John Flanagan is a talented writer and he weaves a suspenseful tale throughout the Ranger's Apprentice series. This book is no exception and from the beginning you get vivid detail and thorough descriptions. This installment in the Ranger's Apprentice series has a dark tone, much like the past books. The main character in this novel is Will, a young ranger, but he is joined by his good friend and love interest, Alyss. The book is centered around their trials and tribulations but they often receive help from past characters like Will's former teacher Halt and Alyss and Will's good friend Horace. Will is a well known character in the series and his good-nature, quick wit, and his knack for always saving the day makes him a very lovable character. Alyss is a poised, beautiful, and caring individual and her hidden strength and selflessness makes her a powerful female presence. The book often alternates from different focal points, one chapter focusing on Will, another focusing on the villain, and the next showing Alyss. These changes help to give the reader a view of everything that is going on, so that you get a sense of what all the characters are doing and how one character's actions will affect the other. In this novel, conflict draws ever closer until you reach the final climax where battle is about to break loose. It is at this point that the book ends and you wind up feeling like the entire novel merely set up the next book. There is no heavy action, no final confrontation, and the ending felt severely lack-luster. Everything in the brilliant tale Flanagan has woven thus far simply seems cut off.This book was a tremendous read up until the end. If you wish for a full novel with a beginning, climax, and ending you will be a bit disappointed. Although the plot crumbles at the end, all the way through the writing is vivid, effective, beautiful, and interesting. The book is part of a very action packed fantasy series and although it holds very little action itself, it does continue to build on Flanagan's elaborate fictional world. I would have to say that is the weakest Ranger's Apprentice book so far due to the lack of conclusion, and the fact that on its own it does not stand a very complete book. As mentioned before, this book is best for those who are already avid readers of the Rangers Apprentice series as it contains many old characters, but it is not an entirely lost cause for those who have not read the series before. I would recommend having the next book ready to read immediately after finishing this one, so that all of the brilliant reading you have just done does not feel entirely wasted.