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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Fantastic. I love this book so much, it was so great to see the characters off on adventures all together. Would definitely recommend this series... it's just so good.
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not one of my favorites in the series, which is disappointing since it's the last one (not counting the book of short stories). It's not bad, per se, but it just didn't have that same spark that has made me love this series, in general.
Anyway - Horace has gone to Nihon-Ja (essentially a version of Japan) on a diplomatic sort of thing and, while there, gets embroiled in a political upheaval. Evanlyn, worried about him, joins with Halt, Will and Alyss - and others - to go find him.
A quick not about the "and others". In the beginning of the story Halt, Will and Alyss are helping Toscano and Arrida broker a piece treaty - Selethen being the ambassador from Arrida. Since Selethen is there when Evanlyn shows up to start the quest, he decides to join in.
Also, Evanlyn arrives there on a ship helmed by Gundar, one of the Skandians from a previous story.
I couldn't help but feel that a lot of this was just maneuvering in order to get as many familiar faces from past stories together as possible for this final story.
Anyway, a fair part of the beginning of the story is travelling, and a good portion of the rest of the story is about military engagements. And while it was interesting enough for what it was, it didn't really have the same intensity as a lot of the other fights presented through-out the series.
And I guess I was a little miffed that Horace seems to take center stage in this story. Not that I don't like Horace or anything, but since it was the last book in the Ranger's Apprentice series I thought Will should've been in a more pivotal role.
Also, the characterizations seemed to be off from time to time. Also, it bugged me that Will was sort of shown as being clueless when it came to
In some ways I felt like the characterization of Will was off. He felt younger again, more like the Will of his second or third year - not the Will who has graduated and become a Ranger in his own right. But since the events of the book take place after all the others, chronologically, it felt off. So not only does Will not take center stage, but he felt off.
Everyone felt a little off, really.
I don't know. I would almost have been happier if the story took place earlier in the timeline, because everyone felt younger, if that makes sense. But it very clearly doesn't.
Who knows - maybe I'm just disappointed because the series is over, and I never would've been happy with "the last". But I think it's more than that and, overall, while it wasn't a bad story, overall, it was a let down for being the last in the series.
(Oh - Tug and Abelard aren't even in this one! Talk about being off... )
I think I would've been happier if Book 9 had been the end, to be honest. When I inevitably reread the series, I might even stop with Book 9. Or read Book 10 before Books 8 & 9.
Ah well. It wasn't like it was bad enough to sour my feelings towards the series (and that has happened) - but it's a bummer to go out on a down note.
Anyway - Horace has gone to Nihon-Ja (essentially a version of Japan) on a diplomatic sort of thing and, while there, gets embroiled in a political upheaval. Evanlyn, worried about him, joins with Halt, Will and Alyss - and others - to go find him.
A quick not about the "and others". In the beginning of the story Halt, Will and Alyss are helping Toscano and Arrida broker a piece treaty - Selethen being the ambassador from Arrida. Since Selethen is there when Evanlyn shows up to start the quest, he decides to join in.
Also, Evanlyn arrives there on a ship helmed by Gundar, one of the Skandians from a previous story.
I couldn't help but feel that a lot of this was just maneuvering in order to get as many familiar faces from past stories together as possible for this final story.
Anyway, a fair part of the beginning of the story is travelling, and a good portion of the rest of the story is about military engagements. And while it was interesting enough for what it was, it didn't really have the same intensity as a lot of the other fights presented through-out the series.
And I guess I was a little miffed that Horace seems to take center stage in this story. Not that I don't like Horace or anything, but since it was the last book in the Ranger's Apprentice series I thought Will should've been in a more pivotal role.
Also, the characterizations seemed to be off from time to time. Also, it bugged me that Will was sort of shown as being clueless when it came to
Spoiler
the budding relationship between Horace and Evanlyn, and also between the tension - or reason for the tension - between Alyss and Evanlyn. The former especially bugged me because just in the last story Will mentions Horace's desire to want to spend more time with the princess, and says "good for you" when Horace basically admits his feelings. But in this book we're meant to believe that Will's clueless. It really annoyed me.In some ways I felt like the characterization of Will was off. He felt younger again, more like the Will of his second or third year - not the Will who has graduated and become a Ranger in his own right. But since the events of the book take place after all the others, chronologically, it felt off. So not only does Will not take center stage, but he felt off.
Everyone felt a little off, really.
I don't know. I would almost have been happier if the story took place earlier in the timeline, because everyone felt younger, if that makes sense. But it very clearly doesn't.
Who knows - maybe I'm just disappointed because the series is over, and I never would've been happy with "the last". But I think it's more than that and, overall, while it wasn't a bad story, overall, it was a let down for being the last in the series.
(Oh - Tug and Abelard aren't even in this one! Talk about being off... )
I think I would've been happier if Book 9 had been the end, to be honest. When I inevitably reread the series, I might even stop with Book 9. Or read Book 10 before Books 8 & 9.
Ah well. It wasn't like it was bad enough to sour my feelings towards the series (and that has happened) - but it's a bummer to go out on a down note.
absolutely wonderful. i can't decide if i like this one or the previous better. actually, this one. what a phenomenal climactic ending to the series with an entire book of suspense and brilliance and switching perspectives: it altogether just had so MUCH to it. god. horace and the emperor make me wanna cry they're so cute like nick miller and the older guy in new girl. and the way we get to see so many past characters, you know he was trying to include everyone. missed gilan and erak and pauline and stuff but still. this was so good for evanlyn and alyss and wow those two are just incredibly badass and so well written and so is clueless will. i liked halt having selethen as well to confer with regarding the younger ones. and the battle tactics in these are just incredible and so clever. happy with the ending too. oh im a happy gal i love this series! didn't cry at the end this time, perhaps just knowing i have the sequel series to look forward to, and my first time reading those! first, the lost stories.
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
[review from 2012]
I finished The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan a few days ago, and I’m starting to get really sad this series is ending. This book was longer than the others, which was great, but it had one of Will, Horace and Halt’s adventures in one book, which makes me think that it was actually shorter than most. This book series has made me laugh so much, and it’s great, unless you’re in class trying to muffle your snickers after a test. I love the witty banter between all the characters. I love that Alyss and Evanlyn finally solved their conflicts between Will, and that they’re both flawed.
And at the end (not giving away the ending), I screamed and danced around my room for about five minutes at 3:00 am. This book series is fantastic and I’ll be sure to read The Lost Stories as well, though I hate that it has to end. It’s just so good. The part where Will muses over the fact that some people have never been away from Castle Redmont, and he’s been to Toscana (Italy), Picta (Scotland), Hibernia (Ireland), Skandia (Scandinavia), Arrida (Egypt) and now he’s in Nihon-Ja (Japan) gave me chills. I’ve become so fond of the characters over the ten books that in this one I’ve actually curled up and began muttering “my babies” over and over again, even with Halt. I cannot even express my sheer love for this book series and will send a letter to John Flanagan requesting he write more. (Okay, not really, but you get what I mean.)
I finished The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan a few days ago, and I’m starting to get really sad this series is ending. This book was longer than the others, which was great, but it had one of Will, Horace and Halt’s adventures in one book, which makes me think that it was actually shorter than most. This book series has made me laugh so much, and it’s great, unless you’re in class trying to muffle your snickers after a test. I love the witty banter between all the characters. I love that Alyss and Evanlyn finally solved their conflicts between Will, and that they’re both flawed.
And at the end (not giving away the ending), I screamed and danced around my room for about five minutes at 3:00 am. This book series is fantastic and I’ll be sure to read The Lost Stories as well, though I hate that it has to end. It’s just so good. The part where Will muses over the fact that some people have never been away from Castle Redmont, and he’s been to Toscana (Italy), Picta (Scotland), Hibernia (Ireland), Skandia (Scandinavia), Arrida (Egypt) and now he’s in Nihon-Ja (Japan) gave me chills. I’ve become so fond of the characters over the ten books that in this one I’ve actually curled up and began muttering “my babies” over and over again, even with Halt. I cannot even express my sheer love for this book series and will send a letter to John Flanagan requesting he write more. (Okay, not really, but you get what I mean.)
Katharine is a judge for the Sara Douglass 'Book Series' Award. This entry is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated