Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Order: 2 Ways to Read John Flanagan’s Books

If you’re trying to read the Ranger’s Apprentice books in order, you’ve got two solid options: follow the publication order by series, or go chronological to read everything in the timeline order. We’ve laid out both below so you can pick the approach that fits how you like to read these medieval-flavored YA fantasy adventures.

Jump to:

• Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Series Order
• Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Chronological Order
• About Ranger’s Apprentice
• Screen Adaptations
• Ranger’s Apprentice Books FAQ

Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Series Order

If you want the smoothest entry point, read the Ranger’s Apprentice books in order of publication by series. That means starting with the main Ranger’s Apprentice books first, then going back for the prequel series, and only after that moving into the sequel/spin-off books.

For first-time readers, this order just works. It’s how most fans met Araluen, and it preserves the character introductions, reveals, and worldbuilding the way Flanagan built them—so everything lands when it’s supposed to.

Ranger’s Apprentice

The main Ranger’s Apprentice series is where you meet Will and step into Araluen for the first time—training, missions, and all the Ranger craft that defines the world. It’s the backbone of the whole franchise, so once this clicks, the prequels and spin-offs land a lot harder.

1. The Ruins of Gorlan (2004)
2. The Burning Bridge (2005)
3. The Icebound Land (2005)
4. The Battle for Skandia / Oakleaf Bearers (2006)
5. The Sorcerer of the North (2006)
6. The Siege of Macindaw (2007)
7. Erak’s Ransom (2007)
8. The Kings of Clonmel (2008)
9. Halt’s Peril (2009)
10. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja (2010)
11. The Lost Stories (2011) (Short Story Collection)

Ranger’s Apprentice: The Early Years

The Early Years is the prequel series that jumps back to Halt’s early life and shows how he became a Ranger—filling in the backstory that the main books only hint at.

1. The Tournament at Gorlan (2015)
2. The Battle of Hackham Heath (2016)

The Brotherband Chronicles

The Brotherband Chronicles lives in the same world as Ranger’s Apprentice, mostly over in Skandia, and it’s not “random other books” — characters and events start overlapping more as both series go on.

It deserves a spot in a Ranger’s Apprentice books in order list because it fills in what’s happening outside Araluen, and when the crossovers hit later, you’ll actually know who everyone is and why it matters.

1. The Outcasts (2011)
2. The Invaders (2012)
3. The Hunters (2012)
4. Slaves of Socorro (2014)
5. Scorpion Mountain (2014)
6. The Ghostfaces (2016)
7. The Caldera (2017)
8. Return of the Temujai (2019)
9. The Stern Chase (2022)

Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger

The Royal Ranger picks up after the main series and follows Maddie as she trains under Halt and steps into a new generation of Ranger work. It keeps the same mission-driven structure, but with a fresh lead and a slightly more “legacy sequel” vibe.

1. The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning (2013)
2. The Red Fox Clan (2018)
3. Duel at Araluen (2018)
4. The Missing Prince (2020)
5. Escape from Falaise (2021)
6. Arazan’s Wolves (2023)
7. The Ambush at Sorato (2024)

Ranger’s Apprentice Books in Chronological Order

There’s also a timeline order if you want to read the Ranger’s Apprentice books in order of when events happen in-world, but I only recommend this if you already know the series. Chronological order can spoil reveals and character introductions that Flanagan clearly meant to unfold later.

One other note: I’ve broken out the short stories as their own entries here, even though most of them appear together in The Lost Stories (and yes, that includes stories that were also released separately).

1. The Hibernian (Short Story)
2. The Tournament at Gorlan
3. The Battle of Hackham Heath
4. Death of a Hero (Short Story)
5. The Ruins of Gorlan
6. The Burning Bridge
7. The Icebound Land
8. The Inkwell and the Dagger (Short Story)
9. The Battle for Skandia / Oakleaf Bearers
10. Erak’s Ransom
11. The Sorcerer of the North
12. The Siege of Macindaw
13. The Kings of Clonmel
14. Halt’s Peril
15. The Outcasts
16. The Invaders
17. The Hunters
18. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
19. The Roamers (Short Story)
20. Purple Prose (Short Story)
21. Dinner for Five (Short Story)
22. The Bridal Dance (Short Story)
23. The Wolf (Short Story)
24. And About Time, Too… (Short Story)
25. The Slaves of Socorro
26. Scorpion Mountain
27. The Ghostfaces
28. The Caldera
29. Return of the Temujai
30. The Stern Chase
31. The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning
32. The Beast from Another Time (Short Story)
33. The Red Fox Clan
34. Duel at Araluen
35. The Missing Prince
36. Escape from Falaise
37. Arazan’s Wolves
38. The Ambush at Sorato
39. The Lost Stories: Foreword & Afterword

What is the Ranger’s Apprentice about?

The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan is a YA medieval fantasy adventure series set in the kingdom of Araluen. It follows Will Treaty, an undersized orphan who doesn’t fit the mold for knight training—until he’s selected as the apprentice to Halt, one of the Rangers.

Rangers are elite scouts who protect the realm through stealth, archery, tracking, and intelligence work rather than brute force. Will starts as the kid nobody expects much from, then slowly becomes dangerous in the ways that actually matter.

The early books are “training plus first missions,” which is exactly why the series hooks people. You’re watching Will learn Ranger craft (and survive mistakes), while the threats scale up from local danger to political plots, invasions, and wars that force him to grow up fast.

If you like fantasy that reads like tactical adventure—small teams, scouting, infiltrations, tight friendships, and a lot of “how do we win when we’re outmatched?”—this is the lane. The world expands into prequels and related series, but the backbone stays the same: Will earning his place, one mission at a time.

Is there a Ranger’s Apprentice adaptation?

The Ranger’s Apprentice has been “in the works” for screen adaptation more than once over the years. For example, Reuters reported back in 2008 that the film rights had been optioned and Paul Haggis was in discussions to adapt/direct—an early version that ultimately never reached production.

The most recent concrete update is from early 2024: Multiple outlets reported that Skydance bought the adaptation rights for a live-action feature film, with Ted Melfi attached to adapt, direct, and produce, and with John Flanagan involved as an executive producer.

At that stage, the plan being reported was to build the first movie from the opening story arc (the first two books), but there were no confirmed casting announcements or release date attached to the project. Until a studio names cast and a production start, treat everything beyond the names above as “in development,” not guaranteed.

Ranger’s Apprentice Books FAQ

What order should I read the Ranger’s Apprentice books in?

If it’s your first time, start with the main series, then read the prequels, then the spin-offs. That’s the simplest way to read the Ranger’s Apprentice books in order without spoilers or timeline whiplash.

Should I read The Early Years before the main series?

No. The Early Years is a prequel, but it lands better once you already know Halt and understand why his past matters.

Where does The Lost Stories fit in the reading order?

The Lost Stories jumps around the timeline, so treat it like bonus material. Read it after you’ve finished a good chunk of the main series (or after the main series) so the stories feel like extra context instead of interruptions.

Do I need to read The Brotherband Chronicles to understand Ranger’s Apprentice?

You can follow the main Ranger’s Apprentice story without it, but Brotherband is set in the same world and becomes more relevant as the universe expands. If you want full shared-world continuity (and to recognize crossover characters and events later), it’s worth including.

How many Ranger’s Apprentice books are there?

There isn’t one single number because the world includes the main series, a short story collection, prequels, spin-offs, and newer sequel-era books. The most evergreen approach is to treat the lists on this page as your “current complete” reference for the Ranger’s Apprentice books in order.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.

• Books in Order (Full Index)
• Cosmere Books in Order
• Throne of Glass Books in Order
• Chronicles of Narnia Books in Order