Erak's Ransom

Infobox Book
name = Erak's Ransom


image_caption = Australian print cover
author = John Flanagan
cover_artist =
country = Australia
language = English
series = Ranger's Apprentice
genre =
publisher = Random House (Australia)
pub_date = November 1, 2007
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 441
isbn = ISBN 1741662095
preceded_by = The Siege of Macindaw
followed_by = The Kings of Clonmel

"Erak's Ransom" is the seventh book in the continuing "Ranger's Apprentice" series by John Flanagan.

Plot

In between the time of Oakleaf Bearers and The Sorcerer in the North, Erak is taken hostage. The King of Araluen is asked for a ransom for Erak's release.

The seventh book takes us back to the final year in Will's apprenticeship, before the events related in Books 5 and 6."

At the beginning of the book, Halt and Lady Pauline are getting married. During the wedding, Svengal bursts in on them and informs them of Erak's kidnap. Will, Cassandra, Gilan, Halt, Horace, Svengal, Horace as well as fifty of Erak's men go to deliver the ransom. Once in Arrida, they meet a man who claims to be the Wakir, the lord of the area. He is actually the Wakir's accountant, who the Wakir, who the foreigners call Selethen, as he is concerned as Svengal returned before expected wants to see if there is some sort of trick. He also sends Erak to Maradoc, in the desert. While the party and Selethen go to release Erak, a sandstorm comes in.In a sandstorm, Will loses Tug and goes to find him. He gets lost and loses consciousness from lack of water. A group of nomads finds him and restores him to health. They are the same people who found Tug wandering around the desert. They refuse to give Tug back to Will, as the law of the desert says that if a horse is released, anyone who finds that horse can claim him/her as their own. They can't ride Tug, because all Ranger horses are trained to buck anyone off who doesn't know the horse's password. They agree to race Will on the condition that the winner be entitled to both Tug and the password that allows a rider to control Tug.

Meanwhile, the others have been taken prisoner by the Taulaghi, the blue veiled forgotten ones of god, and are about to be executed by order of their leader Yusal. The nomads offer to help rescue Will's friends since he saved the leader's grandson's life by shooting a sand cobra that had been about to bite the grandson. On the way, they find Selethens soldiers who are following the Taulaghi. They join the nomads and slip into the city.

The executioner, Hassuan comes forward and starts showing off, to the audience and the prisoners. Erak and Svengal make jokes about him: "Nice wrist action there, I'd like to see him with an ax in his hand" remarks Erak. Svengal replies "I'd like to seem him with an ax in his head chief." Hassaun pretends to be going to chop Horace down, but he senses it's a trick and doesn't move. Angry, he tries it on Evanlyn, but again she doesn't move, realising that as they have always said Halt would die first, it was still only trickery.

At last Halt is pulled forward to the chopping block, hoping that Will is somewhere. He recognises a man from Selethen's soldiers in the crowd, acknowledges him with a nod. Halt turns to Gilan, who has tears running down his face and says "Will's taking his time, I'll give him a piece of my mind over this". As Hassaun bring his sword up, Will, from one of the towers on the town wall, shoots him with a well placed arrow. Mayhem insues, with the Arridi and Nomad Bedullins revealing themselves and fighting the Taulaghi. Once the Araluens and Skandians get their hands on various Taulaghi weapons they lend a hand too.

Toshak, the Skandian who betrayed Erak, Tries to escape, but Evanlyn, using her sling which she had hidden in her belt and marble stones from her necklace, shoots Toshak's horse, causing him to fall of. Erak challenges him to a fight, and by pretending to be exhausted, brings the late Hassuan's sword, borrowed from Horace, into reach past Toshak's heavy axe.

Afterwards, the ransom is split between Erak's rescuers, with twenty thousand reels going to Umar, leader of the Bedullin, and Wakir Selethen (who also received the captured Yusal [Evanlyn captured him by knocking him down with her sling] , who has a hefty reward on him of more than twenty thousand reels.)

Back in Araluen, Crowley (Comander of the Ranger Corps), Halt and Will are in the cottage, where Crowley and Halt play the traditional trick played on all apprentices becoming Rangers, to stop them getting big headed on the day. After Crowley jokingly reads the documents and after Will signs the paper, where he is given his last name, due to the fact that there were already three other Wills' in the Ranger Corps. So after discarding Will boar killer, Will o' bridge (which according to Crowley they abandoned because it sounded to much like Will o' wisp) and decided on Will Treaty.

After Will complainingly asks "Is that all?" To which Crowley replies " Um.... It seems to be...... listed your training, mentioned a few achievements, made sure you knew which part of an arrow's the sharp part.....decided on your new name.. I think that's it... Of course! You have to have you silver Whatsis don't you?"

Asking Will to see if he dropped it outside, Crowley and Halt follow him out... to find that a group of Will's friends in the Corps, in Redmont and Skandia, for Erak and Svengal where there (waving their axes to their neighbours' worry), near Gilan and Horace. Jenny, Alyss, George, Evanlyn, Baron Arald, Pauline, Sir Rodney and Master Chubb where all there. Evanlyn and Alyss kiss him.

Main Characters

Will - the protagonist of the series and an orphan. He is a young man who has been studying with Halt, a legendary ranger. He has learned much over the years and is very accomplished in all facets of the ranger skills. He wears a bronze Oakleaf pendant signifying his apprentice status. He has been part of numerous wars and conflicts. He recently escaped from Skandia and managed to successfully overcome a warmweed addiction. He was originally conscious of his small height and thin, wiry frame (because he wanted to be a knight before becoming Halt's apprentice because of what his father did) but has come to be proud of them as they suit his Ranger profession.

Halt - Is Will's teacher and mentor. He has done many things for the Kingdom over his years of service and is regarded as one of the best Ranger's of the time. He appears grim and silent, embodying the Ranger stereotype that appears throughout the book but he does have a caring side. Halt is a strong man for his little size and has the eyes of a hawk.

Horace - Horace was a one-time enemy of Will, bullying him incessantly for his dream of being a knight. Also an orphan, he, Will and Alyss were in the same ward. Since he went to battle school he has learned many things and has become a close friend of Will's after Will saved his life, accompanying him on some missions and attempting to save him when he and the King's Daughter, Cassandra (Evanlyn), were taken captive by Skandians. Horace is a naturally talented warrior in the King's guard.

Gilan - A former apprentice of Halt's. Known for his skill as an unseen mover. He and Horace are sent by King Duncan to protect Princess Cassandra (Evanlyn). He is also the only rangers trained in the art of swordsmanship as he was taught at a young age and retained his skill.

Princess Cassandra - Also known as Evanlyn, Cassandra was captured along with Will by Skandians and they formed a very close bond whilst trying to escape them. She, like Alyss, carries a sense of "unfinished business" when it comes to Will as he is awed by her refound reputation. She is brought along on the quest as a royal presence, as demanded by Erak's captors.

Alyss - An old friend of Will's while they were growing up in the castle ward. The ward was set up by the Baron Arald for orphans of the war against a rogue baron which occurred before the series' beginning. She is a talented diplomat and currently works as a King's courier. She confesses her love for Will in the 6th book (The Siege of Macindaw).

Erak The Oberjarl (the king) of Skandia, he first appears as a Jarl in Burning Bridge, where he captures Evanlyn and Will, and eventually helping them escape. As Oberjarl, he is supposed to stay in Hallashom and be the ruler from there, but occasionally goes on a raid to escape Borsa (his Hilfmann, basically an administrator) and the tax rolls. This results in his capture.

External links

* [http://www.rangersapprentice.com Ranger's Apprentice Official Website]