"RANGER'S APPRENTICE: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja," by John Flanagan, Philomel Books, $17.95, 435 pages (f)
John Flanagan's "Ranger's Apprentice: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja" may not be a religious novel, but it is still has several good values including individual worth, loyalty and unity.
Emperor Shigeru believes in the individual worth of all his people, even the commoners. As a member of the warrior class, he's been taught all his life that the common people are somehow less than human. He disagrees, however, and has been working to bridge that gap. Doing so puts him in danger, but he has the love and loyalty of those whose rights he defends, and he is able to call upon them in his time of need.
Not only are the common people loyal to their emperor — and he to them — but the main characters are also loyal to one another. Horace is loyal to the emperor as a friend even though he isn't one of the emperor's subjects, and Horace's friends are loyal to him. When Halt, Will, Alyss and Evanlyn discover that Horace has gone into hiding with Emperor Shigeru, they set off to help him. They are eventually able to help the emperor come up with a plan of action based on the unity the emperor's people share.
A taste of this unity is first shown in the beginning of the story, although with a different nation. Will and Halt are in a foreign country watching an army show off its unique battle formations. In Will's hometown the knights are trained for years in fighting techniques and fight very well one-on-one, but these men need a much shorter period of training because they are taught to fight as a unit similar to the archers that Will trained in "Battle for Skandia." They all have each others' backs. Instead of taking too long fighting any one person, they move forward relentlessly, striking everywhere.
Will and Halt are hard-pressed to think of how they would beat them should they ever have to face them in battle. However, remembering this unified approach later on allows Will to come up with his own plan of action.
Parents should be warned, however, that this book does have mild swearing. Because it's a war story, there are also a few scenes of fighting, but they aren't the focus and they aren't at all descriptive.
The focus is on the bonds of friendship and love. Halt and Will are like father and son, and Horace and Will are like brothers. Alyss and Evanlyn even eventually become friends, though it takes them the majority of the book.
Overall, Flanagan has created a wonderful book. It has its flaws, but the themes of loyalty and friendship create a timeless tale for everyone.
Kimberly Bennion is a senior majoring in English at Brigham Young University.