The Ranger's Apprentice 2: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan

This book is the second in The Ranger's Apprentice series, and I gave it a rating of 5 out of 5. Will continues his training with Halt, but they are forced into action as the threat of invasion looms nearer.

Will is reunited with Horace, a young man who bullied Will in previous years. Through life-threatening circumstances they become friends. While out in the wild, Will and Horace are sent off on their own as Halt is needed elsewhere. They are joined by a lost, frightened girl who is more than she seems to be. The trio accidentally discover the secret plans of the enemy in which they will attack the king's armies from behind. Will decides there is not time to warn the king or the other rangers, so they must find a way to stop the enemy forces.

Again, the author mixes action, humor, and suspense to make the book hard to put down. The rangers always come across as smarter than everyone else, and I suppose they are smarter. It is funny how they toy with the minds of their friends and foes, and how they are often able to resolve problems with their brains. There are ample opportunities for the rangers to display their legendary fighting skills that all others fear. This book has a surprising ending that leads right into the third book of the series, The Icebound Land.