Reading order
Ranger's Apprentice — reading order
- The Ruins of Gorlan (2004)
- The Burning Bridge (2005)
- The Icebound Land (2005)
- The Battle for Skandia (2006)
- The Sorcerer of the North (2006)
- The Siege of Macindaw (2007)
- Erak's Ransom (2007)
- The Kings of Clonmel (2008)
- Halt's Peril (Ranger's Apprentice Book 9) (2009)
- The Emperor of Nihon-Ja (2010)
- The Lost Stories (2011)
- The Royal Ranger (2013)
8.18.1 / 10
Score out of 10Series ranking →- 12 volumes
- Volumes
- 2004–2013
- Published
- Completed
- Status
Quick answer
Start withThe Ruins of Gorlan
Affiliate link: buying through it supports BookRank at no extra cost to you.
Publication order
12 volumes2004–2013Completed
- Start with The Ruins of Gorlan and read in order — Will’s training and friendships carry through.
- Readers rate the books very evenly.
- The Lost Stories (11) fills gaps between earlier books; The Royal Ranger closes the original run, and Brotherband is a spin-off in the same world.
Every volume in order
Read: 0 of 12
7.58.08.5
8.18.1 / 10
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
8.18.1 / 10
–Not ranked yet
8.18.1 / 10
8.18.1 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
–Not ranked yet
2004200520052006200620072007200820092010201120137.58.08.5
200420052005200620062007200720082009201020112013
8.18.1 / 10
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
–Not ranked yet
8.18.1 / 10
–Not ranked yet
8.18.1 / 10
8.18.1 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
–Not ranked yet
Order checked by hand · Order and years: Wikidata (CC0). Spotted an error? Tell us. · Data updated October 11, 2026
Extras, short stories and spin-offs
Not needed to follow the main story — read them after the series or skip them.
- The Icebound Land2005
- The Burning Bridge2005
- The Sorcerer in the North2006
- The Siege of Macindaw2007
- Oakleaf Bearers2008
- The Kings of Clonmel2008
- The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning2013
Frequently asked questions
Which Ranger's Apprentice book is the best?
By reader score, Halt's Peril (Ranger's Apprentice Book 9) (8.1/10). The lowest-rated is The Lost Stories (7.9/10).
Which Ranger's Apprentice book is the longest?
“The Lost Stories” is the longest at 464 pages; the shortest is “The Ruins of Gorlan” with 289 pages.
What should I read after Ranger's Apprentice?
After the main series: The Icebound Land, The Burning Bridge, The Sorcerer in the North, The Siege of Macindaw.
