The Caldera

Great continuation of the story!

Love John Flanagan books. He knows how to write captivating and adventurous stories that one can’t put down until finished!

Stig's errant father, Olaf, has returned to Hallashom ten years after abandoning his family to live in shame. He isn't repentant, but would like to hire the crew of the Heron to retrieve the emperor of Byzantos who was kidnapped by the pirate Myrgos while under Olaf's care. Since Constantus is just ten, and they are always up for adventure, Hal and Thorn agree. Olaf is a liability, so they sneak out of town on an unspecified mission and plan on stocking up more along the way. The crew, after all, needs its coffee! Along the way, the run across Maddoc and sail with his ships for a while, since pirates are always around, deal with toll takers, and eventually come across Myrgos. Constantus is being held on an island similar to Thira (Santorini) that is wild and treacherous, but the group mount a rescue, and find Constantus. Myrgos is dealt with brutally but fairly, and the group is able to return the emperor to his somewhat surprised mother, the regent Justinia. Stig is able to both make peace with the man his father is and exact some appropriate revenge. A short story about Maddie, Will's apprentice, is included at the end.Strengths: This is perfect, from the wrestling competitions at the beginning, through the "potatoes and sweet potatoes, baked onions, green beans cooked with small chunks of bacon, and crusty loaves of fresh bread (page 123)", Kloof's near capture by Myrgos, storms and pirate fights, and Stig's sad and touching realization that his father will never be the man he wants him to be. Even Constantus amused me, with his demanding arrogance, and I wonder if they Heron crew will have to deal with his in the future.Weaknesses: There's no concrete mention of a third Ranger's Apprentice: The Early Years yet.What I really think: I always enjoy the time I spend reading these books. Do yourself a favor and pick up The Ruins of Gorlan if you have never read it.

I'm glad to see Stig get the closure he needed from his past. I'm also glad that the twins frustrate other people than their fellow crew members. More good deeds are done as the call of adventure beckons as usual.

I've read the entire series and have enjoyed the first 5 books so much that I must have read them a dozen times each. Maybe it's my expectations or anticipation made this one a bit of a disappointment. Now, this is not to say that I didn't like the book but I just felt the style was slightly different than what I had gotten accustomed to. It felt like this story was told in a bit of a rush and I felt the there wasn't as much character insight as before. Without going into spoilers, I still say this is a great series and a fitting chapter in the saga, but I personally thought that this was a touch behind the first books.Now, let me read it again and see what I think! :)Read it a second time and wanted to comment that the short story after the book about Maddie is exactly what I felt was missing. The pace was a bit slower so there was a bit more insight to the character's inner thought.I still absolutely enjoyed the book, the 4/5 is just to show that out of all of them, I felt this one was paced a bit differently.

I really enjoy reading this series. The characters are so well written and likable!

My son loves these. He is not much of a reader but he loves this series. There are 22 books in this series.

Mr. Flanagan has again woven a tale of compelling intrigue and sentiment. The Brotherband is drawn into a rescue operation at the behest of Stig's long lost missing Father and the pirate and adventures Hal and the others encounter will keep you rocking from chapter to chapter like the rolling of the Heron on the sea. Don't miss the short story at the end of the book, it is pretty good, too.

totally recommend this book and series

We love this series of books, both I and the 13year old have read them all. We like the action and the references to the real world.

like nearly all books written within the rangers apprentice/brotherband universe, this book doesnt disappoint. If you've read previous brotherband books this is a great story to continue the series, which is an understatement considering the quality of flanagans writing. if you havent read the previous books in the series i suggest you go and read from the beginning of the series.

quality and shipping was quite fast

A fantastic read continuing the adventures of the brother band cannot wait to see what happens next