I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Missing Prince
by
John Flanagan
action & adventure, historical fiction in a Kindle edition that was published by Philomel Books on September 29, 2020 and has 288 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon, Audibles.
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include The Sorcerer in the North, The Siege of Macindaw, Erak's Ransom, The Kings of Clonmel, Halt's Peril, The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, The Lost Stories, The Outcasts, Invaders, The Hunters, The Royal Ranger, Slaves of Socorro, Scorpion Mountain, The Tournament at Gorlan, The Ghostfaces, "The Beast From Another Time", The Caldera, The Red Fox Clan, Duel at Araluen, Return of the Temujai, Escape From Falaise
Fourth in The Royal Ranger spin-off series from The Ranger’s Apprentice series for Middle Grade readers and revolving around Maddie, the princess-turned-ranger.
My Take
This was a great story, but I’m irked that Flanagan just stopped in the middle of the story, forcing us to wait for the next installment in the series! As much as I enjoyed Will and Maddie’s trek cross country, I’d have preferred Flanagan drop some of those traveling adventures to fit in the rest of it.
That first bit of humor crops up with the “farmer’s” encounter with the Bearkiller. It’s perfect for kid humor . . . and mine *grin*!
Ooh, politics raises its ugly head, the decision King Duncan and his advisors make in this situation with King Philippe is definitely self-serving. It’s a decision that will require Maddie to acquire some new skills.
The chat between Tug and Will about the colorful way they have of going undercover was funny. I do enjoy the interaction between a Ranger and his horse. Berrigan’s remark about the difference between a professional and an amateur is a good one. Definitely applicable to real life.
I liked the sound of Will and Maddie’s act. Hmm, that wheel of a thousand deaths is quite the attraction, lol. Their performances are only part of the action, as Will and Maddie encounter bad weather, bandits, and mean and greedy rulers.
Flanagan uses a third person global subjective point-of-view from the perspectives of a number of characters. It’s one of the best ways to find out what all those nobles are thinking — and upping the tension, as we discover how evil they are! As a reassurance, there are also a number of good people to balance it out.
The Missing Prince is a great read with plenty of action, mostly as a result of the characters’ actions and personalities with Will and Maddie thinking quickly on their feet.
The Story
Gallica faces the possibility of another revolt, and it all hinges on whether the Rangers choose to help the Gallican king.
A foreign king and his subject who quickly show their bad sides.
The Characters
The King’s Rangers were . . .
. . . founded to keep the peace and serve the king’s needs. Gilan is the commander of the Araluen Rangers. Nichol is Gilan’s second-year apprentice. Halt had been the previous commander who had trained Will; he rides Abelard. Lady Pauline is married to Halt. Berrigan is a former Ranger who does some undercover work for the Corps.
Will Treaty is riding Tug. Sable is Will’s border collie, a descendant of Shadow, Will’s first dog. Will has a Gilet, his pride and joy, a mandola. When Maddie Altman is acting as a Ranger, she’s Maddie Regale and rides Bumper. While undercover they will be Will Accord and Madelyn.
Duncan is king. Sir Horace Altman is the commander of the Araluen army and the king’s son-in-law, married to Princess Cassandra. Great-uncle Hesperus is long dead. Lord Anthony is the king’s chamberlain and master spy. Thomas and Miles are servants. Ingrid is Maddie’s former maid and companion who is now a senior member of Cassandra’s staff. Malloy is the king’s jester and in charge of all entertainment at the castle. Sanne is one of Malloy’s people.
The Jaunty Lady is the ship that will take Will and Maddie to Gallica.
Redmont is . . .
. . . ruled by Baron Arald. Jenny runs a restaurant. The orphans Will had grown up with in Redmont included Horace, Alyss, Jenny, and George.
Barton Bearkiller is the leader of a robber band that includes Donald, One-Eyed Jem, and Walter Scar. Malcolm Tillerman is a farmer who drives a hard bargain. Barney and Joseph are members of the watch in Willow Bend.
Gallica
King Philippe is a jerk with a greedy, unstable country. The castle at La Lumiere is his home base. Sir Guillaume is the gate marshal at La Lumiere. Prince Louis is Philippe’s brother. Philippe’s son is Prince Giles. Egon of Tourles is a spy working for Prince Louis.
The mean and greedy Baron Joubert de Lassigny who lives in the Chateau des Falaises kidnapped Giles. Jules is one of his men. Sir Gaston is his seneschal.
Les Trois Canards is an inn and tavern run by Maurice. His chef, Hortense, is renowned for her ragout. Michel du Mont runs an inn in Entente. Giselle is one of his serving maids. Simon is the village blacksmith.
Monsieur Vincent is the leader of the Black Vultures, a band of robbers that includes Pierre.
Skandians and Arridans are allies of Araluen.
The Cover and Title
The cover is golds and browns with an elaborate first word of the original series with a less elaborate second word. Below this is a flaming arrow, separating the original series info from the spin-off which is in white just above Maddie’s hand grasping a rope as she rappels down the side of a well-lit yellow stone wall. She’s wearing a hooded cape, tall boots, and skin tight pants with her bow and a quiver of arrows. Beneath this is a metal filigree encased label with a yellow background with the title in red. Below this is the author’s name in a whitish gold. All of this is surrounded by a frame of a gradation of twisted branches in golden brown to deeper browns.
The title is young Giles, The Missing Prince of the Gallican king.
