Ranger's Apprentice The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan, 249 pages

"It was ten minutes before they heard the screaming. It was an unearthly sound that twisted the stomach into knots of fear and turned the blood cold. Involuntarily, the Baron and Sir Rodney reined in as they heard it. Their horses plunged wildly against the reins. It came from straight ahead of them and rose and fell, until the air quaked with the horror of it.
'Good God in heaven!' the Baron exclaimed. 'What is that?'
'It's the Kalkara,' Will said. 'They're hunting.'" -Back Cover

This series has been on my radar (and on my Amazon wish list) for probably two years now. I didn't want to start it because there are nine books so far, but I was in need of a new book to read, it got really good reviews, and the price was right for book 1 a few weeks ago...and books 2, 3, and 4 since. (I love buying used hardcover books on Amazon.)

I was hooked after the first chapter and for the first time in two weeks was grateful that I had a sick kid at home and an excuse to stay home and read for a large portion of the day. This book is really well written. It's a great story that can entertain and appeal to a variety of age groups. All of the characters seem to come to life and make you care about them right away. I can't wait to see how they develop over the series. Halt is mysterious in the same way Aragorn is in Lord of the Rings, my all-time favorite fantasy series. The author uses just the right amount of description, not a million adjectives, which is my biggest pet peeve with the Eragon series. And chapter 22 is fantastic!