome was truly in doubt.

The Herons return as heroes and the grumpy boy from the first book is set up to the future villain if there are any more books. Miss Tan and Lithe is placed front and center as the romance girl who must eventually choose between Hal and Stig. I would hope that Hal would learn the lessons of his father and mother and marry a Skandian instead.

However, I think this trilogy is as far as this series should go. The characters simply have not been given the “oomph” to go 10 books like in Ranger’s Apprentice. I’d definitely like to see more from Mr. Flanagan, but maybe some more trilogies about other regions/peoples. Give me some more Nihon-ja. Whooooo young ninjas!!

The Invaders

June 12, 2013May 19, 2018 ~ Bookstooge ~ Leave a comment

cover
The Invaders

Brotherband Chronicles #2

John Flanagan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good continuation of the series. A real adventure and a girl.

For some reason I keep thinking of these characters as small people, like in the Ranger’s Apprentice and then I get a reminder that these are big, burly vikings who will put an axe through your skull without breaking a sweat.

I love axes…