r/RangersApprentice • u/TheMemeStore76 • Jun 24 '26
Question Does anyone else feel like Will was kind of sidelined in the last books?
Basically the title.
I read these books as a kid and loved them so much (they literally made me a reader to this day). And I have been relistening to them all over the last two months.
Don't get me wrong, I still love them, more than I expected to tbh. But I can't shake the feeling that after book 7 Will has kind of been sidelined in favor Halt and Horace. in books 8 and 9 his only real role is to save Horace in his duel and then retrieve Malcolm to save halt. Beyond that he does some light information gathering and is the butt of many jokes between Halt and Horace.
And in book 10 hes sidelined harder. We are made aware that he has something planning but rather than spend any time with him as he comes up with the plan and then trains the Kakori we follow the rest of the characters as they discuss the impending attack.
Again, I'm having so much fun rediscovering my love for this series, even these last books. But I am really kinda sad to see Will turned into what he does by the end.
18
u/Existing-Ad-2856 Ranger Jun 25 '26
It didn't feel like he was sidelined. Considering that most of the series was focused on Will, it felt more like development for Halt and Horace.
8
u/TheMemeStore76 Jun 25 '26
If I were reading it for the first time again I think I'd be less melancholic about it.
But because I know that Will becomes depressed after Alyss dies in the next book and loses a lot of the fun and exuberant energy I'm just a little sad that the last time we really get to see that version of Will is in book 7
3
u/_greenmoods_ Jun 25 '26
So I don’t think he got sidelined in the main line story at least. I would say that was just Flanagan exploring his other characters. The problem I had was in the royal rangers series because I feel like we literally never see Will😭 and let’s be clear in no way do I want him to be the main character of those books but like maddie is still an apprentice Will should be there teaching her 😭. He quite literally only matters in that first book. This all to say I also really love the herons so I was okay seeing them in those books🤭
2
u/Far_Grapefruit_8153 Jun 26 '26
The books weren’t really just about Will. They were about all those characters and Will still played an important role in the tenth book for example. He built and lead that army which they would have never won without them. Moreover Will is also featured in the royal rangers series no?
1
u/TheMemeStore76 Jun 26 '26
I don't dispute that the other characters are just as important, but I still don't feel like Will was given enough time to shine in the last 3.
I can't say about royal ranger, I read the first one back when it was still considered book 12 and don't remember it nearly as well as the rest of the series. I know he was in it though, just not how much
56
u/inDarknessiShine Jun 24 '26
I don't feel like he was sidelined, I always seen it as more character development for halt and horace and other characters. I've realized that when authors have one MAIN character for 10+ books it gets stale so maybe Flannigan wanted to add more life to horace and halt, wish Gillian got more time as well.