Will and Evanlyn are carried off as captives to frozen Skandia, while Halt and Horace set out on a long journey to rescue them
Captives of the north
After the defeat of the rebel warlord Morgarath, Will, a young Ranger's apprentice, and his friend Evanlyn have been captured by Skandian sea raiders. They are now aboard a wolfship sailing north to Skandia, a land of snow and fierce warriors, where they will be sold as slaves. Back home, Will's mentor Halt is forbidden by the king to follow, so he finds a way to break the rules.
Who will enjoy it
Readers aged about ten to fourteen who enjoyed The Ruins of Gorlan and The Burning Bridge and want more adventure, loyalty and clever heroes.
What you will get
A fast, gripping adventure in which a young ranger's apprentice is carried off to a frozen land while his mentor and best friend race to rescue him.
The Icebound Land Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Fantasy · Rangers · Captivity · Rescue
Length
266 pages · ≈ 8 h
More about this book
The middle book of a series' first arc can be a holding pattern, but The Icebound Land splits its heroes into two strong storylines. In Skandia, Will is put to hard labour and given a drug that dulls his mind, and the story becomes about survival and friendship as Evanlyn hatches a plan to escape into the mountains and help him recover. These chapters are darker than earlier books, though handled with care.
Meanwhile, Halt and Horace travel through the neighbouring kingdom of Gallica, and their scenes provide much of the fun: Halt's dry wit, Horace's growing skill with a sword, and a confrontation with a ruthless knight who rules his land by fear. Horace's duels with challenging knights are exciting, and the friendship between the gruff Ranger and the earnest young warrior is warm and funny. Flanagan keeps chapters short and the action clear.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, so have The Battle for Skandia ready. Readers who like their adventures loyal, funny and full of clever escapes will find this one hard to put down, and many name Halt and Horace's journey as a series highlight. About 266 pages in the Puffin paperback.
The Burning Bridge
The Ruins of Gorlan
Eragon
The Hobbit
City of Ashes
Crown of Midnight
The Titan’s Curse
This Present Darkness
A Court of Thorns and Roses
City of Lost Souls
Shadows of Self
City of Fallen Angels