Cirrus@Austlit

'King Duncan and Princess Cassandra are trapped high in the south tower of Castle Araluen.

'In the north, Sir Horace and Ranger Commandant Gilan are besieged in an old hill fort, as they wait for the Red Fox Clan's next attack.

'Ranger's apprentice Maddie must find the Heron brotherband and convince them to join her, so she can give her father the help he needs to break out from the hill fort and ride to confront the traitor.

'Will they reach Castle Araluen in time? And when the battles have been fought and the dust has settled, who will rule the Kingdom of Araluen?'  (Publication summary)

'When the former Baron Morgarath escaped to avoid punishment for treason, an uneasy peace fell on Araluen. But the Rangers know Morgarath will be planning his next move, and there are rumours he has recruited an army of savage, inhuman creatures. Newly crowned King Duncan must prepare for war.

'Halt prepares for a seemingly impossible task – climbing the deadly cliffs of the Mountains of Rain and Night and venturing deep into enemy territory to spy on Morgarath. Meanwhile, Crowley must ensure the Queen's safety as she undertakes her own perilous journey for the sake of her unborn child.

'Morgarath's Wargals seem unstoppable against Duncan's depleted army. The winner of this war could be decided by one wrong move. At the Battle of Hackham Heath, the fate of a Kingdom will be decided.

'The origin story of how Halt came to be Araluen's most famous Ranger – and how war will decide the future of the next generation – will thrill Ranger's Apprentice fans and new readers alike.' (Publication summary)

'When you're a Ranger who happens to be royalty, stopping treason isn't just part of the job - it's personal. Most of the time, Maddie is an apprentice Ranger, learning archery, knife throwing, unseen movement and combat skills under the guidance of the legendary Will Treaty. For one month each year, though, she must return home and resume her identity as Princess Madelyn. Forced to keep her Ranger training a secret, Maddie finds castle life dull. But when she discovers clues to a devastating plot against the crown, she realises her family - and the peace they've worked so hard to achieve - could be in terrible danger. To save everyone at Castle Araluen, and her father's forces who are trapped by an enemy army in the north, Maddie must find out the truth. Who is the man in the red fox mask?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Stig is contesting the annual Maktig competition to decide Skandia’s greatest warrior. But an unexpected visitor arrives with a request Stig, Hal and the brotherband can’t refuse: a rescue mission of epic proportions.

'Pirates have kidnapped the son of the Empress of Byzantos, a city-state far to the south. The brotherband sets sail to recover the boy, only to find that the pirates’ fortress seems impenetrable, sitting atop towering cliffs above the deep lagoon – the caldera – of a volcanic crater.

'Culminating in a battle for survival on the high seas, The Caldera sees the Herons take on one of their most difficult missions yet as the fate of an empire rests on their shoulders.' (Publication Summary)

'Before they became the most famous Ranger in the land and the hard-working Ranger Commandant, Halt and Crowley were young friends determined to change the world.

'The scheming Baron Morgarath is drawing other power-hungry knights and barons to his banner. King Oswald is wasting away and, if gossip can be believed, Prince Duncan is causing havoc in the north.

'Halt and Crowley set out to find the prince, uncover the truth, and re-form the weakened Ranger Corps. Once-loyal Rangers are scattered across the country, and it will take determination, skill, and leadership if they're to come together as one. Can the Rangers regain the trust of the Kingdom, or will the cunning Morgarath outwit them at every turn?' (Publication summary)

'After a senseless tragedy destroys his life, Will is obsessed with punishing those responsible, even if it means leaving the Ranger Corps. His worried friends must find a way to stop him taking such a dark path. It is Halt who suggests the solution: Will must take an apprentice. The candidate Halt has in mind will surprise everyone, and it will be a request that Will cannot refuse. Training a rebellious, unwilling apprentice is hard enough. But when a routine mission uncovers a shocking web of crime, Will must decide where his priorities lie, finishing his quest for revenge, or saving innocent lives?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Horace is missing. Months have passed since he was sent on a military mission to the court of the Emperor of Nihon-Jin but has failed to return. Evanlyn is worried, and in company with Will and Alyss, she sets out to discover what has become of their old friend.

'They find that Horace has become embroiled in Nihon-Jin politics. The arrogant Senji Sect has rebelled against the rightful Emperor and Horace has chosen to stay and lend support to the deposed ruler. Now he and Will must turn farm and forest workers into a fighting force that can face the highly trained Senji warriors, while Alyss and Evanlyn must overcome their long-standing rivalry to seek aid from a mysterious group of mountain dwellers.' (From the author's website.)

'Will is determined to rescue Alyss - even if it means laying siege to an enemy castle!

'In this desolate northern fief, where can Will find the fighting men he needs to overcome the traitorous Sir Keren and his band of criminals? Across the border, the fierce Scotti tribesmen are waiting for the signal that Castle Macindaw is in friendly hands, and the way is clear to mount a full-scale attack.

'Time is running out. Will's courage and ingenuity - and the arrival of an old friend - may be the only things that stand in their way.' (Publication summary)

'On his first top-secret mission, can the Ranger Will save a new ally from a terrible curse?

'Five years have passed since the Skandians and the Araluans made their treaty, and Will has finally become a Ranger, with his own fief to look after. He soon learns that even sleepy little islands have problems to keep him on his toes.

'Then he and his old friend Alyss are thrown into a terrifying new adventure, investigating the truth behind rumours of sorcery in a remote northern fief. As he stands in Grimsdell Forest, with the horrific, ghostly Night Warrior looming over him, Will must ask himself one question: is there a rational explanation . . . or does sorcery really exist?' (Publication summary)

'Can sworn enemies fight side by side to save their lives and their kingdoms?

'Just as spring approaches and Will and Evanlyn can finally escape Skandia, Evanlyn is carried off by mysterious horsemen. Will sets out after them, but one boy against six fierce Temujai warriors is impossible odds - even for a Ranger's apprentice. Halt and Horace arrive just in time. But there is no time to celebrate as Halt realises these Temujai are only the scouts for a massive invasion force. The four Araluens must work together with the Skandians to defeat the invaders - if the Oberjarl will accept their help. ' (Publication summary)

'The Ranger’s apprentice is about to be sold into slavery - but help can arrive from the most unexpected places . . .

'Will and Evanlyn are bound for Skandia as the captives of the fearsome Skandian wolfship captain, Erak. Halt has sworn to rescue Will, and he will do anything to keep his promise - even defy his King. Expelled from the Rangers, Halt is joined by Horace as he travels through Gallica towards Skandia. On their way, they are constantly challenged by freelance knights - otherwise known as thieving thugs. Horace knows a thing or two about combat, though, and he soon begins to attract the attention of knights and warlords for miles around with his uncanny skill. But will they be in time to rescue Will from a life of slavery?' (Publication summary)