Part of Ranger's Apprentice, book 7
First published 2010
Will has dreamed of earning the Silver Oakleaf, the highest honor a Ranger can achieve. Few warriors ever reach this distinction, and for a young Ranger like Will, it seems impossibly distant. When news arrives that Erak, the Skandian leader, has been taken prisoner by a fierce desert tribe, the Rangers receive orders to mount a rescue mission. Will joins the expedition into unfamiliar territory where brutal sandstorms and merciless heat test their endurance. The desert tribes prove unpredictable. One group deceives and betrays them, following customs the Rangers cannot understand. Another tribe offers unexpected friendship and aid. In this harsh landscape where appearances deceive at every turn, Will and his fellow Rangers must rely on their courage and skills. The mission will challenge everything Will knows about warfare and survival, pushing him toward the recognition he has always sought.
Genres: fiction, military-fiction, adventure, fantasy
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, underdog
Setting: Skandia
373 pages · Hardcover · Viking Books for Young Readers