book one, By Darkness Hid, by Jill Williamson

Achan has been in the lowest position in all Er’Rets, a stray. All he has ever done is milk goats and chop potatoes in his home, the kitchens in Sitna, when his opportunity comes. Sir Gavin, an old Kingsguard knight offers to secretly train him as his squire. But during the the snake Prince Gidon’s coming of age celebration, Achan finds that he has an unusual gift, a high strength of bloodvoiceing. Lord Nathak, the lord of Sitna, finds out that Sir Gavin has been training Achan, he sends Sir Gavin away. The Prince then takes Achan as his squire on the rode to Mahanaim were trouble follows Achan all the way.

Vrell Sparrow is running away from the vile Prince Gidon who wants control of Carm. She has recently found that she can bloodvoice and has a strength of blocking. A greedy old man in Mahanaim has sensed her and has sent two New Kingsguard knights too fetch her. She finds lots of adventures along the way, none of them very pleasing. Soon after she arrives, she is sent to help a solider who her master wishes to train in bloodvoiceing.

Their worlds collide when Vrell brings Achan to the Mahanaim dungeons were she tends his wounds. When Sir Gavin rescues Achan, everything is turned around in Achan’s world.

book 2, By Darkness Fled, by Jill Williamson

Achan, Vrell, and the knights are fleeing into Darkness. They are pursued by know, and unknown enemies. They travel from Mahanaim to Mirrostone. Then a detour to Barth, and off to Melas. Then into the snow in the forest surrounding Berland.

Disappointment in Meribah Corner, then great sorrow in Tsaftown. Confusion and joy in Mitspah. Each city bringing new challenges that both Achan and Vrell must endure.
Achan struggles to fit into his new roll. He is trying to understand his gift. He doesn’t understand why Arman, the only God, has chosen him.

Vrell tries to keep her secret, but it is becoming hard to. She has decided to stay with the men until they arrive in Carmine. She has realized that her betrothed, Bran Rennan, is no longer interested in. With conflicting emotions, she struggles in her roll as Achan’s healer.

book 3, By Darkness Won, by Jill Williamson

Vrell is leaving, again. She is determined to serve Prince Oren in Southern Er’Rets. She leaves with Gren Hoff, Achan’s childhood sweetheart. But when Vrell is caught in Sitna, she regrets her decision greatly. When she is stormed by her old master, she forgets all of what has happened in the last year.

Achan is assaulted by questions he can not answer: can Esek still be alive? Who is this mysterious Hadad? And who is the real enemy, Hadad or Esek and Lord Nathak? To add to his worries, he is now betrothed to Lady Averilla, Duchess Amal’s daughter, and he learns that Sparrow has been stormed and he believes he is the only one who can reunite her with her body. All the while he has to fight the war that will either bring back light to all Er’Rets, or put all Er’Rets into darkness.

Ranger’s Apprentice series, by John Flanagan

Will has been chosen to be the apprentice of the mysterious Ranger Halt. Throughout his apprenticeship as a ranger, he must face dangers that we can only imagine, travel to lands across the sea, and save the Kingdom of Araluen from imminent disaster with his friend, Horace, and master, Halt. When he is made a full fledged ranger, he must face new dangers such as… a sorcerer?

A series that has sold millions of copies worldwide, Ranger’s Apprentice is a great series for anyone looking for a sense of adventure. A well written book with great character development, not only through the first book, but also through the entire series. Probably a book for all ages of teens, possibly a little younger for some families, because of some mild swearing in some of the books.

Harry Potter series, by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter is “The Boy who survived.” He has lived under the stairs at the Dursely’s for the past ten years. His life has been surrounded by strange happenings: His hair grows back the night after a bad haircut, glass disappears at the zoo, random people come and shake his hand to name only a few. He finally knows why when a giant named Hagrid comes and tells him that he’s a wizard. But not just any normal wizard, no, but supposedly a great wizard, even at the age of eleven. For it was he who had finally stopped Lord Voldemort in his reign over wizardom, as most people thought, forever. But it was not forever. While Harry is studying at the school for wizards called Hogwarts, strange things keep happening, even for wizards. Harry must struggle for survival at what is probably one of the safest places for him on the face of the Earth with his friends Ron Weasely and Hermione Granger as they discover that You-Know-Who is not really dead.

Before I read the Harry Potter series, I listened to what a lot of people said about. It was split fairly evenly between people who loved it, thought it was alright, or hated it. I, for one, loved it. It is by far one of my favorites with the first books used mainly to introduce the characters to you, while the rest are mainly running, fighting, puzzle solving, and all around having a good time. I would suggest this series to anyone, but wouldn’t guarantee that they would love it.