The Royal Ranger: The Red Fox Clan

Summary: Book 2 in the Ranger's Apprentice The Royal Ranger series, Maddie, a princess turned Ranger, has come a long way in her training under the famous Will Treaty. After completing her third-year assessment with a near-flawless score, Maddie returns home to Castle Araluen where she is forced to keep her identity as a Ranger a secret. Use to the outdoor and adventurous lifestyle of a Ranger, the castle life does nothing to quench her thirst for another mission, especially with rumors of a group calling themselves the Red Fox Clan threatening to prevent the succession of her mother as a female ruler. As the clan's threats turn to action and the castle army is drawn away to its own battle, it's up to Maddie to warn her mother, the acting queen, before it's too late.

Suggested age rating: 13+ based on some violence and minor language.

Review: As a huge fan of the first novel being nearly perfect from start to finish, I had high hopes going into the sequel only after loving the new dynamic building between Maddie and Will. Unfortunately, Will is not present for any duration of the novel, which leaves me somewhat disappointed as no one fulfills this position when it is desperately needed. In addition to this, the previous book had many adventures and a solid purpose, while this one in comparison seemed to only serve as a way to see Maddie return home to her humdrum life. Though the novel is not all bad, as this author has been previously known, the last quarter of the book is excellent and builds to a great climax only for the reader to be left with a cliffhanger. Genius. I just wished this had happened sooner as the final reveal and battle made the book stand out. Overall a slow book with an excellent ending that will make you want to go to your local library to pick up the next one.

Language: 1 da**.

Indecency/Sex: A man is poked in the butt with the end of a knife, men strip down to their underwear, mention of a character approving of a relationship between very distant relatives.

Violence and Gore: Several men are injured with bones broken by a projectile, a man is injured with a riding crop, and several men are killed with arrows and spears.

Frightening Scenes: None present.

Substance Abuse: Several men drink alcohol.

Spiritual Content: A group of people believe in gods and a cult is present where meetings take place in a church.

Genres: Fantasy, fiction, young adult, medieval.