I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
Ambush at Sorato
by
John Flanagan
action & adventure, historical fiction, military fiction in a Kindle edition that was published by Viking Books For Young Readers on October 15, 2024 and has 236 pages.
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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, The Missing Prince, Escape From Falaise
Seventh in The Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger historical fiction series for Middle-grade Readers and revolving around Will Treaty and Maddie. The focus is on a diplomatic mission in Toscana.
The Royal Ranger series is a spin-off from The Ranger’s Apprentice and entwines with Flanagan’s The Brotherband Chronicles series. If you’re interested, there is a chronological listing of the three series of books on my website.
My Take
This story is all about alliances and the use of strategies to achieve them. It’s definitely a warning to not become complacent.
It’s also includes examples of kindness, and yes, those of betrayal.
We learn quite a bit about the various peoples in Ambush at Sorato, and all through Flanagan’s use of third person global subjective point-of-view from a variety of perspectives. Naturally, the most prominent perspectives are those of Will Treaty and Maddie.
I do adore Ranger horses. They’re so clever. And they disprove the disdain the riders of more elegant horses. You’ll truly be impressed by Maddie’s and Bumper’s evasion of the scouts she encounters. Phew. Plus, Flanagan’s inclusion of girls in his stories is part of what impresses me and is a good role model for girls.
It’s cute that Brasos is so impressed by Will and Maddie’s skill at camping.
Each country has its strengths and weaknesses, and the good guys work together to incorporate the best of each and bolster their weaknesses. A nice example of how cooperation can achieve a lot. There’s also a useful display of how lack of cooperation and hubris can lose the day, due to one man’s shortsightedness.
Flanagan incorporates bits of history and countries in our world, albeit with different names, which I could hope would inspire young readers to delve deeper into our own histories. Parents could have some fun with their kids in identifying the different countries and their cultural and technological hallmarks.
There’s plenty of wartime action as well as friendship with a simplistic range of characters. Although I did enjoy them.
Hoo-hoo, Will packs quite the threat at the end, although the archduke is still a jerk with cheaters — and another good example of how kindness pays off!
The Story
It’s an exploratory invasion to assess the defenses of Toscana. One that has a great chance of success in the peaceful, rich country.
The Characters
Will Treaty is an Araluen Ranger riding Tug and mentoring Maddie, the princess and heir to the throne of Araluen, who rides Bumper. King Duncan is her grandfather. Halt had been the head of the Rangers, which is an elite special forces unit working as the eyes and ears of the kingdom who answer only to the king.
The Heron is the ship designed by Hal in The Brotherband Chronicles.
Arrida
Seley el’then commands the Arridian cavalry (Erak’s Ransom, 5 [7 in publication order]); Al Sucra is his second-in-command.
Toscana
General Aquilifer commands the Fourth Legion of the Toscan army, which has an excellent heavy infantry. Lieutenant Lucius Maximus Brasos, a staff officer to General Aquilifer, rides Juno.
Fortuna is a walled town where Tertius Caligus is the commander of its defenses. Marcellus Vulponius owns a farm he successfully defends; he had served as First Spear in the Eleventh Legion, the Leopardi, who had been commanded by General Iovanus. Sorato is another walled town with a more discerning commander.
Genovesa is . . .
. . . a city-state to the west, known for their mercenaries and ruled by Archduke Ricardo. Sergeant Latanza. Captain Peloni is an idiot. Luigi is a peasant worker assigned to as a loader. Rocco is a shield bearer, but I think he’s also a loader.
Skandia is a country in the north where Araluen negotiated a treaty. Iberia is not trustworthy. Alpina shares a border with Tosca.
The Temujai are . . .
. . . a terrifying nation of highly skilled warriors of light cavalry ruled by Sha’shan. General Mat’zak is in charge of the reconnaissance of Toscan defenses. Pat S’ekar is a Kaijin, a sharpshooter. Lin Xiang is an engineer from Cathay. Tan’pet. The Temujai know the Rangers as the Greencloaks.
The Helvetican Bourse is a banking firm in Helvetica, Alpina.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a misty background of grays and yellow greens as crossbowmen, in the back, fire on the Temujai in the front with Maddie in an orange tunic and brown trousers tucked into boots, her green cloak flaring around her, as she does battle with two knives in the middle. At the top is the series info in a black-shadowed white and the sub-series info below it in a black-shadowed yellow. Below Maddie’s knees is the title in white with an info blurb in white below it. The author’s name is at the very bottom in a subtle yellow to light yellow gradient.
The title refers to a turnabout on the enemy with an Ambush at Sorato.
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